It seems that 2015 is leaving as quickly as it arrived. Perhaps it’s because we’ve been too busy Hitting the Quan and Nae-Naeing to notice the passing of time. The year has proved to be monumental for rappers, as the genre has taken shape way beyond just listening and sharing. It has been used in video trends across social media platforms and acted as the catalyst to memes and jokes everywhere.
Amongst other genres, rap music has been one of the biggest influences in music this year. No other genre has inspired us to go “runnin’ through the six” with our woes, thanks to Drake’s surprise album “If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late” released back in February. Drake also made headlines for his feud with Meek Mill, which blew up online after Mill called Drake out for allegedly using a ghostwriter. The artists — who collaborated on the song “R.I.C.O” on Mill’s most recent album — both released diss tracks, and other famous rappers like Lupe Fiasco used the feud as a chance to comment on ghostwriting in the industry.
Despite the fact that Drake’s surprise release debuted on the U.S. Billboard 200 at number one, there have been a number of other musical accomplishments of the same caliber. Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth’s song “See You Again” soared to the top of the mainstream charts after its release for the movie “Furious 7.” The song was written as a tribute to “Fast” star Paul Walker, who died in a car accident in November 2013.
Still, since Wiz and Drake have already reached notable fame, we expect them to do well. It’s the breakout artists of 2015 that are really something special. Silento’s debut single “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” was everywhere after its initial release back in May. Silento, who is currently a senior in high school, was signed to Capitol Records in April. He based his single, which went gold in the United States, on popular dances from other hip-hop songs, including the Whip, the Nae Nae and the stanky leg.
However, if there’s one person responsible for completely dominating this year’s rap-music scene, it’s hands down the Trap King himself, Fetty Wap. Patterson, New Jersey native Willie Maxwell II seemed to emerge out of thin air as he topped the charts with his distinct voice and catchy singles. For an artist who was completely unknown when he joined the music industry in 2013, his quick rise to fame was impressive. No one was safe from “1738,” with the now-iconic sound of “Trap Queen” making even the most uncoordinated people break out into dance.
The popularity and success of Fetty Wap was even more evident with the release of “My Way.” The screech of “squad” was soon a new trend. Even Drake hopped onto the Fetty bandwagon and released a remix of “My Way,” introducing even more memorable and Instagram-caption-worthy lyrics. Soon, the remix became the more popular version of the song. Sorry to Monty, the rapper cut out of the remix. You’ve been replaced.
From here on out, this year in rap music will be known as the year of Fetty. But with expected releases from artists like Drake and Frank Ocean by the end of this year, who knows who will take the throne in 2016.