Music experts have credited
Run-DMC as the first hardcore hip-hop group. Other early artists to adopt an aggressive style were
Schoolly D in
Philadelphia and
Too $hort in
Oakland. Before a formula for
gangsta rap had developed, artists such as
Boogie Down Productions and
Ice-T wrote lyrics based on detailed observations of "street life", while the confrontational and aggressive lyrics and chaotic, rough production style of
Public Enemy's records set new standards for hardcore hip-hop and
hip-hop production. Though initially a largely East Coast phenomenon, by the late 1980s, hardcore rap increasingly became largely synonymous with
West Coast gangsta rap, with artists like
N.W.A infusing "
gangsta" themed stories of gritty gang life. In the early 1990s, hardcore hip-hop again became associated with the East Coast as
Wu-Tang Clan emerged with
minimalistic beats and piano-driven
sampling, which became widely popular among other hardcore hip-hop artists of the time. and
M.O.P. incorporated yelling in their lyrics. In the 2010s,
punk rap combined elements of hardcore hip-hop and
hardcore punk, with artists like
Denzel Curry at the forefront. ==Characteristics==