The Future Of The Genre Labeled "Trap" Music
Trends in the music industry come and go, but some stand the test of times and some evolve. The topic of discussion is the style of music labeled “Trap” music. Will it stand the test of time, evolve, or fade like other fads of it’s kind in the past? The term “trap” referred simply to a place where illegal drugs are sold on the streets…hence the title of Atlanta’s rap artist, T.I.’s 2003 breakout album, Trap Muzik, and the line used by another Atlanta rap artist, Yung Joc, “Meet me in the trap” from his snap song “It’s Goin’ Down”. I can relate to this slang or term usage “trap” music from personal experiences of living in areas where this type of music was the sound of choice in the early 90’s because of the location. Trap music derived from this slang and was associated with dealing, gangbanging or sipping drank, i.e. codeine/promethazine cough syrup mixed with soda. Trap music style beats are composed of 808 kicks, snare hits on three, claps on each beat, 16th note high hats with 32nd fills, minor key synths, and usually vocals being rapped while the artist is under the influence of syrup-slurred vowels. So to paint a picture of an area called a trap….Trap music evolved to help portray this image. http://www.laweekly.com/music/what-the-hell-is-trap-music-and-why-is-dubstep-involved-2408170.
Like the genre of music called dub-step, trap music’s drop in the song is predictable as well and is often compared to another version of it. As the time in hip-hop music progress the style of trap music put southern style of rapping on the charts and it has been that way up until this point in the industry, but has this genre of music gotten a bit saturated to listeners ears? The artistry of actually playing professional instruments such as a real piano, synthesizer, drums, or live horns has been replaced by processed computer drum loops and synths. So with this key missing element, all the music being played on the radio is sounding the same because it’s mainly trap music or every other song played has some make-up of trap involved in its creation. I think the genre of trap music is coming to a halt because of the lack of what makes music a language that can be spoken in so many ways. I said that to say this, unless trap music evolves and incorporates the use of traditional instruments along with traditional style of making music such as the use of chord progressions, major and minor keys, and melodies that are made up of more than one up or down semi-tone change throughout the song, it too will be a fad and as the saying in the good book goes….this too shall past.
