Trap’s status in the EDM scene has been a divisive one since it first burst into the mainstream. Even so, the subgenre has been a dominant force since it started taking over bass stages across the country in the early 2010s. Whether you like the early adopters or not, it’s been an integral part of the rise of the bass music genre as a whole.
In 2019, trap has gotten even bigger, whether it was Alison Wonderland’s massive Kinetic Field performance where the crowd was overfilling the entrance, or RL Grime’s genre-establishing Halloween mixes. Want a clean introduction to the trap genre? Cashmere Cat will ease you into the wonky genre with his most recent album Princess Catgirl, or his iconic 9 from 2017.
All the while, mainstages across the globe have been forced to adjust to incorporating hip hop and rap music at their shows, largely a side product of booking trap acts like Slander, RL Grime, or Party Favor. Crowds have responded in favor across the map, driven by fans in the EDM scene who grew up on hip hop, and still listen today.
EDC 2019 took two tries but we made it happen. big shout out to mother nature for making it interesting pic.twitter.com/EY1OruDGh0
— RL GRIME (@RLGRIME) June 5, 2019
It makes sense that some of our original interests would carry over into electronic music. Trap is now an integral part of many high profile acts. Odesza released a heavy-hitting trap single from their live show, Loyal in 2019. Zhu dove into the genre with Workin’ For it, Blame, and Man’s First Inhibition. Even a handful of releases from Porter Robinson and Zedd carry some modicum of trap influence too.
Trap used to be an outcast. Now we have fans all across the community who are appreciating the genre, and every day it garners a little bit more respect. It certainly fits perfectly in many moments, and more and more people are realizing it’s potential. How are you responding to trap music in 2019?
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