Who is Vince Staples? In his music, the rapper is the self-assured griot of Long Beach, Calif. His songs depict gang culture, intimate relationships, and celebrity without romance or shame, rendering his hometown, and Black lives, with disarming clarity. The swaggering single “Norf Norf,” one of his signature songs, captures his cutting directness and acerbic wit. “I’m a gangsta Crip, fuck gangsta rap,” he sneers, condemning the allure of street rap while boasting his hood ties. Even when he’s being cheeky or evasive, Staples radiates integrity. His music celebrates the thrills of lucidity, relishing the power and relief that follow from speaking candidly.
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