Bewitched Beats: Unraveling the Black Magic of Trap Music's Mystical Melodies
The Charm of Trap Music.
By Camille
The first introduction I had to trap music was Fetty Wap "Trap Queen", this song, much like its title, does in fact fall under the musical genre of Trap Music as well as R&B and Pop-Rap. I understand trap music to be the type of hip hop music you listen to when you want to be lazy. Like lazy hip hop music. But let me define hip hop music, because I am not using lazy as a derogative. Within hip hop music, what makes it hip hop is the fact that it is danceable. It is where you take rap music, but add more rhythm, more rhymes, it is also kown as disco rap, because it is more danceable than rap music, but has the lyrical stylings of rap.
Within Trap Music, it feels like the purgatory, the middle ground between hip-hop and electronic music. within this purgatory paradise, is this trap vibe characterised by urban grittiness, immersive sonic sounds, a dynamic fusion of sounds that can make people feel fancy and ostentatious, ratched even. This regal demeanor exquisitely adorned with a touch of urban flair, embodying an unapologetic confidence and effortless allure reminiscent of royalty gracing their kingdom, is how I would define it. It is a majestic exudence of effortless sophistication and street smart charm. That is how I would describe Beyonce's "Black Parade" and Beyonce's musical character is general.
But I will try to stray away from focusing this blog post on Beyonce. Even Nikki Minaj uses trap music genre and as play on words with her song, "Beez In The Trap", like saying I be's in the trap insinuating you are in the trap. One may be driven to believe that a "trap" is legit a trap, but no. The word "trap" in this case dealing with music means a place where illegal activities take place. But the way in which I am using it is to describe something that is the utterance of ghetto, something country, something that matches the vibe of honky tonk music combined with danceable hip hop music.
But what makes it mystical and magical? I think it is a simple answer, its grittiness and soundscapes that are like nails on a chalk board with a backing track, but in a good way. Often the song will make use of an 808 beat, and that means it is from a specific bass drum that is characterised by its timbre. Timbre means the color of sound like is it a dark sound, a light sound, something in the middle, etc. The 808 beat is the foundation and adds character to a song. The beat can sound muffled like you are pulling it back some, it can sound like you brought it more forward and thus it sounds brighter, and you can make it a combination by weaving in and out with the beat. The point of trap music is to be a rumbling, disruptive thump. Another example of this would be "Panda" by Designer.
If you have ever seen that dance trend for the song "New Freezer" by Rich The Kid, that is what I would consider to be a majestic exudence of effortless sophistication and street smart charm, it gives prissy and flambouyant, maybe pretentious fusion, like ghetto chic, but always cute. That is how Beyonce's music makes me feel even though I am an incredibly square individual, very much like Steve Urkle.
Give these songs a listen to feel what I am writing about. These are the instrumental tracks:
Beez In The Trap by Nikki Minaj
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRtTe_XbZts
Black Parade by Beyonce
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrK75LQ44_Q
New Freezer by Rich The Kid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAv0LaxRhnA
Panda by Designer
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