[ ]indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
, post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...
, and cloud rap
Cloud rap is a subgenre of Southern rap and trap music that has several sonic characteristics of lo-fi in its hazy, dreamlike and relaxed sound. Many music experts credit rapper Lil B and producer Clams Casino as the early pioneers of this style. ...
.
Emo rap departs from the "traditional" tones found in modern mainstream hip hop in favor of more emotional and personal lyrical content, described by the Wall Street Journal as "giving their elders the finger." Lyrics tend to focus on topics such as depression, loneliness
Loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to perceived isolation. Loneliness is also described as social paina psychological mechanism which motivates individuals to seek social connections. It is often associated with a perceived lack ...
, anxiety
Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different than fear in that the former is defined as the anticipation of a future threat wh ...
, consumption of drugs and alcohol, nihilism
Nihilism (; ) is a philosophy, or family of views within philosophy, that rejects generally accepted or fundamental aspects of human existence, such as objective truth, knowledge, morality, values, or meaning. The term was popularized by Ivan ...
, suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...
, heartbreak, and self-medication. The genre is characterized by its combination of musical elements commonly found in conscious hip hop
Political hip hop is a subgenre of hip hop music that was developed in the 1980s as a way of turning hip hop into a call for political and/or social action and a form of social and/or political activism. Inspired by 1970s political artists su ...
with indie rock instrumentals. Sampling often uses 2000s pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
and emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
songs. Much of the sampling has been influenced by artists who inspired the genre, such as Mineral
In geology and mineralogy, a mineral or mineral species is, broadly speaking, a solid chemical compound with a fairly well-defined chemical composition and a specific crystal structure that occurs naturally in pure form.John P. Rafferty, ed. ( ...
, Underoath
Underoath (stylized as Underøath or UnderOath) is an American rock band from Tampa, Florida. It was founded by lead vocalist Dallas Taylor and guitarist Luke Morton on November 30, 1997, in Ocala, Florida; subsequently, its additional memb ...
, and the Postal Service
The Postal Service are an American indie pop supergroup from Seattle, Washington, consisting of singer Ben Gibbard, producer Jimmy Tamborello, and Jenny Lewis on background vocals.
The band released their only album, '' Give Up'', in 2003 on S ...
. Some emo rappers also make use of original instrumentation. Horse Head of the collective GothBoiClique
GothBoiClique (also abbreviated as GBC) is an American emo rap collective based in Los Angeles, California. It was formed in 2012 by Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Cold Hart, and Horse Head. The group's name comes from a beat that Cold Hart sent to ...
has described the music as "...sort of nostalgic, but it's new too...no one's really done shit like this. It's like emo rap and melodic trap".
Fans of the music are sometimes referred to as "sad boys", in reference to emo rapper Yung Lean Yung may refer to:
* Yung (surname), Chinese surname
* Yung Joc, (born Jasiel Robinson in 1983), an American rapper
* Yung Wun, (born James Carlton Anderson in 1982), an American rapper
* Yung Berg, (born Christian Ward in 1985), an American rapper
...
's music group by the same name.
History
1990s to early 2010s: Precursors
Prior to emo rap solidifying itself as a genre, the term was applied by critics to rappers such as Joe Budden
Joseph Anthony Budden II (born August 31, 1980) is an American media personality and former rapper. He first gained recognition as a rapper with his 2003 top 40 single " Pump It Up" and as a member of the hip hop supergroup Slaughterhouse. In ...
, Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
, and Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
due to their emotional styles of lyric writing. American rapper Slug
Slug, or land slug, is a common name for any apparently shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusc. The word ''slug'' is also often used as part of the common name of any gastropod mollusc that has no shell, a very reduced shell, or only a smal ...
of Atmosphere
An atmosphere () is a layer of gas or layers of gases that envelop a planet, and is held in place by the gravity of the planetary body. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A s ...
claimed in 2017 that he invented the name "emo rap" in an IR Magazine article from 1997. The music of German rapper Casper
Casper may refer to:
People
* Casper (given name)
* Casper (surname)
* Casper (Maya ruler) (422–487?), ruler of the Mayan city of Palenque
* Tok Casper, first known king of Maya city-state Quiriguá in Guatemala, ruling beginning in 426
* David ...
, which was influenced by both hip hop and bands like Give up the Ghost, Modern Life is War
Modern Life Is War is an American hardcore punk band formed in Marshalltown, Iowa in 2002. During Modern Life Is War's six-year original run, the band released three full-length albums and one self-titled 7" EP. Despite a growing profile on the u ...
, and Grave Digger
A gravedigger is a cemetery worker who is responsible for digging a grave prior to a funeral service.
Description
If the grave is in a cemetery on the property of a church or other religious organization (part of, or called, a churchyard), ...
, was often referred to as "emo rap" early on in his career. Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
writer Kia Makarechi described American group Hollywood Undead
Hollywood Undead is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2005. All of the band members use pseudonyms and previously wore their own unique mask, most of which were based on the common hockey goaltender design. The ...
as "crass emo-rap" in 2012 article.
Additionally, between the 1990s and early-2010s, there was a number of significant crossovers between the hip hop scene and the emo and pop punk scene. Zebrahead have been playing a style of music that features vocalist Ali Tabatabaee
Ali Tabatabaee () is an Iranian-American musician who is one of two main vocalists in the American band Zebrahead.
Background
Before joining Zebrahead, Tabatabaee was a pre-med student at UC Irvine majoring in Biology and minoring in Theater. ...
rapping over pop punk instrumentals since the band's formation in 1995. Rapper MC Lars
Andrew Robert Nielsen (born October 6, 1982), known professionally as MC Lars, is an American record producer, rapper, cartoonist, podcaster and educator. Lars is one of the self-proclaimed originators of "lit-hop", and is the founder and CEO of ...
has been making use of samples and references to emo and pop punk songs in his music since his 2004 debut album. Pop punk band Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 2005, the band's lineup has consisted of twin brothers Joel Madden (lead vocals) and Benji Madden (guitar and vocals), Paul Thomas (bass), Billy Martin (g ...
, often stated that they took influence from hip hop and in 2007 released the album ''Greatest Remixes'', which consisted of a number of their previously released songs being remixed by both hip hop and pop punk musicians such as Jay E
Jason Lee Epperson (born August 13, 1978), known professionally as Jay E, is an American record producer, entrepreneur and DJ. He is a co-founder of the production team Basement Beats. Jay E rose to fame as the producer of rapper Nelly's multi-pl ...
, Patrick Stump, Marshall Goodman
Marshall Goodman (born January 31, 1971), known professionally as Ras MG (also known as MG, Field Marshall, Field, or Fields) is an American drummer, songwriter and producer.
Career
Sublime years: 1990–1992, 1994–1996
Goodman was the drumme ...
, and William Beckett. In 2005, Stump and Pete Wentz
Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III (born June 5, 1979) is an American musician best known as the bassist and lyricist for the rock band Fall Out Boy since 2001. Before Fall Out Boy, Wentz was a fixture of the Chicago hardcore scene and was the lea ...
founded DCD2 Records
DCD2 Records, formerly known as Decaydance Records, is an independent record label owned by Patrick Stump and Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy and partners, based in New York City. It was founded as an imprint of Fueled by Ramen. The first band Wentz s ...
, which signed both emo and hip hop artists, who would often collaborate and tour alongside one another. DCD2 signees Cobra Starship
Cobra Starship was an American dance-pop band founded in 2005 by Gabe Saporta (ex- Midtown), and headquartered in New York City. He recorded the first album as a solo project, ''While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets''. Saporta later enliste ...
and Gym Class Heroes
Gym Class Heroes was an American rap rock band from Geneva, New York. The group formed in 1997 when Travie McCoy met drummer Matt McGinley during their high school gym class. The band's music displays a wide variety of influences, including hip h ...
also merged elements of both genres. In 2006, rapper Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
remixed emo pop
Emo pop (also known as emo pop punk and pop-emo) is a fusion genre combining emo with the melodies of pop punk and/or pop music. Emo pop features a music style with more concise songs and hook-filled choruses. Emo pop began in the 1990s with ban ...
band Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer A ...
's song "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" is a song by American rock band Fall Out Boy and the second single from their commercially successful third studio album ''Infinity on High'' (2007). The song officially debuted on November 21 at the Ame ...
". Fearless Records released the album Punk Goes Crunk
''Punk Goes Crunk'' is the seventh compilation album in the '' Punk Goes...'' series released by Fearless Records. The album is composed of popular hip hop songs performed by various post-hardcore, metalcore and pop punk bands. This is the firs ...
in 2008, which was made up of emo and pop punk musicians covering popular hip hip songs. Emo band Framing Hanley
Framing Hanley is an American rock band formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2005. They released their first studio album in August 2007, titled ''The Moment''.
History Formation and ''The Moment'' (2005–2009)
Lead singer & songwriter Kenn ...
covered rapper Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
's song "Lollipop
A lollipop is a type of sugar candy usually consisting of hard candy mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. Different informal terms are used in different places, including lolly, sucker, sticky-pop, etc. Lollipops are ava ...
" in 2008 and Lil Wayne went on to collaborative with pop punk band Weezer
Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Shriner (bass guitar, keyboards, backing v ...
in 2011, on the song "Can't Stop Partying". Also in 2012, prominent pop-punk band Blink-182
Blink-182 (stylized as blink-182) is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Poway, California in 1992. Their current lineup consists of bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though their ...
featured rapper Yelawolf
Michael Wayne Atha (born December 30, 1979), better known by his stage name Yelawolf, is an American rapper. Born in Alabama and raised in Tennessee, he embarked on his career independently in 2005, releasing one extended play (EP) and four mixta ...
on the track "Pretty Little Girl" from their Dogs Eating Dogs
''Dogs Eating Dogs'' is an EP by American rock band Blink-182, released on December 18, 2012 independently. Self-produced by the group and Chris Holmes, it was the sole recording that the band self-released after their departure from Interscope/ ...
EP.
In 2013, Swedish rapper and member of the Sad Boys collective, Yung Lean Yung may refer to:
* Yung (surname), Chinese surname
* Yung Joc, (born Jasiel Robinson in 1983), an American rapper
* Yung Wun, (born James Carlton Anderson in 1982), an American rapper
* Yung Berg, (born Christian Ward in 1985), an American rapper
...
, released "Ginseng Strip 2002
"Ginseng Strip 2002" is a song by Swedish rapper Yung Lean from his debut EP ''Lavender EP'' (2013). It was produced by Yung Gud. The music video of the song went viral in 2013, leading to Lean's rise to fame. The song later garnered renewed popul ...
" and the highly influential mixtape ''Unknown Death 2002
''Unknown Death 2002'' is the debut mixtape by Swedish rapper Yung Lean. It was released on July 9, 2013 by Mishka NYC. It serves as Yung Lean's first full length project, and his breakout mixtape, bringing more attention to both Lean and Swedish ...
'', which many have regarded as cementing Yung Lean as the "father of emo rap".
Mid 2010s to present: Popularity and deaths
Emo rap was pioneered by Bones
A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, a ...
, whose VHS-recorded music videos and dark production and aesthetic were so influential on the hip hop underground of the time that ''Dazed
''Dazed'' (''Dazed & Confused'' until February 2014) is a bi-monthly British style magazine founded in 1991. It covers music, fashion, film, art, and literature. Dazed is published by Dazed Media, an independent media group known for producing ...
'' described him as the "underground rap king." In 2012, members of Thraxxhouse, a subgroup of Raider Klan
Raider Klan (stylized as RVIDXR KLVN) was an American hip hop collective formed in Carol City, Florida, in 2008. It grew to include members from other U.S. cities, such as Memphis, Seattle (Thraxxhouse), and Houston. They are widely regarded by ...
, formed GothBoiClique
GothBoiClique (also abbreviated as GBC) is an American emo rap collective based in Los Angeles, California. It was formed in 2012 by Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Cold Hart, and Horse Head. The group's name comes from a beat that Cold Hart sent to ...
(GBC), with the intention of drawing connections between the emo, trap, dark wave
Dark wave (also typeset as darkwave) is a music genre that emerged from the new wave and post-punk movement of the late 1970s. Dark wave compositions are largely based on minor key tonality and introspective lyrics and have been perceived as be ...
, black metal
Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
, and indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
scenes. GBC's style of emo rap influenced swathes of artists in the underground emo and hip hop scenes on SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...
, with Lil Lotus
John Elias Villagran III (born March 1, 1994), known professionally as Lil Lotus (stylized as LiL Lotus) is an American musician, singer and rapper from Dallas, Texas. He has released one solo studio album, four solo EPs, three collaborative EPs a ...
, Lil Peep
Gustav Elijah Åhr (November 1, 1996 – November 15, 2017), known professionally as Lil Peep, was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was a member of the emo rap collective GothBoiClique. Helping pioneer an emo revival-style of Rapp ...
and Lil Tracy
Jazz Ishmael Butler (born October 3, 1995), professionally known as Lil Tracy, is an American rapper and singer. He was also known under the name Yung Bruh during the beginning of his career. Tracy is best known for his collaborations with the l ...
, all citing the group as an influence and the latter-most two even eventually becoming members. During this time, a DIY
"Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and sem ...
ethos came to define the genre, to the extent that when Shinigami released his debut album ''Luna'' on Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
, he was derided as a sellout
"Selling out", or "sold out" in the past tense, is a common expression for the compromising of a person's integrity, morality, authenticity, or principles by forgoing the long-term benefits of the collective or group in exchange for personal ga ...
, due to the streaming service's ability to monetize.
In 2017, Lil Uzi Vert
Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their face tattoo, facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous ...
's song "XO Tour Llif3
"XO Tour Llif3" (stylized as "XO TOUR Llif3" and pronounced "XO Tour Life") is a single by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert from the extended play '' Luv Is Rage 1.5'' (2017) and debut album ''Luv Is Rage 2'' (2017). It was released on SoundCloud on ...
" became a sleeper hit
In the entertainment industry, a sleeper hit is a film, television series, music release, video game, or some other entertainment product that was initially unsuccessful on release but became a success later on. A sleeper hit may have little promo ...
. The song, characterized as emo hip hop due to its lyrics referring to suicide and emotional breakdowns peaked at number seven on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In August 2017, XXXTentacion
Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...
released his debut album '' 17'' with the lead single "Jocelyn Flores
"Jocelyn Flores" is a song written and performed by American rapper and singer XXXTentacion. It is the second single from his debut studio album '' 17''. The song is a homage to XXXTentacion's deceased friend of the same name as the song title. ...
" which addresses the suicide of a friend and Lil Uzi Vert released his debut studio album ''Luv Is Rage 2
''Luv Is Rage 2'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on August 25, 2017, through Generation Now and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a sequel to Uzi's commercial debut mixtape ''Luv Is Rage'' (2015). It ...
''. The release of both the projects and their high peak on the ''Billboard'' 200 became defining moments for emo rap in the mainstream. At the same time, Lil Peep was branded by ''Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
'' the "future of emo" in January 2017 and in April 2017, ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' concluded that his "continuing rise is testament to the timeless appeal of introspection."
In November 2017, Lil Peep died of a Fentanyl
Fentanyl, also spelled fentanil, is a very potent synthetic opioid used as a pain medication. Together with other drugs, fentanyl is used for anesthesia. It is also used illicitly as a recreational drug, sometimes mixed with heroin, cocaine ...
overdose. Shortly afterwards, Lil Peep's debut studio album ''Come Over When You're Sober, Pt. 1
''Come Over When You're Sober, Pt. 1'' (often shortened to ''COWYS Pt. 1''), is the debut studio album by American recording artist Lil Peep and the only album to be released during his lifetime. It was released on August 15, 2017, by AUTNMY via ...
'' and the lead single "Awful Things" charted on the ''Billboard'' charts. His death brought increased notability to the genre as a whole and particularly to artists such as Trippie Redd
Michael Lamar White II (born June 18, 1999), known professionally as Trippie Redd, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is one of the most prominent members of the SoundCloud rap scene, which gained mainstream acclaim in the late ...
and Lil Aaron
Aaron Jennings Puckett, better known by his stage name Lil Aaron (stylized as lil aaron), is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Goshen, Indiana. Merging elements of pop punk and emo with hip hop and pop, he has released five solo E ...
. In June 2018, XXXTentacion was murdered, and like Peep, his albums '' 17'' and '' ?'' charted the following week, along with his hit song "SAD!
"Sad!" (stylized in all-caps) is a song by American rapper and singer XXXTentacion from his second studio album, '' ?'' (2018). It was released as the lead single from the album on March 2, 2018. The track was produced by John Cunningham, and wri ...
" charting at number one on the ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
. In September 2018, a posthumous collaboration between the two artists, "Falling Down
''Falling Down'' is a 1993 American action film directed by Joel Schumacher, written by Ebbe Roe Smith and released by Warner Bros. in the United States on February 26, 1993. The film stars Michael Douglas in the lead role of William Foster, a ...
" was released and became certified platinum in the US. The same year, emo rap was the fastest-growing genre on Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
in 2018. In December 2019, Juice WRLD
Jarad Anthony Higgins (December 2, 1998 – December 8, 2019), known professionally as Juice Wrld (pronounced "juice world"; stylized as Juice WRLD), was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was a leading figure in the emo rap and So ...
died after suffering a seizure, induced by an overdose of oxycodone and codeine. He was known to most people for the songs "All Girls Are the Same
"All Girls Are the Same" (alternatively stylized in all caps) is the debut single by American rapper and singer Juice Wrld. It was officially released as the lead single from his debut studio album, ''Goodbye & Good Riddance'' on April 13, 2018, ...
" and "Lucid Dreams
A lucid dream is a type of dream in which the dreamer becomes aware that they are dreaming while dreaming. During a lucid dream, the dreamer may gain some amount of control over the dream characters, narrative, or environment; however, this is n ...
", the latter which peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 2018 and returned to the chart in 2019 at number eight following his death.
In 2018 and 2019, notable emo rappers 24kGoldn, Poorstacy
Carlito Junior Milfort (born March 15, 1999), known professionally as Poorstacy (stylized in all caps) is an American musician from Palm Beach, Florida. His music merges influences from hip hop, punk rock and heavy metal. He has released two s ...
, the Kid Laroi
Charlton Kenneth Jeffrey Howard (born 17 August 2003), known professionally as the Kid Laroi (stylised as the Kid LAROI), is an Australian rapper, singer and songwriter. He originally gained recognition from his association and friendship with A ...
, Powfu
Isaiah Faber (born March 31, 1999), known professionally as Powfu, is a Canadian singer and rapper. He is the son of Dave Faber from the band Faber Drive. He amassed popularity following the release of his first charting single, "Death Bed (Coff ...
and Iann Dior
Michael Ian Olmo (born March 25, 1999), known professionally as Iann Dior (stylized in all lowercase), is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer based in Texas. He is most notably well-known for his 2020 hit single " Mood", a collaboration with 24kGo ...
were all signed by labels where they released their debut EPs. On February 8, 2020, Powfu released their single " Death Bed (Coffee for Your Head)" with Beabadoobee
Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus (born 3 June 2000), known professionally as beabadoobee (; '), is a Filipino-British singer-songwriter. From 2018 to 2021, she released five extended plays under the independent label Dirty Hit: ''Lice'' (2018), ''P ...
, which peaked at number one on the U.S. Hot Rock/Alternative Songs chart. On July 24, 2020, Dior and 24kGoldn released the chart-topping song " Mood", which is currently certified quadruple platinum. ''Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'' described 2020 as "The Year Rap Artists Rule the Rock Charts", while '' Spin'' writer Al Shipley described the merger of pop punk
Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...
and rap as 2020's "commercial juggernaut". In March 2022, emo rapper Lil Bo Weep died of a drug overdose, a long time the girl struggled with depression and complex post-traumatic stress disorder
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD; also known as complex trauma disorder) is a psychological disorder that is theorized to develop in response to exposure to a series of traumatic events in a context in which the individual perceive ...
after the loss of a child.
Influence
The popularity of emo rap led to a number of mainstream musicians incorporating elements of it into their music in the late-2010s and early-2020s. Notable artists to do so include Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
, Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
, and Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
.
Emo rap, along with styles like cloud rap
Cloud rap is a subgenre of Southern rap and trap music that has several sonic characteristics of lo-fi in its hazy, dreamlike and relaxed sound. Many music experts credit rapper Lil B and producer Clams Casino as the early pioneers of this style. ...
, trap
A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research.
Trap or TRAP may also refer to:
Art and entertainment Films and television
* ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
, dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the early 2000s. The style emerged as a UK garage offshoot that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production, as well as incorporating elements of broken be ...
, trance
Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the dir ...
, chiptune
Chiptune, also known as chip music or 8-bit music, is a style of synthesized electronic music made using the programmable sound generator (PSG) sound chips or synthesizers in vintage arcade machines, computers and video game consoles.
The t ...
and pop music
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
were influential on the development of the hyperpop
Hyperpop is a loosely-defined music movement and microgenre that predominantly originated in the United Kingdom during the early-to-mid 2010s. It is characterized by a maximalist or exaggerated take on popular music, and artists within the genr ...
genre. The genre gained mainstream attention in the late-2010s and early-2020s through artists such as 100 Gecs, Charli XCX
Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born 2 August 1992), known professionally as Charli XCX, is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery ...
, and Dorian Electra
Dorian Electra Fridkin Gomberg (born 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and performance artist. Their debut studio album, ''Flamboyant'', was released in 2019, followed by their second studio album, ''My Agenda,'' in 2020. Electra is know ...
.
The genre also brought about a revived interest in pop punk in the mainstream. This interest led to the 2020s pop punk revival. In particular, Machine Gun Kelly
George Kelly Barnes (July 18, 1895 – July 18, 1954), better known by his pseudonym "Machine Gun Kelly", was an American gangster from Memphis, Tennessee, active during the Prohibition era. His nickname came from his favorite weapon, a Thom ...
's album ''Tickets to My Downfall
''Tickets to My Downfall'' is the fifth studio album by American musician Machine Gun Kelly. A departure from his established rap sound, the album is a more guitar-driven pop-punk album. It was released through Bad Boy Records and Interscope Re ...
'' was described by the Evening Standard
The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format.
In October 2009, after be ...
as "bridg ngthe gap" between the contemporary pop punk and emo rap scenes. During this time, a number of emo rappers such as Trippie Redd
Michael Lamar White II (born June 18, 1999), known professionally as Trippie Redd, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is one of the most prominent members of the SoundCloud rap scene, which gained mainstream acclaim in the late ...
, Lil Tracy
Jazz Ishmael Butler (born October 3, 1995), professionally known as Lil Tracy, is an American rapper and singer. He was also known under the name Yung Bruh during the beginning of his career. Tracy is best known for his collaborations with the l ...
, Cold Hart
GothBoiClique (also abbreviated as GBC) is an American emo rap collective based in Los Angeles, California. It was formed in 2012 by Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Cold Hart, and Horse Head. The group's name comes from a beat that Cold Hart sent to ...
, Lil Aaron
Aaron Jennings Puckett, better known by his stage name Lil Aaron (stylized as lil aaron), is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Goshen, Indiana. Merging elements of pop punk and emo with hip hop and pop, he has released five solo E ...
, and 24kGoldn also began releasing pop punk albums and songs.
See also
* Alternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop (also known as alternative rap) is a subgenre of hip hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. AllMusic defines it as comprising " hip hop groups that refuse to confor ...
* List of emo rap artists
This is a list of notable emo rap artists.
List
* 24kGoldn
* Bones
* Iann Dior
* GothBoiClique
* Hobo Johnson
* Juice WRLD
* The Kid Laroi
* Lil Aaron
* Lil Bo Weep
* Lil Lotus
* Lil Peep
* Lil Skies
* Lil Tracy
* Lil Uzi Vert
* Lil Xan
* Lil ...
* List of hip hop genres
* List of mumble rap artists
The following is a list of mumble rap and SoundCloud rap artists.
* 9lokkNine
* Asian Doll
* Bankroll Fresh
* BlocBoy JB
* Blueface
*Craig Xen
*Desiigner
*DRAM
* Famous Dex
*Future
*Kid Buu
* Kodak Black
*Lil Gotit
* Lil Keed
* Lil Pump
*Lil U ...
References
{{hip hop
2010s fads and trends
2010s in music
21st-century music genres
American styles of music
Emo
Hip hop genres
Fusion music genres