Hip-hop dictates so much of the state of culture. However, it’s not a monolith experience. There’s not just one way to experience the fullness of the genre and culture. Artists can express their Blackness, their region, and their general interests in a myriad of ways. This is where the importance of rap movements comes into play. Whether it’s a group or a larger scene, these movements create a signature in which we can understand. Dr. Dre was the progenitor of the g-funk style. UGK and Geto Boys established the Houston rap scene. Without the right movements, we lack definition and understanding.
The 2010s was rich for this. The rise of the internet created an ecosystem where these movements and scenes could thrive. There wasn’t some big machine standing in their way, insisting that artists also play the game correctly. Instead, chucking up videos on YouTube gave the attention. Moreover, they all had their own distinct flavors. You could find so many different aesthetics and interests depending on where you went on the internet.
Consequently, Noisey cobbled four rap movements from the 2010s that cover the varied stylings hip-hop could provide. In doing so, we’ll see how important it is to foster weird creativity and raw expression. The only limit to a hip-hop movement is the imagination.
Four 2010s Rap Movements That Will Always Be Remembered
Odd Future
Odd Future was a safe haven for all the weirder kids with eclectic interests and weren’t caught up in the streets. They were west coast kids who liked to skate, tell weird jokes on the internet (Tyler, the Creator specifically), and nerd out about the music. If you were more into The Internet or Frank Ocean, you liked slightly off kilter chords and strong songwriting. If you liked Domo Genesis or Earl Sweatshirt, you loved underground hip-hop icons like MF DOOM. Someone like Tyler, the Creator acted as a bridge for both while also indulging in edgy controversy with his childish sense of humor. They were a force of nature that only grew stronger when they eventually split up.
Taylor Gang/Jet Life
Anyone with a weed habit loved what Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y were bringing during the blog era. There was a time where Wiz Khalifa was so big, kids would rock the spongy haircut with a random blond patch towards the front like he did early on. Those who were obsessed with Taylor Gang oftentimes wore OBEY sweatshirts and smelled like cheap weed. Similarly, Curren$y headed the Jet Life aesthetic, grinding for riches and driving vintage cars in a haze of smoke. Regardless, they were a stoner’s dream, chill and party anthems alike funneled through tons of rolling papers.
Chief Keef/Chicago Drill Movement
To be young, wild, and reckless, the Chicago drill movement was for you. The city oftentimes gets looked at like the Wild West and the music certainly sounded like it. Artists like Chief Keef, Lil Durk, Lil Reese, and Fredo Santana represented drill music; raw, energetic kids, expressing the lawlessness deeply rooted in their stomping grounds.
What these artists built still reverberates in hip-hop today. New York had a fascination with the drill aesthetic for years and was similarly shrouded in violence the same way Chicago was. It took the life of Pop Smoke. Meanwhile, the UK mostly just adopted some of its musical stylings, guys like Central Cee blowing up in their attempts at drill. But Chicago did it first, where artists unflinchingly depicted what it took to survive in their city.
Futuristic Atlanta Movement
After trap music dominated all rap in Atlanta, the city felt like they needed a change. It can’t always be these haunting kingpin records– Jeezy already perfected that with Thug Motivation 101 anyway. Instead, the city thought it was important to balance the scales with something a bit breezier and more colorful.
Insert the futuristic era, Atlanta’s response to pop maximalism in the thick of the 2008 recession. Rappers would croon and rap over these alien synths and hefty bass while wearing khaki shorts and boat shoes. The intro on Metro Boomin’s revamp of the futuristic era distills its essence perfectly, going American Eagle, Hollister, and H&M for the wardrobe. Eventually, trap music moved this style back out of the way. The futuristic era and all of its preppy outfits stand out in an era that is still trying to ween off of 80’s pastiche.
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