Genre Guide
The voice of the streets. The pulse of a generation.
Hip-hop is more than a music genre — it is a cultural movement born in the South Bronx, New York City in the early 1970s. Built on four pillars (MCing, DJing, breakdancing, and graffiti art), it gave voice to communities that mainstream culture had left behind. The music is defined by rhythmic spoken-word delivery (rapping) over beats — typically built from sampled loops, drum machines, and bass-heavy production.
Today, Hip-Hop is the most-streamed genre in the world. It has absorbed and influenced every other genre it has touched — from pop and R&B to electronic and Latin music. For creators, it is the most versatile energy tool in the audio palette: it can hype, inspire, comfort, provoke, and celebrate, often all within a single track.
Filter by platform to see content types where Hip-Hop music performs best.
7 distinct chapters of Hip-Hop — each with 5 tracks you can listen to right now.
The founding era of the genre — block party DJing, breakbeats, and battle MCing. Old school Hip-Hop carries an unmistakable nostalgia and authenticity that makes it perfect for throwback and heritage content. The original four elements (MCing, DJing, breakdancing, graffiti) are all present in the sound.
The sound of New York's golden age — punchy sampled drum breaks, jazz and soul samples, and dense lyricism. Boom bap values wordplay, storytelling, and technical skill above all else. It rewards attentive listening, making it ideal for content where the audio adds gravitas and intelligence.
Laid-back grooves, deep funk samples, synthesiser-driven basslines, and a California state of mind. G-Funk softened the edges of gangsta rap with melodic choruses and a cruising, sun-drenched feel. The quintessential backdrop for automotive content, outdoor California aesthetic, and summer vibes.
Rap that prioritises social commentary, self-reflection, and dense lyricism over pure commercial appeal. Conscious rap challenges listeners to think. It carries emotional weight and intellectual credibility, making it ideal for content with a message, purpose, or story to tell.
Atlanta's defining contribution to modern music — 808 bass, stuttering hi-hats, dark minor-key melodies, and an air of menacing confidence. Trap is the most commercially dominant Hip-Hop sub-genre today and one of the most-used sounds on YouTube Shorts and TikTok.
Originating in Chicago, perfected in the UK — drill is cold, minimal, and menacing. Sliding 808s, off-beat hi-hats, and a nihilistic lyrical tone define the sound. UK Drill brought global recognition to the sub-genre, and it now dominates street culture content worldwide.
AutoTune-drenched, emotionally raw rap that blurs the line between singing and rapping. Melodic rap dominated the SoundCloud and streaming era, bringing a confessional vulnerability to Hip-Hop that resonated with a generation raised on emotional openness. Works for any content that needs both energy and feeling.
Every genre unlocks a different set of content possibilities.