645AR | |
---|---|
Birth name | Austin Alan Rochez |
Born | South Bronx, New York City | September 2, 1997
Origin | Atlanta, Georgia |
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Rapper |
Years active | 2016–present |
Labels | Columbia |
Austin Alan Rochez (born September 2, 1997), known professionally as 645AR, is an American rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia. Best known for his use of a high-pitched voice, a hallmark of the hip hop style dubbed "squeak rap", he has released singles with artists such as Danny Brown, Tyga, FKA Twigs, Tony Shhnow, BabyTron, Tommy Cash, Valee, and Dorian Electra. 645AR first gained recognition after his 2018 single "Crack" went viral, and he further solidified his success with the release of "4 da Trap" the following year. He subsequently signed with Columbia Records.
Rochez was born in the South Bronx region of New York City on September 2, 1997. [1] At age 11, he moved with his family to the Southern United States, living in Florida for about a year before settling in Smyrna, Georgia, [2] a city just outside of Atlanta. While there, he made connections with local rappers such as Lil Yachty through his friendships with JWitDaBeam and Slimesito. [3] He returned to New York in 2016 to attend Hostos Community College, playing basketball for the school's team, but his interest in music led him to return to Atlanta that same year where the hip hop scene had been heating up with the advent of trap's rise in popularity. [4] The numbers in his name came from his building number in the Bronx, while the letters are his first and last initials. [2]
After producing several songs, Rochez recognized the importance of distinguishing himself. He first employed his signature squeaky voice in the 2018 single "Crack". The song garnered attention when its video was reposted by fellow New Yorker Lil Tecca, including from the music industry. This led to the release of his self-titled debut album in 2019, and the single "4 da Trap" later in the year. [4] "4 da Trap" spread rapidly across the internet, to the extent that Twitter suspended 645AR's account, mistaking it for spam. [5] The momentum led the rapper to sign a record deal with Columbia Records. [4]
645AR is best known for popularizing the hip hop subgenre known as "squeak rap". [5] Building off of the experimental vocal styles of rappers such as Future, Playboi Carti, and Young Thug, (645AR himself has stated that he's heard comparisons of his work to Carti, Thug, and hyperpop duo 100 gecs. [4] ) squeaking revolves around high-pitched vocalizations delivered through an "otherworldly curvature of the voice". Said vocal distortions are said to replace lyrics in delivering the meaning of songs, with said lyrics becoming "virtually indecipherable". [5] Other names for the style include "baby voice rap", "chipmunk rap", and "fetus vocal rap". 645AR has said he intends for his music to make listeners have out-of-body experiences, "like they're in another world." [6] Though often suspected of being achieved artificially with tools such as pitch correction, 645AR has stated that his squeak is entirely natural [3] and even demonstrated it live in a video for Genius. [5] [7] His natural voice is a baritone. [8] Dr. Calbert Graham of the University of Cambridge Language Sciences Centre said 645AR's voice sounded like a human synthesizer, and that it sounded like he was tensing his thyrohyoid muscle to achieve his falsetto. Graham said he "wouldn't imagine a musician would say that's the proper way of producing a falsetto", calling it innovative and saying 645AR is "testing the boundaries of what constitutes rap". [9]
Squeak rap is often described as a musical internet meme, [6] something which 645AR is noted as embracing, up to and including a video the artist made in which he jokingly claims that his voice originated from having been possessed by Mickey Mouse. [5] He is also frequently compared to fictional characters with high-pitched voices such as Mickey Mouse, Alvin and the Chipmunks, [10] Elmo, [5] [8] Pikachu, [11] and Isabelle from the video game series Animal Crossing , [12] as well as animals such as mosquitos, [5] mice, and bedbugs. [9] Despite this, 645AR is also considered to be sincere about his work, saying he finds his lyrics to be important and that he takes more time writing them than other artists. [3] He is said to speak "to the streets with harrowing tales". [1]
645AR's style has been compared to hyperpop [13] [14] with the rapper even being outright called a hyperpop artist. [15] [16] He has made songs with hyperpop artists such as Dorian Electra, [17] Isomonstrosity, [18] and Umru. [19] The latter song was featured on hyperpop pioneer record label PC Music's compilation album PC Music, Vol. 3. [20]
Multiple artists have had their own use of falsetto compared to 645AR, such as Adam Levine, [21] Baby Keem, [22] FKA Twigs, [23] and Fousheé. [24]
While growing up in the Bronx, 645AR listened to New York rappers 50 Cent and Jay-Z. After moving south, he incorporated Southern rappers T-Pain and Lil Wayne into his listening. [2]
Year | Title | Other artists | Release |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | "Hollywood Road" | Larry League, Reddo, 10kDunkin, Tony Shhnow | Non-album single |
"Workin" | 10kDunkin, FastATL | 96 Problemz | |
"NoProblems" | |||
2018 | "Out of Boundz" | Non-album singles | |
"End of the Day" | Slimesito | ||
"True 2 Dat" | JWitDaBeam | S.O.S III | |
"Copy" | 10kDunkin | Non-album singles | |
"#FreeTony Freestyle" | 10kDunkin | ||
"Monster" | Reddo, Tony Shhnow, 10kDunkin, Larry League | ||
"Day Day Bishop" | |||
"Itch" | |||
"Knicks" | Texako | ||
"Money in There" | Larry Loudpack | ||
"Zoo" | Tony Shhnow | ||
"Crack" | Tony Shhnow, Bag Ty | 645AR | |
2019 | "SOS da Gang" | Tony Shhnow | Non-album singles |
"Militant" | Lil Xelly, 10kDunkin, Bag Ty | ||
"Dat Guy" | |||
"Notta Rapper" | JWitDaBeam, 10kDunkin | ||
"Zion" | |||
"Salute" | |||
"Up" | JWitDaBeam, Tony Shhnow | ||
"Aint Tryna Kick It" | Hate | ||
"Bible and a K" | 645AR | ||
"Plan" | Reddo | Non-album singles | |
"Beef It Up" | |||
"Check Off a Voice" | 10kDunkin | ||
"Momma Beat Me I Beat Dat Block" | JWitDaBeam, 10kDunkin, Tony Shhnow | ||
"Like Mike" [25] | NGeeYL | ||
"Yoga" [8] | |||
"Rundown" | DoobieRockStar, 3AGPilot, JWitDaBeam | ||
"4 da Trap" | Most Hated | ||
2020 | "Ready Set Go" | JWitDaBeam, 10kDunkin | Non-album singles |
"Beat It" | BabyTron | ||
"Flight to LA" | Bouba Savage | ||
"In Love With a Stripper" [4] | |||
"Juggin Got Me Rich" | DQTheGawd | ||
"Finger Roll" | |||
"Dash" | |||
"Made a Way" | |||
"Itchy Fingers" | |||
"Sum Bout U" [26] | FKA Twigs | ||
"4 da Trap (Fine Tuned Version)" | |||
"Ride 4 You" | |||
"After L Come M" | 2 Train 2 Foreigns 2 | ||
2021 | "Aint No Rule" | 10kDunkin | Non-album singles |
"Chirpin" | |||
"Count On" | |||
"Happy" [17] | Dorian Electra | ||
"Rental" | Lil Reek | ||
"Check1" [19] | Umru, Tommy Cash | ||
"On My Back" | |||
2022 | "God Chose Me" [27] | Tyga | |
"Never That" | MVW, Valee | ||
"Check1 (Six Impala remix)" | Umru, Tommy Cash | ||
"Careful What You Wish For" [28] | Isomonstrosity, Danny Brown | ||
2023 | "MS20" | Lapsung | |
"Got 2 Kno" | |||
"Shot 4 Shot" | Yuno Miles |
Mario Sentell Giden Mims, known professionally as Yo Gotti, is an American rapper and music executive. In 1996, he released his debut album Youngsta's On a Come Up under the alias Lil Yo. He went on to release From Da Dope Game 2 Da Rap Game (2000), Self-Explanatory (2001), Life (2003), Back 2 da Basics (2006), Live from the Kitchen (2012), I Am (2013), The Art of Hustle (2016), I Still Am (2017), Untrapped (2020), and CM10: Free Game (2022).
Hip Hop Is Dead is the eighth studio album by American rapper Nas, released December 19, 2006, on Def Jam Recordings. His first album for the label, it was co-financed by Nas's previous label, Columbia Records, which once distributed for Def Jam. The album's title was inspired by Nas's view of the music industry and the state of hip hop music at the time. The album features appearances from Nas's then-wife Kelis, Def Jam label-mates Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Chrisette Michele, as well as will.i.am, Snoop Dogg, and The Game, among others.
Trap is a subgenre of hip hop music that originated in the Southern United States, with lyrical references to trap starting in 1991 but the modern sound of trap appearing in 1999. The genre gets its name from the Atlanta slang term "trap house", a house used exclusively to sell drugs. Trap music uses synthesized drums and is characterized by complex hi-hat patterns, snare drums, bass drums, some tuned with a long decay to emit a bass frequency, and lyrical content that often focuses on drug use and urban violence.
Tahliah Debrett Barnett, known professionally as FKA Twigs, is a British singer, songwriter, and dancer. She was a backup dancer for numerous musicians, and made her musical debut with EP1 (2012). Barnett's debut studio album, LP1 (2014), reached number 16 on the UK Albums Chart and number 30 on the US Billboard 200. It was nominated for that year's Mercury Prize. She released the EP M3LL155X (2015) and took a four-year hiatus, after which she released her second studio album, Magdalene (2019). After signing with Atlantic Records, she released the mixtape Caprisongs (2022). Her work has garnered acclaim and has been described as "genre-bending", drawing on various genres including electronic music, trip hop, R&B, and avant-garde.
LP1 is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter FKA Twigs, released on 6 August 2014 by Young Turks. Production for the album is handled by FKA Twigs herself, alongside Emile Haynie, Arca, Cy An, Devonté Hynes, Clams Casino, Paul Epworth, Sampha and Tic.
"Two Weeks" is a song by English singer FKA Twigs from her debut studio album, LP1 (2014). The song was released digitally on 24 June 2014 as the album's lead single. It was also released on 12-inch vinyl on 29 July 2014, featuring the song "Pendulum" as a B-side.
English singer and songwriter FKA Twigs has released two studio albums, one mixtape, three extended plays, twelve singles, one promotional single and eighteen music videos.
1017 Global Music, LLC, also known as The New 1017 Records, is an American record label founded by Gucci Mane in 2007. Its formation followed his departure from Mizay Entertainment and the dissolution of So Icey. The label's most notable artists include Gucci Mane, Young Thug, Waka Flocka Flame, Pooh Shiesty, OJ da Juiceman, and the late Big Scarr.
Lucki Camel Jr., better known mononymously as Lucki, is an American rapper and record producer from Chicago, Illinois. Regarded as an influential figure in underground hip-hop, he initially came to public attention in 2013 after releasing his debut mixtape, Alternative Trap. He followed with a number of projects, including his debut studio album Freewave 3 (2019); he later followed with the mixtapes Days B4 III (2019) and Almost There (2020) after signing to record label Empire.
Timothy Cornell Patterson, known professionally as Mozzy, is an American rapper from Sacramento, California. He signed with Yo Gotti's record label Collective Music Group (CMG), an imprint of Interscope Records in 2022, having previously signed with local independent label, Blackmarket Records. He is best known for his 2021 single "Last One Standing" from the film Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Miles Parks McCollum, known professionally as Lil Yachty, is an American rapper. He first gained recognition in August 2015 for his viral hit "One Night" from his debut EP Summer Songs. He then released his debut mixtape Lil Boat in March 2016, and signed a joint venture record deal with Motown, Capitol Records, and Quality Control Music in June of that year.
Jordan Terrell Cartera, known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper and record producer. An influential figure among his generation, he has contributed to the progression of trap music along with its subgenre of rage. He first signed with the local underground record label Awful Records in 2014, and later signed with ASAP Mob's record label AWGE, in a joint venture with Interscope Records two years later. Carter gained mainstream attention following the release of his eponymous debut mixtape (2017), which peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-charting singles "Magnolia" and "Wokeuplikethis".
Emo rap is a fusion genre of hip hop and emo music. Originating in the SoundCloud rap scene in the mid-2010s, the genre fuses characteristics of hip hop music, such as beats and rapping, with the lyrical themes, instrumentals, and vocals commonly found in emo music. Lil Peep, XXXTentacion, and Juice Wrld are some of the most notable musicians in the genre.
Dominique Armani Jones, known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He rose to prominence following the release of his 2017 mixtapes Harder than Hard and Too Hard, the former of which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100 entry with its lead single, "My Dawg." He signed with Quality Control Music, an imprint of Motown and Capitol Records to release his debut studio album Harder Than Ever (2018), which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and was supported by the Billboard Hot 100-top ten single "Yes Indeed". He released two additional retail projects that same year: The collaborative mixtape Drip Harder with fellow Georgia-based rapper Gunna—which saw continued success with its singles "Drip Too Hard" and "Close Friends"—and his commercial mixtape Street Gossip, which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.
Magdalene is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter FKA Twigs. Released on 8 November, 2019, by Young Turks, it is her first project since her EP M3LL155X (2015), and first full-length record since LP1 (2014). The album features a sole guest appearance from American rapper Future. FKA Twigs produced the album herself, with a wide range of co-producers including Nicolas Jaar, Koreless, Daniel Lopatin, Skrillex, Benny Blanco, Michael Uzowuru and Noah Goldstein, who also served as executive producer alongside Twigs.
Dayvon Daquan Bennett, known professionally as King Von, was an American rapper and gangster from Chicago, Illinois. He is largely considered one of the most preeminent figures of the drill genre.
"Ego Death" is a song by American singer Ty Dolla Sign featuring American rapper Kanye West, English singer-songwriter FKA Twigs, and American DJ Skrillex, released for digital download and streaming through Atlantic Records on July 1, 2020, as the lead single from the former's third studio album, Featuring Ty Dolla Sign (2020). It contains additional vocals by Serpentwithfeet, Angela Davis, and Jariuce "Jehreeus" Banks. Ty Dolla Sign, Skrillex, and BoogzDaBeast produced the song. According to Ty, the song expands on West's "Fade", which he was featured on alongside Post Malone. Initially previewed after the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2019, the former experienced an internet leak in March 2020.
"Sum Bout U" is a song by American rapper 645AR featuring English singer-songwriter FKA Twigs, released on August 4, 2020, by Columbia Records. The song was written alongside producer SenseiATL and co-producer El Guincho, and came with a music video directed by Aidan Zamiri.
Hyperpop is a loosely defined electronic music movement and microgenre that predominantly originated in the United Kingdom during the early 2010s. It is characterised by a maximalist or exaggerated take on popular music, and artists within the microgenre typically integrate pop and avant-garde sensibilities while drawing on elements commonly found in electronic, hip hop, and dance music.
Caprisongs is the first mixtape by English singer-songwriter FKA Twigs. It was released on 14 January 2022 through Young and Atlantic Records. The mixtape features guest appearances from Pa Salieu, the Weeknd, Shygirl, Dystopia, Rema, Daniel Caesar, Jorja Smith, and Unknown T. The production is handled by el Guincho, who co-executive produced the mixtape alongside Twigs, as well as Arca, Cirkut, and Mike Dean, among others. The mixtape was supported by one single, "Tears in the Club", which features the Weeknd, and one promotional single, "Jealousy", which features Rema.