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The birth of trap music and the rise of southern hip-hop

T.I.'s 2003 album, Trap Muzik, gave a name to a specific flavor of Atlanta rap that reflected the city's street culture.
Vivien Killilea
T.I.'s 2003 album, Trap Muzik, gave a name to a specific flavor of Atlanta rap that reflected the city's street culture.

In 2003, T.I. and other Atlanta rappers created new subgenre of rap: trap music. Twenty years later, its influence is everywhere.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Juana Summers is a political correspondent for NPR covering race, justice and politics. She has covered politics since 2010 for publications including Politico, CNN and The Associated Press. She got her start in public radio at KBIA in Columbia, Mo., and also previously covered Congress for NPR.