[Ads-l] Antedating of "Gangsta Rap"

[Ben Zimmer]

Specifically, it's from 1998, not 1988 (as Newspapers.com confirms).

On Tue, May 12, 2026 at 11:09 AM Shapiro, Fred <
00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

> I looked at this citation again, and it is clear from internal evidence
> that ProQuest metadata has misdated the article, it is from much later than
> 1988.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2026 11:01 AM
> To: American Dialect Society <ads-l at listserv.uga.edu>
> Subject: Antedating of "Gangsta Rap"
>
> gangsta rap (OED 1989)
>
> 1988 Daily News (New York) 12 Oct. 24 (ProQuest)
>
> [Chris] Schwartz got his start in music during the early 1980s as drummer
> for some Philadelphia rap acts.  Soon after, he began managing "gangsta
> rap" artist Schoolly D.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
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>

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