Trap is a colloquialism for a place where people sell or use drugs. “Trap rap” is a term typically associated with  rappers who glorify a lifestyle that consists of “trapping,” and anything that naturally comes along with it; this includes getting women, weapons, fame, among many other things.

What does that say about those of us who listen and enjoy trap music, that we support this behavior?  If we lie trap, do we promote drug use and/or misogyny? Some argue it the genre is more complex than that.

What is it about Trap music that gets people going? Is its aggressive lyrical content and sound, where the instrumentals are propelled by 808 kick drums or heavy extended sub-bass lines, double-time, triple-time and other faster time division? Nonetheless, whether you’ve heard of it or not, it is currently one of the most popular genres today.

In hip-hop’s endless push-and-pull debate between meaningless party music and music of ‘actual’ substance, trap rappers have been cast under the broad brush of the former. But like a lot of artists like him, his music functions on multiple levels. Songs like March Madness by Future that “bump in the whip” can do just that; it [March Madness] directly discusses one of the biggest political issues of our time: the shooting of young African-Americans by law enforcement. Future juxtaposes the 64 team March Madness NCAA basketball tournament to the struggles of aforementioned African-Americans.

Artists like Future, Young Thug, A$AP Ferg, and many others are often given a bad rap (pun intended). People hear their music and are already quick to make judgements. And there are times in which I see a certain song of the genre that disappoints me. But at no point should someone ever be compelled to make generalizations, especially when it comes to music.

Other songs’ lyrics also bring out a side of rappers that isn’t normally seen, making them more three-dimensional. Digital Dash; a song about reaching the pinnacle of one’s career, with no signs of slowing down, can also bring out an unseen side in a person.

When you say you love a n**** do you really mean it

When I was sleepin’ on the floor you shoulda seen how they treat me

I pour the Actavis and pop pills so I can fight the demons

On the surface level, drug use is about [fighting the demons], forgetting one’s worries. Who hasn’t felt lonely, overcome with grief, or chosen to run away from their problems? His feelings resonate with fans on a universal level. It resonates so well because we get to see it materialize in such short time, in real time, to, in a way, live through an artist’s emotional collapse.

So before you quickly label Trap music as “meaningless” party music, instead, take the time to listen what the artists have to say; it may surprise you the depth in which these rappers go into to in their music.