Cloud rap is one of the numerous sub-genres that came into materialization during the late 2000s and characteristically featured dreamy and ethereal beats with hazy productions. In no time, it gained momentum through the 2010s and found its place easily with ambient soundscapes and a minimal approach. Many cloud rappers meld introspective rhymes with heavily processed reverb-heavy deliveries into a sound that’s at once otherworldly and deeply personal.
Cloud Rap Defined
Done with dreamy, ethereal beats, cloud rap uses low-fi production and is distinguished from traditional rap by a casual, atmospheric soundscape. This kind of rap is typified by hazy, reverb-heavy beats, minimalist drum patterns, and a general vibe that’s otherworldly—almost as if the music floats on clouds, hence the name.
Origins and Pioneers
Cloud rap originates from underground hip-hop scenes in the late 2000s, where producers and artists began experimenting with new sets of sounds other than the hard-hitting beats associated with mainstream rap. One of the first major influencers behind this genre was a producer hailing under the name of Clams Casino, who is working with the likes of A$AP Rocky and Lil B. It is going to be fair to say that his production style has served somewhat as a blueprint for the sound of cloud rap: ambient samples, airy synths, and slowed tempos.
Lil B has been cited time and time again as one of the originators of this genre, embracing its low-fi, abstract qualities. His mixtapes, with productions from Clams Casino, among others, were an important cog in popularizing the genre, bringing it to greater listenerships. Songs such as “I’m God” are really exemplary of what cloud rap may sound like: personal and often introspective lyrics float atop an incredibly dreamy, all-but-surreal musical landscape.
Musical Characteristics
The most striking feature, of course, of cloud rap is its production. The beats are generally slower and more atmospheric when compared to the more old-school rap beats. This allows for an airy, almost hypnotizing effect to take place. Cloud rap producers will often apply heavy reverb and echo effects, adding ambient sounds to create a feel of space and distance in the track. This produces a sort of detached or floating feeling that contrasts with other rap sub-genres, such as trap or boom bap, which often hit hard and are more grounded.
Lyrical themes in cloud rap are often dreamy and introspective. The most common themes have to do with existential reflection, melancholy, and escapism; through this music, many find an enabling method to travel inside their heads and inner emotions. Often, vocals are mixed to the point of sounding like an addition to the instrumental, as if they were just another layer of atmosphere and not the focal point of the track.
Influence and Evolution
The influence of cloud rap can be felt well outside the confines of the sub-genre into other sub-genres of hip-hop and beyond. Artists such as A$AP Rocky, whose early work was heavy with influences from cloud rap, managed to carry the sub-genre into the mainstream. His first mixtape is entitled Live. Love. A$AP has been called the pivoting moment in the popularization of cloud rap since it took that signature sound of cloud rap and mixed it with Rocky’s own style.
This has really opened the door for a whole new genre of lo-fi hip-hop and, otherwise, experimental rapping. Producers and artists alike continuously take cues from the generally minimalist, atmospheric approach to cloud rap, yielding new and innovative sounds that push the envelope of what hip-hop can be.
Cloud rap has remained huge in general because of the growing hip-hop landscape and it continues to be. New artists toy with the style and further some of the premises set early innovators locked in place so that the ethereal, dreamy qualities of cloud rap would continue to mesmerize listeners for years.
Conclusion
Cloud rap is, most of all, much more than a sub-genre of hip-hop; it’s a mood combined with an atmosphere—an experience. The dreamy beats combined with introspective lyrics give birth to this very listening experience that has beguiled ears and influenced a great many artists. The genre does keep evolving; it would remain a standing testament to creativity and innovation defining this ever-evolving world of hip-hop.
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