Distorted sounds mixed with melodic tunes and weightless lyrics -- that don’t say much-- birthed a new era in hip-hop in 2016 -- a genre no one had heard of before.
Despite criticisms of the different style, many “soundcloud rappers” -- a musical artist who posts their songs on Soundcloud, a music-streaming service -- have made their way out of the trenches and into mainstream hip-hop. But their influence hasn’t stopped; some even say they’ve helped reshape the genre.
These rappers shamelessly took over the game. Hip-hop fans have seen a shift of this magnitude before, from New York rap to Atlanta sounds and the rise in South Florida rappers, but it wasn’t quite like this.
“It was just a natural progression of rap era,” said Alphonse Pierre, a staff writer at Pitchfork. “Every couple of years rap is like a new era.”
Lyricism laid on top of hard-New York beats no longer existed. It was now all about a strong bass, eerie sounds mixed with weird ad-libs and less-meaningful lyrics; these rappers existed in the same space, and no one wanted to be J. Cole or Kendrick Lamar.
“It was a good influence on the scene because it added a breath of fresh air,” Pierre said. “I remember just being in high school finding Lil Uzi Vert and being like, ‘Yo, this is something different.’”
And being different helped put these Soundcloud rappers in the spotlight.
It was no longer baggy clothes, tilted fitteds and tied bandanas that graced the annual XXL Freshman Class cover -- an American hip-hop magazine that highlights up-and-coming rappers. Instead, it was Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Yachty who drew attention with their bright-colored dreads, gold grills and face tattoos.
Their appearances opened the gate for other Soundcloud rappers such as xxxtentacion and Playboi Carti in 2017 then Ski Mask The Slump God, Lil Pump, Smokepurpp, Wifisfuneral and Trippie Redd who owned the cover in 2018.
Older hip-hop fans hated it. Most didn’t understand the random ad-libs and non-lyrical freestyles. They cringed at the “mumble” raps and inability to speak on topics other than money and fame, so they cursed every “Soundcloud rapper” with unapologetic criticisms.
Lil Yachty was one of the the many rappers who were caught in the crossfire. In a 2017 episode of “Everyday Struggle” -- retired rapper Joe Budden’s YouTube series -- he emphasized, “Lil Yachty is someone who I think is ruining the culture. Someone who should not be accepted in this culture.”
But these rappers who came up from Soundcloud were able to infiltrate the game and headline major hip-hop events such as the 2019 Rolling Loud music festival in Miami, which included Lil Yachty, Trippie Redd, Rich The Kid, Smokepurpp, Wifisfuneral, Lil Uzi, Lil Pump and Playboi Carti, among others.
Though the free platform for streaming and uploading music was associated with broke rappers with dreams of hip-hop stardom, Pierre said in his article, that’s not the case anymore. Now, it’s just a streaming service and those rappers are just rappers who continue to develop and perfect their sound, like any other musical artist.
Unfortunately for those who come after the 2016 generation, the preconceived notions are still put on them. However, they argue the platform was the first space that granted rappers creative control over -- not only their content -- but with when they release their music.
“Personally, I think it’s BS,” said Philip Egalite, a sophomore at Saint Peter’s University who raps. “Soundcloud is the easiest access to drop your art… Yeah, (people) might say, ‘Soundcloud rappers are Soundcloud rappers,’ but there are actually great people who have music on Soundcloud.”
Egalite, also known as Phil Bright, listens to Drake, Lil Wayne and Michael Jackson and not so much so-called “Soundcloud” rap. But he added that he respects Lil Uzi Vert for how much he’s developed his sound.
“It’s crazy how once you find your style and switch -- to whatever it is -- that can be your make or break,” he said. “That’s why I amend (Lil Uzi) the most.”
The 20-year-old, who was part of a rap group back home in Trenton, has been writing music since he was in middle school. He wrote love songs -- that’s been tucked away in a lost notebook -- but has grown from that since he dropped his first song at 18. He dropped his first as a solo artist at 19.
Egalite isn’t the only 20-year-old on Soundcloud that’s bothered by the stereotypes.
“(Soundcloud rappers) have an outlet,” said Josh Ruiz, 20. “(People) shouldn’t be complaining.”
Some Soundcloud rappers even feel that the general public aren’t aware of the different sounds that came from this generation.
Ruiz, who goes by Shorty Martin, said that hip-hop has expanded because subgenres have been created within the genre such as grunge, trap, punk and lofi thanks to Lil Uzi, Tekashi 69, xxxtentacion, Lil Peep and Smokepurpp. Ruiz, however, models himself more after Chance The Rapper, Kyle and Childish Gambino.
The 20-year-old originally wanted to be a singer, but his friends who go by Pe$oo and Equilibrium asked him to be part of their rap group, The Hooligans, during their freshman year at Bayonne High School; the group is more of just a “family” than rap group now, he said.
Just as Ruiz’s rap group moved on, Pierre said so has “soundcloud rap.”
“I feel like the Soundcloud era is over, I wouldn’t even call them soundcloud rappers anymore,” he said. “I feel like Soundcloud is just a service now that everyone has to use -- no matter who you are.”
Rich The Kid -- who has over 400,000 followers and 20 million plays on Soundcloud -- tweeted in last month: “I miss SoundCloud... if I find my password ima upload like 4 songs today”
“Hip-hop is now entering uncharted territory, as the same changes in music consumption that made the SoundCloud generation… are also what have effectively ended the era,” Pierre wrote.
But that’s what happens.
Artists start on Soundcloud only to branch out more and further their careers. Egalite said he’s moving on to Apple Music and Spotify while Ruiz said it’s helped grow his audience and he’s trying to put out more music consistently in the future.
Egalite added how the platform has grown from what it was as it still allows listeners to find new people and new sounds.
“(Change) is a part of music,” he said. “It’s always gonna mold for what it has be in the generation … I think it’s good -- more music is good anyways."
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