Earlier this year, Justin Bieber posted an earnest Instagram story about his feelings of impostor syndrome, and another describing how he felt like he was “drowning” in pent-up hatred from his past. This, coupled with paparazzi photos over the past few months where Bieber appeared somewhat disheveled, spurred rumors about drug use that his camp quickly shut down. Even so, those rumors briefly escalated after Bieber went live on Instagram late last month, previewing a potential new musical direction seemingly inspired by the sensibilities of SoundCloud rap. The raw-sounding recordings had the energy of early Lil Pump mixed with Gen Z acts like Osamason, replete with trembling, maxed-out drums nearly drowning out the kind of soft, treacly guitar melodies you’d expect from an earlier era in Bieber’s career, almost like his new sound was obliterating his past work in real time.
The flurry of posts coming from the Grammy-winning musician this year is so beyond what you’d expect from a polished pop star that many of Bieber’s former associates are apparently worried about the superstar musician. In a new report from The Hollywood Reporter this week, former insiders suggested that Bieber’s finances were in distress. Bieber’s reps have denied the claims.
But the musician’s recent activities do indicate something else: He has good taste, specifically in the current generation of hip-hop. Just this past week, Bieber and his wife, Hailey, were seen in the front row during Yeat’s performance at Coachella. That same night, he was seen chatting with Twitch streamer Plaqueboymax, who is quickly becoming the voice of the new vanguard in rap. In recent weeks, he has posted photo dumps to Instagram featuring songs by rising rappers, including 1900Rugrat, one set to “The Truth” by Nine Vicious, another set to Ken Carson, and most recently, a post featuring sneakers from his new brand, Skylrk, set to Babytron. In other posts, he’s seen linking up with noted Opium affiliate Burberry Erry. This past weekend, he was seen turning up at Sexyy Red’s birthday party in Los Angeles. Assuming the rumors of distress and drug use are indeed false, and that Bieber’s health isn’t in doubt, it would appear that he is doing all he can to shed himself of the past and chart a new, rather drippy, future.
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Speaking of drip, the clothes he’s been previewing are unironically very good. It’s a cross between the playful color-driven ethos of popular streetwear brands like Cactus Plant Flea Market, mixed with the elevated design sense of YZY. The marketing is on point, too. This week, Bieber released a teaser featuring Gunna and Kai Cenat. Out of all of the celebrities currently trying to make clothes, Bieber’s latest effort feels like the best we’ve seen since before Ye lost his mind.
It’s also worth noting that Bieber has long dabbled in the world of hip-hop; let’s not forget his freestyle on Power 106 back in 2011. Lately, however, he’s proven to be deeply tapped into the current generation of rappers whose music exists in stark contrast to mainstream sensibilities. It even explains the more unvarnished approach to posting he’s taken recently. The 31-year-old Justin Bieber, who became a father last year, is on the cusp of two generations and possibly sees the writing on the wall for how fans want to engage with music going forward.
Like the new class of internet-born rap stars he posts, there’s a rejection of the prim and polish we’ve come to expect from celebrities. Fans would rather see screenshots of your FIFA matches and unflattering angles of you sitting on the couch than the umpteenth brand collaboration or photo shoot. In fact, it’s become so common for big-name acts to try and shed the sheen of their celebrity lately, one wonders why Bieber hasn’t opted for a private finsta account for these latest musings.
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Still, it makes sense that Bieber’s fan base doesn’t quite know how to take this new direction. Bold moves tend to take time to metabolize in the public consciousness. The snippets he shared on Instagram Live were surprising at first, but also kind of brilliant, full of the raw, emotive energy of Playboi Carti or Young Thug, artists who can evoke a world of feeling with a grunt unfurled from deep within their psyche.
Bieber’s turn toward internet rap comes as acts like Carti dominate the charts, proving that the maximalist sound of the younger generation is likely here to stay. More than calculated maneuvering, something about Bieber’s latest posts seems more like a private affinity finally being made public. Up until now, the world was only ready for small doses of rapper Bieber (his feature on Travis Scott’s “Maria I’m Drunk” remains a classic), but in 2025, it seems like we might be ready to see him go all the way.
