All Trap music History

All Trap music History

Trap music (hip hop)

A subgenre of rap originating from the late 1990s to early 2000s grew to become a mainstream sensation, frequently having songs top the Billboard hip hop charts. It is typified by double or triple-time sub-divided hi-hats, heavy kick drums from the Roland TR-808 drum machine, layered synthesizers and an overall dark, ominous or bleak atmosphere. The strong influence of the sound led to other artists within the genre to move towards the trap sound, with a notable example being Jay-Z and Kanye West on their joint song, "H•A•M". Other artists, not within the hip hop genre have also experimented with the trap genre such as "7/11" by Beyoncé and "Dark Horse" featuring Juicy J, by Katy Perry.

Major artists to arise from the genre in the 2010s are Waka Flocka Flame, Future, Chief Keef, Migos, Young Thug, Travis Scott, Kodak Black, 21 Savage, Yung Lean, Lil Uzi Vert, XXXTentacion, Ski Mask the Slump God, Juice Wrld, Trippie Redd, Lil Pump, Smokepurpp, Rae Sremmurd, Tekashi 6ix9ine, NBA YoungBoy, Lil Baby, and Fetty Wap, among others. Trap artists to originate from the 2000s were able to recapture mainstream success with the rise of trap including 2 Chainz, Gucci Mane and Juicy J, becoming more successful in the latter act of their career than when they debuted. Trap producers to reach mainstream success include Metro Boomin, London on da Track and Mike WiLL Made-It.

Critics of the trap genre have used the term "mumble rap" to describe the heavily auto-tuned, and sometimes hard to understand, delivery of verses from a majority of the artists. Artists longstanding within the genre have had their own comments regarding the rise of trap, such as Rick Rubin stating that Eminem was confused by it, and Snoop Dogg claiming that he can't differentiate between artists. Black Thought, lead rapper from The Roots, stated that the "game has changed. It's different. The standards are different, the criteria that's taken into consideration in determining validity is different. We're at a point in history where lyricism almost comes last in very many regards."