När betong möter beats: Idealen i gangsterrapens textuella och visuella värld : En multimodal diskursanalys av svenska gangsterrap-musikvideor

Aim: In recent years, the subgenre of gangster rap has grown in popularity in Sweden and expanded visually through Youtube music videos. This expansion has sparked discussions about the genre's controversial messages, which often address crime, violence and social deprivation. This study aims to investigate textual and visual elements in music videos and how they interact to construct ideals and convey communicative and identity-creating messages. Method/Material: In this study, a multimodal discourse analysis is used to identify key elements and discursive themes. Five Swedish gangster rap music videos were analyzed using the analytical tools; lexical choices, attributes, settings and salience. Theory: To answer the purpose and research questions, the theoretical perspectives of semiotics and social identity are applied. Main results: The results show nine central elements were identified in the music videos; group constellations, branded clothing, accessories, cars, difficult living conditions, resistance, social divisions, firearms and drugs. These emerged in four discursive themes; group identity and community, status symbols, conflict and marginalization and the means of power. Furthermore, we found that the elements construct ideals linked to belonging, community, status, money, brotherhood and the good life. The construction was made visible through the frequent occurrence of the central elements, and the interaction between text and image. The results emphasize how music videos can function as a communicative tool for ideals, but also highlight the tensions in the contemporary social debate about the controversial messages of Swedish gangster rap.