Specifically these artists, the beats and melodies they rap over are pretty unique. They’re blasting, melodic, and FUN.
It’s this bombastic progression of notes and melodies, and the contrast of them rapping and sounding like they straight up do not care makes it fantastic.
Hip hop has reached the same place rock n roll went when punk came on the scene. Trap and Punk have a lot in common.
They both shed the traditionalist ideas of the over arching genres (rap and rock respectively) and instead tap into the vibe of the culture and push it to the max.
They aren’t worried about technically and intricately executing a practiced song because they do it with passion and reckless abandon.
These are kids making music, rejecting the norms of their genres and making music they think is fun.
Here are some examples:
Travis Scott: Makes psychedelic rap. VERY few artists sounded like him when Rodeo dropped, and his features were unreal. The combination of his auto tune, adlibs, and harmonies really creates a unique sound. It may take a bit to warm up, but it’s harmonic to the core. Astroworld put him on top of the planet, and the beat switch on sicko mode is pretty widely praised as one of the best ever. They essentially made 3 songs on that track and made it flow as 1. Songs to listen to: Sickomode, goosebumps, 90210, pornography, OUT WEST
Lil Uzi: one my personal favorites. This is pure melodic hip hop, it’s fucking incredible. He uses his voice as another instrument on the tracks! The lyrics are frequently meaningless, but how he combines the sound of his voice with the synths creates a trance-like state in songs. XO TOUR LIFE is widely praised as one of the best songs of the 2010s, a soundcloud throwaway track about breaking up with a girlfriend. It’s anthemic for Gen Z. Songs to listen to: XO TOUR LIFE, Sanguine Paradise, Erase Your Social, 20 Min, That Way, Money Longer
Playboi Carti: beats that sound like nothing else, vamp culture, raging, and going hard. Having fun, and mosh pits. His ad libs are also probably the best in hip hop. Honestly, Carti fans love every song of his. Put Die Lit on and see if you like it. If not, try Whole Lotta Red. Turn the brain on low power mode and see if you might bop a little.
This music is FUN. It also is mostly meaningless, which is felt pretty hard through the younger generations nowadays as we are continually pressed and collapsed by everything around us.
So we’ll listen to mumble and soundcloud rappers, rage, have fun, and then T-pose and backflip in mosh pits.
Not every track has to have a message, co-opt a movement, or be this classical masterpiece (though hip hop has arguably more of that than rock).
Sometimes music can just be fun.
– Fluffymd
Theodore Lee is the editor of Caveman Circus. He strives for self-improvement in all areas of his life, except his candy consumption, where he remains a champion gummy worm enthusiast. When not writing about mindfulness or living in integrity, you can find him hiding giant bags of sour patch kids under the bed.