Hip-hop trends for artists are continuously shifting and evolving. So far, 2021 has been an amazing year for hip-hop, with some of the industry’s heavy-hitters dropping new tracks, such as Drake, Kanye West, NBA Youngboy, Meek Mill, and more.
Struggle and Loss
With the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 is a year of struggle and loss. In the midst of this, Polo G and G Herbo collaborated in “Go Part 1” in Polo G’s Billboard No. 1 album Hall of Fame to deliver passionate bars, showing a dynamic collaboration as they skillfully mix lyricism and pain. Rapping on heavy themes of lost friends and survivors’ guilt with incredible rhymes, it leaves fans begging for more of their collaborations in the future.
Cultural Beats
I’m A King by Dallas’ Bobby Sessions, and Houston’s Megan Thee Stallion, infuses sounds from a variety of cultural backgrounds from Afrobeats to Salsa. Playing with the beats skillfully, they grab their listeners’ attention with their flavorful music. Their single is used as the soundtrack in the movie Coming 2 America and ranked in the top 50 on Billboard‘s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Embracing Authenticity
Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow collaborated on “Industry Baby”, which brags about succeeding in a capricious industry. Both celebrities come from similar backgrounds that are open about their sexuality in the southern middle-class. Taking pride in that, both artists express themselves in a way that’s both free and authentic, and is a hit with the Xennial generation.
In another collaboration, Lil Baby joins hands with EST Gee on “Real As It Gets”, which emphasizes the need to stay authentic in a rap industry filled with twisted narratives and fake appearances. The two American rappers disparage fakeness and praise authenticity with their contrasting styles, creating a dominating track with a killer hook.
Female Sexuality
Female hip-hop artists such as Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and Latto have been owning and embracing their sexuality in 2021. With sexually explicit lyrics and strong concepts, these women hold nothing back as they drop hit tracks that require parental advisory warnings.
In “The Biggest”, Latto uses crystalline synth, heavy bass, and violin to talk about her growth as a rap veteran, explaining her name change and future plans. She also condemns internet keyboard warriors who are trigger-happy when it comes to cancel culture. In her lyrics, she makes it clear haters will never hold her back and she’ll only get bigger.
Similarly, Megan Thee Stallion makes it clear in “Thot Shit” that the rap star won’t be hindered by petty drama, fake friends, or noise. Megan raps as her confident alter ego, Tina Snow, to take complete control over her narrative and her sexuality. Spicy and electric, Megan’s latest single sees her pummeling with the beat in an arrogant way to create a banging anthem perfect for Hot Girl Summer.
Hip-hop Beats at luke4pres
At luke4pres, we have an extensive and diverse hip-hop beat catalog that is updated weekly to stay relevant to the latest hip-hop trends. luke4pres also offers custom beats that can be tailored to match our clients’ needs and preferences. Check out our hip-hop beats and start creating your own hit music today!