Afro-Trap
tagStarted 2015Peak 2016-2020Last big hit still active
Located in 1 route
Trap drums and rap flows wedded to the rhythmic DNA of Afrobeats and West/Central African dance music. Heavy 808 kicks and layered synths meet coupé-décalé and soukous-derived percussion, bright melodies and call-and-response chants. Lyrics mix French and African languages; the mood is celebratory and danceable.
History
Coined in mid-2010s Paris by French-Guinean rapper MHD, who felt French rap leaned too American and fused trap with West African traditions, dance and languages like Fula and Wolof. His viral Afro Trap series (2015 onward) defined the genre, influencing a wave of French and African urban artists across the Francophone world.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afro_trap
- https://www.okayafrica.com/mhd-afro-trap-france/
- https://i-d.co/article/introducing-mhd-the-french-prince-of-afro-trap/