In SVT's documentary series When hip-hop took over, music journalist Johannes Cakar and producer Thomas Jackson describe how artists within the genre have found new ways to communicate through their own news channels, comedy clips and series on apps such as Instagram and Tiktok.  

- The presence on social media has also opened up participation from the audience and fundamentally changed Swedish youth culture, says Johannes Cakar in the program.  

Alan Max: Monetary gain in mind 

Alan Max monitors hip-hop via social media and runs one of Sweden's largest channels about the genre.

He believes that so-called Tiktok songs are created mainly to make money.  

- Artists enter the studio with the idea of ​​creating a few lines that you can dance to or make hand gestures to that go viral, says Alan Max. 

Half a song compared to five years ago 

He also says that he sees how the new trend has changed the music itself.

The songs are not of the same quality, are consumed faster and have a shorter lifespan.  

- Now they want to produce a short verse that can be made into videos.

You don't get enough before you are satisfied as a listener, which in turn leads to more streams as listeners play the song on repeat.

That's half a song compared to five years ago. 

Watch the documentary series When hip-hop took over on SVT Play, or coming Wednesdays at 10:00 pm on SVT1. 

Five Swedish hip-hop moments

  • 2009: The cartel is founded from prison

    33 sec

  • 2010: First rap battle

    27 sec

  • 2013: Linda Pira paves the way

    24 sec

  • 2015: Ison & Fille in So much better

    42 sec

  • 2017: "Trap hype" hits the charts

    37 sec