Originally Self-Published March 2, 2022
Photo courtesy of Unsplash and photographer Rachit Tank
In the year 2022, it seems absurd that anyone that follows mainstream rap music would still be listening to Lil Pump, 6ix9ine or XXXTentacion. The trend of extremely distorted 808-basses and the overabundance of Migos-esque triplet cadences appears to have run its course and been replaced with new trends.
SoundCloud rap was a style of hip-hop that emerged over the internet, particularly on the titular audio-sharing website. Main causes for its success include the ease of access to upload material to the website and the appeal of certain punk aesthetics like face tattoos. Despite many pointing towards the South Florida rap scene in the early 2010's, the genre has unclear origins. However, by 2017 musicians like Lil Uzi Vert and Smokepurpp had both underground and mainstream hit singles. Yet looking in the present, a dichotomy is clear to see, specifically with the two mentioned musicians. Lil Uzi Vert is one of the most popular and respected people in rap currently and Smokepurrp's "Florida Jit" project sold only 4,700 units in the first week.
SoundCloud rap was a style of hip-hop that emerged over the internet, particularly on the titular audio-sharing website. Main causes for its success include the ease of access to upload material to the website and the appeal of certain punk aesthetics like face tattoos. Despite many pointing towards the South Florida rap scene in the early 2010's, the genre has unclear origins. However, by 2017 musicians like Lil Uzi Vert and Smokepurpp had both underground and mainstream hit singles. Yet looking in the present, a dichotomy is clear to see, specifically with the two mentioned musicians. Lil Uzi Vert is one of the most popular and respected people in rap currently and Smokepurrp's "Florida Jit" project sold only 4,700 units in the first week.
The death of the once popular scene can be mirrored in subsequent deaths of prominent aritsts. Rappers Lil Peep, XXXTentacion and Juice WRLD all died within a three-year period. All three people were among the most respected people in the genre, but despite numerous posthumous projects and the rising star-power of respected scene artists like Ski Mask the Slump God and Lil Uzi Vert, the genre seems to have fizzled out. Currently the mainstream in underground rap favors the 'rage beat' style popularized by Playboi Carti, Trippie Redd and Yëat. Also, the rise of TikTok led many to jump ship on SoundCloud and seek fame on the video-sharing app.
Does this mean that the SoundCloud music scene is dead? The answer can go either way and depends on one's definition of dead. While former titans like 6ix9ine and Lil Pump continue to release music to little fanfare, SoundCloud itself still remains an important platform for music's rising stars. For example, as the genre of hyperpop rose and got saturated circa 2019, the genre of Digicore grew out of people like midwxst and Osquinn avoiding the all-encompassing label of hyperpop. The SoundCloud Youtube page produced a short video promoting and interviewing digicore artists (video has since been removed), so it seems that the company is aware of the talent it holds on the site.
Does this mean that the SoundCloud music scene is dead? The answer can go either way and depends on one's definition of dead. While former titans like 6ix9ine and Lil Pump continue to release music to little fanfare, SoundCloud itself still remains an important platform for music's rising stars. For example, as the genre of hyperpop rose and got saturated circa 2019, the genre of Digicore grew out of people like midwxst and Osquinn avoiding the all-encompassing label of hyperpop. The SoundCloud Youtube page produced a short video promoting and interviewing digicore artists (video has since been removed), so it seems that the company is aware of the talent it holds on the site.
So while the era of SoundCloud rap as music listeners knew it back in 2017 may be over, SoundCloud as a platform still is a thriving platform for new artists of all genres.
