Trap has been around for a considerable amount of time. Born out of the 90s/early 2000s Southern US hip-hop popularised by T.I, Ghetto Mafia and co, it’s received a firm resuscitation in the iPhone era. At the start of 2010, Virginia’s Lex Luger almost single-handedly breathed life into it. Rising out of relative obscurity, he’s the man behind Rick Ross’ “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast)”, Kanye West and Jay-Z’s “H.A.M”, and Waka Flocka Flame’s “Hard In Da Paint”.
Almost immediately, the style became the dominant rap template. Something about the weighty low-end added extra punch to the boom bap tendencies of its predecessors. Anchored by 808s, neck-breaking snare work and squawked lyrical aggression, this was trap piggybacking electronica. More often than not, the accompanying lyrics swing between the bleak, gritty and belligerent. Commentaries on the hardships of street life and dream chasing are regular staples of subject matter. ‘Trap’ actually refers to the ghettos of Atlanta and the accompanying cycle of selling drugs and hustling to survive with no viable way of leaving.
This latest model of trap has frayed in several directions. ‘Drill’ emerged from the Chicago ghetto with anthems like Chief Keef’s “I Don’t Like” mirroring the trap culture: the lingo and the dancing. As well as his rapper clientele, Mike Will Made It has applied the 808 mould to R&B with hits for Mariah Carey and Ciara. Meanwhile, Flosstradamus, RL Grime and Yellow Claw produce laserquest EDM with an approach favouring vocal samples more than lyricists. The skeleton of trap is still prevalent further beefed up with high energy drops and extravagant synthwork.
The UK have a troupe of producers too, similarly diverse and exciting. We can’t forget Hudson Mohwake’s early forays with Lunice as TNGHT, for instance. Dancefloor favourites like “Higher Ground” and “Bugg’n” paved the way for the Brits to come through. Peer left and you’ll find the grime heads taking a piece of the 808 pie – producers like Darq E Freaker, Faze Miyake and Teddy Music for instance. Look another way and its Hucci, Stooki Sound or Muramasa producing heavily percussive efforts. The scene may not be massive, but its tight and vibrant.
Danny Seth is one of the UK’s brightest lyrical hopes. Originally out of Watford, he’s a member of multimedia collective Last Night In Paris – a 10+ person clique with filmmakers, photographers and producers among its ranks. He’s now based in Los Angeles, fine tuning his craft and finishing his forthcoming album Perception. The newly West coast-based Seth is definitely having a moment – featuring on G-Eazy’s “Lotta That” alongside A$AP Ferg and joining the hotly-tipped DeJ Loaf on “Givin N’ Takin”. Oh, and he’s just polished off his second SXSW showing.
With Perception arriving in April, it’s about time Danny gets some Boiler Room love. We’ve assembled a motley crew of friends and extended family accordingly. So alongside his trusted beatmaker compadres MD$ and Zach Nahome, we’ll be welcoming Fekky and some US natives Flat White (Virgil Abloh, Kanye’s creative director), JMSN and Promnite for BR debuts.
The Brits (and a few Yanks) are coming, no doubt.
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Next Thursday, Danny Seth will be joined by Promnite, JMSN, M$D b2b Zach Nahome (LNIP), Flat White and Fekky in London. Find out more information here.
