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The fastest growing sound in NorthAmerica has superstars, a slew ofhungry, scene-jumping adopters and awhole host of questionable socialissues to go with it.

Real trap shit?

"Trap is the new dubstep." That's aphrase I've heard bandied aroundmore and more lately, and while it'snot an entirely accurate comparison,it's not off the mark either. Defined byits rigid formula of frantic 808 worshipand bombastic basslines, it's beenlatched onto by largely the sameaudiences that have been eating upAmerican dubstep and moombahtonover the past few years. Put simply,trap is one of the fastest growingsounds in North America.

Chances are, whether you know it ornot, you've come across it in someform. Everyone from undergroundheads to mainstream dubstep DJs arethrowing those skittery snaresunderneath, well, everything. And, likeany genre that has emerged in thepast few years, it has its bona fidestars like Baauer and Flosstradamus,a slew of hungry, scene-jumpingadopters and a whole host ofquestionable social issues to go withit.

"Trap" is hip-hop slang for a crack house, and is often traced back to Atlanta. It certainlygot more popular off the back off American rapper T.I.'s Trap Muzik album in 2003, butsome ascribe its origins even further back to artists like Three 6 Mafia and Houston's DJScrew. The latter artist pioneered the psychedelic, ultra-slow "chopped and screwed"effect, in which he slowed down tracks to accentuate trippy time-stretched snares andhats. Meanwhile, the southern rap that emerged in the wake of the Outkast boom in theearly 2000s was colourful, synth-heavy and bombastic, a tradition that lives on in trap.But arguably the most direct progenitor to what's at hand in 2012 is young Virginiaproducer Lex Luger.

Responsible for Waka Flocka Fame's 2010 rap anthem "Hard in da Paint" and a numberof other hits for prominent rappers in the past two years, particularly Three 6 Mafia'sJuicy J, Luger's productions are almost a caricature in their maximalism. The danceablegroundwork for these tracks is laid by enormous bass thuds and cheap, snarling synthhorns, like a satanic Mannie Fresh. Luger's productions fast became a staple in DJ setsaround the world, from innumerable American acts to UK DJs like Rustie, HudsonMohawke and Oneman. They were also widely imitated. Clearly Luger had tapped intosomething. "This is something like the culmination of years and years of hip-hop... anddance music came together. It didn't happen because someone had a master plan, it justhappened naturally," claimed Mad Decent associate Dirty South Joe in a recentdocumentary called Certified Trap.

"The first real indicator that this was more than just the casual incorporation of a fewdrums was when Flosstradamus released their remix of Major Lazer's 'Original Don' earlythis year," says Matt Owchar, a DJ and promoter in Vancouver. He runs a night called#FVDED, a weekly dubstep-cum-trap night that incorporates trap's imagery andsloganeering in its promotions and has booked a number of bigger trap DJs. "It didn'treally hit home... until SXSW [2012]. My whole perception of the SXSW experience wasguided by the idea of finding the 'next hot shit,' as a DJ and talent buyer. Within a day ofbeing there I think I heard that remix about five times in one day. Guys like Salva, Lunice

Uz

and LOL Boys dropping it, then Porter Robinson, Skrillex, Kill The Noise..." In Owchar'slist of artists one can already see the overlap between bass music, hip-hop and dubstepbeginning to emerge.

Flosstradamusdefinitely deservecredit for helping toestablish trap as aforce on US dancefloors, movingtowards southernhip-hop in their ownproductions beforethey used traptropes on their EPTotal Recall tocreate a hybrid ofelectro, trance andhip-hop (which theycalled "post-apocalyptic trap").Their music takeshold of the mostextreme impulses of US club music—the brutal wallop of dubstep and the blaring chordsof trance and electro house—and solders them onto hip-hop, a blueprint that many haveslavishly followed.

Other key figures include popular mixtape host Trap-A-Holics, whose memorable DJdrops (like "real trap shit") have become slogans sampled by acts like Flosstradamusand used frequently in tracks as a sort of trap signature, and RL Grime, whose squelchy"Trap on Acid" places familiar trap clichés in an acid house context and was recently co-opted by megastar Pitbull. Then there's the mysterious Uz, allegedly a dance musicveteran in disguise. His online communications are spoken almost entirely in Unicodesymbols (example: "ĐЯØPPIИ₲ ϺΫ ИЄШ ZЄDŽ ƉЄ∆Ɖ ЯЄϺIX ∆₮ H∆ЯƉ ƧƱϺϺЄЯ")—another aesthetic preference of trap—and his endless stream of tracks on SoundCloudare simply numbered parts of a series entitled "Trap Shit." Uz's tracks are essentiallysketches composed of the same bucking basslines, cascading snares and all manner ofsilly vocal samples, merely arranged in different combinations. His work illustrates thepotential for rhythmic complexity in trap—the timestretching and other effects on thedrums are close relatives to jungle—but the music utilizes much of the same devices asthe worst of lowest common denominator club music.

Barcelona's Sinjin Hawke is another interesting case study. Already a headlining artist offthe back of one strong EP on Belgian label Pelican Fly, Hawke's impressive live set isnear-virtuosic, welding R&B melodies and triumphant builds to trap structures. Bolsteredwith flamboyant and decisive melodies inspired by film scores and '80s synth music, hisreinterpretation of hip-hop feels personal and idiosyncratic. When I met him earlier thisyear, he expressed enthusiasm but unfamiliarity with the world of dance music afterspending years immersed in hip-hop, a fascinating angle for a rising star playing atfestivals alongside acts like Scuba and Claude VonStroke.

Baauer

And of course, there's Baauer. Thoughin my review of "Harlem Shake" earlierthis year I questioned the track'ssubstance and worthiness as ananthem, there's no denying that theyoung producer has a formidable gripon dynamics, tension and sounddesign. Others have noticed—evenHyperdub boss Kode9 has been heardplaying his tracks lately. In addition to"Harlem Shake" on Jeffree's (a MadDecent sublabel that has become atrap outpost of sorts), he's recentlyreleased a 12-inch on LuckyMe withtracks that see him exploring thebuffed textures of Hudson Mohawkeand Lunice to powerful effect.

"I don't think you can credibly have adiscussion about this whole 'trap' thingwithout talking about 'Harlem Shake,'"says Owchar. He's right. It becameone of the year's most ubiquitoustracks shortly after appearing onRustie's Essential Mix in April. Itsappeal is simple: a cartoonish horn riffhonks over pooling quakes of low-end,seizing on the hypnotically repetitive

basslines that make Lex Luger's tracks so floor-friendly. In its wake, mainstream-baitingDJs like Dillon Francis, Mimosa and others have all started incorporating trap originals,as well as countless bootleg remixes (highlights this writer has heard so far: Darude's"Sandstorm" and Pink Floyd's "Money") which underline the formulaic and gimmick-driven underbelly of the sound. The glut of trap edits mirrors the wave of unofficial"dubstep remixes" that were ubiquitous two years ago.

I recently made the pilgrimage to #FVDED for one of their biggest nights yet, a double-header of Baauer and Uz that had a nightclub near-capacity on a Wednesday night.That's not always an easy thing to do in Vancouver. Waiting in the extremely long line putme privy to a number of conversations in the vicinity, college-age kids discussing theirfavourite dubstep tracks; who belonged in the trap sphere; who was dubstep and soforth. The opening DJs, Expendable Youth (a duo that includes Owchar) played ablistering set of trap beats mixed seamlessly with the harshest, squelchiest of dubstep,and Uz mixed his jackhammer throb in with deafening electro house. The aggressiveaudience moshed and jumped to the music in much the same fashion as I've witnessedat mainstream dubstep shows, signaling that the mentality behind trap is much the same:mindless, physically punishing dance music.

Trap exists in the UK as well, though it's often taken on a different form. UK artists seemmore content to fold in elements of hip-hop into their productions while retaining theirown distinct personalities. This creates a parallel wave of music that's not quite trap butshares its stylistic and rhythmic signifiers. Rustie's Glass Swords was labeled UK bass bymany, but listen closely to a track like "City Star" and it's essentially southern hip-hop,snares jiggling like gelatinous blobs with loud, obnoxious horns. Meanwhile, former Vex'dmember Kuedo released his first full-length Severant, an elegiac and contemplative synthalbum heavily informed by John Carpenter and Vangelis, but draped with hyperactivetrap-rap snares throughout. While neither of these records are trap, both are sonicallysympathetic with the movement.

TNGHT

Meanwhile, Warp signee Hudson Mohawke has teamed up with Montreal's Lunice (afellow member of Glasgow's colourful LuckyMe crew) to begin the TNGHT project, whichthis year released an EP of larger-than-life anthems with a self-proclaimed goal to makebeats for actual rappers. The release was easily one of 2012's most hotly anticipated,and its tracks have been in heavy rotation for all manner of DJs. Its genre-crossingreception has pushed trap even further into the spotlight. And so did their "MissionStatement" mix earlier this year. Labelled "trap-rave," it featured plenty of their ownproductions mixed with like-minded tracks from Chief Keef, Waka Flocka Flame andseveral other artists whose styles of hip-hop have contributed to the rise of trap.

Any emergent genre is full of inevitable bandwagoners, yet trap seems defined by itrather than merely affected by it. This is even more of an "internet genre" than dubstep ormoombahton, music popularized through Twitter and SoundCloud. As a result, most ofthe people making and enjoying it have no real connection with the original trap-rapscene—even though they gladly utilize its violent tropes. "A lot of these kids genuinelylove straight-up trap music, they're just expressing that enthusiasm for it in a way thatrelates to them—a joyful, partying, affectionately ironic way... the appropriation issuescan be viewed more like unfortunate byproducts of meta-modern kids being inspired bysomething outside of their direct world, the same impulse which drives this generation'sidentity-defining tools such as Tumblr," explains Jamie Teasdale, who produces asKuedo.

Irony is as big apart of trap at thispoint as the snares.It's hard to tellwhat's supposed tobe serious andwhat's merelyhumour:Machinedrum hasbeen beginning hissets with theplodding "TRAPFUNERAL," a trackthat intones "trap"repeatedly to afuneral marchmelody. He alsorecently uploaded a"trap remix" of the Batman theme, a 2-second track consisting of a single Trapaholicssample. The jokes are made all the more confusing by the fact that you're bound to hearstuff you could conceivably call trap in his DJ sets anyway.

Part of what makes trap so objectionable in the eyes of some is its appropriation forpopulist ends. What made the original trap so gripping was its gritty drama, its "realness.""[Trap now is] largely a middle class movement that has borrowed not only the musicaldevices of that form, but also taken the cultural symbols, including the name itself...[which is] intensely problematic," explains Teasdale. "They're appropriating socialreferences totally alien to them, sampling lyrics about crack houses, machine gun fire,and most of all, the name of the music itself. Crack house music. That's the thing that'sbugging people."

The proliferation of artists and entities operating under the trap banner means that someare already quick to distance themselves. "I'm not communicating with this EDM-trapscene at all," says Teasdale, "yet people are beginning to assume I'm a part of it. That'sjeopardizing my ability to play the rap music I love, as to do so would be seen asparticipating in this self-organizing EDM-trap scene. I'm never going to be a consensualmember of it. It now refers to a college party soundtrack, one that's very close to being asuccessor to brostep."

The sudden ubiquity of trap mirrors the appearance of wobble-heavy, tear-out dubstep afew years ago. And, with it, the building up of barriers between the "good" and the "bad,"the "original" and the "new" has been equally as quick. It's impossible to say whether therapidly-swelling bubble will burst or maintain, but the growing backlash by both fans andartists alike is telling. "A great deal of this music is very good, and the best tracks totallydeserve all the plays and celebration they've received," Teasdale begins, "and people likeTNGHT have good and fully informed artistic intentions. They're not trying to create thisscene. It's just unfortunate that those who are wishing to create a genre [around trap]haven't been more sensitive to the social issues nested around it."

Words /Andrew Ryce

Published /Thu, 1 Nov 2012

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gregoryjohnston Wed, 6 Feb 2013 Reply

From a genre synthesis perspective I don't think there's much wrong with theblend. I feel kind of queasy though about real hip hop and rap being "re-contextualized" into party music for mostly white dudes. You can call it musicalinspiration, but it's bigger than that...cherry-picking elements of a gangsta rapculture that you think are chill without paying any notice to their larger culturalframework or where it came from is appropriation...which isn't "sampling"...it'sstealing.

also, what's wrong with new, sub and interrelating genres of music? surely like art, it isin constant developement and reinvention.some people need to chill and broadentheir perspective.

..

social issues subject is stupid. Why do some people get so touchy andpretentious? Inspiration and roots can come from anything. A lot of good stuffcomes from dark and unpleasant backgrounds.

Also, there seems to be a lot of hypocrisy around the alikness and repetitivenesswithin trap music. House music is so repetitive, and sometimes throughout a setthe rhythms/beats barely shift. yet I don't see people being so anti house.

great article, also the grafix looks hot and unique, thanks for the effort! I did a 15 minutes Trap Video Mix, maybe you guys can check it and let me know how you like it :-)Thanks

youtube com/watch?v=7eNn-hSLa10

the route from which trap was realised should be recognised by those who wish toquestion it's substance and sustainability

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