The SoundCloud era of rap was sensational. Flourishing from about 2015 to 2019, the motion birthed a peerless class of artists who refused to fall in line. These artists most popular to push the needle with their otherworldly artistry, and the end result was an immense quantity of affect within the rap recreation. From deep cuts to respected projects which were stamped as classics, what a time it was.
Today, the streaming service is getting a breath of recent air with a brand new motion that’s been brewing. Gifted names like Bktherula, Yvngxchris, Iayze, Ken Car$on and Tana have picked up the place their OGs have left off. So, contemplating the platform’s reinvigorated reputation, sufficient time has handed to highlight and rank the inaugural artists who used SoundCloud as a car to success.
Artists like Chance The Rapper and Travis Scott had been pace-setting superstars, and a few of the first to make the most of SoundCloud. On the midway mark of the final decade, they had been already on their method to famous person standing, serving for instance for newer rappers who had been searching for out their very own come ups. XXL highlights the SoundCloud-era rappers that got here after them, rating their place within the recreation now based mostly on their present affect. The next artists are included within the dialog.
By 2016, the sport can be blessed with the presence of Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti, two boundary-shifting spitters who thrived with their free-flowing melodies and charismatic lyrics with swagged-up personas to match. Collectively and individually, alongside different names like 21 Savage and Kodak Black, they sparked a hearth in music that has but to put down.
A bit of later, a secondary unit picked up the keys and unlocked the elevator to success. Artists like XXXTentacion and Juice Wrld reigned as a voice of the youth, mixing rock, rap and lo-fi genres into one ear-pleasing potion. They had been stamped as younger prophets, and although their careers had been each lower quick, X and Juice delivered music sturdy sufficient to make it into hip-hop’s historical past e book and into the SoundCloud Corridor of Fame.
There are loads extra artists value discussing as nicely. However first, let this be identified: this checklist is ranked based mostly on affect in addition to catalog high quality, industrial success and accolades. Moreover, solely solo artists are included (sorry to the legendary $uicideboy$) and never each artist from that point interval made the lower. This can be a tight composition of the very best 20 acts, which incorporates why they matter and the way they fare towards one another within the grand scheme of issues. Take a look at the total rating beneath.
