Over the last couple of years, Milwaukee Slap music has been killing it in the underground Hip Hop scene. Artists like 414BigFrank, Myaap, and many others have been making a name for themselves, influencing the city’s music and overall energy. It feels like so many artists in Milwaukee are popping up and buying into this raucous Slap music sound, and that it is becoming a new wave in Hip Hop in general. One Milwaukee-associated artist to whom this certainly applies is Lightris. He has been on a hell of a run in 2026. If you pay attention to trending music on TikTok or Instagram, I would not be surprised if you haven’t come across him. Lightris has taken the Slap music sound and put his own twist on it. He has fused the sound with his own Electropop flair, which really makes him stand out. Lightris has been working very hard in 2026, having already dropped several singles and done several features(’Up Down’ and ‘Fallback’ are two other memorable ones). Below, I wanted to highlight Lightris’ viral single ‘KWIK TRIP,’ as well as his latest release, ‘dimples,’ as these two show the variance in his artistry as well as his unique talent. Please let me know what you think of Lightris and these two tracks(as well as any of his other music), and comment the names of any other up-and-coming artists I should check out!
As I mentioned above, ‘KWIK TRIP, which is produced by sero, has taken the internet over the last couple of months. It’s the latest Milwaukee track to truly go viral. This is the kind of track that is just so fun and eccentric that it will just get stuck in your head when you hear it. The melody for this song is so light and whimsical. It is driven by bright, sweet synths that just have such a positive tone. The beat on ‘KWIK TRIP’ definitely has a Slap Music pacing and tempo. There is something about the mix that does give the song a Dance music element as well that makes it stand out. Lightris’ vocals match the feeling of the instrumental and accentuate the energy. His flow is energetic and his tone is fresh. ‘KWIK TRIP’ is an Electro-Pop Slap banger that is just such an earworm.
When listening to ‘dimples,’ the similarities to ‘KWIK TRIP’ are surely prevalent. It does totally have a similar easy-going feeling and Milwaukee Hip Hop energy to it. The instrumental for this one does stand out or differ a bit from the aforementioned track, though. The melody for this one actually has a bit of a Pop Rock feeling that stands out. It gives early 2010s Indie Pop for sure. It’s driven by a warm guitar riff and complemented by a piano and synths that come in and out. The beat for ‘dimples’ is snappy and intricate. It has a cool level of complexity that stands out from some of his other music. It builds throughout the song in an interesting way. Lightris’ tone and flow are laid-back and cool. He matches the Pop-Rock feeling of the song so well with his delivery, giving the song a different, cool flow. ‘dimples’ is another song that shows how unique Lightris is, and it makes me excited to see what he does next!