Swag Rap is a subgenre of
Hip Hop music, and a sort-of descendant of
Alternative Hip Hop. It's perhaps best described as rap's version of the Punk movement. The exact sound of Swag Rap varies, so it's really more of a scene than a sound. Noticeable characteristics include a DIY ethic and unconventional promotional tactics (often online, but not always), many Swag groups also use (fittingly) the term "swag", short for swagger and a synonym for "cool".
Notable Artists
(*please post a notable song or two, if possible)
- A$AP Rocky - "Purple Swag"
- Casey Veggies
- Drake arguably started out in 2006 doing a version of this before he was signed by Lil Wayne and Young Money in 2009.
- Joey Bada$$ - Incredibly divisive rapper known for dissing mainstream acts and incorporating (some would say ripping off) 90s golden age rap.
- Kitty Pryde
- Kreayshawn
- Lecs Luther - "Dia Dhuit"
- LilB The "BasedGod" - "Ellen Degeneres"
- Lil Ugly Mane, with bits of Horrorcore thrown in
- OFWGKTA - "Oldie"
- Riff Raff - "Marc Jacobs"
- Robb Bank$
- Soulja Boy
- Spaceghostpurrp
- Speak!
- Vince Staples
- Waka Flocka Flame
- Young L
- Yung God, who tends to be a blatant Lil B ripoff. Despite this, however, his {{Western Animation//Caillou}} freestyle has achieved infamy, mostly from people who think it's a LilB song.
- Of course, the genre is ripe for parody. The most notable examples come from YouTube user gmcfosho, known for such hits as "Rifle Burs" (complete with dubstep remix) and "IMDABES".
Video description: My lawyer said I was doing things that would violate my parole so I had to censor a few parts, BUT LUCKILY YOU CAN'T CENSOR SWAG! Shout out to Soulja boy, the best rapper dead or alive. It is because of him that I live life with my swag to the maximum
- Another YouTube group, Dormtainment, parodied it in the "Create A Rapper" with Hipster Rapper.
I'ma say "swag" a couple times, cause that's what people do now. Swag, swag, swag, swag [...] I do this for
Tumblr.
