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Considering these details will help to understand Hip-Hop in the south began to reflect the social and cultural aspects of society. From an article written by, "Darren E. Grem, it states, " Throughout the 1990s, industry leaders and southern rappers promoted the Dirty South as a new type of rap music. A blending of older rap styles with southern music,accents, and themes...".
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They attempted to tidy up the South’s image, but in reality- the dirt is what made it glow. In the mid 1990s, the phrase Dirty South started to become popular in the subculture of Hip-Hop. The idea of the Dirty South detailed by the Alanta based group “Goodie Mob”, explains the racist, and oppressive white South during this time. Diving deeper, it explains the cultural, historical, and economic contexts of the South and how the South was perceived by the people living within. -
In 1992, seminal releases such as UGK’s Too Hard to Swallow illustrated this flourishing Southern aesthetic, blending intense “ganster” rap narratives with a unique Southern cadence and cultural dialect. In addition, the social and economic realities of urban Southern communities—distinct by post-Civil Rights era challenges, systemic inequalities, and colorful local identities—shaped the lyrical content and artistic expression of these early Southern rappers. -
Music group: Goodie Mob
Title: Dirty South
Place: Alanta Georgia
Date: 1995 -
From Goodie Mobs' debut album, “Dirty South” was recorded in 1995 and released August 6th 1996. The song was produced by Organized Noize and presented a catchy phrase, “ Dirty South” which grew to become very popular. The soulful and exposed song addressed the deep-rooted issues of African Americans lives within the South during the 1990s. The song also addressed the stereotypical problems in the South, thus naming the song “Dirty South” to explain the authenticity and identity.
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Artifact label: Album cover for Dirty South
Promotional Image for Everythang’s gon be different by Dirty South: Hard 2 Hit -
The promotional Image for Everythang’s gon be different mirrors the authenticity of the South and the artist, Dirty South. The album cover captures not only the artist but the South as well as it shows the South in his perspective. The color design and street signs reflect the embodiment of the South. The album presents a sense of Southern pride and an image that demonstrates the South’s sound.
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Artifact label: Master P on xxl magazine Volume 1 Issue 1 Master P on the cover of XXL Magazine started not only an influence in the South, but it started to created the voice of the South. Master P’s embodiment of the South represents the entrepreneurial and hard working spirit that would soon later define the South. Being introduced to XXL not only put Master P in a different place but also allowed the South to be. -
Miller, Matt. “Rap’s Dirty South: From Subculture to Pop Culture.” Journal of Popular Music Studies, vol. 16, no. 2, Aug. 2004, pp. 175–212, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-4146.2004.00018.x.
“Shibboleth Authentication Request.” Oclc.org, 2025, muse-jhu-edu.utk.idm.oclc.org/pub/12/article/962460. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Alfaro, Ulysses. “OutKast: Bringing Southern Culture to Hip-Hop and Taking It Mainstream.” Article, 2020, https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/downloads/dr26z535x -
Miller, Matt. “Dirty Decade: Rap Music and the US South, 1997–2007.” Southern Spaces, 10 June 2008, southernspaces.org/2008/dirty-decade-rap-music-and-us-south-1997-2007/.
Grem, Darren E. “‘The South Got Something to Say’: Atlanta’s Dirty South and the Southernization of Hip-Hop America.” Southern Cultures, vol. 12, no. 4, 2006, pp. 55–73, https://doi.org/10.1353/scu.2006.0045.