Total variation in popular rap vocals from 2009-2023: extension of the analysis by Georgieva, Ripolles & McFee

Pitch variability in rap vocals is overlooked in favor of the genre's uniquely dynamic rhythmic properties. We present an analysis of fundamental frequency (F0) variation in rap vocals over the past 14 years, focusing on song examples that represent the state of modern rap music. Our analysis aims at identifying meaningful trends over time, and is in turn a continuation of the 2023 analysis by Georgieva, Ripolles & McFee. They found rap to be an outlier with larger F0 variation compared to other genres, but with a declining trend since the genre's inception. However, they only analyzed data through 2010. Our analysis looks beyond 2010. We once again observe rap's large F0 variation, but with a decelerated decline in recent years.