The Song Planner

Trap-Soul

tagStarted 2015Peak 2015-2019Last big hit still active

Located in 5 routes

Hip-Hop / Rap → Pop / Melodic / R&B RapHip-Hop / Rap → Soul / R&B / Jazz RapHip-Hop / Rap → Trap / 808 RapR&B / Soul → Hip-Hop Soul / R&B-RapR&B / Soul → Modern R&B

Nocturnal, rap-sung R&B over trap scaffolding: sparse reverb-drenched chords, gliding 808s, crisp skittering hi-hats, and intimate Auto-Tuned vocals murmuring about love, loyalty, and regret. Slow, hypnotic, and minimalist - more atmosphere than melody fireworks. The midpoint where alt-R&B and trap collapse into one moody, after-midnight texture.

History

The term was popularized by Bryson Tiller's 2015 debut T R A P S O U L, which distilled the sound's essentials. Drawing on Toronto alt-R&B (PartyNextDoor, The Weeknd) and 808s & Heartbreak's nocturnal mood, 6LACK, Tory Lanez and dvsn fleshed out the lane through 2016-2018, making trap-soul a defining late-2010s streaming aesthetic.

Defining artists

Essential listening

← Explore Hip-Hop / Rap

Sources

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapsoul
  • https://rateyourmusic.com/genre/trap-soul/
  • https://www.complex.com/music/bryson-tiller-trapsoul-anniversary