The Rising Popularity Of Lofi Hip-Hop, Jazz Hop & Beat Tapes — The Sub-Genre of Hip-Hop That Is A Peaceful & Calm Off Shoot Of Mainstream Hip Hop
It’s difficult to pin-point how underground movements in music begin. They have equivocal and unknown origins and humble & debatable beginnings; it’s usually never one person but rather a collective who get on the bandwagon and begin making newer forms of music.
One such genre and movement and offshoot of what we know as hip-hop today is lofi-hiphop and further explorations in the form of jazz hop, chill hop and other kinds of beat tapes which comprise instrumental beats without any rap along with varied, diverse, and interesting sampling using jazz and brass and other elements of calmer genres of music.
The origins of the lofi/beat tape movement could be traced to the turn of 2010(according to me at least) when beatmakers and music producers around the world decided to make beats which were calmer, more peaceful, melodic and easier to listen to while also being meditative and relaxing.
However, some would argue that the genre began even before that, when the late beatmakers/producers Nujabes and J Dilla began experimenting with calmer and more relaxing beats.
The result is a wide range of sub-genres of hip-hop that comprise of beats that are great to listen and groove to while winding down at home in your apartment.
By now in 2021, the genre has exploded and become hugely popular and has emerged from the underground into a sub-genre that is here to stay.
It has seen several dedicated channels on YouTube and the rise of collectives across the world embracing this new form of music.
They regularly release beat tapes that are appreciated by the millions. It’s not uncommon to see lofi beat tape mixes on YouTube accumulate millions of views.
Although not as much as mainstream rappers and hip-hop artists, it’s a clear indication that listeners worldwide have gravitated to this emerging genre because of its meditative nature.
The lofi hiphop movement has even been documented by Forbes:
“Our engagement in lofi culture is a testament to the idea upon which Amuse was founded–to use music consumption data to find emerging independent artists,” says Diego Farias, co-founder and CEO of Amuse. “Over the past several years, our streaming data has shown lofi hip-hop artists resonating with audiences, even at a very early stage in their career…now lofi is exploding in popularity and creating new models for the music industry.”
It’s also a genre that has a low barrier of entry for musicians and is easier to produce and make while the popularity is not limited to the most famous or popular artist(s) (as is the case with mainstream hip-hop) but is rather shared and equally rewarding for thousands of artists who produce lofi beats across the spectrum.
Fast-forward to now, the rise of lofi hip hop / chill study beats has consequently changed the way many perceive the overall term of lofi, especially if we consider the association with hip hop. The core nature of lofi is of course low fidelity. And this is relates to production quality that is somewhat shoddy, including the abstinence from polish and sheen since vinyl crackles, distortion and peculiar rhythms are found in abundance. Although, you’re only looking at a miniscule piece of the puzzle by attempting to make sense, and describe modern day lofi according to its sonic elements. Something which also has to pop up in mind when we speak about lofi hip hop is community, the type of feelings that these astonishingly minimalist tracks are able to evoke, and the range of tongue-in-cheek visuals that accommodate this contemporary subculture.
Apart from being known as study beats or just lofi beats or chill hop or jazz hop the genre has taken a further interesting spin to incorporate Anime and cartoons as a driving theme and visual aesthetic for the genre.
As Stereo Fox accounts:
….. a fundamental part of the culture is the compelling visual appeal that is presented in various forms — three in particular. And they are anime, cartoons (yes there is a difference between the two) and videos that bear a retro/vintage aesthetic or have been heavily pampered with those FX.
If you scroll through the extensive list of lofi study beats playlists and radios, the ubiquitous presence of anime (or anime drawings) is borderline excessive compared to cartoons or retro videos. There’s a general consensus that Anime best captures the essence of these laid-back yet visceral beats.
Personally, I’ve been grooving to lofi beats since 2013 with a cup of coffee, a pack of smokes, while just staring at the rain outside my window in my apartment.
I’ve made several beat mixes and have grooved to many mixes on the popular lofi beat tape channels like The Jazz Hop Cafe and STEEZYASFUCK.
My tribute to the genre and the calm and relaxing times I’ve had while winding down, grooving and listening to the music was in the form of a short jazz hop EP I produced with a cinematic spin on it called ‘Lost Cinema’.
The idea for my EP ‘Lost Cinema’ was a tribute and throwback to my favourite Old Hollywood films and lofi/jazz hop beats.
The premise and basis for my EP was to make something slightly different from what’s already out there and not exactly merging into current contemporary lofi hip hop while also amalgamating in the album, a pervading and interesting theme and something that was very personal, yet moving and calm & chilled out to listen to.
I sampled several dialogues from Old Hollywood Cinema that I like (Casablanca and Sabrina etc.) and French songs like those by Edit Piaf and other kinds of sampling to make a short 10 minute jazz hop / beat tape EP that was my first foray into the genre with tracks that are about one and a half or two minutes long. It’s very minimalist and slightly melancholic yet peaceful and relaxing.
I produced this EP in November and December 2020 in the heart of the COVID19 crisis and it’s one that I enjoyed making very much.
Here are a few of my favourite tracks from my EP ‘Lost Cinema’ here:
Blue Waltz
Audrey In Paris
Slow Roll
You can listen to the whole EP on Spotify here:
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“Stop punching that pad!”
