clipping.

clipping. is a seminal Los Angeles-based experimental hip-hop trio consisting of rapper Daveed Diggs and producers William Hutson and Jonathan Snipes.

Formed in 2009, the group emerged from a background of noise music, film composition, and theater, which heavily informs their unique aesthetic. Their sound identity is defined by the use of musique concrete techniques, where traditional instruments are replaced by field recordings and found-object percussion, such as smashing bricks or clicking pens. Diggs's lyrical approach is notably constrained by a refusal to use first-person pronouns, resulting in a detached, cinematic narrative style that focuses on world-building and character studies rather than personal confession. Their career arc saw a rapid ascent from the self-released 'Midcity' to a long-standing relationship with Sub Pop Records. Critically, they are viewed as a bridge between the harsh noise scene and underground hip-hop, often cited alongside acts like Death Grips and Dälek. Their work frequently explores themes of horror, Afrofuturism, and social critique, cementing their position as one of the most intellectually ambitious acts in modern rap.