Bringing the Underground to Light: On New-Gen Rap
“One of the most common critiques from older listeners is that the lyrics of rap today lack substance or meaning. But that’s not true. If you want to hear something with depth, listen to DMV underground artist NinoPaid, who is a storyteller in his lyricism. If you want hard bars, check out Plugnb’s finest, Summrs.”
Before this New-Gen underground rap of XavierSoBased and the Plugnb of Autumn, the early 2010s had people like Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert, as well as Swedish artists Bladee, Yung Lean, and Drain Gang, who inspired the cloudy emotional rap we heard back in 2016 from Travis Scott, XXXTentacion, and Trippie Redd.
But what is the underground music theme? To be honest, there isn’t one. There are so many different sounds that might seem “similar,” “noisy,” or “repetitive” to someone who doesn't listen to underground music. One of the most common critiques from older people is that the lyrics of rap today lack substance or meaning. Not true. If you want to hear something deep, listen to DMV underground artist NinoPaid, who is a storyteller with his raps. If you want hard bars, check out Plugnb’s finest, Summrs.
If you don't know what any of these genres are and feel like I’m speaking a different language, let’s take it back to the beginning of this new music era.
The Seeds (2014–2016)
In 2014 to 2016, rappers like Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Peep, XXXTentacion, and Playboi Carti released songs that took over the world, like Carti’s Magnolia, X’s Look at Me, Uzi’s 7AM, and Peep’s Star Shopping. These songs helped build the underground rap scene. They gave upcoming artists templates to work with and even inspired them to create their own sounds. These sounds would become their identity.
SoundCloud Heat (2016–2018)
Many teens with dreams picked up the seeds and planted something with them. But only those truly passionate about music created something new. Artists like Ski Mask the Slump God, Trippie Redd, Chief Keef, and UnoTheActivist developed their own distinct styles.
This was also when artists stopped relying on record labels and began blowing up through SoundCloud. Many would later transition to YouTube, like X, Trippie Redd, and Ski Mask the Slump God. YouTubers like ImDontai, Zias & B. Lou, and Anthony Fantano posted reaction videos, and those videos went viral. Everyone was sharing opinions on both underground and mainstream tracks.
With the deaths of XXXTentacion in 2018 and Lil Peep in 2017, people really felt a loss. It seemed like underground music had died. But then more music came.
Rage + DMV + Jerk + Plugnb + Dark Aesthetics (2018–2021)
As we move closer to the present, the names become both less familiar and more familiar. This is the era of Rage, Jerk, Plugnb, and Dark Aesthetics/New Opium (YVY).
Plugnb sounds like trap beats with soft, slow melodies and an R&B feel, but with rap delivery. Jerk has a fast tempo, lots of layers, and unusual sound combinations that can feel chaotic. DMV music is known for its melodic beats, varied tempos, and distorted lo-fi sound. These different beats create different types of rappers.
Rage music, on the other hand, combines trap bars with a sped-up, grunge-like sound, heavy 808s, and high energy. This music creates energetic concert performances.
New Gen Internet Kids (2022–Now)
Now that we’re in the present, we can talk about the newest underground artists, my favorite ones: Ken Carson, Summrs, XavierSoBased, Autumn, NinoPaid, Playboi Carti, and others.
What’s different about this generation is their age. Some underground rappers are only 10 to 16 years old, and they’re already competing with older artists. In some cases, they are doing better than them. Autumn’s newest songs, for example, are just as good, maybe better, than some of Trippie Redd’s latest work.
Artists like Percaso (16) and Nettspend (who started blowing up at 17 in 2023) are just the beginning. And that doesn’t even include talented artists like G5, or young producers. One is Ken Carson’s producer, who recently posted a video showcasing how he makes beats. He’s only 17.
That’s what’s so important to remember. When these kids grow up and start making even better music, it’ll be because they started making beats and raps when they were young. They weren’t afraid. They had imagination.
