A.R. Shaw | Its Hip Hop

A.R. Shaw’s new book Trap History delves into the past, present, and future of Trap music and the Trap and will be released on Halloween, Saturday, October 31.

In a new video interview, Shaw explains his motivation for penning the book that has been covered by REVOLT, The Source, The Hype Magazine, Day 1 Radio, and CashColorCannabis Podcast.

“I’m an Atlanta native, born and raised in Atlanta,” he says. “I saw the beginnings and rise of Trap music. I remember when Trap was just a slang term in Atlanta. It eventually became a music genre. I remember Techwood Homes. I remember the Miami Boys, and now I see gentrification. I witnessed all this stuff happening, and I wanted to be the one telling this story from an insider’s point of view. It goes deeper than just the glorification of just drug dealing, the glorification of getting money. There are real-life people who were affected by Trap. Real-life people who were affected by things that happened in the community. So I really wanted to highlight all this in the book and podcast form.”

The 230-page book and audio documentary feature Shaw’s curated interviews with dozens of history makers, including pioneering Atlanta artists, producers, music executives, and experts who witnessed first-hand the origins and rise of Trap music. The book also explores social issues such as gentrification, drug addiction, and mass incarceration in communities that inspired Trap music.

Rapper Kilo Ali recalls penning “Cocaine (American Has A Problem)” at the age of 16 in 1990 while serving time in the Fulton County Juvenile Detention Center. DJ Toomp recounts touring as the deejay for the 2 Live Crew in the late 1980s and producing early hits for Atlanta rappers Raheem The Dream and MC Shy D. Former Fulton County Assistant District Attorney John Turner explains how the Miami Boys drug gang began infiltrating the Techwood Homes housing projects in 1986, and Magic City strip club founder Michael Barney describes how the gentlemen’s club provided a viable platform for emerging rappers to promote their music. Shaw additionally interviews the likes of OutKast’s Big Boi, T.I., Khujo of Goodie Mob, Young Thug, Gucci Mane, Migos, Shawty Lo, Killer Mike, Zaytoven, Future, and 21 Savage as well as veteran Atlanta music executives Antonio “LA” Reid, Kawan “KP” Prather and Shanti Das.

The post [WATCH] New Book ‘Trap History’ Explores Gentrification, Drug Addiction, And Mass Incarceration appeared first on The Source.

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Trap History author A.R. Shaw discusses Gucci Mane’s rise to fame in “The Evolution of Gucci Mane,” episode 3 of the Trap History audio documentary that will be released on Tuesday, March 3 on Audible. The audio documentary is a companion piece to Shaw’s Trap History book, a compelling, thoroughly researched 300-page work that tells the story of the popular hip hop subgenre by describing the rise of the music as well as explaining the politics and sociology that fueled the sound.

In Shaw’s interview with producer Zaytoven, the Atlanta-based beatmaker who has also worked with Usher, Migos and Future, explains that the GRAMMY-nominated, platinum rapper with hit collaborations with the likes of Drake, Bruno Mars, and Selena Gomez, was not pursuing a rap career when they met in 2001. At the time, Gucci Mane was managing his nephew and took him to Zaytoven’s studio to record music.

“So Gucci came with a mutual friend and he brought his nephew. His nephew was trying to be a rapper,” Zaytoven says in an excerpt of the “Tap History” audio documentary. “Gucci was writing the songs for him. He was like, ‘Ah man, I want to get some beats. I’m trying to put my nephew on.’”

Zaytoven immediately noticed that Gucci was more than a manager. He was also a talented artist. “It went from him writing songs for his nephew,” Zaytoven says. “A lot of times, he had to go in there and say it so his nephew could see how he’s supposed to say it and rap it. And it just turned into me really just listening to him and listening to the words that he’s putting together like, ‘Man, you got it.’”

Very quickly, Gucci began changing his focus from manager to artist. “I didn’t see his nephew but what twice,” Zaytoven says. “After that, it was like it was Gucci recording. And we started building our relationship just like that. I’m making beats. I got the studio. He rapping the songs. I think he’s the dopest in the world. He thinks I’m the dopest in the world, and that’s it. We doing that everyday.” That same year, Gucci released his first project, Str8 Drop Records Presents Gucci Mane Le Flare on his label Str8 Drop Records.

The “Trap History” audio documentary also has chapter episodes on “T.I., Atlanta Culture and the Beginning of Trap Music” (Episode 1), “Is Jeezy’s ‘Trap or Die’ the Greatest Mixtape in Rap History?” (Episode 2) and “How Migos’ ‘Culture’ Album Changed the Culture of Trap Music” (Episode 4).

The post [LISTEN] Zaytoven Says Gucci Mane Became Rapper By Mistake in ‘Trap History’ Book and Audio Documentary appeared first on The Source.

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