Rap Subgenre - "X Gon' Give it to Ya"

Question

The DMX song "X Gon' Give it to Ya" has a very distinctive rhythm and beat. Is this an identifiable subgenre of rap? Are there other songs like this?

Answer 1

In the mid-nineties a new style of hip-hop track became popular. Heavily inspired by the "G-Funk" West Coast gangsta rap subgenre popularized by Dr Dre, these tracks featured heavy beats, shouted choruses and minimal but epic instrumentation. Similar tracks to "X Gon Give it To Ya" include much of early Ludacris ("Get Back", "Stand Up") as well as much of the "Dirty South" sound popularized by Cash Money Records (Master P - "Make Em Say Uhhh" , Juvenile - "Back That Thang Up", Mystikal - "Bouncin Back", "Shake It Fast").