Genre Guide: Trap-Soul
Graphic by Jonah Weintraub
By: Josh Feldstein
Blending hints of R&B, lo-fi hip-hop, and heartfelt instrumentals, the sub-genre of trap-soul is slowly taking over the rap industry as artists big and small are hopping onto the melodic hype train. Besides its heavy use of trap instrumentation tools, heavy 808s, hi-hats, and percussion, the style also incorporates slow, laid-back sample loops that make up the “soul” portion of the name.
These production and technological innovations in music have allowed trap-soul to explode, with many of its pioneers appearing in the game within the past decade. These technological improvements have additionally paved the way for the genre, with producers gaining expertise in sample-flipping, reverb, and other necessary skills for the sub-genre.
For beginners who may be new to this whole portal I’m about to dive into, here are a select few of the rappers paving the way at the moment, and if it weren’t for them, who knows where the sub-genre would stand.
Debatably the biggest face of modern day trap-soul is Rod Wave, who’s established himself as one of the most powerful voices in hip-hop. Even before his newest project, Nostalgia, released this September, the Florida native has had some of the most popular songs not only in trap-soul but also across all of rap within the past five years.
“Tombstone,” “Street Runner,” and “Heart on Ice” are the clear-cut popular picks for those who don’t listen to Rod Wave or his style of rap. However, countless hidden gems can be found across the board. Yes, Rod Wave does require some expanding of the music palette, but I think it will be an easy task once “Never Get Over Me,” “Got It Right,” or “Great Gatsby” hit the brainwaves.
Still hovering below 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Rod Wave may not be in the megastar category, yet a discography packed full of well-received projects, one-of-a-kind vocal abilities, and phenomenal sample flips could say otherwise.
Since Rod Wave blazed the trail for trap-soul, many other artists started to pop up under his wing and utilize his sounds, such as Syracuse local Toosii, a pioneer in the recent spike in the genre. Toosi holds a raspy, almost hoarse voice, which developed in his time spent in Raleigh, North Carolina when he really got into music. NAUJOUR, his first studio album, dropped this past June, combining the trap-soul with strict hip-hop on multiple tracks to create a pleasant balance.
Some sit on the fence of trap-soul; for example, NBA Youngboy and Kevin Gates have many similar pieces to the genre in their discography, while on the other hand, I find that these don’t dominate the two rappers’ past releases.
Ty Dolla $ign molds more rap into it than Toosii and Rod Wave and could also represent the trap-soul category as a seasoned veteran. More known for melodic hip-hop and being the king of hooks over his appearances, vocals pair well with the aforementioned instrumentation brought to life by the sub-genre.
Finally in the pyramid following mainstream figures and 50/50 artists come the under-the-radar products. Vory signed to Meek Mill’s Dream Chasers Records and has been making waves since 2018, linking up with other fringe trap-soul artists such as BEAM. His 2020 self-titled album VORY sent the Houston native’s career to new heights. Beyond his prior writing for Drake, Beyoncé, and others, branching to solo work and collaborations with Dream Chasers exploded his career. Despite this project standing out, his 2018 EP Lucky Me is another prime representation of Vory’s vocal range, despite being more of a melodic rap piece.
The journey through trap-soul takes you to songs beyond strictly musicians in the sub-genre, as countless members of the industry have used this style of sampling, instrumentals, and vocal performance. A vast network of artists ensures this style of music won’t die out anytime soon, instead forming a bandwagon of highly talented MCs.