| Gospel trap | |
| Cultural Origins: | late 2010s, Southern United States |
Gospel trap also known as trap gospel is a sub-genre of Christian hip hop that emerged in the southern United States during the late 2010s. It is characterized by the use of trap beats and lyrics about Christianity and Jesus. Gospel trap often includes violent metaphors for God's love or allusions to being saved from a life of vanity, crime, and drug use by God. Artists like Alex Jean, Caleb Gordon, BigBreeze, Mike Teezy, and Wande are considered leading figures of the sub-genre.[1]
Trap gospel can be traced to Erica Campbell's 2015 hit I Luh God which caused controversy for its secular sound.[2] In the late 2010s members of 116 Clique also began incorporating trap beats into their music and collaborating with secular trap artists such as Ty Dolla Sign on Lecrae's 2017 song Blessings.[3] [4]