Genre
Mumble Rap
1 artists
What is mumble rap? "Mumble rap" is a label, often meant as criticism, for a wave of 2010s rappers who put flow, melody, energy and ad-libs ahead of clear, lyrical verses. The artists themselves rarely use the term.
Where it comes from. The style grew out of Atlanta trap and the SoundCloud scene of the mid-2010s. Future, Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Yachty became its best-known faces. Older generations complained about the lack of lyricism; younger fans loved the vibe, the colors and the freedom.
The sound. Slurred or half-sung delivery, lots of Auto-Tune and ad-libs, simple repeated hooks and bright or spacey trap beats. Our Hip-Hop Vocabulary chart shows the flip side: many of these artists use fewer unique words than '90s rappers, because their songs are built on melody and repetition.
Key albums
- DS2, Future (2015)
- Barter 6, Young Thug (2015)
- Lil Boat, Lil Yachty (2016)
- Luv Is Rage 2, Lil Uzi Vert (2017)
