THAT Soundcloud Era
SoundCloud is a platform with over 200 million users and has been the go-to place for independent artists to upload their music. This allowed for a low barrier to entry and gave unsigned artists the ability to be heard on a global scale. Its accessibility, including the ability to create playlists and follow other accounts, has made it popular among users but has also given rise to a new wave of artists using it as a means for exposure rather than artistic expression. Dubbed the SoundCloud generation or SoundCloud rap, this subgenre of hip-hop gained mainstream attention in the late 2010s, forcing the traditional music industry to take notice and adapt. "SoundCloud rap," is characterized by a lack of coherence in verses, simplistic and/or repetitive lyrics, and heavy use of synthetic sounds and effects. While this has given many artists a chance to be heard and make it big, this style of music has been criticized for being too repetitive and lacking substance, but as I mentioned it gave artists a chance to make a name for themselves and earn a living from their music. While mumble rap has spawned a few very successful artists, most of the artists have all come and gone with no lasting careers established.
The era of Soundcloud rap, which lasted from roughly 2015 to 2019, was a hugely influential and controversial period in the history of hip-hop. At its core, Soundcloud rap was characterized by a DIY ethos and a lo-fi aesthetic, with many artists self-producing and self-releasing their music on Soundcloud. This approach enabled a new generation of artists to bypass traditional gatekeepers and gain a following, often by building buzz on social media. This type of music, at least for me, dominated the hallways of my high school. This was the music that most of us listened to and if you knew it you were tapped into the new wave of “underground.” However soon enough this music was no longer underground and you would hear it everywhere from locker rooms after gym, post school on a speaker in the hallway, or at a party on the weekends.
One of the first artists to emerge from this scene, who you don’t typically associate with “SoundCloud rap” was Bryson Tiller, who introduced listeners to his unique blend of hip-hop and R&B with his 2014 hit "Don't." Tiller's 2015 mixtape, Trapsoul, debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard charts and became one of the first albums to go platinum due to changes in the Recording Industry Association of America's certification rules to better accommodate streaming. This was a wake-up call for the established music industry, signaling the impending irrelevance of physical sales and even downloads.
In 2016, the SoundCloud rap scene received mainstream validation when Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, and Denzel Curry were featured on the cover of XXL magazine's annual Freshman issue. This was followed by a wave of artists from South Florida, including XXXTentacion, Lil Pump, and Smokepurpp, who gained popularity with their grunge-inspired looks, heavily tattooed faces, and music featuring narcotized and punk-inflected deliveries paired with lo-fi and distorted beats. These artists used bedroom recording techniques that yielded XXXTentacion's "Look at Me!" and incorporated the lyrically repetitive, bass-blaring sound of Lil Pump's "D Rose."
Another key figure in the rise of Soundcloud rap was Lil Peep, a rapper, and singer who blended emo and hip-hop to create a deeply emotional and vulnerable sound. Lil Peep's music was deeply personal, often dealing with themes of mental health and drug abuse, and his raw and honest style resonated with a generation of young listeners. Other notable Soundcloud rap artists included Lil Xan, Ski Mask the Slump God, Rich the Kid, BlocBoy JB, Famous Dex, 6ix9ine, YBN Nahmir, Jay Critch, Lil Skies, Lil Mosey, Lil Tjay, Trippie Redd, and Wifisfuneral, (that’s a lot of Lil’s) all of whom gained massive followings and achieved commercial success.
However, the era of Soundcloud rap was not without controversy. Many of the artists associated with the movement were accused of glorifying drug use and promoting a toxic and dangerous lifestyle. Additionally, several of the artists, including XXXTentacion, were involved in legal issues and faced accusations of domestic abuse and other crimes. These controversies sparked a wider debate about the role of music in society and the responsibility of artists to use their platforms to promote positive messages.
Despite the controversies, the influence of Soundcloud rap on the wider hip-hop landscape cannot be denied. The DIY ethos of the movement inspired a new generation of artists to take control of their own careers and pursue their creative vision, regardless of whether they had the support of the mainstream music industry. Additionally, the lo-fi aesthetic of Soundcloud rap influenced the production style of many other artists, with the stripped-back and minimalistic sound becoming increasingly popular in mainstream hip hop. I mean just look at the meteoric rise of Yeat who would be a prime example of the pinnacle of Soundcloud rap for today's game.
Ultimately, the era of Soundcloud rap will be remembered as a time of tremendous creative ferment and innovation in hip-hop. While the movement was not without its problems and controversies, it opened up new avenues for artists to share their music and connect with listeners, and it laid the foundation for many of the trends and styles that continue to shape the genre today.