I, like most of you, get into phases where I listen to only certain types of music. My iTunes, Spotify, and Soundcloud playlists titled "Trippy tracks," "Songs for crying" and "Trap out the bando" suffice as proof that I go through certain periods of time in which I'm obsessed with different types of music. Nevertheless, no matter what phase I'm in, whether it's putting Mumford & Sons on repeat for days on end, or listening to Jamie XX every night before I go to sleep, I will always have to play at least a couple trash rap songs to help me get through my day.
Many believe trash rap and it's fans to be musically inept and distasteful. You'll see adults and musical connoisseurs constantly bring the heat on artists (they might even take offense to calling these people artists) like A$AP Ferg, Young Thug, ILOVEMAKONNEN, and Future. For example, the other day, my mom came in my room as I was rapping along to Shabba by A$AP Ferg and she sarcastically said, "Wow, listen to that poetry!" Unfortunately, my mom is, in fact, just another one of the haters. The thing that many don't understand is that just because trash rap, at the surface, may seem pointless and horrible, doesn't mean it necessarily is.
Why, exactly, is trash rap such a popular and upcoming genre of music among this generation? Trash rap is such a versatile genre of music. It may not be an officially recognized genre of music, but it is a genre in pop culture. It's the type of music that lets you get away with dancing and vibing to the brink of insanity. Trash rap gives you a weird confidence boost; it puts you in the POV of the artist rapping and throwing down bars like an absolute animal. The beat that many trash rap songs have is so simple but it's that perfection in simplicity that makes the song so catchy and enjoyable.
As satisfying as playing Lady Gaga or Pharrell in your car can be, doing the same exact thing with trash rap will turn your car into the absolute trap zone at the point in which the driver is sweating and itching to put his hands up and rap along. Trash rap makes you want to jump with your lads in a mosh pit for no reason, it makes you want to do something stupid and regrettable but that's exactly the type of feeling someone at our age should feel.
The 60's and 70's had rock as their music that made people lose control, drink absurdly, and smoke and enjoy life until they fell asleep like babies. The 80's and 90's had hip hop and techno music that served as the catalyst for the same pleasurable, alcohol and drug ridden environment, but just in a different decade. This generation's craze is trash rap. Trash rap is what parent's fear listening coming out of their children's car or room. Trash rap is what makes you lose your mind but keeps you just sane enough that you're conscious of what you're doing. Trash rap is by far one of the most underrated genres of music. All the trash rap enthusiasts: keep vibing and spreading the love. All the naysayers, I only have one thing to say: Play any A$AP Ferg or Young Thug track (Preferably WDYW by Carnage and Ferg or Check by Young Thug) and if you feel as if you have to fight the urge to get up, jump around, and enjoy the music then I'm sorry that you've been stripped of one of the world's ultimate pleasures.
