Cloud rap

Cloud rap (also known as trillwave)^[1][2] is a genre of hip hop music which through its methods of composition intends to produce a hypnagogic, dream-like aesthetic.

Cloud rap takes influences from Southern hip hop where many compositions make use of stylistic factors typical of the genre, such as heavy use of drum machines and other trap music elements. What sets cloud rap apart from more contemporary forms of hip hop, however, is its seemingly antipodal approach to the latter – while hip hop artists generally want to reflect through their instrumentation an image of bravado, cloud rap artists display themselves as being true to themselves. Techniques employed by cloud rap artists to create this effect include ethereal, hypnogogic instrumentation and long harmonic vocalization that can either be sung or rapped.

Cloud rap artists are usually bedroom musicians, creating their music typically on their personal computers and making their way to popularity through the means of the Internet (particularly hosting their music through sites like SoundCloud and YouTube). The lyrical themes of the genre usually concerns depression, sadness, drug use or absurd depictions of life.

History

No definitive point in time can be pinned down as being the inception of cloud rap; however, rapper Lil B is often credited as being the initial pioneer of its style, related to the idea of being "based".^[3] The genre received mainstream recognition through the release of artist A$AP Rocky's album Long. Live. ASAP which laid down the foundation for what cloud rap is and how it should be made, putting instrumental focus on techniques drawn from ambient music to create its unique aesthetic. Yung Lean however is the genre's most recognizable artist, bridging the two musical styles of cloud rap and vaporwave together and becoming the forefront of his own Internet phenomenon. His first release Unknown Death 2002 in 2013 is considered a benchmark for cloud rap.

See also

• Vaporwave

References