In 2022, rap seemed to be slowly evolving into something new. It was a year when long-gestating regional and cultural trends reached a new fever pitch. Savvy listeners seemed more focused on the emerging voices who were breathing fresh life into the form, even though established stars continued to earn critical and commercial acclaim.
This trajectory resulted in the sense that the past year has been one of transition, and that 2023 will be an even better season where the genre's freshmen are poised to take over. Only time will tell, but while you wait for the first fire releases of the next year, revisit six rap trends from 2022 that spawned from multiple generations of artists.
Jersey Club Goes Beyond The Garden State
Every few years, the rap community rediscovers the pleasures of flowing over electronic beats. In 2022, the sound of the moment was Jersey club, a hybrid of house and bass music that fueled scene leaders such as Bandmanrill (who released his debut album Club Godfather), DJ/producer Uniiqu3, and Unicorn 151 aka Killa Kherk Cobain. Meanwhile, a parallel wave developed in Philadelphia with tracks like 2Rare’s "Cupid" and Zahsosaa, D Sturdy and DJ Crazy’s "Shake Dhat."
Jersey club inspired mainstream artists as well. Drake pulled from the sound on his dance-music opus Honestly, Nevermind, and collaborated with 2Rare on the hit single "Sticky." It also fueled club-ready remixes like Coi Leray’s "Players (DJ Smallz 732’s Jersey Club Remix)."
Women Unite For Posse Raps
Anyone who fondly remembers women-only ciphers such as Brandy’s "I Wanna Be Down (Remix)" and Bahamadia’s "Three the Hard Way" will delight at how the format is making a comeback.
For "Super Freaky Girl (Queen Mix)", Nicki Minaj gathered an all-roster that included JT from City Girls, BIA, Katie Got Bandz, Maliibu Miitch, and Akbar V. On "Shabooya," producer Hitkidd gave mic time to Memphis rappers Gloss Up, K-Carbon, Slimeroni, and Aleza. Meanwhile, ShantiiP collaborated with Kash Doll, Rubi Rose, and Dream Doll on her "Abow (Remix)." The nascent trend demonstrates how women have begun working collectively again — with or without the boys’ help.
Rap's Nepo Babies Come Of Age
It’s not unusual for children of famous rappers to follow their parents into the business. Past years have seen the emergence of scions such as Droop-E (son of E-40), Lil Tracy (son of Ishmael Butler of Digable Planets), Cory Gunz (son of Peter Gunz), and Jaden Smith (son of Will Smith). But 2022 may be the first year where a second-generation rapper arguably exceeded her father’s mainstream appeal.
Coi Leray scored a Billboard top 40 hit ("Blick Blick" with Nicki Minaj) — a feat her estranged father Benzino never managed — while releasing her debut album, Trendsetter. King Combs hit number one on Billboard’s Mainstream R&B Hip-Hop Airplay chart, surpassing famed father Sean "Diddy" Combs' latest single "Gotta Move On" in the process.
Back To The Old SchoolÂ
When Mount Westmore’s Snoop, Cube, 40, $hort hit the Billboard top 200 albums chart in early December, it was yet another sign that golden-era artists are issuing quality albums, albeit on a smaller scale than their career peaks.
Still, in an era when rap fans are all too aware of how middle-aged hip-hoppers seem especially prone to the ravages of time — rest in peace to DJ Kayslay, Coolio, and Don Newkirk — it was heartening to see musicians in their 50s continue to hone their craft. Examples include Chill Rob G of "The Power" fame, who dropped Empires Crumble on Chuck D’s SpitSLAM label; KRS-One’s IMAMCRU12, Diamond D’s The Rearview, Daddy-O of Stetsasonic’s First Team, Frukwan of Stetsasonic and Gravediggaz’s Nightmare in B-Minor, and Tragedy Khadafi’s Immortal Titans Vol. 2. Meanwhile, Dr. Dre prefaced his triumphant showcase at Super Bowl LVI with his EP-length soundtrack for "Grand Theft Auto: The Contract."
As the genre moves into its fifth decade and beyond, here’s hoping its pioneers continue to evolve along with it — without dying before they grow old.
Here Come The Big Steppers
"Big steppers" is an old-school phrase that means exactly what it says: someone whose sheer presence leaves an impact. In recent years, the phrase has percolated through rap songs by Youngboy Never Broke Again, Young M.A ("Big Steppa"), Roddy Ricch ("Big Stepper"), and Stunnaman02 & Quakebeatz ("Big Steppin’").
The term seemed to peak in usage in 2022, thanks to Kendrick Lamar, who used the phrase multiple times — including on "Worldwide Steppers." The track is both literal through the sound of tap dancers, and metaphorical in the sense of Lamar navigating the earth through the prism of his career. Meanwhile, deep album cuts like Rome Streetz’ "Big Steppa" and Yo Gotti’s CMG Crew ("Steppers") put a vintage spin on boasts of being the big men on rap’s campus.
DJ Drama Connects With Everybody…Again
In 2022, DJ Drama was a one-man wave, reconnecting rap with its dirty South roots. The Philadelphia-raised, Atlanta-based DJ was one of the biggest names during the height of the mixtape boom in the mid-to-late aughts, hosting dozens of projects a year with soon-to-be famous acts like Young Jeezy (2004’s Trap or Die) as well as established stars such as Lil Wayne (the Dedication series) and Pharrell Williams (2006’s In My Mind: The Prequel) through his Gangsta Grillz and Aphilliates imprints.
While DJ Drama hasn’t disappeared in the years since, 2022 may be the first to find Drama approaching the productivity of his most successful era. He helmed a critically acclaimed mixtape with Baton Rouge’s Youngboy Never Broke Again (Ma’ I Got a Family), helped promote rising stars like Oakland’s Symba (Results Take Time) and Detroit’s Icewear Vezzo (Paint the City), worked with New York rap star Dave East (Book of David), and scored a chart-topper with the Dreamville crew’s D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape. He even reunited with Jeezy for Snofall, a throwback to the latter’s trap glory years. Working with artists from different regions and generations, Drama proved he still has plenty of genre-wide impact.