Boom Bap · Genres
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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.

Artists to start with

  1. Joey Valence & Brae
  2. Westside Gunn
  3. Benny the Butcher
  4. Rome Streetz
  5. Boldy James
  6. Joey Bada$$
  7. Ciça
  8. Conway the Machine
  9. Griselda
  10. Lil Supa

Albums to hear first

  • Jack In The Box by j-hopeJack In The Boxj-hope
  • Return Of The Boom Bap by KRS-OneReturn Of The Boom BapKRS-One
  • 93 'til Infinity by Souls of Mischief93 'til InfinitySouls of Mischief
  • B4.DA.$$ by Joey Bada$$B4.DA.$$Joey Bada$$
  • Midnight Marauders by A Tribe Called QuestMidnight MaraudersA Tribe Called Quest
  • Pray for Paris by Westside Gunn & Joey Bada$$Pray for ParisWestside Gunn & Joey Bada$$
  • UNEVEN COMPROMISE by Lil Ugly ManeUNEVEN COMPROMISELil Ugly Mane
  • FIRST COLLECTION by Various ArtistsFIRST COLLECTIONVarious Artists

Boom Bap songs

  1. heart pt. 6 by Kendrick Lamar
  2. Doo Wop (That Thing) by Ms. Lauryn Hill
  3. Everyday (feat. Rod Stewart, Miguel & Mark Ronson) by A$AP Rocky
  4. Ex-Factor by Ms. Lauryn Hill
  5. 30 Hours by Kanye West
  6. CATFISH by Doechii
  7. One Love (feat. Q-Tip) by Nas
  8. Walkin by Denzel Curry
  9. Shook Ones, Pt. II by Mobb Deep
  10. Backslide by Twenty One Pilots

Boom Bap on Risocast

  • Pipe Down by DrakePipe DownDrake · 2021
  • Make Them Pay by DrakeMake Them PayDrake · 2026

Neighbouring genres

In the hip hop family. All genres

cloud rapabstract hip hopconscious hip hopalternative hip hoprap metalhip hopdrilleast coast hip hopemo rapgangsta rapgrimejazz rap

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.
Who are the best-known boom bap artists?
By Last.fm listening: Joey Valence & Brae, Westside Gunn, Benny the Butcher, Rome Streetz, Boldy James and Joey Bada$$.
What genres are similar to boom bap?
On Risocast it sits with cloud rap, abstract hip hop, conscious hip hop, alternative hip hop, rap metal and hip hop.

Risocast is free. Install it once and it logs everything you play.

Download for WindowsFree · v4.0.9Open RisocastRight here · Spotify or Last.fm

Updated 6 October 2026

Risocast Help

A music log that fills itself in. It records the songs you play on your computer and your phone, turns them into your top songs, stats and a public profile, and finds people whose taste overlaps with yours.

Yes. The app and the website are free.

A song counts once half of it has played, or four minutes — whichever comes first. Songs of 30 seconds or less, and videos or podcasts over 20 minutes, never count.

On Windows, anything that shows up in Windows' media controls: Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, browsers, foobar2000, Windows Media Player and more (VLC, iTunes and MusicBee through their free media-controls plugin). On Android, any music app — it reads the same now-playing info your lock screen shows. You can also connect Spotify or import from Last.fm.

Yes. Plays are counted on your device and sent when you're back online, and the phone app opens without a connection.

It does the same core job — scrobbling, automatically — without plugins per player, and adds taste matching: see who listens like you and how much your taste overlaps.

Your profile and listening are public so people with similar taste can find you, unless you make your profile private (then only your buddies see it); your email never is. Nothing is sold and there are no ads; anonymous usage analytics (Microsoft Clarity, Google Analytics) show what to improve. See the privacy policy for the details.

More in Help, the guides and the privacy policy.

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A small player that sits in your tray, writes down every song you play, and shows you who listens like you.

243 songs logged today

Download for WindowsFree · v4.0.9Open RisocastRight here · Spotify or Last.fm

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How logging works

On Windows, Risocast reads the system media controls, so any player counts: Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, browsers, foobar2000. No plugins.

On Android the app reads what any music app is playing (it's coming to Google Play). Anywhere else, connect Spotify or a Last.fm username.

When a song countsAfter half its length, or four minutes, whichever comes first.Tracks under 30 seconds are ignored.Offline plays are counted on the device and sent later.

More on automatic logging · Risocast vs Last.fm

Taste twins

See how much your taste overlaps with anyone's, and find the people who listen most like you. The match comes from what you both actually play, not a list of favourites.

Open People

How the match works

Weekly Disc and Taste Map

Every week becomes a disc of your top songs. Every record you play goes on a map, grouped by genre.

Weekly DiscTaste Map

Real ones, from the maker's own listening.

Download Risocast

Risocast is free for Windows 10 and 11. Android is coming to Google Play; on any other device, use the web app with Spotify or Last.fm.

Download for WindowsFree · v4.0.9Open RisocastRight here · Spotify or Last.fm
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Automatic loggingWeekly DiscTaste MapTaste matchProfiles and statsMusic windowsBPM, key and soundSong stripLikes that syncPlay in your appFindPeople and buddiesCompare tasteAnthemsGenre labelsAndroid appImport and connectWindows 98 look
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Guides
Track music on WindowsLog YouTube MusicApple Music statsFind people like youPlayers that workLog VLCLog foobar2000Log MusicBeeiTunes on WindowsLog DeezerLog TidalLog SoundCloudAmazon MusicWindows Media PlayerSpotify historyTop songs of all timeWhat genre is it?Describe your tasteExport your dataComing from Last.fm
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243 logged today