The origin of the "gansta" credo, which is akin to many resistance movements
that have sprung up around the world is precisely defense of one's own
community. Notions of community sovereignty and self-determination are the
core founding principles that uphold the "
gangsta" philosophy. Of course,
notions of sovereignty, self-determination, and autonomy are closely tied to the principle of a self-sustaining economy, which in a capitalist context such as the U.S., requires all gangstas to find a way to provide for themselves and for the
gangsta unit. The most common resource that is utilized is of course
commerce in contraband: illegal
drugs, prostitution, and firearms. Because
illicit commerce requires the
gangsta to
work outside of the law, a law which
the resisitance movement often does not recognize as legitimate because it
was imposed on them by an outside conquering force, different norms have evolved that regulate transactions and behavior between "gangstas". Among those norms are the "pass" and the requirement that one "keep it real with a brother".
As the
gangsta subculture was incorporated into American Pop Culture, and inevitably purchased and reformulated for mass consumption by corporate interests, certain principles were exaggerated in order to sell the danger and excitement of the
gangsta lifestyle without giving the public any reference to understand gangstaism as a holistic set of principles. Of course those who have been the poster-boys for mass media consumption of
gangsta life or "thug life", often find themselves the target of those who are "true to the game" for "selling out", a phenomenon characterized by the term "
player-
hater" or "haterism". A sentiment that is astutely summarized by the phrase "don't hate the
player, hate the game", an observation on the morally relative position of those who have profited from their assimilation into the popular culture which is the larger game that most gangstas revile, but those who are "true pimps" are currently forcing to "turn tricks" in a manner of speaking.
We them niggas with big guns and big dicks
Fload ya block, and keep it
gangsta
We them niggas with big guns and big dicks
Coat Them rocks, and keep it
gangsta
We them niggas with big guns and big dicks
Drop the top, and keep it
gangsta
We them niggas with big guns and big dicks
Wylin, stylin, and keep it gangsta
--G-Dep and Shyne "Keep It Gangsta"
