Plugg music

[2] Unlike mainstream trap, which is defined by bombastic production and rattling hi-hat drum patterns, plugg is said to be dreamy,[3] laidback, atmospheric, spacey, airy, and minimal.

The genre is also described as having an overall lush and jazzy atmosphere; ethereal, luscious multi-instrumental harmonies and melodies; sparse, disjointed, and relaxed drum programming with few hi-hats; and thick basslines.

[13] Plugg first emerged around 2013 as a cohesive production style of the collective called Beatpluggz including Atlanta-based producers MexikoDro and StoopidXool.

[12][2] Plugg was inspired by Zaytoven,[10] Project Pat, Juicy J, Gucci Mane, the snap rap group D4L, and the Paper Mario Nintendo soundtrack.

[6] From around 2014 on, rappers like Playboi Carti,[5] Rich The Kid, Diego Money,[12] Kodak Black, Lil Yachty,[11] Famous Dex, Yung Bans, Thouxanbanfauni, D Savage, and Reese LaFlare[6] brought mainstream attention to plugg for the first time by working with Beatpluggz and releasing tracks such as "Broke Boi" (by Playboi Carti),[11][5] "Plug!"

Around the same time, rapper Nebu Kiniza recorded his viral hit single "Gassed Up" (later certified platinum) over the same plugg beat that was used in "Plug!"

[6] The first mainstream wave of plugg was mainly a fad and quickly faded away as the rappers (Famous Dex, Rich the Kid, Lil Yachty) moved on to work with other producers.

[7][6] Playboi Carti had a creative break-up with MexikoDro, which was described as "ugly", and moved on to work with Pi'erre Bourne, who wasn't making plugg.

[6] Despite the aforementioned developments, in the underground during that time, plugg maintained a consistent following and continued to evolve, mostly due to the online-centric nature of the subgenre.

brought in influences from the sound typical for "SadBoys" led by Yung Lean into plugg, while other noted new names in the genre included Ka$hdami, 1600J and RewindRaps, tana, among others.

[19] Later, also in 2020, Drake included a plugg track produced by MexikoDro titled "From Florida with Love" on his Dark Lane Demo Tapes mixtape.

It was unclear whether the subgenre was intended as an ironic meme or not, but after videos on the microgenre amassed tens of thousands of views on TikTok, many fans of Myspacemark took the idea more seriously.

These melodies are typically multi-layered and feature heavy use of lush chords, xylophone tones, and soft synthesizer presets, such as synth pads.

The drum programming in plugg music tends to be sparse, with frequent use of crash cymbals, TR-808 rimshots, maracas, accent snares, and occasional hi-hats.

Plugg production evolved from the style popularized by Zaytoven, who was known for incorporating piano and organ riffs alongside minimal drum arrangements.

Beatpluggz, a prominent production collective, retained the minimalist and airy tone of Zaytoven's style while shifting the emphasis from organic instruments to synthetic sounds.

Vocally, plugg performers employ a range of styles, including aggressive and mellow rapping, whispering flows, DMV-style delivery, and melodic singing.

[7] At the same time, Serane met a great deal of criticism at home in France, where, in a musical environment dominated by aggressive UK drill, he was often dismissed as trash, mainly for his "off-beat" flow.

[27] Besides Serane, other French plugg artists include rappers Southlove, Kasper!, Prince K., Yuri Online (all belonging to #OneTruePath), 8Ruki, and Lil Sandal, and producers TTDafool, Voidd, Chenfol (also from #OneTruePath), and others[7][11] Of them, Chenfol (also variably spelled Chenpol) is described as the originator of the plugg sound in France.

[28][31] Some artists such as AgusFortnite2008 and Stiffy have developed a regional variant of hyperplugg, referencing series such as South Park, as well as outdated internet memes.