DiscoverAtlanta.com homepage
Loading

ONE Musicfest is the Southeast’s largest urban music and arts festival. (📷 ONE Musicfest)

Where to Hear Trap, Rap and Hip-Hop Music in Atlanta

I Am ATL Banner - Atlanta.net

We be on that hip-hop all night, man, we be on it all day. Straight up, pimp. If you want it you can find it in the A. Thanks for the inspiration, Big Boi.

As hip-hop music capital of the South, Atlanta has a pedigree for banging out hip-hop music and trap music artists that have redefined the musical genre beyond the Atlanta hip-hop scene and into one of the most prolific and followed sounds in the world. From the likes of OutKast, T.I., Ludacris, Killer Mike, Goodie Mob, Childish Gambino, Jermaine Dupri, Jeezy, 6lack, Gucci Mane, Future, Migos, 2 Chainz and more (whew, we’re out of breath), you can’t deny that the South definitely has something to say.

It’s the reason so many up-and-coming hip-hop music artists flock to Atlanta to make it big. There’s definitely something in the water, and you can find it at these hot spots for hip-hop music and famous trap music stops in the ATL.

The life cycle of Atlanta’s hip-hop and trap culture has always been about giving back and guiding the next generation of artists. See how Dungeon Family’s KP the Great is guiding new hit makers like College Park’s Kap G.
📷 MJQ Concourse

MJQ Concourse

Equal parts hole in the wall and ATL institution, MJQ Concourse doles out the culture with pristine hip-hop vibes giving a feel for the trap scene. Check out Fantastic Fridays every third Friday of the month for old school hits that are sure to keep your head bobbing.
Where: 736 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta, Ga. 30306

Apache Cafe

Since 2001, Apache Cafe has been a mainstay in the Atlanta music scene as a haven for neo-soul vibes and hip-hop culture. Serving as a backdrop for monthly open mic nights, unsigned artists have a spotlight to flex their lyrics to industry execs.
Where: 880 Woodrow St. SW, Atlanta, Ga. 30310

Union EAV

From old school hip-hop DJ sets and live concerts to underground rap cyphers and open mic showcases, Union EAV delivers on its namesake in uniting local artists with a clamoring community of beat lovers ready to hear them drop some verses.
Where: 485 Flat Shoals Ave. SE, Atlanta, Ga. 30316

📷 The Basement Facebook

The Basement

Whether it’s mouthing the words to your favorite throwback hip-hop tracks or vibing to new bangers, The Basement is where it all happens. This is one dance party you won’t want to miss.
Where: 1245 Glenwood Ave. SE, Atlanta, Ga. 30316

Best Restaurants and Bars with Signature Bites and Trap Beats

Photo Credit: Zorzi Creative

Little Spirit

Want some Wu Tang-inspired sips with your hip-hop beats? We got you covered, fam. Enter the 36 Chambers of stellar cocktails and rap tunes playlist to boost your enjoyment at Little Spirit in Inman Park.
Where: 299 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta, Ga. 30307

Photo Courtesy: Escobar Restaurant and Tapas Facebook

Escobar Restaurant and Tapas

What can be more hip-hop than a rapper owning his very own restaurant to celebrate the culture and music of his peers? 2 Chainz’s Escobar Restaurant and Tapas delivers on combining signature bites with trap beats and hookah in a venue full of up-and-coming talent ready to buried in a Gucci store. Plus there’s a DJ booth made out of a gold Mercedes-Benz. Just sayin’.
Where: 327 Peters St SW, Atlanta, Ga. 30313

📷 The Sound Table

The Sound Table

This Old Fourth Ward mainstay is here to make you groove. Whether it’s DJ sets spinning everything from old school hip-hop to trap or live performances, The Sound Table made the Edgewood Avenue nightlife scene what it is today.
Where: 483 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta, Ga. 30312

📷 MOTHER Bar + Kitchen

MOTHER Bar + Kitchen

DJs belting out unapologetic rhythms and booze fill the bricked-out walls of part art gallery-part bar-part music destination, MOTHER in O4W. Offering karaoke for brave civilians and live showcases for independent artist honing their craft, this is one bar built for bass-heavy beats.
Where: 447 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta, Ga. 30312

CRU Urban Lounge

The phrase “It’s lit” definitely must’ve had hookah house CRU Urban Lounge in mind. Make your way through the green neon glow of the flavored smoke-filled Downtown space and prepare to catch a vibe with karaoke and DJs spinning trap-heavy tunes.
Where: 255 Trinity Ave. SW, Atlanta, Ga. 30303

Best Festivals to See the Hottest Trap and Hip-Hop Music Artists

📷 ONE Musicfest

ONE Musicfest

ONE Musicfest started as a block party on the Westside and continues to grow exponentially year after year, bringing top tier artists to the forefront of ATL’s hip-hop culture. With the likes of Lauryn Hill, Rick Ross, Gucci Mane, Tory Lanez and even Wu-Tang Clan making appearances, this is one hip-hop music festival you won’t want to miss.
When: September
Where: Centennial Olympic Park

📷 A3C Festival Facebook

A3C Festival & Conference

What started as a small local showcase in 2005, has grown into an all-week conference for the culture. Diving deep into the state of hip-hop, the A3C Festival & Conference seeks to pay homage to the pioneers of the industry and introduce new artists to the scene. Equal parts rap state of the union and music festival, with industry royalty like T.I, Kevin Liles, Lenny S and more speaking on the business of hip-hop, this is a gathering for artists to make their sound known.
When: October
Where: Atlanta Convention Center at AmericasMart and Hotel Indigo

Photo Credit: Ian Rawn

Music Midtown

Sporting an expanse of music industry heavyweights since 1994, Music Midtown is the OG of music festivals. And its focus on bringing big-name acts to ATL hasn’t diminished since. With past festivals bringing hip-hop titans such as Eminem, Drake and Kendrick Lamar to more than 130,000 screaming fans, the most recent iteration features the hottest artists in the game to date, Travis Scott and Cardi B. Okurrr.
When: September
Where: Piedmont Park

ATL Hip Hop Day Festival

In its 9th year, the ATL Hip Hop Day Festival has been a welcome gathering to celebrate hip-hop and trap music with the hungry artists who will soon flood your social media feeds. The free (yes, free) festival at Woodruff Park features a full lineup of young talent, DJ sets and maybe a few surprise guests.
When: October
Where: Woodruff Park

📷 Chris Watkins

Trap Music Museum

This is the trap, this ain’t no album; it’s actually the Trap Music Museum. The Westside ode to the musical genre born in the ATL is the brainchild of the inimitable T.I. (who’d probably appreciate us using a word like inimitable), created as a pop-up art and educational installation of the music and artists who have lived and died by the culture since day one. Featuring a trap-centric escape room, 2Chainz’s 1978 Chevy Impala from the famed Pink Trap House and vignettes of a corner store, grandma’s plastic-covered living room and a jail cell, the insightful museum also brings out the celebs for intimate concerts, album release parties and a weekly “Trappy Hour” featuring drinks and DJ sets.
When: Year-Round
Where: Westside

Chris Watkins is an Atlanta-based writer and photographer and serves as the voice of Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (@DiscoverAtlanta) on social media. You can follow him on Instagram @christopherbw.

Discover More

Get to know Atlanta, and discover the best things to do around the city.