boom bap
what it is
Boom bap is a subgenre and music production style within hip hop that was particularly prominent in East Coast hip hop during the golden age of hip hop, spanning from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The term "boom bap" is derived from an onomatopoeic representation of the typical drum sounds used in this style: the "boom" refers to the bass (kick) drum and the "bap" to the snare drum. The production style is characterized by a main drum loop that often features a hard-hitting, acoustic bass drum sample on the downbeats and a sharp, acoustic snare drum sample on the upbeats.
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level 1 · mainstream
the pop everyone knows
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
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questions
What is boom bap?
Boom bap is a subgenre and music production style within hip hop that was particularly prominent in East Coast hip hop during the golden age of hip hop, spanning from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The term "boom bap" is derived from an onomatopoeic representation of the typical drum sounds used in this style: the "boom" refers to the bass (kick) drum and the "bap" to the snare drum. The production style is characterized by a main drum loop that often features a hard-hitting, acoustic bass drum sample on the downbeats and a sharp, acoustic snare drum sample on the upbeats.
What are good boom bap albums to start with?
Try Return Of The Boom Bap by KRS-One, B4.DA.$$ by Joey Bada$$, Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called Quest, and Pray for Paris by Westside Gunn & Joey Bada$$.
Who are some women making boom bap?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/boom-bap/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making boom bap, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20