Back in the early 90's, hip hop music was punctuated by conscious political style rappers, most notably Public Enemy. Rappers of the political style often targeted government and politicians in their rhymes. Because of this, these rappers became targets themselves. Other conscious rappers, such as Rakim and Nas, took a more journalistic approach to detailing their communities, and the problems they faced through vivid street tales.
In the mid-nineties, it was popular to sample old funk records from George Clinton and the like. This style was popularized by west coast rappers Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg. The Chronic and Doggystyle both made use of Dre's funky George Clinton-inspired compositions, ushering in a mellow smooth sound that represented the entire California movement.
Gangsta rap developed as a sort of by-product out of the political rap style. The political discussions began fading out of the music and the anger resonated. Tupac is a prime example of the gangsta rap style, starting as a politically conscious rapper who became an aggressive machismo gangsta rapper. Even Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, two rappers from the politically charged group N.W.A., took to gangsta rap when it became popular.
Often the most overlooked style of old-school hip hop belongs to eclectic artists such as Q-Tip and The Pharcyde. These artists employed more contemporary choices in their music, with lyrics usually about relationships, ordinary daily activities and peaceful vibes. Videos shot for eclectic artists were much more colorful than the standard rap fare, and employed unusual visual aesthetics at the time, such as: backward editing, upside down shots and black and white against color effects.