Cloud rap | |
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Other names | Trillwave |
Stylistic origins | |
Cultural origins | Late 2000s, Southern United States |
Typical instruments |
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Derivative forms | |
Other topics | |
Cloud rap is a subgenre of rap that has several sonic characteristics of trap music and is known for its hazy, dreamlike and relaxed production style. [3] [4] Rapper Lil B and producer Clams Casino have been identified as the early pioneers of the style. [3] [4] The term "cloud rap" is derived from its internet origins and ethereal style. [5]
Cloud rap initially came out of Atlanta, Houston, and Memphis during the late 2000s. [6] The term "cloud rap" is popularly used in reference to lo-fi, hazy rap. [3]
Elements of cloud rap, like lo-fi and dreamy atmospheres, can be heard as early as 2001 with Clouddead's self-titled album. Later in 2006 more building blocks, such as hazy and relaxed sounds, can be found in Viper's second album, Ready...and Willing. [7] Some have attributed the term to rapper Lil B. In a 2009 article, music writer Noz wrote that rapper Lil B showed him a CGI image of a castle in the clouds and said "that's the kind of music I want to make," crediting Lil B with the coining of the term. [3] Producer Clams Casino has also been credited with pioneering the cloud rap sound as early as 2010 through collaborations with Lil B. [4]
The term was also used in the Space Age Hustle blog's compilation of songs, 3 Years Ahead: The Cloud Rap Tape. [3] The compilation consists of songs that fall in the cloud rap genre. [3] The genre garnered mainstream attention in 2011 with rapper A$AP Rocky's debut mixtape, Live. Love. A$AP . [8]
Cloud rap is rhythmically similar to lo-fi and chillwave but distinguishes itself with distorted, psychedelic samples and the inclusion of rap. [6] The genre takes inspiration from the "diversity of influences and the easy accessibility" that cloud computing entails. [9] Such influences include hip hop, drum and bass, grime, and trip hop, R&B, dance, indie, rock, and pop music genres. [9]
The label "cloud" denotes distinct characteristics of the genre such as its "hazy," ethereal aesthetic (in terms of both aural and visual expression) and its ambiguity as a genre without clearly defined borders. [5] Cloud rap's lyrics sometimes revolve around themes of love and betrayal, as well as more typical themes found in popular music such as sex, drugs, and alienation. [8] Frequently vocalists use nonsensical catchphrases and Twitter baits, such as interjections like "swag," and references to being "based," which highlights a sense of self-aware absurdity as an attempt at parody while embracing its genesis in Internet culture.[ citation needed ]
Cloud rap pulls from a diversity of rap sounds and locales: from both the East and West Coasts and the South. [9] In particular, cloud rap often utilizes looped samples from female singers, and often from those whose voices have an ethereal quality. [9] Often, cloud rap is released independently of record labels, and cloud rap artists rely on internet services (such as SoundCloud, YouTube, and Twitter) to distribute and promote their music. [10]
With many of the genre's pioneers taking major influences from witch house and chillwave, many artists have producers in common like Clams Casino, 90's Bambino, and SpaceGhostPurrp. [11] [12] [13] In 2011, Clams Casino assisted A$AP Rocky in producing Live. Love. A$AP, one of the most listened to mixtapes in cloud rap with 1,164,114 listeners. [9] The mixtape consists of common cloud rap elements and themes such as drug use, sex, and self-reflection. [14] [15]
Swedish artist Yung Lean became an eminent cloud rap artist in 2013 when the video for his single "Ginseng Strip 2002" went viral. [8]
Swedish rapper Bladee rose as one of the most prominent members of the genre with the release of his 2014 mixtape Gluee as a member of the collective Drain Gang along with British-Swedish singer Ecco2k and Thai rapper Thaiboy Digital.
Chicago rapper Chief Keef’s mixtapes Bang 2 , Almighty So , Nobody, Nobody 2 and Two Zero One Seven are all seen as highly influential to the genre.
Memphis rapper Chris Travis’s 2012 mixtape Pizza and Codeine is often seen as one of the most influential albums of the genre and was met to high critical acclaim.
Bobby Ray Simmons Jr., known professionally as B.o.B, is an American rapper. Raised in Decatur, Georgia, Simmons was signed to Jim Jonsin's Rebel Rock Entertainment imprint in 2006. Two years later, Jonsin and Simmons signed a joint venture recording contract with fellow Georgia rapper T.I.'s Grand Hustle Records, an imprint of Atlantic Records. Following his major-label deal, Simmons quickly achieved commercial success when his debut single "Nothin' on You", reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2009, and earned a Grammy Award for Record of the Year nomination.
Friendzone was an American instrumental hip hop duo based in the East Bay of California. It consisted of producers James Laurence and Dylan Reznick. On January 30, 2017, it was announced that James Laurence had died at the age of 27 from undisclosed circumstances.
Live. Love. ASAP is the debut mixtape by American rapper ASAP Rocky, who released it as a free digital download on October 31, 2011. It features production by Clams Casino, ASAP Ty Beats, DJ Burn One, and SpaceGhostPurrp, among others. The mixtape also features guest rappers Schoolboy Q and Fat Tony, as well as members of ASAP Mob, ASAP Rocky's hip hop collective.
Instrumentals is the debut mixtape of American record producer Clams Casino. It was self-released as a free digital download on March 7, 2011. It features instrumentals of tracks that he produced for various rappers, including some bonus songs. In July 2011, Instrumentals was reissued by Type Records as a physical release.
Michael Thomas Volpe, known professionally as Clams Casino, is an American record producer and songwriter from Nutley, New Jersey. Volpe is currently signed to Columbia Records and Sony Music. He has produced tracks for artists such as A$AP Rocky, Lil B, Vince Staples, Joji, The Weeknd, and Mac Miller and has also remixed works by Big K.R.I.T., Washed Out, and Lana Del Rey.
Long. Live. ASAP is the debut studio album by American rapper ASAP Rocky. It was released on January 15, 2013, by ASAP Worldwide, Polo Grounds Music, and RCA Records. The album features guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, 2 Chainz, Drake, Big K.R.I.T., Santigold, Overdoz, Yelawolf, Florence Welch, Danny Brown, Action Bronson, Joey Badass, Gunplay, and ASAP Ferg. The album's production was handled by Rocky himself, Hector Delgado, Hit-Boy, Clams Casino, Jim Jonsin, T-Minus, Danger Mouse, 40, Skrillex, and Emile Haynie, among other high-profile producers.
Markese Money Rolle, known professionally as SpaceGhostPurrp, is an American rapper and producer from Miami, Florida. He is the founder of the now-defunct American hip hop group Raider Klan as well as co-founder of Black Money Boys.
See.SZA.Run is the debut extended play (EP) by American singer SZA, self-released on October 29, 2012. After graduating from college and postponing graduate school, in order to make money, SZA began recording music informally, and decided to continue. SZA recorded songs with her friend who lived close by, using production apps and beats from the Internet.
Samantha is a mixtape by American recording artist Toro y Moi, released on August 28, 2015.
Symere Bysil Woods, known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in Philadelphia, they gained initial recognition following the release of the commercial mixtape Luv Is Rage (2015), which led to a recording contract with Atlantic Records, to whom they signed under DJ Drama's Generation Now imprint.
Jordan Terrell Carter, known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter known for rage and trap music. An influential figure among his generation, he has contributed to the progression of rage and trap music. Initially signed to local underground record label Awful Records, Carter later signed with ASAP Mob's record label AWGE in a joint venture with Interscope Records. After gaining a cult following early in his career, Carter garnered mainstream attention following the release of his eponymous debut mixtape (2017), which debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 and included the Billboard Hot 100-charting singles "Magnolia" and "Wokeuplikethis".
Gustav Elijah Åhr, known professionally as Lil Peep, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He was a member of the emo rap collective GothBoiClique. Helping pioneer an emo revival-style of rap and rock music, Lil Peep has been credited as a leading figure of the mid–late 2010s emo rap scene and came to be an inspiration to outcasts and youth subcultures.
The following list is a discography of production by Clams Casino, an American record producer. It includes a list of songs produced and co-produced by year, artist, album and title.
17 is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer XXXTentacion. It was released through Bad Vibes Forever and Empire Distribution on August 25, 2017. With a runtime of just under 22 minutes, 17 is a brief album and does not feature a song longer than three minutes. The album was supported by the lead single "Revenge", and is XXXTentacion's second commercial record, following the compilation mixtape of the same name (2017). 17 includes a sole guest appearance from Trippie Redd and samples by Shiloh Dynasty. Production was handled by XXXTentacion, among others.
The discography of American rapper and singer Playboi Carti, consists of two studio albums, one extended play (EP), one collaborative extended play (EP), five mixtapes, six promotional singles, and 15 singles. Playboi Carti, who was known as Sir Cartier at the time, released two mixtapes between November 2011 and November 2012: THC: The High Chronicles and Young Misfit. In 2016, he was signed to Interscope Records and ASAP Mob's imprint label, AWGE, after gaining attention with his singles, "Broke Boi" and "Fetti", both of which were published to SoundCloud in 2015. His first single to hit the Billboard Hot 100 was the track, "Magnolia", debuting at number 29 on the chart. The single became certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA).
Mumble rap is a loosely defined microgenre of hip hop music that largely spread via the online audio distribution platform SoundCloud in the 2010s. The term implies a mumbling or unclear vocal delivery by artists, and has been used to describe rappers who do not share the genre's traditional emphasis on meaningful lyricism.
Raider Klan was an American hip hop collective formed in the Carol City neighborhood of Miami Gardens, in 2008. It grew to include members from other U.S. cities, such as Memphis, Seattle (Thraxxhouse), and Houston. They are widely regarded by fans, critics, and fellow artists as one of the most influential hip hop movements of the 2010s. In 2012, the Guardian cited them as one of the key acts bringing back hip hop groups.
Brandon Avery Perlman, known professionally as Delroy Edwards, is an American electronic musician, record producer and DJ based in Los Angeles. According to AllMusic's Paul Simpson, he produces "gritty, lo-fi house tracks in addition to trippy, abstract mixtapes".
Edy Junior Edouard, known professionally as Snot, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born in New York City, he moved to Lake Worth Beach, Florida at seven years old, where he would begin his rap career through SoundCloud in 2016. Snot rose to fame with the release of his breakout single "Gosha" in September 2018. He is currently signed to 300 Entertainment.
"I'm God" is an instrumental track by American producer Clams Casino and British singer Imogen Heap, released officially on April 24, 2020, and appearing on Clams Casino' album Instrumental Relics. Clams Casino, real name Michael Volpe, created "I'm God" by sampling Heap's song "Just for Now" (2005), after learning of her through a friend. Volpe then sent the track to American rapper Lil B, who rapped over it. The final result appeared on Lil B's debut album, 6 Kiss (2009). Volpe released the instrumental unofficially in 2011 and, following years of unsuccessful attempts to clear the sample usage, it received an official release nine years later. "I'm God" is considered an important instrumental of the cloud rap subgenre and received a cult following on the Internet.