Dutch Trap Pioneers
#YellowClawBloodForMercy celebrates Amsterdam duo Jim Aasgier and Nizzle’s debut album Blood For Mercy (June 2015), which fused trap, hardstyle, hip-hop, and dancehall into an aggressive party sound.
Origins & Trap City
Yellow Claw emerged from Amsterdam’s club scene:
- “DJ Turn It Up” (2014): Trap anthem featuring DJ Snake-style drops
- “In My Room” (feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Tyga, 2014): Hip-hop crossover
- Mad Decent backing: Diplo’s label supported early releases
- Barong Family label (2014): Independent label for trap/bass music
Their production style: trap wobbles + hardstyle kicks + hip-hop vocals + dancehall riddims.
Blood For Mercy Album
Debut album featured diverse collaborators:
- “Till It Hurts” (feat. Ayden, 2015): Trap/future bass anthem
- “In My Room” (feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Tyga): Hip-hop crossover (already released 2014)
- “Shotgun” (feat. Rochelle, 2015): Dancehall/trap hybrid
- “City On Lockdown” (feat. Juicy J & Lil Debbie, 2015): Southern hip-hop influence
Album showcased Yellow Claw’s genre-bending approach, refusing pure trap label.
Los Amsterdam & Continued Evolution
Los Amsterdam (2017) expanded sonic palette:
- “Love & War” (feat. Yade Lauren, 2017): Melodic trap
- “Villain” (feat. Valentina & Becky G, 2017): Latin trap crossover
- “Open” (feat. Moksi & Jonna Fraser, 2017): Dutch/English bilingual track
Barong Family Label
Yellow Claw founded Barong Family (2014) releasing:
- LNY TNZ, Cesqeaux, Mike Cervello, Chace, Crisis Era
- Focus: Trap, hardstyle, bass house, experimental
- YouTube channel: Millions of views promoting label artists
Label became trap/hardstyle crossover hub.
Festival Presence
Yellow Claw dominated festival circuits:
- Tomorrowland: Main Stage performances (2015-2019)
- Ultra Music Festival: Worldwide Stage
- EDC Las Vegas: Circuit Grounds (2015-2019)
- European tours: Amsterdam Dance Event residency
Cultural Impact
- Dutch trap: Pioneered Netherlands trap scene
- Hardstyle crossover: Blended trap with hardstyle kicks
- Barong Family: Built independent label empire
- Hip-hop collabs: Worked with Ty Dolla $ign, Juicy J, Tyga, A$AP Ferg
- Global sound: Fused American trap, Dutch hardstyle, dancehall
Key Tracks
- “DJ Turn It Up” (2014)
- “In My Room” (feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Tyga, 2014)
- “Till It Hurts” (feat. Ayden, 2015)
- “Shotgun” (feat. Rochelle, 2015)
- “Love & War” (feat. Yade Lauren, 2017)