Lo-fi can be found across all genres of music. The term, which is short for low-fidelity, was once something that was looked down on and implies poor production value or low-quality music. Nowadays, though, lo-fi music is a genre that is intended to defy stereotypes and provide something that most professional music doesn’t. Many of us put on the “chill” playlists we can find under the lo-fi umbrella on YouTube to have to play in the background as we work from home, while others have made careers out of producing music and releasing it on SoundCloud. Most notable are the young lo-fi rappers, such as XXXTentacion, Smokepurpp, Lil Xan, Lil Peep, and Bhad Bhabie, who are some of the subjects of the film “American Rapstar.“
Thanks to the internet, these young artists, regardless of being known for their boisterous antics, drug use, facial tattoos, and rebellious energy have quickly made names for themselves in the mainstream. For example, Danielle Bregoli (Bhad Bhabie) was once the girl who became a viral internet sensation after appearing on Dr. Phil and uttering the phrase “cash me ousside, how bout dah?” but became the youngest female rap artist to debut on the Billboard Top 100.
The film, directed by Justin Staple, gives audiences an inside look at one of the most influential music scenes of recent years. Staple does this beautifully by highlighting youth culture, the social issues facing our youth today, and the role social media has had on what we consume and what, in turn, becomes popular and influential.
“American Rapstar” has screened at SXSW, DOC NYC, and the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival. The film will be available to stream on Hulu starting September 1. Utopia will present a global virtual film screening on October 4, which will feature exclusive bonus content before releasing the film on VOD on October 11. Watch the trailer below.
Here’s the official synopsis:
A new scene of troubled, lo-fi young rappers have emerged from 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. American Rapstar tells the story of how these artists, including Smokepurpp, Lil Xan, XXXTentacion, Lil Peep and Bhad Bhabie, have unsettled the music industry, tested pop culture boundaries and paved their own unique roads.