American Rapstar
Trump's America has seen the emergence of a new scene of troubled, lo-fi young rappers who have used the SoundCloud streaming service to quickly establish themselves as the most culturally disruptive force in hip hop. These rappers have shocked the world with their boisterous antics, prescription drug use, facial tattoos, and rebellious punk energy. What do these newly billionaire musicians have to say about the state of contemporary youth culture and the prospects for the music streaming industry? In an effort to comprehend how we got here and where we're going, we investigate the most prominent figures in the SoundCloud rap scene from within the scene as well as place them in the larger musical context.