THE RISE OF TRAP

Trap, a hip-hop subgenre has been around for decades now and it is not likely to go out of the charts any sooner. Read on to know all about it.

- Ratan Priya

The popular culture is literally intoxicated with hip-hop. Musicians associated with the genre not only has a massive number of followers but an army of stans. An army big enough to have very few not at least familiar with it. At present, associating hip-hop with its socio-political context can be difficult as the genre has evolved into several subgenres and has given rise to new meanings. However, the only reason we now enjoy the lyrics and beats of hip-hop is because Black people decided to tell their story which had long been snubbed.

Trap music, a subgenre of Hip-hop, although popularised by the Trap’s Holy-trinity, T.I, Gucci Mane, and Young Jeezy in the 20s, emerged way before the audiences learned about the genre by its name.

What is trap music?

In 1980, Ikutaro Kakehashi manufactured a new drum machine called TR-808. This is what forms the basis of trap music at large. The genre is filled with rhythmic lyrics where artists pour out their experiences of a drug-infested lifestyle accompanied by electronic beats and enriched with what is called the “ decay knob”. The word trap comes from the