Mumble rap

[23] Todd Moscowitz, the founder of Alamo Records, called the scene a "lo-fi movement" noting the heavily distorted bass and intentional lack of polish in the sound.

[25] In January 2019, citing the deaths of American rappers Lil Peep in 2017 and XXXTentacion in 2018, and 6ix9ine's legal troubles, Stephen Witt of Rolling Stone magazine argued that the SoundCloud rap wave of the past few years was now in decline.

[27][28] In defense of the style, Justin Charity of The Ringer suggested that the debate is "really about discomfort with how a generation of young musicians has chosen to use their voices in strange, unprecedented ways, and against the wishes of their parents and forefathers.

"[31] Rap pioneer Grandmaster Caz expressed acceptance of the style, stating "It's all good [...] they're a different generation, they do a different thing, they have a different agenda and their influences come from different places.

"[33] Podcaster and television host The Kid Mero dismisses criticisms of the style, stating: "sonically if your shit is wack, why am I gonna listen to what you gotta say?

If I turn it on and the beat is kind of annoying, I'm not gonna sit through that just to hear you say ‘lyrical, metaphysical, giftical...’"[12] Rappers who have voiced discontent with mumble rap include J. Cole,[11] Hopsin,[34] Chris Webby,[35] Logic,[36] Russ,[37] Joyner Lucas,[38] Taboo of Black Eyed Peas,[39] and Eminem.

[41] Eminem's diss track "Killshot", which was targeted at Machine Gun Kelly, included a line where he pejoratively called MGK a mumble rapper.