When you think of Atlanta, do you think of a catchy rap lyric? Maybe an Outkast or Ludacris song? It’s no surprise that we live amongst rap history, but how have our very own neighborhoods shaped hip hop? Atlanta Police Department divides Atlanta into zones to accommodate each police station. Most of us know them best referred to as zones in notorious rap songs rather than police districts. Each side of the city is infused with a distinct history and culture to make Atlanta the rap capital of the world.
The Westside is arguably the original hood in the US. West of Atlanta lies Bankhead and Vine City, also known as “The Bluff”, one of the nation’s most crime-infested neighborhoods. After the Great Atlanta Fire of 1917, many African Americans who were now homeless moved north of Simpson Road into the “West Side”, which caused a massive increase in poverty to what was once a middle class suburb. This zone is home to Curtis Snow, who stars as the protagonist in “Snow on the Bluff”, a 2012 film that shows the reality of “The Bluff.” The movie was extremely influential in the world of rap.  T.I., probably the Westside’s most notable alum, put Curtis Snow in his music video for “Trap Back Jumpin.” T.I. pays tribute to zone 1 in his song “Bankhead” where he claims to be the “neighborhood superstar.” But even back before T.I.’s prime, Diamond ft. D-Roc had everyone, including Michael Jackson, doing the Bankhead Bounce in 1995. Today, with a simple Google search, you can see a video of Barack and Michelle Obama doing the dance.
Northside or Buckhead, is also known as Black Hollywood for Atlanta Rappers. North Atlanta is not where most Atlanta rappers claim to be raised, but you can certainly find 2 Chainz lurking in Buckhead’s wide variety of luxury stores. Surprising to think what is today known as the “wealthiest” zone was only purchased for $650 dollars in 1838 by Henry Irby. Today the rolling hills are covered in mansions, but when the sun goes down, a wild nightlife filled with Lamborghinis and gold chains appears.
The Eastside of Atlanta is home to bicycle-riding yuppies who love a good wall mural. During the Civil War, East Atlanta was the site of the Battle of Atlanta, in which much of Atlanta was burned by Union soldiers. Today a new crisis faces East Atlanta, one that some may argue is as bad as destruction: gentrification. With the development of the Eastside Beltline Trail, the value of land in the area has skyrocketed. It is certainly worth a lot more than it was when rap legends, such as Gucci Mane and Future, “trapped out” the East. This is where Migos says you’ll find them, as they refer to East Atlanta as “the slums.” It is where Rich Homie Quan feels some type of way and where every December you are greeted by the “East Atlanta Santa.”
Southside of Atlanta runs into railroad tracks from the west. This is where SWAT, (“Southwest Atlanta, Too Strong”) derived. College Park, the neighbor surrounding Hartsfield Jackson Airport, is stomping grounds to much of Atlanta rappers. Old National Highway runs south through College Park and is the US’s deadliest highway, not because of car accidents but shootouts. Besides the violence, College Park’s old victorian style has 853 properties listed under the National Register of Historic Places. Ludacris shouts out College Park in his song “Growing Pains,” rapping, “No com-mission this is little fate payin’ homage to College Park.” College Park’s influence on hip hop is so great that in 2015, 2 Chainz teased running for mayor.
Atlanta’s rap culture has created a certain pride amongst us “ATLiens” — the type of pride that gets us through “snowstorms” and keeps us swinging tomahawks after another losing season for the Braves. The kind that keeps us singing “Welcome to Atlanta.”