Why Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City is a masterpiece

In 2012, rapper Kendrick Lamar released Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, a concept album that shows one-day living life on the streets of Compton, California. Today I will explain to you why Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City is a Hip-Hop masterpiece. 

The album is a raw look at growing up in Compton, however, it is far from being a fetishization poverty and crime. Lamar uses his life in Compton to illuminate the social issues that plague America. Kendrick illuminates the structures of racism, poverty and drug addiction that have troubled him and his community.

The commentary alone did not make Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City. a hit record. Kendrick is more than a social commentator, he is an incredible and record-breaking musician. His ear for catchy hooks, dazzling lyrical chops, and tasteful guest features make the album endlessly re-listenable. Record sales prove it. As of this week Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City has spent 300 consecutive weeks on the billboard hot 200 chart. 

"Sherane Aka Master Splinter's Daughter" is our introduction to Kendrick. He is true to form for a 17-year-old boy. Kendrick is in pursuit of a girl he met at a party.

"Backstreet Freestyle" puts us with Kendrick's friends, driving around and wasting time. They have a pack of Black and Milds and a beat CD they can freestyle rap over. Kendrick is spitting the most braggadocious raps he can come up with.

"The Art of Peer Pressure" is my favorite song on the album. Kendrick, the self-proclaimed "Good Kid" is tempted by evil when he is around his friends. 

Smoking on the finest dope
Aye aye aye aye
Drank until I can't no mo
'Aye aye aye aye
Really I'm a sober soul
But I'm with the homies right now

Midway through the track, the friends decide to rob a house they had been scoping out for a couple months. It goes awry and they almost got caught, but they get away. Kendrick laments he might have just become a felon because of the peer pressure he felt.

The high flying tracks are brought back to earth with realistic skits. These include youth prayer sessions that are trying to cope with the violence and reality of Compton, Kendrick's mother trying to get the car back from her son so she can get groceries, and Kendrick's father trying to find his dominoes. These skits remind us that all of Kendrick's amazing verbal virtuosity still reflects real life.

There is no better song than"Swimming Pools (Drank)" to show Kendrick's dual mastery of hip-hop. Many rappers are able to make bangers, songs with hooks and beats that lend themselves to repeat plays in cars and clubs. These songs generally form the backbone for hip-hop sales because they are so commercially viable. Other rappers focus on having socially conscious themes in their songs. Typically songs like these are more focused on the rappers technically skilled lyricism and wider social issues the artist wants to bring to the light.

On "Swimming Pools (Drank)" Kendrick is able to masterfully fill both of these roles with ease. Back in 2012, It was a party anthem of the summer. Kendrick had fulls clubs of people chanting the hook to "Swimming Pools."

Pour up, drank, head shot, drank
Sit down, drank, stand up, drank
Pass out, drank, wake up, drank
Faded, drank, faded, drank

But if a person listens to the lyrics of the verse, they reveal something much more profound then a party anthem. These are the first few lines of the song.

Now I done grew up round
some people living their life in bottles
Granddaddy had the golden flask back stroke every day in Chicago
Some people like the way it feels
Some people wanna kill their sorrows
Some people wanna fit in with the popular that was my problem

In one track Kendrick was able to produce a song that not only became hugely popular. The song which seeming celebrated drinking, was actually an examination and indictment of drinking culture. Kendrick talks about the horrific destructive effects of alcohol. For example the abuse and health effects of over-consumption. He also talks about the social forces, like familial pressure and peer pressure that causes people to over-consume alcohol so regularly. The ability to both catchy and deep is what makes this album so important. 

The questions this album leaves us with are more important than any answers a single man can give. How can a man do right in a world encouraging him to do wrong? What's the right way to stay true to ourselves while rising above difficult circumstances? Can there really be a good kid in a mad city? Using a combination of lyrical skill, critical social commentary, and catchy music Kendrick Lamar created a Hip-Hop masterpiece in Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City.

Swimming Review

On Swimming, rapper Mac Miller delivers mature and deeply personal lyrics over top-notch retro-influenced beats. 

Mac Miller is one of the most artistically evolved musicians I have seen in our current era. Miller rose to prominence in the early 2010's. On mixtapes like K.I.D.S and albums like Blue Slide Park, Miller spits safe bro-y raps about picking up girls, smoking weed and partying. These themes served him well, putting him in hip-hop's limelight. However, Miller was not content to stagnate.

As Miller grew older and experienced more of the ups and downs of life, his records began to show his increased levels of maturity. Compare these lyrics from his first hit single to his lyrics from Swimming. 

"Donald Trump"- 2011
That's the way it goes when you party just like I do
Bitches on my dick that used to brush me off in high school
Take over the world when I'm on my Donald Trump shit
Look at all this money, ain't that some shit

"2009"- 2018
"Take my time to finish, mind my business
A life ain't a life 'til you live it
I was digging me a hole big enough to bury my soul
Weight of the world, I gotta carry my own
My own, with these songs I can carry you home
I'm right here when you're scared and alone"


This lyrical maturity is the album's biggest feature. The dark, emotive lyrics are undoubtedly influenced by Miller's substance abuse issues and tumultuous relationship with pop star Ariana Grande. Throughout Swimming, we see the trials and cracks in a long-term relationship that would fail shortly before this records release.

The beats on this album are funky. If you have read some of my other reviews, you know I am a sucker for funk bass so I really enjoy most of the album's production. The synthesizers that pepper the tracks sound retro, but are used in a way that makes them accentuate the track instead of sounding corny. 

"Ladders" is bouncy and light, perfectly poised to become a late-summer jam. Mac floats across this track, delivering rapid-fire lyrics that also sound effortless. Another favorite of mine is "2009". The tracks serene strings and delicate piano melody give Miller the perfect canvas to depict the struggles of moving on in life.

Conclusion: Mac Miller has always been an oddball in the rap world, but this alubum shows the beauty that can come from being strange. Listen.

Rolling Papers 2 Review

On Rolling Papers 2, Wiz Khalifa offers more of the same hazy stoner rap that made him famous. Wiz raps about three W's. Women, Weed and Wealth. He's been doing the same thing since 2009. Predictably, Rolling Papers 2 talks about money and marijuana for most of its runtime. 

"Mr. Willams" is a highlight of the album. THEMXXNLIGHT and Curren$y give the track an R&B vibe while their slick flow makes the track cohesive . Wiz's verse is typical of the album. "Bootsy Bellows" is another impressive cut. While the verses are standard, Wiz spits a catchy hook over a funky beat. The bass line, which is immaculate, pays homage to funk bass legend Bootsy Collins.

I was most impressed with "B OK" because Wiz opens emotionally on up the track. He raps about the personal pain he has felt throughout his career. The death of his sister and his tumultuous relationship with model Amber Rose are the focal points of the song.

Wiz Kalifa's stoner mentor Snoop Dogg makes an appearance on Rolling Papers 2. Unfortunately, Tha Doggfather is not at the top of his game. Snoop Dogg, who normally provides entertaining verses, falls flat. His verse on "Penthouse" adds another layer of mediocrity to an already mediocre song.

This might make the album better

At 90 minutes long, Rolling Papers 2 became a chore to sit through.Tracks were stylistically all over the place, from trap to R&B. The songs felt all over the place, like it's a playlist instead of a deliberate album. Maybe this album would better serve someone as the background to a late night smoke session. Nothing on the album is jarringly bad, but nothing is exciting.

Conclusion: Wiz is sticking to the formula that made him popular. This album is competent and confident but does not push any boundaries. If you like Wiz Kalifa's past music, here's a buffet. If you don't, skip it.

WANG$AP

The King of Fashion and the King of Ambiguous sexuality just dropped a track. I'm talking about A$AP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator. The song, "Potato Salad" features the two rappers freestyling in front of Eiffel Tower. In loose, conversational verses they talk about money and their fashion endeavors. Rocky even drops a diss at mumble rappers. The two seem relaxed and deliver their verses with ease, almost like they're having fun.

However, the most notable part of the video comes at the end. The video ends with a WANG$AP logo, which is a mashup of the A$AP and GOLFWANG brands. This logo seems to be teasing an upcoming collaboration between the two rappers. 

A$AP Rocky and Tyler, The Creator are two of the most influential personalities in the rap world today. Both are known for breaking down barriers in rap, as well as their unique styles and personalities. Certainly, no one could describe them as generic. This collaboration is sure to produce interesting results. 

TA1300 Review

Denzel Curry's Album TA13OO(Taboo) provides a rebellious critique of the "Soundcloud Rap" that has grown around Curry and remains entertaining throughout its whole runtime. 

Curry hails from South Flordia. Other rappers from South Florida, like Lil' Pump and XXXTenacion, have amassed a huge following after becoming popular on music streaming platform Soundcloud. However, Curry's career predates the "Soundcloud Rappers." While Curry and "Soundcloud Rappers" share many sonic characteristics like aggressive vocals and audio distortion, Curry does not see himself as part of that genre of music. On "Percs", he lampoons the facial tattoos, drug abuse and lyrical shallowness he perceives in "Soundcloud rap." 

I should rap about some lean and my diamond cuts
Get suburban white kids to want to hang with us
It's your friendly neighborhood, I don't give a fuck
Get it straight, I innovate, you ad-libs on a 808
Don't need a tattoo on my face cause Denzel is a different race
I don't even try to hate, I'm just saying what I ain't
People sleeping on me hard and I'm the hardest in the paint
Eight years in the game and I never rode a wave

Curry is not content to simply make fun of rappers he sees as shallow. TA1BOO contains moments of mature emotional depth and political commentary interwoven with aggressive braggadocio and aggressive production. This maturity is best seen on the title track "Taboo", where Curry discusses his relationship with a victim of sexual abuse. He ponders how he can best support someone he loves that has suffered such emotional trauma. 

TA1300 is a concept album, broken into three sides. Light, Grey, and Dark. While the tracks on the respective sides do generally correspond with the intended mood, Curry could have focused on making the concept more coherent. 

One of Curry's signature lyrical techniques is the rapid-fire deployment of wide-ranging references, ranging from pop culture to philosophy. He belies his age by referencing Nicleodian cartoons like The Fairly Odd Parents, Jimmy Neutron and Prince Zuko from Avatar. I find this charming, although I may only like it because of my own fond memories of those TV shows. 

(On are a serious note, if you have never watched Avatar: The Last Airbender, please do so immediately. It is an incredible show.) 

Best character development, all time. 

The track "Percs", which was released as one of the album's singles, demonstrates the album's satirical tone, grimy production and tight delivery all in one track. If you like "Percs", you will like the whole album. Listen Below. 

Conclusion: Curry has delivered one of the best albums of 2018. He aimed to take the rap game and flip it on its head. With an album that has only one weak song, he may have done it.  I am very excited to listen to this album again and again. Do me a favor, and listen.

The Needle Drop

Anthony Fantano is the reason I started to listen to music with a critical ear.  Fantano runs a website and a YouTube channel called The Needle Drop, where he reviews three to four albums a week and provides commentary on today's music scene. His prolific output has earned him the title "Internet's busiest music nerd" and over 1.5 million Youtube subscribers. 

Behold. 

At the bottom of every video description, Fantano writes, "Y'all know this is just my opinion, right?" This attitude is what allowed Fantano to become so successful. Instead of billing himself as an expert, Fantano bills himself as a guy with an opinion, just like you. He removes the "ivory tower" element from music criticism.

This attitude shows up in his camera work. Fantano's reviews consist of him talking straight into the camera. Using this technique, Fantano is able to provide the illusion of conversation. When watching a Needle Drop video, it often feels like you are sitting with your music literate friend. You feel like you're chatting about exciting new albums and Fantano is cracking jokes and being quirky. Reality TV shows like Jersey Shore use this same technique when they have the actors confess their private thoughts to audience members. 

May I suggest Spamthony Cramtano?

Fantano constantly interacts with his fans, which furthers the interactive, personal feeling his videos give viewers. Look at the picture above, where Fantano lets the web decide what he will say in his signature opening gag. Fantanto is the first internet literate music critic. He grew with the rise of memes. He has gained mass popularity on websites like 4chan and Reddit. Websites like 4chan are where many popular memes are created.  Through these memes, users have of course relentlessly made fun of Fantano, both maliciously and endearingly.  Despite their silly origins, these memes serve to brand Fantano into the collective memory of the internet, giving him permanence.

Pictured: Dead Meme (circa 2013)

Whatever you think of Fantano and his videos, it is clear to see he has tapped into some cultural paradigm that allows him to be so successful. As traditional music media like Rolling Stone loses credibility and readership, keep an eye on The Needle Drop. 

Wiki Woes

Most professors tell you not to use Wikipedia because anyone can edit the website, which calls into question the validity of the information. Today I discovered one of Wikipedia's other flaws. Many of the pages are not up to date. I was trying to delve into the history of Atlanta Hip-Hop, but the history section ended in 2010. While that is little time historically, in the rap world eight years might as well be a century. I couldn't let this stand. Here is the "History" section of the article.

In the 1980s and early 1990s Atlanta's hip hop scene was characterized by a local variant of Miami's electro-driven bass music, with stars like Kilo Ali, MC Shy-D, Raheem the Dream, and DJ Smurf (later Mr. Collipark).[1] MC Shy-D is credited with bringing authentic Bronx-style hip-hop to Atlanta (and Miami), such as 1988's Shake it[3] produced by DJ Toomp; Jones was signed to controversial Southern hip hop label Luke Records, run by Luther Campbell aka "Uncle Luke". Arrested Development won the Grammy in 1992 with Tennessee, while Mr. Wendal & People Everyday and Kris Kross won with their hit song Jump. The group Tag Team released their debut platinum certified album Whoomp! (There It Is) (album) on July 20, 1993, spawned by their hit single of the same name.[4] 

By the mid-1990s, the rise of LaFace Records artists Outkast, Goodie Mob and the production collective Organized Noize led to the development of the Dirty South style of hip-hop and of Atlanta gaining a reputation for "soul-minded hip-hop eccentrics", contrasting with other regional styles.[1] While Atlanta-area hip hop artists were from the suburban Decatur area, their prominence was eclipsed by music associated with these artists from "The S.W.A.T.S." ("Southwest Atlanta, too strong"),[5][6] i.e. Southwest Atlanta, plus territory extending into the adjacent cities of College Park and East Point. The term "SWATS" came into vogue around 1996, initially made popular by Outkast and Goodie Mob.[7] 

From the late 1990s to early 2000s, record producer Lil Jon became a driving force behind the hip hop subgenre known as crunk, known for its upbeat and club oriented hip hop sound. Record producers L.A. Reid and Babyface founded LaFace Records in Atlanta in the late-1980s; the label eventually became the home to multi-platinum selling artists such as Toni Braxton, TLC, Ciara. It is also the home of So So Def Recordings, a label founded by Jermaine Dupri in the mid-1990s, that signed acts such as Da Brat, Jagged Edge, Xscape and Dem Franchise Boyz. The success of LaFace and SoSo Def led to Atlanta as an established scene for record labels such as LaFace parent company Arista Records to set up satellite offices.

In 2009 The New York Times noted that after 2000, Atlanta moved "from the margins to becoming hip-hop's center of gravity, part of a larger shift in hip-hop innovation to the South." Atlanta hip-hop’s pop breakthrough—everyone from Jermaine Dupri to OutKast to Lil Jon—involved the blend of various distillations of hard-core sounds from the West, bass beats from Florida, and styles and images from the North.[8] Producer Drumma Boy called Atlanta "the melting pot of the South". Producer Fatboi called the Roland TR-808("808") synthesizer "central" to Atlanta music's versatility, used for snap, crunk, trap, and pop rap styles.[1] The same article named Fatboi, Shawty Redd and Zaytoven the four "hottest producers driving the city".[1]

2010 is ancient history. Between 2010 and 2018 we saw the rise of smartphones and social media, the rise of memes and the rise of streaming. The way we consume and interact without music is fundamentally different. That was too much to cover. I just wanted to emphasize how the music of Atlanta has become a dominant force in American culture. I talked about some of the most popular rappers for the ATL and how they have affected American culture at large. Here's what I added to the "History" section of the article.

In the 1980s and early 1990s Atlanta's hip hop scene was characterized by a local variant of Miami's electro-driven bass music, with stars like Kilo Ali, MC Shy-D, Raheem the Dream, and DJ Smurf (later Mr. Collipark).[1] MC Shy-D is credited with bringing authentic Bronx-style hip-hop to Atlanta (and Miami), such as 1988's Shake it[3] produced by DJ Toomp; Jones was signed to controversial Southern hip hop label Luke Records, run by Luther Campbell aka "Uncle Luke". Arrested Development won the Grammy in 1992 with Tennessee, while Mr. Wendal & People Everyday and Kris Kross won with their hit song Jump... 

As of 2018, Atlanta Trap music continues to dominate the pop music charts. In 2017, Atlanta recording artist Future had back-to-back releases that debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. Atlanta artists, most notably Lil Yachty have capitalized on internet to make their name. Infectious personal branding allowed Yachty to spread across social media. His 2018 release Lil Boat 2 opened at number 2 on Billboard. 

Atlanta Hip-Hop influences other mainstream forms of media. Comedian, actor, and musician Donald Glover, who raps under the name Childish Gambino has gained critical and commercial success with his television show Atlanta. The show chronicles the lives of two cousins trying to navigate the Hip-Hop world. Its acting and social commentary have earned it two Golden Globe awards and two Emmy awards. 

Atlanta’s hip-hop scene created of many of the decade's dance crazes. Dances like The Dab, the Whip, and the Nae-Nae have all ascended from hip-hop into the mainstream. Proof of their mainstream success is plain to see. Notably, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton did a “Dab” on the popular talk show, Ellen.

I've done my job. The next person who needs to know about rap from the ATL won't be left in the dark and the world will never forget about the most awkward dab of all time.

Scorpion Review

Drake is at the top of pop stardom. A single from his latest album, called “In My Feelings” just knocked another from the same album from the Number one spot. He now has the most number one singles of any rapper.

While Drake might be a superstar, the album that spawned these singles is not so stellar. I’ll break down my thoughts in this review.

SCORPION- Drake

The Good

• The Production
• Bangers 
• Drake’s X Factor

The Bad

• Filler Tacks
• Separation of Rap and R & B

The Ugly

• Drake’s struggle with paternity 

There’s a lot to like on Scorpion.

The production on this album, like every Drake release, is top notch. He as a star team of producers behind him and the beats here range from simple and snappy to deep melodic and moody.

Scorpion has bangers too. “In My Feelings” is the platonic form of a Drake hit. Cheesy yet charming bars about women over an earworm hook make this an ideal pop rack track. “Emotionless” and “Nice for What” are two other standout tracks. 

There’s also Drake’s X Factor. Drake possesses this melodramatic charm that has allowed him to rise of the top of the rap game and break all of the conventions of the genre while doing so. Most of Drake’s music is spent musings on the trials of women and fame, but he has the charisma to make the most ridiculous bars sound cool. Take the following from “God’s Plan.”

She said, 'Do you love me?' / I tell her only partly / I only love my bed and my mama / I'm sorry

I would laugh if anyone said this to me in real life, but Drake makes it sound smoother than Shaft.

My biggest complaint, by far, is the album's excessive length. It is easy to contrast this album's length with the brevity of another recent album I enjoyed, Kids See Ghosts. Every track on Ghosts seems to have a meaning or try to break some new ground. On Scorpion, half of the tracks seem to be throwaways. These songs also make the album unfocused; I struggled to find a theme that made the album a cohesive whole.

Drake’s other misstep was separating the album into two halves, one focused on rap and the other focused on R&B. Drake reached his level of popularity by being one of the first artists to combine the two genres by himself. Separating the two takes away one of his biggest strengths.

The ugliest aspect of this album is how Drake handled his new public fatherhood. Pusha T, another prominent artist, recently revealed to the world that Drake had a child, a fact Drake himself had not made public. Drake uses childish lyrics to address the issue

Thankful for the women that I know / Can't go fifty-fifty with no ho / Every month, I'm supposed to pay her bills / And get her what she want / I still got like seven years of doin' what I want

Let's not forget that Drake isn’t a kid, even if he’s handling his paternity crisis like one of the baby daddies from teen mom. Drake has been massively popular since 2009. A man that’s been at the top of music for that long should have a little more sense

Final Verdict: Recommended with some reservations. Listen to the bangers.

Kids See Ghosts Review

Kid Cudi and Kayne West released a new album.

If you went to high school anytime from 2008 through 2014, these words are enough to send tingles down your spine.

Kid Cudi was able to connect to a generation of moody teenagers with classic albums like Man on the Moon and Man on the Moon II. These albums featured songs that bared Cudi’s raw emotions and darkest insecurities plain for the world to see. Cudi’s openness packaged with the slick production and guidance of Kayne West ensured the staying power of their music. Unfortunately, after a period of mental illness, Cudi’s music descended into mediocrity and with culminated with the 2015 atrocity Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven.

Now I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Kids See Ghosts proves the duos were and remain a force for making emotionally driven art and music.

Here are my three favorite things about the album.

1. Brevity. At only seven tracks and 23 minutes long it is easily digestible in one sitting. Like an effectively edited essay, Kids See Ghosts trims the excess away and delivers its message in a lean and punchy format. Themes of alienation, loneliness, despair, and triumph shine through the music. The typical generic rap trappings of wealth, sex, and meaningless violence are not present to water down the album's focused vision.

2. Emotional Immediacy. The duo is open about their struggles in life and they leave no trauma unrevealed. Lines like, “And nothing hurts anymore / I feel kind of free” remind me of "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd.

3. Raw Sound. This album is dissonant, which works well with the subject matter. Kid Cudi’s trademark off-key singing emphasizes the aforementioned emotions. The rough edges are intentional. Kayne is a notorious perfectionist, so for better or worse, every sound on this album is meticulously placed.

However, this album has weaknesses.

Some songs are aimless. Songs like “Free” and “Feel the Love” lack clear structure and direction. While this is may not be a negative for some people, I found myself lost amongst verse and chorus, wondering when the song was going to end. Without defined rising action and climax these songs became disorienting.

The album falls into the common trap of romanticizing mental illness. Cudi and Kayne are open about struggling with depression and Bipolar Disorder, respectively. However, instead of portraying these illnesses as the debilitating disorders they actually are, the duo seems to use them to feed into the “tortured artist” trope. 

Conclusion: This album is as flawed as the two men who made it. Give it a listen anyway.

The History of Trap

The History of Trap

Trap rap is a dominant force on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which showcases the most popular songs in the United States. Chart-toppers like Childish Gambino’s This is America, Drake’s Nice for What and Post Malone’s Psycho share sonic characteristics that come from Trap.

If you know what trap sounds like, the music needs no introduction or explanation. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I’ll explain myself.  You have probably already heard the trap sound I’m referring to, but haven’t identified those sounds as a coherent musical idea.

I’ve enlisted my omnipotent friend Wikipedia to provide a definition of Trap for us to use.  

Trap music is defined by its ominous, bleak and gritty lyrical content, which varies widely according to the artist. Typical lyrical themes portrayed include observations of hardship in the "trap", street life, poverty, violence and harsh experiences that artists have faced in their urban surroundings.

Trap music employs a heavy use of multilayered, hard-lined, and melodic synthesizers, crisp, grimy, and rhythmic snares, deep 808 kick drums, double-time, triple-time, and similarly divided hi-hats, and a cinematic and symphonic utilization of string, brass, woodwind, and keyboard instruments to create an energetic, hard-hitting, deep, and variant atmosphere.

Listen for the lyrical nihilism, rapid hi-hats and deep bass in Post Malone’s Rockstar.

We also need to define what the word “Trap” means. “Trap” refers to anything related to dealing narcotics. It can be a noun or a verb. One can sell drugs out of a trap house or simply “Trap.” One can also “Trap” or “be trapping” referring to the act of dealing drugs.

But where did this bleak, heavy style of music come from and why is it so popular?

A logical guess for the genesis of trap would be Atlanta rapper, T.I.’s landmark 2003 album Trap Musik. The name and the city check out, but we immediately run into numerous objections.  Gucci Mane, known to some as the godfather of trap, would likely disagree. Gucci, also from Atlanta, has been cutting records about trapping since 2000. His numerous stints in prison hint there might be a bit of truth to his music.

I think looking for a rapper is the wrong way of conducting our search. Trap did not begin with a man. Trap began with a machine. Specifically, the Roland TR-808 drum machine.

The story of the 808 is ironic. The drum machine was a commercial failure, yet it became the most successful rhythm machine in hip-hop, the most commercially successful musical genre in history.

When it was released, drum machines were still finding their footing in popular music.  The 808 machines were criticized for sounding artificial compared to competitors with more realistic sounds. It failed to capture a market share in the dominant genre of rock. This failure relegated it to dusty pawnshops and secondhand stores.

Early hip-hop producers, who lacked professional studios or funding from record labels, found the 808 drum machine at these pawn shops for highly cut rates. The machines signature deep kick bass sound and tinny hi-hats became staple sounds in early hip-hop music.

Now established as the predominant drum machine for Hip-Hop, the 808 spread across the country along with hip-hop music. It quickly migrated south, where southern rappers created their own unique sound.

By the early 2000’s Atlanta had established itself as the capital of southern hip-hop. As I mentioned before, early 2000’s Atlanta was where the sounds of southern rap mixed with hardcore gangster lyrics, culminating in the creation of proper trap rap, typified with 2003’s Trap Musik. Grimy synthesizers, machine-gun hi-hats and of course, rap about the drug dealing lifestyle are present in the album. T.I. certainly did not invent trap music, but Trap Musik represents all elements of the Trap sound in one cohesive musical package.  By 2009, Atlanta hip-hop had become so culturally ubiquitous that the New York Times referred to the city as “hip-hop’s center of Gravity.”

Here’s where my experience with trap begins. It’s 2010 and Wocka Flocka Flame releases the hit album Flockaveli. Lex Luger’s ice-cold beats and Wocka Flocka’s manic energy propel the album to the top of the charts and into my earbuds. The album included classics like Hard in Da Paint and No Hands. Hard in Da Paint makes the listener feel like he or she has the ability to run through a brick wall, which put it on every workout playlist from 2010 to today. No Hands was the catalyst for entire gymnasiums of high school students to start shamelessly grinding on each other during school dances.

The Album’s success made Luger the most in-demand producer in the rap game. Like a bee, Luger traveled across the country with his signature sounds and spread his production methods to the nation's most popular artists. Rappers like Rick Ross and Kayne West began releasing trap songs. Mellow stoner rapper Wiz Kalifa released the hard-hitting and violent track We Dem Boys while pop star Miley Cyrus released the distinctly trap track 23. These gross genre examples of trap show just how far the genre spread its influence.

Trap’s star has not ceased rising even to this day. Trap producers are still in high demand. Metro Boomin’ and Mike Will Made It consistently are behind hip hops smash hits.

Some of hip-hops biggest stars, like 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert and Future continue to rap over Trap beats. Most noticeably, rap’s new generation of rising stars, termed Soundcloud Rappers have distinct trap influences in their music.  This new generation of rappers is taking the raw abrasive sound and lyricism of Trap rap and cranking the sonic and emotional distortion up to eleven. Trap has been a part of Hip-Hop’s DNA since the beginning of the genre, yet its distinct sonic palette and lyrical nihilism set it apart from the mainstream crowd. Even though the Trap ethos has been part of rap since the beginning, the new generation of rap stars ensures it is not going away anytime soon.