NOAH THROOP
Picture a rapper writing a song — but now forget about the pen and paper. In fact, in a recording studio these days, there may be no actual writing happening at all.
While many fans and listeners might still have that outdated, old-school image of an artist scribbling furiously in a notepad — think Tupac, Nas or Eminem — many younger hip-hop artists grew up idolizing stars like Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Future and Young Thug, all of whom have boasted about never putting their lyrics to paper, or even a phone screen.
Instead, using technological advances in digital recording, much of modern rap music is composed via a strange, improvisational studio technique known as “punching in” — a mumbling, nonsensical-at-first, freestyle approach to every line, one at a time, until a song is fully formed.
Producers: Joe Coscarelli, Noah Throop
Cinematographer: Noah Throop
Editor: Noah Throop
Designer: Tala Safie
Archival: Dahlia Kozlowsky
Senior Producer: Alicia DeSantis, Jeesoo Park
Executive Producer: Solana Pyne