Today, a zealous and viral new rapper hailing from Philly, Drewboy, released a new single titled Traphouse Bounce — a three-minute trip inside the house party the 22-year-old would hold if he wasn’t quarantined in Atlanta.
The energetic beat, which bounces over a looped piano and a pair of drums, showcases Drewboy’s skill in his flow. The name of the song is both the title and a moniker for the new genre of music that Drewboy is coining.
“It’s still like the hood feel, but in a fun way,” Drewboy described of the genre of ‘Traphouse Bounce.’ “It’s a bouncy mix that anyone can relate to — old people to kids. I just put it all in one.”
In his music, Drewboy is creating joy. Although he does music to voice his experience, his main goal is to make people smile.
Drewboy’s fervent passion for music has been apparent since he could talk, practicing his rhymes anywhere he could — in an elementary afterschool program, the back of the bus, or during his breaks playing football games. After graduating from high school and a brief stint in college, Drewboy became serious about his craft, becoming dedicated to writing songs, recording videos, and relentlessly sharing to social media, week after week.
For up-and-coming artists like Drewboy looking for any way to be discovered, social media has slowly turned into the faster, more convenient way of sharing music to a large fan base — as opposed to the traditional, slower route of waiting to be signed to a label.
As live concerts and tours are on hold for the near future, which were previously the main sources of an artist’s revenue, Instagram and Twitter have become two of the few remaining ways that musicians can still connect with their fans. Artists are not the only ones utilizing their Instagram profiles as a tool. Now, managers, producers, and other successful musicians are looking to IG to organically discover true emerging talent.
But in the span of the past few months, Drewboy managed to achieve both traditional success within a label as well as viral, Internet fame.
Last year, Drewboy delivered one of his signature freestyles during an Instagram live session. In the span of 24 hours, the freestyle had one million views. Running on the heels of this momentum, Drewboy reworked the song into a single, titled “Close Friends.”
“I went to sleep with 23,000 followers,” Drewboy said. “I woke up with 60,000.” That number is now more than 100,000. An overnight success.
After the single caught the attention of Meek Mill and Rick Ross, Tommy Brown contacted Drewboy, who booked the Philly native his first flight to L.A. the next day. By the end of the week, Drewboy was a signed rapper to Universal Music, forming a partnership with Team Xcluzive Entertainment, Champagne Therapy, and Island Records to release his debut project, a mixtape titled; Personality.
His artistic process? Hennessy. Drewboy writes, produces, and engineers the entirety of his music, which he needs to be in a good mood to create.
“I just like to make fun music,” Drewboy said. “I need to make songs that make me want to move.” Growing up with a musical father who hummed ‘The Temptations’ around the house, Drewboy was interested in feel-good music from a young age.
Citing Ludacris, Twista, and Busta Rhymes as his main influences, Drewboy said that he’s drawn to music with a fast beat. His energy is tangible, in the excited and enthusiastic way he talks about what lies ahead. In the future, he’s hoping to work with NLE Choppa or Da Baby. Next month, he’s off to Orlando. Drewboy is moving a mile a minute, just like his beats.
