Trap is a subgenre of hip hop music that originated in the Southern United States, with lyrical references to trap starting in 1991 but the modern sound of trap appearing in 1999. The genre gets its name from the Atlanta slang term "trap house", a house used exclusively to sell drugs. Trap music uses synthesized drums and is characterized by complex hi-hat patterns, snare drums, bass drums, some tuned with a long decay to emit a bass frequency, and lyrical content that often focuses on drug use and urban violence.
Jarren Giovanni Benton, is an American rapper from Decatur, Georgia. He signed with California rapper Hopsin's independent record label Funk Volume in 2012, and released his third mixtape, Freebasing with Kevin Bacon in June of that year. His debut studio album, My Grandma's Basement (2013) received positive critical reception and entered the Billboard 200. After the label shut down in 2016, Benton signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation two years later to release his fourth album, Yuck Fou (2018).
Migos were an American hip hop group founded in Lawrenceville, Georgia, in 2008. The group was composed of rapper Quavo, his late nephew Takeoff, and their mutual friend Offset. Quavo is from Athens, Georgia, while Offset and Takeoff were born and raised in nearby Lawrenceville. As a group, they were managed by Coach K, the former manager of Gucci Mane and Jeezy, and frequently collaborated with producers DJ Durel, Murda Beatz, Zaytoven, and Buddah Bless. Recognized for their contribution to trap music in the 2010s, Billboard stated that the group "influenced pop culture and the entire English language by bringing their North Atlanta roots to the mainstream".
Leland Tyler Wayne, known professionally as Metro Boomin, is an American record producer. Critically acclaimed for his dark production style, he is regarded as among the most influential producers in modern hip hop and trap music. His frequent collaborators include Future, Young Thug, the Weeknd, Travis Scott, Don Toliver, 21 Savage, Gucci Mane, Gunna and Nav.
Dimitri Leslie Roger, known professionally as Rich the Kid, is an American rapper. After a number of independent mixtapes, he signed with Interscope Records in 2017 to release his debut studio album, The World Is Yours (2018). The album, supported by the singles "New Freezer" and "Plug Walk", peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. His second and third studio albums, The World Is Yours 2 (2019) and Boss Man (2020) peaked at numbers four and 24 on the chart, respectively. He has also released the collaborative mixtapes Nobody Safe (2020) with YoungBoy Never Broke Again, and Trust Fund Babies (2021) with Lil Wayne. Furthermore, he founded the record label Rich Forever Music in 2016, and has signed rappers Famous Dex and Jay Critch.
Willie Junior Maxwell II, known professionally as Fetty Wap,, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He quickly rose to mainstream prominence in late 2014, after his single song "Trap Queen" was re-released as his debut single for 300 Entertainment, an imprint of Atlantic Records. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and was followed by the singles "679" and "My Way", both of which saw similar chart success throughout 2015. The trio of hits—along with his single "Again"—preceded the release of Fetty Wap's eponymous debut studio album (2015), which peaked atop the Billboard 200 chart. During this time, he became distinctive for his melodic blending of singing and rapping, lighthearted lyricism, "bouncy" production, and exclamation of various catchphrases such as "1738!"
Durk Derrick Banks, known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. He first garnered a regional following with the release of his Signed to the Streets mixtape series (2013–2014), which led to his signing of a recording contract from Def Jam Recordings. The label released his debut studio album, Remember My Name (2015) and its follow up, Lil Durk 2X (2016) to moderate commercial reception before parting ways with the artist in 2018.
Kamaiyah Jamesha Johnson is an American rapper and singer from Oakland, California. Her debut mixtape, A Good Night in the Ghetto, was released in 2016 to critical acclaim. In 2017, Kamaiyah was named as one of the ten of XXL's 2017 Freshman Class. She released her second mixtape, Before I Wake, in 2017. In 2020, she launched her own label, GRND.WRK, releasing her third mixtape, Got It Made, through the label.
Jordan Terrell Carter, known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. An influential figure among his generation, he has contributed to the progression of trap music along with its subgenre of rage. He first signed with the local underground record label Awful Records in 2014, and later signed with ASAP Mob's record label AWGE, in a joint venture with Interscope Records two years later. Carter gained mainstream attention following the release of his eponymous debut mixtape (2017), which peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-charting singles "Magnolia" and "Wokeuplikethis".
Belcalis Marlenis Cephus, known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper. She is one of the most commercially successful female rappers of her generation. Born and raised in New York City, she first gained popularity through videos shared on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as a regular cast member on the VH1 reality television series Love & Hip Hop: New York, which depicted her pursuit of her music aspirations, and earned further recognition with the release of her two mixtapes: Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1 (2016) and Vol. 2 (2017).
Playboi Carti is the self-titled debut commercial mixtape by American rapper Playboi Carti. It was released through AWGE and Interscope Records on April 14, 2017. Production was primarily handled by Pi'erre Bourne alongside several other record producers, including Harry Fraud, Hit-Boy, Jake One, and Southside. It features guest appearances from American rappers Lil Uzi Vert, ASAP Rocky, and Dutch singer Leven Kali. The physical version of the mixtape was released on October 6, 2017, and a vinyl edition was released on November 17, 2017.
Kiari Kendrell Cephus, known professionally as Offset, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as part of the hip hop group Migos, alongside Quavo and the late Takeoff. In 2017, he released a collaborative album with American record producer Metro Boomin and English rapper 21 Savage titled Without Warning; it reached the top ten on the Billboard 200 and spawned the single "Ric Flair Drip," which peaked within the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. Later that year, he guest performed alongside Canadian rapper Drake on Metro Boomin's single "No Complaints." In 2018, he guest featured on the single "Taste" by Tyga, which marked his first top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 as a soloist, and was later certified 9× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). That same year, he co-performed alongside Travis Scott on the single "Zeze" by Kodak Black, which peaked at number two on the Hot 100.
American rapper Cardi B has released one studio album, three mixtapes, 38 singles, and 17 music videos. According to the RIAA, she has sold 100 million equivalent units in the United States across albums, singles, and mixtapes, making her the 6th best-selling female digital artist in the country. Her debut album Invasion of Privacy was the best selling female rap album of the 2010s according to The Recording Academy. It also became the most streamed female rap album on Spotify history. According to IFPI, "Girls Like You" was the 5th best-selling single of 2018 worldwide, selling 11.9 million units that year alone.
David Alex Villegas, known by his stage name Skinnyfromthe9, is an American rapper and singer from Somerville, New Jersey. He first gained widespread attention after releasing his song "Love Blast" in late 2017. He signed to L.A. Reid's record label, HITCO, in 2018. He released his debut mixtape, Highly Clouted, in July 2016.
"WAP" is a song by American rapper Cardi B, featuring American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released on August 7, 2020, through Atlantic as the lead single from Cardi B's upcoming second studio album. Musically, it is a hip hop song driven by heavy bass, drum beats, and a sample of Frank Ski's single "Whores in This House" (1993). With sexually explicit lyrics which made it gain popularity, the song reached the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
"Up" is a song by American rapper Cardi B. It was released on February 5, 2021, through Atlantic Records as the second single from her upcoming second studio album. "Up" is a rap and hip-hop song, written by Cardi B alongside Joshua Baker and Jordan Thorpe and produced by Yung Dza, DJ SwanQo, Sean Island and DJ Prince.
Coi Leray Collins is an American rapper and singer from Hackensack, New Jersey. The daughter of rapper and media executive Benzino, she began her musical career in 2018 with the release of her debut mixtape, Everythingcoz. She signed with Karriem Mack's 1801 Records and UMG Recordings imprints Uptown Records and Republic Records to release her second mixtape EC2 (2019) and debut extended play, Now or Never (2020). In 2021, the Lil Durk remix of her song "No More Parties" peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and received double platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Destiny Lanette Henderson, better known by her stage name Sukihana, is an American reality television personality and rapper from Delaware. She rose to prominence as a cast member for the VH1 reality series Love & Hip Hop: Miami in 2020. That same year, she released her debut mixtape, Wolf Pussy. In 2023, she appeared as a cast member for the reality show Baddies.
Morae Ebony Ruffin, known professionally as Morray, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter from Fayetteville, North Carolina. He first saw recognition for his 2020 single "Quicksand", which led him to sign with Interscope Records and release his debut mixtape, Street Sermons (2021) the following year. The song peaked at number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100, while his 2021 single "My Life" peaked at number two on the chart and received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Gloria Hallelujah Woods, known professionally as GloRilla, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. She first became known for her 2022 single "F.N.F. ", which peaked within the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100 and led her to sign with fellow Memphis rapper, Yo Gotti's record label, Collective Music Group, an imprint of Interscope Records in July of that year. Released that same month, her follow-up single, "Tomorrow" spawned a remixed sequel that peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 and received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Both songs, along with the gold-certified single "Blessed", preceded the release of her debut extended play (EP), Anyways, Life's Great in November, which entered the Billboard 200 at number 11.
