This summer, a striking trend emerged in the world of rap: a nostalgic revival of Eighties sounds. Los Angeles rapper Fenix Flexin, a member of Shoreline Mafia, recently achieved commercial success with his track “Rubberz,” produced by Purps on the Beat. This song features Fenix singing in a faux British accent over vibrant New Wave synths, and it resonated well with audiences, peaking at Number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Collaborations and Creative Synergy
At the same time, Tyga was busy crafting his 10-song album, $TARFACE, which showcases his own take on the glossy Eighties pop sound. When the two artists collaborated in the studio, they found surprising similarities in their musical direction. “But when he came to the studio, I was already deep into working on my Eighties-sounding music,” Tyga said in a recent interview with VIBE. Their session resulted in an unreleased track titled “Lavish,” where both artists played with bright keyboards and processed vocals, highlighting their aligned creative visions.
The Role of AI in Music
The emergence of artificial intelligence in music production sparked discussions around both “Rubberz” and $TARFACE. Tyga openly embraced AI as a production tool, using it for synthesizers and guitar solos while asserting that he wrote all the songs and performed the vocals independently. Conversely, Fenix initially declared that “no AI” was involved in “Rubberz.” However, after a music analysis tool suggested AI elements in the track, he admitted to some AI usage but insisted it did not influence the recording process, as he was unaware of the app until late in the mixing phase.
Hip-Hop’s Dance Floor History Resurfaces
As the debate over AI overshadowed the music, another movement began to emerge. Rappers across the United States are now looking back into hip-hop’s rich dance-floor history. Kendrick Lamar’s Number One hit “Squabble Up” draws inspiration from Debbie Deb’s freestyle classic “When I Hear Music.” Likewise, Drake’s 2025 hit “Nokia” integrates a vibrant keyboard riff along with the bounce of Atlanta bass. This year also saw Drake revisit dance styles with his album Maid of Honour, while Chicago’s BabyChiefDoit’s electro-infused “Ghetto Love Story” climbed to Number 44 on the Hot 100, capturing the resurgence of danceable rap.
A Broader Context: More Than Just Nostalgia
While the term “Eighties revival” may encapsulate the trend, it fails to address the complexity of what’s happening in today’s music. Popular artists like The Weeknd and Dua Lipa have mined Eighties sounds, but the rappers of today often draw from a different archive. “Everybody in pop these days wants a piece of Eighties synth-pop, but these artists are doing it in a specifically hip-hop way,” explained Rob Sheffield, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone. They are revisiting important moments in the evolution of music, paying homage to specific Eighties regional rap scenes.
The Unique Legacy of Hip-Hop
Vivian Host, a music journalist and DJ, cautioned against oversimplifying genres. She argued that freestyle, electro, and bass music should not be conflated with Eighties synth-pop. “I would say electro, freestyle, Miami bass and Eighties synth-pop spoke to different cultural/regional communities,” Host emphasized. This sentiment finds support in the example of Kendrick Lamar’s “Squabble Up,” which channels a distinct Miami influence wrapped in freestyle rhythms, thereby creating a unique sound that resonates with diverse audiences.
An Ongoing Evolution
Oliver Wang, sociology professor and DJ, pointed out that the connection to the Eighties has always been present in hip-hop, which has historically thrived on reinterpreting earlier sounds. “The Eighties ushered in this incredible diversity of distinct musical flavors,” Wang noted. He indicated that today’s artists aren’t the first to blend old and new; it’s a foundational aspect of hip-hop’s creative landscape.
Early hip-hop thrived on dance music’s infectious beats alongside other genres. Egyptian Lover, a pioneering figure in Los Angeles electro, reflected on how genres evolved over time. “Electro was hip-hop,” he clarified. This synthesis of sounds created the vibrant backdrop against which the early genre flourished.
A Celebration of Hip-Hop’s Unique Legacy
As contemporary rap continues to grapple with its identity and the currents of mainstream music, there is a simultaneous movement toward connecting the past with the present. Many artists seek to rekindle the dance-floor energy that defined early hip-hop. Rob Sheffield highlighted this generational connection as a celebration of hip-hop’s unique legacy, stating that these musical explorations foster community and understanding across different rap eras and cultures. “It sounds really different from the Dua/Weeknd synth-pop approach. I hear it as hip-hop celebrating its own unique legacy,” he concluded.
