Trap music, also called simply trap, is a type of hip-hop music that began in the Southern United States. References to trap in songs started in 1991, but the modern sound of trap music became popular in 1999. The name comes from the Atlanta term "trap house," which refers to a place where drugs are sold. Trap music uses simple, rhythmic, and minimalistic sounds. It includes synthesized drums, complex hi-hat beats, snare drums, and bass drums. Some bass drums are tuned to create a deep, long-lasting sound, originally from the Roland TR-808 drum machine.
Important people who helped develop trap music include producers like DJ Spanish Fly, DJ Paul & Juicy J, Kurtis Mantronik, Mannie Fresh, Shawty Redd, Fatboi, Zaytoven, DJ Screw, and DJ Toomp, along with rappers such as T.I., Jeezy, and Gucci Mane. The style became widely known through producer Lex Luger, who created the influential album Flockaveli by Waka Flocka Flame in 2010. He also helped form the production team 808 Mafia.
Trap music became popular in the 2010s and is now one of the most well-known types of American music. Many artists, including Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Future, Playboi Carti, 21 Savage, Migos, Lil Uzi Vert, Post Malone, XXXTentacion, Roddy Ricch, Young Thug, DaBaby, and Travis Scott, have had songs in the trap genre reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Trap music has also influenced pop and R&B artists like Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, the Weeknd, and Sabrina Carpenter. It has also affected reggaetón and K-pop. In 2018, hip-hop became the most popular music genre in the United States for the first time, according to Nielsen Data. In 2019, trap-influenced songs like Ariana Grande’s "7 Rings" spent eight weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The country trap song "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus) spent 19 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 and became the fastest song to reach a Diamond Certification.
Characteristics
Trap music often focuses on the daily lives and culture of people in areas where drug deals happen, called "traps" or "trap houses." The term "trap" describes places where drugs are sold. Other common topics in trap music include life on the streets, earning money, violence, American cars, and experiences from southern American communities.
Trap music uses layered sounds with different textures, sometimes including melodies created by synthesizers. It features sharp, rough, and rhythmic drum sounds, deep bass beats from 808 kick drums, and fast-paced hi-hats that are divided into two or three parts. It also uses sounds from string, brass, woodwind, and keyboard instruments to create a powerful and varied atmosphere. These features were first developed by Shawty Redd, who used simple, horror-inspired sounds, and DJ Toomp, who focused on melodies using samples from jazz, soul, R&B, gospel, and funk music. Trap music usually has a tempo range of 50 to 88 beats per minute (BPM), with a typical beat around 70 BPM.
History
As hip-hop grew, it developed into different styles, such as gangsta rap, which highlighted the challenges faced by people in poor neighborhoods in the United States and discussed important social issues. Gangsta rap later changed into trap, a new type of music with different themes and tones. Early trap music was created by producers like Lil Jon from Atlanta, Georgia, where the word "trap" originally referred to places where drug deals happened.
Lil Jon, along with Mannie Fresh from New Orleans and DJ Paul & Juicy J from Memphis, Tennessee, worked with local artists in Atlanta, including groups like Dungeon Family, Outkast, Goodie Mob, and Ghetto Mafia. In 1992, one of the first trap songs was UGK’s "Cocaine in the Back of the Ride" from their debut EP, The Southern Way. Later that year, they released the popular song "Pocket Full of Stones" from their album Too Hard to Swallow, which was also included in the 1993 movie Menace II Society. In 1996, Master P released the single "Mr. Ice Cream Man" from his album Ice Cream Man. At this time, fans and critics began calling rappers who focused on drug dealing "trap rappers."
T.I.’s 2001 song "Dope Boyz" from his debut album I’m Serious includes the lyrics "the dope boyz in the trap nigga / the thug nigga, drug dealer where you at." David Drake of Complex wrote that "the trap in the early 2000s wasn’t a genre, it was a real place," and later, the term was used to describe music about that place.
During the early to mid-2000s, trap music became a recognized genre after many albums and songs about life in "the trap," drug dealing, and the struggle for success gained popularity. Southern rappers with drug dealer personas, such as T.I., Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane, Boosie Badazz, Young Dolph, Lil Wayne, and Rick Ross, created hit songs that helped trap music become more widely known. Trap songs started appearing on mixtapes and radio stations outside the South. While trap artists had different styles, a signature trap sound (often using synth, orchestra, and string swells with strong, bass-heavy 808 kick drums) developed in Atlanta during the mid-2000s. Key trap producers during this time included DJ Toomp, Fatboi, Drumma Boy, Shawty Redd, D. Rich, and Zaytoven. These producers were influenced by earlier Southern artists like Lil Jon, Mannie Fresh, and DJ Paul.
By the end of the 2000s, a second wave of trap artists gained popularity and frequently topped the Billboard hip-hop charts. Trap producer Lex Luger became very famous, creating over 200 songs in 2010 and 2011, including hits for artists like Rick Ross’ "B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast)." Luger’s style, which used heavy 808s, crisp snares, fast hihats, synth keys, and orchestral elements like brass, strings, and woodwinds, became a major influence on modern trap music. Other producers, such as Southside and TM88 from 808 Mafia, Sonny Digital, Young Chop, DJ Spinz, Tay Keith, and Metro Boomin, also gained recognition. Some producers, like Mike WiLL Made It and AraabMuzik, expanded their work to other genres like R&B and electronic music.
In 2011 and 2012, trap music remained popular on mainstream charts, with songs by artists like Young Jeezy, Chief Keef, and Future. Jeezy’s song "Ballin" reached number 57 on the Billboard charts, and Future’s "Turn On the Lights" was certified gold and entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 50. Chief Keef’s songs "I Don’t Like" and "Love Sosa" gained over 30 million views on YouTube, leading to the creation of a subgenre called drill, later known as Chicago drill. Drill music was influenced by UK grime and had a different sound compared to traditional trap. Critics described drill as a "sonic cousin" to other styles like footwork and southern hip-hop. Young Chop was often credited as the most important producer for drill, and Lex Luger’s sound influenced its development. Kanye West even created a remix of Chief Keef’s "I Don’t Like" for his label’s compilation album Cruel Summer.
Trap music’s influence spread beyond hip-hop. R&B singer Beyoncé’s 2013 album Beyoncé included trap-inspired songs like "Drunk in Love," "Flawless," and "7/11." Lady Gaga’s 2013 album Artpop featured a trap-inspired song called "Jewels ‘n Drugs" with rappers T.I., Too Short, and Twista. Pop singer Katy Perry’s 2013 song "Dark Horse," featuring Juicy J, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2015, New Jersey rapper Fetty Wap’s song "Trap Queen" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. His songs "My Way" and "679" also reached the top 10. Brooklyn-based rapper Desiigner’s 2016 debut single "Panda" topped the Billboard Hot 100. The success of trap music was also helped by internet trends, such as the Mannequin Challenge, which boosted the popularity of "Black Beatles" by Rae Sremmurd and Gucci Mane. In 2017, Migos and Lil Uzi Vert’s "Bad and Boujee" reached number one after its lyrics became a viral meme. 2 Chainz released an album titled Pretty Girls Like Trap Music in 2017, and rapper Cardi B’s song "Bodak Yellow" topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2017.
In 2013, trap-influenced electronic dance music (EDM) became popular, led by producer DJ Snake. In 2015, a new style called Latin trap emerged, inspired by mainstream trap but with themes related to la calle (the streets), hustling, sex, and drugs. Spain was the first Spanish-speaking country to create trap music, with groups like PXXR GVNG. Prominent Latin trap artists include Bryant Myers, Anuel AA, Miky Woodz, Almighty, Maluma, and Bad Bunny.
As trap music grew, it became a major part of pop culture. Artists like T.I. said, "We’re the pop stars. Trap rap is pop now. People’s ears have adjusted to what we have to say and how we say it."