gangsta

American  

[gang-stuh] / ˈgæŋ stə /

noun

1. a member of an urban street gang.

   He was a true gangsta, and he fought like a soldier for his turf.

   Synonyms:

   cholo , homie , homeboy , thug

2. gangsta rap.

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adjective

1. of or characteristic of urban street gangs, their members, or gangsta rap.

   There was no hiding his prison record or his gangsta tattoos from potential employers.

Etymology

Origin of gangsta

First recorded in 1985–90; representing the typically r-less African American Vernacular English pronunciation of gangster ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does gangsta compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• gangster vs. gangsta

Example Sentences

When Ice Cube and N.W.A came up and the media branded the “reality” genre “gangsta rap,” Ice-T said, he pronounced himself the “original gangster” who started it.

From Los Angeles Times

Joining them for other performances were big names from 1980s hip-hop, such as Run-DMC, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Public Enemy, and Ice T, the latter of whom is often considered “the godfather of gangsta rap.”

From Los Angeles Times

The crux of his tale is a crisis, when a mentor told him that his dancing was “cool but not gangsta enough.”

From New York Times

In essence, Vanilla Ice’s success helped lay the groundwork for the gangsta rap that killed his career.

From Los Angeles Times

Dogg recalls a summit where Warwick invited him and other gangsta rappers to her house, warning them to stop using inflammatory lyrics about women.

From Los Angeles Times