Rap Genius is using Google Maps in its ongoing mission to help explain rap lyrics. Lyrics on Rap Genius include orange highlights that when clicked open up explanations. Now, when those lyrics refer to a location, you can view the referenced place on Google Maps.
If you click the 'Map it!" link in the explanation box the Rap Map opens centred on the location. Every marker on the Rap Map is linked to a different rap song. If you click on a marker you can read the referenced lyric, a brief explanation and a street level photograph of the location.
The map sidebar includes links to all the map markers. The links are organised by city so you can quickly find all the rap lyrics about a particular location.
RapMaps
"You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge."
- Straight Outta Compton, NWA
Google Maps Street View allows anyone to explore any hood anywhere. Rap music seems the most geographically aware of music forms. So what better idea than to map rap songs so listeners can virtually explore the locations being rapped about on Google Maps?
RapMaps does it exactly that. It is a mashup of Google Maps and YouTube rap videos. The videos are geo-tagged by their location. So when Kam sings Watts Riot you can now explore Watts on the map in Street View at the same time as watching the video.
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