The peer-reviewed research article by university lecturer Erica Åberg and Academy Fellow Elina Westinen explores Finnish “gangsta rap” from the perspective of authenticity, a key concept in hip hop culture. In their article, the researchers analyze four Finnish “gangsta rap” videos and their lyrics by artists who received considerable attention in the Finnish media between 2021 and 2022. The media debate has created an image of a new situation ahead, in which gang violence is commodified through gangsta rap – or, more specifically, drill-inspired music, for which the media use the term gangsta rap.
However, Åberg and Westinen’s study, drawing on cultural criminology and hip hop research, shows that the nature of the music and the (performance of) criminal activity associated with it, as well as the reactions to it, are similar to those found in previous US and UK research: sensationalist, simplistic and authority-driven.
Finland is an interesting case study in examining gangsta rap and its alleged street gang connection from a number of different perspectives. First, Finland has a relatively small immigrant, black and brown population compared to many other countries. Secondly, the phenomenon has received a great deal of media attention in Finland. Thirdly, the media attention to the phenomenon and its reception in general is also influenced by the situation in neighboring Sweden, where the escalation of gang violence is expected to have repercussions also here.
Based on the analysis, the rap authenticity constructed in the data is based, in particular, on four visual-textual elements: involvement in ‘real’ crime, knowledge of the ‘rules’ of the rap game, loyalty to one’s own neighborhood and close circle, and the display of social dominance.
Researchers are keen to stress that the complex links between authenticity, crime and gang life require a ‘situated’, street-literate understanding, the lack of which can arbitrarily stigmatize certain groups of people and certain styles of music. Further research on the localities of rap is needed to better highlight and understand the youth-cultural specificities of each context.
Reference
Åberg, E. & Westinen, E. (2025) “Prosecutors charge me, police watch after me” – The intertwining of authenticity, crime, and gang life in Finnish ‘gangsta rap’ music (Visit an external site. The link opens in a new tab.). Crime, Media, Culture. https://doi.org/10.1177/17416590251344489 (Visit an external site. The link opens in a new tab.)
