BEATMAKING IN BAIXADA FLUMINENSE (RJ): Technology, creativity and listening

Abstract

In this work, I examine the connections between beatmakers from Baixada Fluminense and the digital devices they use in the phonographic production of beats for rap subgenres such as boom bap and trap. Based on interviews conducted in 2024 and 2025 with six regular beatmaking practitioners, I discuss how electronic-digital, technical-musical, and socioeconomic aspects relate to the musical background, listening practices, creativity, and professional development of these social actors. In this analysis, I seek to understand how the interaction between beatmakers and technologies influences their creativity, shapes their perceptual processes, and contributes to the understanding they build of their practice.