Celebrate the Ever-Growing, Ever-Evolving Sound of Trap with Trapperz

Trap defies definition. The genre, which is rooted in raw hip-hop, originated from the streets of Atlanta with pioneers like Jeezy and T.I., and has since become mainstream, thanks to artists like Future. But one of its branches, trap Latino, has taken a slightly different path.

In less than a decade, the genre has grown from a clandestine phenomenon with Puerto Rican originators like De La Ghetto, Arcángel, and Anuel, to a massive cultural movement with rhythms and lyrics that have found inspiration in hip-hop and reggaeton.

Today, trap is one of the fastest-growing genres in Latin America, crossing borders from the United States and Mexico to Colombia, Argentina (the country which birthed many trap artists), and Brazil. The sound has merged with rhythms wherever it goes, thanks to the work of artists like Bad Bunny, C Tangana, and Cardi B. One thing is for sure: Trap is reinventing itself with each artist who takes the beats, rhythms, and textures from the mainstream and uses their own flow to create something completely different.

To celebrate the creators of this movement around the world, we’re introducing Trapperz, a new playlist that gives voice to the Latin American artists who are redefining the genre.

We marked the power of this cultural force with a three-day studio session in Miami with 22 of the most exciting trappers and producers from Latin America. The first track to debut following the session was “Sin Culpa,” a collaboration between Argentinian rapper Duki and Chilean hip-hop artist DrefQuila.

“[Trap is] a rhythm, an ideology, a religion, and everyone lives it in their own way,” explains Duki, who started his career in the legendary freestyle battles of “El Quinto Escalón” in Buenos Aires. “It has to do with adrenaline, taking a risk, and knowing that it’s worth it, even if you fail. It is the cry from the streets—a genre in which one can say things as they are and as one wants. That is why it is one of the most honest forms of expression. Currently there are no limits. It’s like when rock started.”

At the session, we asked more of brightest and most daring minds of trap to capture  what this new flow means to them.

“It is not about impressing an audience with rhymes, but rather about communicating a sensation, a vibe … At its core, trap is freedom and honesty.” — Mexican duet Vice Menta

“I come from a neighborhood where nobody did freestyle, rap, or trap. If I could make it, anyone can.” — Argentine Lit Killah on the evolution of the beat and rap accessibility

“Trap is pure energy, pure feeling.” — Oliva, from the Colombian musical duet Irie Kingz

“Trap is the sound of rebellion that has emerged with each generation. It is infectious, you listen to the rhythm and automatically you start dancing.” — Colombian artist Jaycob Duque

“The rise of trap has occurred because it is music that transmits the best vibes, it is contagious.” — emerging Mexican producer Beat Boy

“The genre is really a society of creative artists with a different kind of ambition, in which they combine everything: fashion, lifestyle and music.” Puerto Rican R&B artist Rauw Alejandro

Trapperz seeks to become a new way for fans of the genre to connect with their favorite established and up-and-coming artists through music and exclusive visual content. Stay with the beat with the Trapperz playlist.