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The Unkut Guide To Rap Genres, V2.0

Posted on December 23, 2009December 24, 2019 by Robbie Ettelson

Not surprisingly, between having my not exactly stellar memory jogged by everyone’s suggestions in the comments and taking a quick glance through my own archives, I have some important additions to the original line-up.

Blog Rap

Your YouTube freestyle has 50,000 views, but nobody in the real world knows who you are? You’re a Blog Rapper.

TV Guide Rap

Everyone from Bud Bundy to Parker Lewis to David Silver from 90210 has thrown their Cross Colors hat in to the ring over the years. A perfect example of when ‘doing you’ goes horribly wrong.

Kid Rap

From Chi-Ali, Illegal and Kriss Kross to A+, 2-Low and Le Juan Love, it’s clear that life as a shorty shouldn’t be so rough. First discussed in a two part article back in February. Part One / Part Two

Cowboy Rap

Anything that involves either getting dressed-up in spurs and cowboy hats for your video or just rapping about the Wild West. Not sure how I over-looked Crucial Conflict and the Horse Shoe Gang originally. Or this.

Frat Rap

As covered by Asher Roth himself, with his essential two part guide: Part One / Part Two.

STD Rap

What’s the matter, you burning?

Grandma Rap

Music that you can enjoy with your eldest relatives, without any fear of offending. Common, Black-Eyed Peas and Arrested Development – please stand-up.

Geek Rap

Hyper-active, complicated rhymes delivered in shrill, whiny voices, such as The Pharcyde, Souls of Mischief and Lords of the Underground.

Punk-Smoove Shit Rap

Anything involving Fab, Drake or Nelly and singing.

Paranoid Rap

If you have ever made reference to Beyond A Pale Horse in a rhyme, you qualify. Take a bow La Coka Nostra, Non-Phixion, Immortal Technique, dead prez, Prodigy and The Goats.

Cry Baby Rap

Anything recorded by disgruntled former Jay-Z affiliates.

Fat Rap

The combination of rap, deep-fried food, cable TV and a lack of exercise seems to be a long-standing trend, as demonstrated by The Fat Boys, Heavy D, Big Pun, Fat Joe, Chubb Rock, Rick Ross, Biggie and Fred The Godson.

Skeezer Rap

When your ass gets more attention than your rapping. Hoez With Attitude, Trina, Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, Nikki Minaj…

Wrestlemania Rap

For those who spend over 90% of their time beefing with other rappers. I’m looking at you Tim Dog and 50 Cent.

Kung Fu Rap

First brought to popular attention by the Fu-Schnickens, but the mighty Wu-Tang Clan managed to do it without being corny.

Corporate Board Room Rap

Two words: The Firm.

Bing Monster Rap

Anything recorded while in jail or work release. Extra points for recording over the phone. See Raided-X, Prodigy, Capone, Shyne and Slick Rick.

28 thoughts on “The Unkut Guide To Rap Genres, V2.0”

  1. donaleski says:
    December 23, 2009 at

    YO ROBBIE I FOLLOW U ON DIS ONE, ITS A GOOD N FUNNY ANALYSIS OF WHUT DA GAME IS INDEED…

  2. getthesenets says:
    December 23, 2009 at

    how is the “rapping duke” categorized?

    what about out of left field rap?( so different and weird but stick knocks)

    Da Hah Da Hah Da Hah Hah Hah Hah Hah…..

  3. P-Matik says:
    December 23, 2009 at

    AHHHHHH!! This cat shouted out LeJuan Love. WORD!!

  4. P-Matik says:
    December 23, 2009 at

    Paranoid rap: you forgot Bush Babeez’ 2nd album.

  5. Belize says:
    December 23, 2009 at

    Wrestler rap but no hogan vs savage?

    nOOOOOOOoooooo

  6. money mercilesz says:
    December 23, 2009 at

    rapping duke would definitely be cowboy rap

  7. o says:
    December 23, 2009 at

    it’s “behold” not “beyond” a pale horse… it’s a CONSPURRRRCY!

  8. CENZI says:
    December 23, 2009 at

    oh wait! you have missed one of the most important Genres of all time!!! It just might be the BEST Genre of all time too!

    SMOKE, DRINK, FUCK RAP!

    Beatnuts, the Liks, and Ol Dirty Bastard are true representatives of everyones favourite past times.

  9. swordfish says:
    December 23, 2009 at

    that’s some raw unkut.no one can do it better.

  10. Johnny Hardcore says:
    December 23, 2009 at

    For the kid rap section wouldn’t Da Brat fit in there? Shes a Jermaine Dupri creation as well

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX2yj11xUEU

    And Ice T’s The Gripster?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWmM9H1S7JQ

  11. aimee says:
    December 23, 2009 at

    YOU FORGOT GIB RAP!! THAT IS CRUCIAL.

    CHECK OUT DONNIE DUMPHY ON YOUTUBE,
    VIDEO: HAVIN A TIME.

  12. Crisis says:
    December 24, 2009 at

    Cowboy Rap – Cowboy (Furious 5)?

    Geek Rap – Anticon?

    Wrestlemania Rap – John Cena?

  13. Crisis says:
    December 24, 2009 at

    Paranoid Rap – William Cooper? Dude actually named himself after author of Behold a Pale Horse.

  14. anyce739 says:
    December 24, 2009 at

    wack rap: u-god, masta killa, mims, memphis bleek, the whole south, the hot boys, craig mack

  15. Santos says:
    December 25, 2009 at

    Weed carrier rap. Junior Mafia, YoungMoney, Spliff Starr, Phife Dogg, Outlawz, Money B,

  16. Santos says:
    December 25, 2009 at

    Ohhh shit you all ready got that category. Well then I suggest Actor Rap. Rappers turned actors still rapping a la 2pac, Queen Latifah, Will Smith, Ice Cube, etc!

  17. getthesenets says:
    December 26, 2009 at

    rat pack rap–songs that sample sammy davis, sinatra or dean martin

    oops there’s another rubber tree….

  18. getthesenets says:
    December 26, 2009 at

    3 tenors rap- songs that used opera type singing/vocals..

    Apocalypse-Wyclef

    Bounty Killer and the Fugees did one of these type records too

    ======================================

    Roots rap and reggae- hip hop meets dancehall

    hard hard hard-core reggae……….

  19. ben profane says:
    December 26, 2009 at

    lol @ William Cooper

  20. cenzi says:
    December 26, 2009 at

    lol @ Santos putting Phife and Money B in Weed Carriers category.. fuckin fool

  21. gstatty says:
    December 26, 2009 at

    cowboy rap – sadat x on wild cowboys, that was like the first time i ever heard cowboy rap in my life

    wrestlemania rap – odb since he did that track for mankind, but i guess that doesn’t really count since for all intents and purposes you mean rappers who beef with everyone, you could probably add eminem to that, although eminem likes to beef with fems, moby, heart attackalack whitey ford and dilated peoples

  22. Johnny Hardcore says:
    December 26, 2009 at

    I’m sure there is something before this but the first “cowboy” rap I remember is Kool Moe Dee’s “The Wild Wild West”.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBgHGafPet0

  23. Crisis says:
    December 27, 2009 at

    How about a whole genre devoted to rappers who place Lil or Young in front of their names.

  24. boogs says:
    December 27, 2009 at

    this one should qualify…
    Gladiator Rap: stuff like Jedi Mind Tricks (post-Psycho-Social…) and beats with pompous trumpet sounds

  25. son... says:
    December 27, 2009 at

    other country rap – early 1990s US rap that still gets booked on tours in other countries

  26. sam says:
    December 28, 2009 at

    I think Anticon (and Aesop Rock/El-P/&c) should really be filed under “Post-Grad Rap”

  27. gstatty says:
    December 28, 2009 at

    i can’t believe you said his real name, grandmaster b would not approve

  28. Santos says:
    December 30, 2009 at

    @cenzi

    Truth hurts huh.

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