Hip Hop Music is Telling us a Bigger Story in 2023
The Rise of New Sounds in Hip Hop Music
What’s In? What’s Out?
The world of Hip Hop Music looks much differently in 2023 as compared to previous years but the quest to push the boundaries of the genre remains an ever growing challenge. Both mainstream artists and new creators have shown us that anything is possible as they melt the trends and samples pulled from anywhere and everywhere into unique bars spinning under layers of dynamic storytelling.
In todays edition of Jax Daily, I’m going to tell you about some upcoming trends in hip hop culture for 2023 and what I see happening now from mainstream artists to new comers.
Are you ready for this because I have alot to show you.
Pushing Past Traditional Boundaries
Strong Hip Hop trends for 2023 are happening right now that are pushing this genre past it’s traditional rap boundaries once again. These dramatic changes are happening because hip hop is a living, breathing art form. It evolves and shifts as new artists come into the spotlight.
Each artist creating music for this powerful music category brings new ideas to the table and challenge what has already been done; this keeps things fresh for listeners.
Here’s a short list of some Hip hop New Comers who are ready to rise in 2023.
Follow my Groundbreaking Hip Hop Playlist to stay on track with what’s happening in HipHop- Spotify Playlist
Key Artists who are diving deep into Story telling while pushing the boundaries of Hip hop are also topping charts in 2023.
Hip hop has been a growing force in the music industry since it’s inception because of artists like the ones I’ve listed here who continually challenge themselves to push their own boundaries while blurring the distinctive traditional lines of Hip Hop.
The subgenres continue to progress and evolved and that’s why it’s such a strong area in music culture. In 2023, we can expect to see even more merging of genres as artists continue to experiment with new sounds and styles and make this explosive swirling of sounds their own.
Mainstream Artists Who have Found their path and lead the way..
Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers is the fifth studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, released on May 13, 2022, by PGLang. It’s a terrific example of how different HipHop can be from 2022 to 2023. I’m also starting to see indie hiphop reflect impressions of the style.
Kendrick Lamar’s Finds a Unique Way to Tell a Story
In the past storytelling is a style that people can connect with but typically it has a melodic structure with catch riffs that lead the listeners through it. Artists like Kendrick Lamar have demonstrated that storytelling can be a lyrical style that is more of a narrative than anything. The songs on this album are all stories about life, love and the pursuit of happiness.
I think it’s safe to say that Kendrick has mastered this style of HipHop. His narration on culture and perspective on life reflects a solid moral authority that’s inspiring. I think listeners can really connect here and you’ll see more of this kind of Hiphop emerging in the music of newer artists.
‘Hanging with Wolves’ is a great example of Lil Durk’s ability to tell a story
Lil Durk is a Chicago rapper who has been around for a while, but recently broke into the mainstream with his song “Love You”. It’s an emotional track that speaks about love and loss, with some classic HipHop beats and melodies in there too. His style is more traditional than Juice WRLD or Kodak Black, but he can tell a story like no other.
‘Hanging with Wolves’ is a great example of Lil Durk’s ability to tell a story and keep you hooked. It’s one of my favorite tracks by this artist right now. His flow is smooth and easygoing, which makes his music even better for listening to when you’re chilling out or having a good time.
What sets Lil Durk apart from others is his authenticity. He doesn’t try to sound like anyone else, and he talks about what people want to hear: his experiences growing up in Chicago. His lyrics are real and raw, which makes him stand out from the crowd.
Youngboy NBA is a rapper who is very unique and different from most rappers.
His style is very fast paced, but it doesn’t seem like he’s trying to rush through his lyrics. He has an easy flow that makes listening to his music a pleasure, especially if you like listening to a lot of words in your songs.
One thing Youngboy NBA does that I haven’t seen many other rappers do is take breaks between verses. He’ll pause for a second in the middle of his verse, which creates an even more dynamic song. He also has a very unique voice that makes it easy to tell who is singing when you listen to one of his songs. I think Youngboy NBA is a very talented rapper who really knows how to make good music.
His latest Album release for 2023, ‘I Rest My Case’ is the fifth studio album by American rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again. It was released on January 6, 2023, through Motown Records and Never Broke Again. Tracks like “Black” and “Ride Me” come equipped with the buzzsaw synthesizers, sci-fi laser blasts, and pounding 808s, a sound synonymous with producers like Pi’erre Bourne and Working on Dying.
YoungBoy takes the moniker of “rage” music at face value, using aggressive beats as a vehicle for some of his most explosive deliveries.
On “Bitch Yeah,” his trade mark demonic voice contorts into a high-pitched whine weighted by a sharpened resonance at the back of his throat. This is the one thing in his sound that defined his music for me. It’s highly recognizable and stands as one of the most unique vocal techniques I’ve heard in HipHop to date.
But in other moments, YoungBoy drifts into a softer falsetto, like on the bright “Just Like Me.” This song features some of YoungBoy’s most impressive delivery. He walks the line between melodic and conversational with a smooth flow that dances around his own beat. It’s not just an exercise in self-expression, though; he also uses this track to address his haters, who have accused him of being fake.
The glittery production on “Swag on Point,” is straight out of a Nintendo soundtrack. This track gives YoungBoy’s music an unexpected art-pop sheen that works surprisingly well.
The album closes with a song ‘Hey Pops’ that is a heartfelt tribute to YoungBoy’s father. The track starts off with a slow, acoustic guitar riff, which builds into a swelling chorus. It’s an emotional moment in an album full of them; this is one of the most genuine tracks and it serves as an important reminder that YoungBoy is still growing up and has so much more to show us. The story isn’t nearly finished.
More Hip Hop Trends to Watch out for in 2023
The Rise of Grime and UK Rap
UK hip hop has become popular in 2023 with the rise of grime and UK rap. Grime is a subgenre of hip hop that originated in London and typically features darker, more aggressive beats with lyrics that focus on street life. The subgenre has been popularized by artists like Skepta, Wiley, Stormzy and JME. UK Rap is another subgenre that originated in London around the same time as grime but has more of an American sound to it.
Here are some indie artists on the rise in grime and UK rap that you’ll want to remember…
Terry — Good Girl
Terry is one of the very few artists around today who isn’t genre bound, or scared to do anything outside of the box, he recognizes the importance of feeling within music and the creation of art. As an artist, I want to be able to explore and express all of these emotions freely and openly without being held to a specific sound or arrangement”. I love his Uk / R&B Flow. It’s devine.
FA Kode — Serious
‘Serious’ is a low-end infused combination of Hip-Hop & UK grime which attempts to serve as an introduction to FA Kode’s brilliant vocal work and wordplay whilst his signature production sounds are on full display matching his amazing energy. A brilliant piece of music with a hidden message about the importance of this life. This is hopefully the first of many solo release from producer turned vocalist FA Kode. (More here)
TRiCKK — Bunsen ft Draeko
A fresh new young talent from Brighton England coming with a trap sound thats grabbing the attention to a whole bunch of listeners.
Trap Beats
One of the biggest shifts we have seen recently is the rise of trap music which has come to dominate the scene over the past few years. Trap music is a subgenre of Hip Hop that typically features slow-paced beats with heavy basslines, 808 kicks, and synth melodies.
I also predict that trap beats will continue to be popular in 2023. Trap music is a subgenre of hip hop that originated in Atlanta, Georgia and has an urban vibe with trap beats and rap lyrics. Trap music has been around since the 1990s, but it’s become more mainstream in recent years. This is because many artists are experimenting with trap beats as they try to appeal to a larger audience. The genre gained popularity after artists like Future and Migos started making songs with trap beats. I hear Trap beats getting tough on pop songs so it’s not just a hiphop trend.
Watch out for it.
Good fresh examples of this are below…
Ducce- Im Sorry
Ducce Takes you through his mind in this music video as he shares his frustrations with the world outside of it, the people he sadly regrets meeting and the true feelings he felt along the way.
T. Chandy x Sparkwoods- 5hrs 2 Da 6ix
This song was written while on a trip back to Ottawa from Toronto, hence the title of the song. It details the tumultuous last year experienced, including family drama, mental health, and highs and lows of a burgeoning career. In the coming months, this release will be accompanied by a entire collaborative project, named “Spark of Genius.” (more here)
What are you favorite trends happening right now in HipHop music?
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