When thinking about this past year in hip hop, there are key moments that have shaped the new era of the genre. Even though this genre has many different versions of itself, artists continue to find new ways to enhance this category. For example, the emergence of emo rap/emo trap has taken a big leap in recent years. Emo rap/trap is a combination between the sounds that we are accustomed to hearing in punk rock music as well as the original style and beats we get from hip hop music. 

With the likes of artists like Trippie Redd, Lil Uzi Vert, and the late Juice Wrld, emo rap has garnered a spark in the hip hop community as a whole. Whether we notice it or not, music plays a pivotal role in our everyday lives and the things we do throughout our day. 

“Music calms me down and takes me to a place where I can escape the world for a while,” Imari Parsons, a junior majoring in criminal justice, said. “Escape from my problems.”

Not only can music be a way to pass the time, it can also be a way to think, even meditate. Regardless of the situation, music most likely has some sort of positive impact on a person.

When you begin thinking about music during this time in history, you will notice that artists are becoming big celebrities. With the rapid growth of social media, we are able to see the in depth lives of these artists while also having the ability to virtually communicate with them if allowed. 

Through social media, artists can be seen from all areas of the world and that is key for someone trying to promote their music. 

“My two favorite artists of the last year would have to be Summer Walker and Megan Thee Stallion,” Shayla Brown, a criminal justice and sociology major. “I discovered them through social media and the radio.

This is just another instance in how publicity can help boost an artist’s notoriety and overall recognition. Megan Thee Stallion is successful because she makes relatable music for women and empowers them to be free and live life while also adding different flows to show her capability. 

“Summer Walker is also relatable to women, however she resides in R&B and talks about relationships and men,” Brown said.

It was a critical year for the two up and coming female artists of this generation as we saw the two gain a lot of attention while releasing their respective debut albums in 2019.

“Drake and Roddy Rich were my favorite artists of 2019,” senior accounting major Jared Mincey said.

Drake is coming off a span of success where he was seen as one of the most influential artists of the decade while Roddy Rich has gained much attention with the release of his debut album, Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial and hit track, “The Box” in 2019. 

“Both have changed the game in the sound of music and making hits. Drake with a bigger discography but both still relevant in 2019 with their sounds,” Mincey said.

The year 2019 was special for music as hit songs like “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X, witnessed some success for a variety of ages and generations. “Cash Sh*t” by Megan Thee Stallion gave a theme song for women who looked to turn up and enjoy their carefree summer. And probably the most favored rapper in 2019, Dababy, released his song “Suge” which reached top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and gave us something to move our bodies to in the meantime.

With the milestones of 2019, this year should continue to be an interesting year for music. Chances are the next breakout star is already uploading new music.