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[EDC 2017]

Bringing hip-hop to the EDM party

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Metro Boomin
Photo: Jon Estrada
Ian Caramanzana

If you’ve stepped foot into a nightclub, listened to the radio or taken a glance at social media over the past two years, you’ve probably heard a song produced by Metro Boomin or DJ Khaled.

The former—a 23 year-old St. Louis native—is the brains behind chart-topping hip-hop hits like Migos’ “Bad and Boujee” and Big Sean’s “Bounce Back”; the latter is a Snapchat sensation whose superior networking skills have allowed him to collaborate with Drake, Beyoncé and Justin Bieber. And the two hip-hop stalwarts are moving the boomin’ bass and skittering hi-hats from the big rooms, radio waves and laptop speakers to the most major of festivals—Electric Daisy Carnival 2017.

Sonically, they’re very different: Metro Boomin’s textured compositions tend to stay on the darker side, with minor keys and ominous melodies, while DJ Khaled aims for the four-chord anthems that blur the lines between pop and rap. Though it might seem strange to bring either to EDC, their influence is undeniable, with big-name Vegas residents from Tiësto to The Chainsmokers looping their tunes into sets on a nightly basis. It’s a testament to the role hip-hop and trap now play in Vegas nightlife’s ever-evolving landscape.

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