The film focuses on the "SoundCloud era," roughly from the mid-2000s to today, highlighting artists like , Smokepurpp , Bhad Bhabie , and the late Lil Peep and XXXTentacion . These artists characterized a "new wave" fueled by:
: A rebellious, often ahistorical approach that prioritized raw emotion over technical rap tradition. American Rapstar
: The film uses psychologists to examine how many of these artists emerged from broken homes and turned to "homegrown" rap as an outlet for their environment. Where to Watch You can find the film on various platforms: Streaming : It began streaming on Hulu in September 2022. The film focuses on the "SoundCloud era," roughly
The 2020 documentary serves as a raw, academic exploration of the SoundCloud rap phenomenon . Directed by Justin Staple, it chronicles the rise of a new generation of lo-fi, internet-driven artists who bypassed traditional industry gatekeepers to disrupt global pop culture. The Rise of a Counter-Culture Where to Watch You can find the film
: A Blu-Ray release includes a detailed audio commentary from director Justin Staple.
Watch the official trailer to see the 'American Rapstar' documentary's lo-fi aesthetic and high-energy artist profiles: American Rapstar | Official Trailer | Utopia YouTube• Aug 31, 2022
: The New York Times pop music critic provides a running commentary, observing that "what young people want out of pop culture isn't what old people want".