The American crack epidemic was a surge in the use of crack cocaine, a cheap and highly addictive smokable form of cocaine, in major U.S. cities between 1984 and the early 1990s. Originating in Miami and Los Angeles, the epidemic devastated inner-city communities, fueled a dramatic rise in violent crime, and led to harsh sentencing laws that disproportionately imprisoned African Americans, exacerbating social inequalities.

The crack epidemic is a central theme in hip-hop poetry and spoken word, with artists like Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. chronicling its devastation. The epidemic also inspired novels and memoirs, such as those by Sapphire and former addicts, which explore the intersection of poverty, race, and addiction, making it a defining subject of contemporary American urban literature.