the meaning of rap

[kjc0123]

What is the meanig of "get a bad rap" and "lay on the anti-gang rap" in the following sentences(specially, the meaning of rap)?

1. The images persist : a prairie fence where Matthew Shepard's limp, battered body hung like a scarecrow ; angry demonstrations against gays ; more than a few candlelight vigils, prayers, and pleas for an end to the violence.
Now, after a painfully difficult year, Laramie, Wyoming seems ready for the end of the Matthew Shepard case.
Margie Drake is a Laramie resident who says, "I think we got a bad rap. Everybody in Wyoming was a redneck, or a hick."
Lesbian film maker Beverly Seckinger says, "Laramie's the least redneck, hick town in Wyoming."
She says she spent her years growing up in Laramie as a closeted high school and college student.
She says of her time spent growing up in Laramie, "If you were a gay teenager growing up, you knew that it wasn't something to talk about to anybody else. Now, there's been an explosion of dialogue."


2. The cofounder of the deadly Crips street gang now tries to keep kids from following his deadly path. In his 20th year on death row, Stanley Williams writes anti gang books for children and promotes the Internet Project for Street Peace, an anti-gang Web site.
A Swiss lawmaker was so impressed he nominated Williams for the Nobel Peace prize.
Photographs make Williams look like the tough guy that he is. That attracts the kids, experts say. Then Williams lays on the anti-gang rap. The Web site links anti-gang counselors and youth in at least five countries.

[Quizmonster]

In American slang, 'rap' has meant punishment or prison sentence for a crime since the 1920s. So various phrases appeared using it, such as 'to hang the rap on someone', 'to take the rap' and so on. The idea is based on the original meaning of 'rap' which is a strike or blow, as with the fists or a weapon.

[Peter Pedant]

Oh, I think rap has a modern meaning of "speech"

Then Williams lays on the anti gang rap means that Williams starts a prepared speech and view point against gangs (having attracted the kids)

I think, we got a bad rap (first sentence) means thave everything that was said about them was negative, insulting, unsupportive and so on.

 

[Lit_Rhapsody]

Rap in the first sentence means 'reputation'

In the second, it means a spiel.. or prepared speech... generally overused/ constantly repeated in that type of context.

[jocook17]

perhaps it stems from 'Rapport', as in developing a good rapport with someone is to get on well and have a good chat - just a thought