O.G. Original Gangster

O.G. Original Gangster is Ice-T's 1991 album that crystallizes his West Coast gangsta rap approach, pairing hard, funk-inflected beats and crisp drum programming with a direct, conversational vocal delivery. The music leans toward dense sampling and heavy low end, while the lyrics mix street-level narratives, autobiographical persona, and pointed social commentary about urban life and policing. The record is regarded as a key entry in hardcore hip hop for broadening the genre's lyrical and narrative range beyond simple bravado.