Horrorcore

Not to be confused with Horror punk.

Horrorcore
Scarface, of the group Geto Boys, whose violent, horror-themed lyrics have been singled out as the first recorded example of horrorcore
Other namesHorror hip hop, horror rap, death hip hop, death rap, murder rap, murder music
Stylistic origins
Cultural originsEarly-mid 1980s, United States
Local scenes
Other topics

Horrorcore, also called horror hip hop, horror rap, death hip hop, death rap, or murder rap is a subgenre of hip hop music based on horror-themed and often darkly transgressive lyrical content and imagery. Its origins derived from certain hardcore hip hop and gangsta rap artists, such as the Geto Boys, Gravediggaz, and Three 6 Mafia, which began to incorporate supernatural, occult, and psychological horror themes into their lyrics. Unlike most hardcore hip hop and gangsta rap artists, horrorcore artists often push the violent content and imagery in their lyrics beyond the realm of realistic urban violence, to the point where the violent lyrics become gruesome, ghoulish, unsettling, inspired by slasher films or splatter films. While exaggerated violence and the supernatural are common in horrorcore, the genre also frequently presents more realistic yet still disturbing portrayals of mental illness and drug abuse. Some horrorcore artists eschew supernatural themes or exaggerated violence in favor of more subtle and dark psychological horror imagery and lyrics.

Horrorcore has incited controversy, with some members of the law enforcement community asserting that the genre incites crime.[1][2] Fans and artists have been blamed for numerous high-profile instances of violent criminal activity, including the Columbine High School massacre,[3][4] the Farmville murders, murders of law enforcement officers, and gang activity.

  1. ^ "'Horrorcore': Does Genre Incite Murder?". ABC News. Archived from the original on September 18, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  2. ^ Tom Beyerlein, Staff Writer. "'Horrorcore' music fans linked to violence". journal-news. Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  3. ^ Murphy, Sean (July 24, 2016). "Are the Juggalos a gang or a supportive fraternity?". Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  4. ^ Brown, Brooks (2002). No Easy Answers: The Truth Behind Death at Columbine. Red Wheel/Weiser. ISBN 9781590560310.