American Rapstar

A new scene of troubled, lo-fi young rappers have emerged from Trump’s America, utilizing the SoundCloud streaming platform to quickly become the most culturally disruptive force in hip hop, shocking the world with their rambunctious antics, prescription drug use, facial tattoos, and rebellious punk energy. What do these newly minted millionaire artists say about the state of youth culture today and the future of the music streaming economy? We examine the SoundCloud rap scene’s biggest stars from within the culture as well placing them in the broader musical context in an attempt to understand how we arrived here and where we are headed.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.

photo of Justin Staple

Credits

Director:

Justin Staple

Producer:

Braxton Pope, Kerstin Emhoff

Cinematographer:

Michael Pessah

Editor:

Justin Staple

Music:

Nathan Williams

Principal Cast:

Diego "Lil Xan" Leonas, Danielle "Bhad Bhabie" Bregoli, Omar "Smokepurpp" Pineiro, Jon Caramanica

Additional Credits:

Co-Producer: Tyler Benz, Co-Producer: Albert Lago

Contact

Public Film Contact:

Justin Staple
Justin Staple
staplemotion@gmail.com

Publicity Contact:

Braxton Pope
bpope@sodiumfox.com
3104059468

Primary Access
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Secondary Access
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About
Year:
2020
Premiere Status:
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Runtime:
79 mins