it's one of the most novel movements/sub genres in hip hop for just how both identifiable yet broad it is, its not necessarily one sound but moreso a lineage with iconic markers.

RECAP:

Influenced by Chillwave, Witch house, Trance, southern hip-hop production, trap, and just early newgrounds/myspace guys just messing around with stock plug ins its both a hallmark of an era but also an influential force.

the founders include Lil B (w/ clams casino), Metro Zu (Lofty305, Reuben Slikk & POSHTRONAUT), Main Attrakionz (Squadda B, Mondreman, and FRIENDZONE), and Spaceghostpurpp as the main players. This also included wiz khalifa, curren$y, and early tyler, the creator production.

(2011-2013) A$AP Rocky, Yung Lean, Chris Travis , Bones, Black Kray, Lil Ugly Mane, Robb Bank$, Flatbush Zombies, underachievers

(2013-2016) Bladee, ICYTWAT, Awful Records (Father, Ethereal, Slug Christ, ABRA, Playboi Carti KINDA), Babyfather, Xavier Wulf

(2016-2019) Reptillian Club Boyz (Hi-C, Cartier God, Marjorie W.C Sinclair), Duwap Kaine and more. This was basically the last of the initial movement, I dont think duwap even counts really but basically by this point it already had taken influence in other subgenres and its original form fizzled out.

Present day (2023-Present) there is a forming cloud rap revivalism movement including ppl such as Fakemink, Smokedope2016, Feng, xaviersobased and his group 1c sometimes, and Feardorian. Surf gang, boysnightout, yhapojj, and scrap club are adjacent aswell but not sure the consensus on that.

R.I.P James

@Notmyfirst also in the metro zu thread posted this cool piece from 2005-2006 that dead sounds just like what would later come about in 2011-2012
newgrounds.com/audio/listen/58419
newgrounds.com/audio/listen/31078

Viper also made music that sonically resembled a lot of stuff later but its often a misconception about him, the guy didnt rly influence anything his prod was just kinda similar to some of the stuff used later

Many rappers who werent really popular during the cloud rap era also made it early in their career such as JPEGMAFIA as Devon Hendryx, Cities Aviv, Carti as mentioned, and Denzel Curry. Also, rappers who werent necessarily IN cloud rap would still integrate it into their music at the time (Early TDE, Mac Miller, Soulja Boy)

not one mention of seshollowaterboyz newgen detected

Squadda B is back making music again

he produced on the new brusier wolf!

hes in bruiser brigade now, he's been on a few of their projects

if chris travis was sober

what a time

so magical man

Kray, Metro Zu, Chris Travis, man.................

I just got into smokedope he’s cool

All of them are still at least good (have never been a fan of Rocky, though), except for Chris Travis and I think SGP. :/

Kray, though. >>>>

ya im not a big fan just cuz of his voice but i love what hes doing

need a squadda B beat ona danny brown album NEOW

No clouddead mention

i get a lot would but they arent cloud rap is the thing, like yes they are one of the first guy to use the idea of like rap being cloudy i guess and they did have ambient elements to their music but its completely unrelated to the actual genre id say. same reason i didnt mention viper. Clouddead made like very different music and i just wouldnt count them in the lineage.

he got bars too

Ktt1 classic

that one ethelwulf album produced by Eric dingus if you weren’t there don’t talk to me about s***

there’s a lot of music you kinda of just forget about in life kinda sad

kids dont know about eric dingus

this could easily be a xav beat just deepfry it a bit lol

think he was a mutual in the soundcloud haydays