What is Lofi Hip Hop and Why Is It So Popular?

Lofi hip hop (also known as chillhop and lofi beats to study to) is a form of downtempo music that combines elements of hip hop and chill-out music and is, today, a huge part of the culture when it comes to hip hop and chill hip hop music. But, where did it come from?

Lo-fi hip-hop originated within the underground beat-making hip-hop scene of the 2000s, combining different elements of hip hop and other music along with a chill vibe, the genre has gained in popularity exponentially. Some artists that are regarded as the forefathers of lofi hip-hop are american producer J-Dilla and Japanese DJ Nujabes.

J Dilla worked with multiple hip-hop artists. He created hip-hop music with more lo-fi sounds. He created chill beats and laidback sounds and humanized the drum pattern, so it didn’t sound too stiff like most drum machines did at the time.

Lo-fi music has just the right recipe for your brain. It is slow enough but not too slow. It’s also not so fast it makes you feel anxious.In 2013, YouTube began hosting live streams, which resulted in 24-hour “radio stations” among this list includes names you may be familiar with: Lofi Girl, Chilled Cow, etc.

Viewership of lo-fi hip hop streams grew significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.In April 2020, MTV News noted, “there might be something to be said for lo-fi hip-hop’s composition, and the way its creators mix simplistic melodies with a judicious use of words to create intense memories, feelings, and nostalgia” and stated that the quarantine in place in various countries “has led people to log more hours online due to boredom or virtual workplaces and schools, and livestreamed music performances are reaching their full potential”.

For more information on the genre head over to Lost Sound Radio for the full Lofi experience