Rap/Hip-hop has given us some of the most iconic songs of all time. Whether it’s influenced by Jazz, Rock, Pop, electronic, and many other forms of music, there is always that one rapper that has defined their own subgenre, making it their own. So without further ado, here are in my opinion the best rappers of each subgenre.
Jazz rap: This is one of my favourite subgenres because of how laid back and relaxing it is to listen to. And it has some of the most beautiful instrumentals and samples of any of the genres. The best jazz rap has to go to A Tribe Called Quest. When it comes to jazz rap, they are truly the pioneers and are the ones that have executed it to perfection, They were also one of the firsts to mix jazz and funk samples with rap.
Trap music: This genre of rap exploded in the 2000s and 2010s decades, becoming one of the most influential subgenres in music. There are so many big names when you talk about Trap, but for me, one stands out the most. Future is the goat of trap music. He put out some of the best projects of this subgenre such as DS2, Monster, and 56 Nights. When he was on his dominant run with those albums, he was untouchable and he cemented himself as the King of Trap.
Pop Rap: With pop rap these artists are able to not only reach the masses and produce mainstream hits, but also are relatable to so many types of people. There’s no one else that has merged rap and pop quite like Drizzy Drake. What he was able to achieve on albums such as Take Care, Nothing Was The Same, and Views proves that he has the secret recipe for creating not only classic rap albums, but albums that reached a global audience. He also became the most streamed artist ever beating out Michael Jackson and The Beatles. It doesn’t get better than that.
Emo rap: This sound emerged through the soundcloud era and took the whole rap game by storm. The one who did it the best would be Lil Peep. His voice stands alone as one of the most powerful and impactful voices in the subgenre. He had a similar tone and presence to Kurt Kobain, with such an authentic and raw feeling to his music. Every time you listen to Peep’s music, it really puts you into this dark and introspective mood that very few artists can make you feel.
Mumble rap: This is one of the subgenres that gets looked down on and scrutinised the most because of how unconventional it sounds. However, it truly has shifted the way we view and listen to rap music. At one point in time, I would’ve considered it an insult to be put in this category, but now it seems like everyone is trying to be the next best so-called “mumble rapper”. Playboi Carti is the perfect example of just how far mumble rap has come, and he truly is the best of all the mumblers. If you go through his catalogue, lots of his vocals are completely inaudible, and I don’t mean that as a bad thing, because it perfectly adds to the production and mood of his songs. And I don’t think anyone has done it as good as Carti.
Conscious rap: When talking about conscious rap, I look for an artist that places their lyricism with the utmost priority, and uses their music as a vessel to speak and give a voice to the voiceless. There’s so many great artists that fit this subgenre such as Kendrick and Cole, but I’d have to give it to Tupac. What was beautiful to see with Tupac, was how he was able to reach so many types of people with his messages. He was so good at making his music so accessible and easy to understand, while being absolutely flawless with his penmanship.
Each of these rappers put their stamp on these subgenres, and will continue to inspire upcoming artists to pave their own path and create their own sound.
Written by Jeremy Leitner
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