by Esra Abdulrahman
Soundcloud: a social media platform, the choice scratching post for the underground musician whose ambitions are sky-high. Making jokes about Soundcloud rappers almost comes naturally after the popularity of the “mixtape so fire” and vaporwave memes. But, interestingly enough, I come to the defense of these bucket hat-donning musicians because, you’re not going to believe this but, their music is actually good. Obviously, in a sea of artists, there always will be people who need to develop their sound for a little longer, to give you the Paula Abdul spin on it. Some Soundcloud rappers like Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti have become mainstream names, but only after they undertook distinct styles and personalities to distinguish themselves from the traditional brand of hip-hop. But there will always be people who take pride in mediocre-at-best work, and that’s where the urban legend of the Soundcloud rapper originates. You might be confused about which kind of underground musician I mean, but no worries. If the hipster you’re picturing slings a guitar, considers themselves a “softboi,” listens to Mac Demarco, collects vinyl records for the Aesthetic™ (they likely don’t own a record player or bought an overpriced Crosley from Urban Outfitters) and wears skater merch, you’re thinking about a Bandcamp indie musician. They’re the half-sibling of the Soundcloud Rapper, the obscure figure whose upcoming mixtape will probably feature in a dream of yours at one point or another because they’ve posted about it so much that it’s permeated your subconscious. However, with some digging you’ll find gold beneath the Nickelodeon orange surface.
While it’s easy to turn up your nose at music that’s produced in a bedroom with cheap equipment and little to no professional insight, you would be mistaken to think that long nights jamming with friends can’t produce amazing songs. The trait I admire the most in an artist of any discipline is soul and passion: a musician who can master the skill of infusing words with emotion that resonates to the bone, a producer whose beats and basslines are intricate and catchy, a rapper whose flow and diction are thrilling. In this department, the R&B and hip-hop Soundcloud scene has been one of the best discoveries I’ve made.
Recently, I’ve found the most gems in the Korean scene, which has appropriated the American wave and made it something beautiful of its own. I was pleasantly surprised by the skill and mastery of the rappers and the refinement of their voices. Names like those of Seoul-based rappers donutman and Sleek Jeezy would garner an eyeroll from any hip-hop fan who took their music seriously, but their art is no joke. On tracks like “Can’t Sleep,” Sleek Jeezy enunciates in Korean, with a mellow but upbeat tempo punctuating his phrases. Traces of English mingle with Korean, floating melodically into the choruses and often making the songs’ titles. Donutman’s music borrows influence from ‘90s American rappers, but his verses accompany melodies and samples that are distinctly modern. Neither artist’s music would really be found blasting in a club, but I find that to be its strength. Their music is for fun, chill nights driving with the windows down and the wind whisking your hair back.
I come to the defense of these bucket hat-donning musicians because, you’re not going to believe this but, their music is actually good.
The R&B singers I’ve discovered like Jeebanoff, RHEEHAB, yelloasis, oceanfromtheblue, E.viewz, SLCHLD, RIPLEY, and JUNNY all demonstrate soulfulness and wring out the softest touches of melancholy from their music. With clean production, melodious and sweet beats, and velvety voices, I found myself transported to warm summer nights, sunny spring mornings spent looking out the window, and rainy evenings spent inside under the covers. I find music most powerful when I can feel the rhythm flowing through my veins and my feet feel like they’re not touching the ground. Sometimes we find ourselves so caught up in our immediate surroundings that we don’t dare to look to the far corners of the Earth where there are people who dedicate their time to creating art that is nothing short of breathtaking.
We discredit the significance of social media platforms, especially ones that depend on original artistic content like Soundcloud, when they shore up the most incredible talent. The multi-billion dollar pop music industry that depends on keeping few musicians in the spotlight leaves little room for persons without the right connections or who don’t live in highly artistic areas. Though the Internet gives room for people to rise to fame for the most trivial reasons, we are given a catalogue of serious musicians’ best efforts and we can listen and support them very easily. Our social media feeds and radio stations may be cluttered with subpar tunes, but personalities with legitimate talent and identities are only a few clicks away. Music created with friends, with melodies crafted by inspirations unknown to us, but published to the access of millions… there’s more to Soundcloud rapper culture than what meets the eye.