Mumble rap (also known as SoundCloud rap) is a loosely defined[3]microgenre[5] of hip hop music that largely spread via the online audio distribution platform SoundCloud in the 2010s.[6] The term implies mumbling, or unclear vocal delivery, by artists, and it has been used to describe rappers who do not share the rap genre's traditional emphasis on meaningful lyricism,[7] choosing instead to emphasize other aspects of delivery like melody and tone.[citation needed]
While the term mumble rap has been taken as derogatory,[8][9] some have reappropriated the label,[10] and various critics and artists have defended the style as a new phase in the evolution of the rap genre.[11][12][13]