Along with promised album releases from Kanye West, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and other bigger names, there’s a lot of opportunity for up and coming acts to shine in 2015.
Noting the musical movements happening in the ever-popular musical hotbed of Atlanta to the disparity between a growing number of Chicago rappers, and even the concrete jungles of New York City, Hip-Hop Wired cites 20 rising acts that rap fans should check for in 2015.
Hit the jump for more.
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Photo: YouTube
OG Maco
Sleep on Maco if you want. The kid can rap, well. And he creates new content like it’s no one’s business. Fresh off of the release of he and Rome Fortune’s Yep EP, Maco is high-stepping into the new year with grace and class like a young Deion Sanders.
Nitty Scott, MC
So nice that she added MC to her name, the Brooklyn native has earned the tag. Making her mark in 2014 with the The Art of Chill album, we’re waiting to see where Nitty takes her music in the new year.
Kev Adams
Adams is a pick I wouldn’t have selected a week ago. But given that his Preacher’s $on recently blessed my ears, and it’s been on repeat ever since, I can safely say that Chattanooga, Tenn. has another talented artist on its hands
Michael Christmas
Representing Boston, it’s the rising lyricist’s knack for infusing comedy into his bars, which listeners can always visualize.
Alex Wiley
The Chicagoan came up alongside Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa, though he’s far from a doppelgänger.
Cozz
The Dreamville rapper came out of the gate swinging with his debut project Cozz & Effect. The tutelage of J. Cole, who’s experiencing a hell of a stride in his own career, and some friendly competition with label mate Bas could be the recipe for the Los Angeles newcomer to blaze 2015.
https://soundcloud.com/codymacc/cozz-dreams-prod-meez
Dej Loaf
Swagger is a word I loathe more than most, but it’s worth noting when mentioning this Detroit rapper. Riding the wave of her breakout single “Try Me” and the Sell Sole mixtape, let’s see how a major label’s hand affects her sound.
Goldlink
Goldlink dazzled listeners with sound and rhyme style on his 2014 project The God Complex. It
Audio Push
The resident duo on Hit-Boy’s HS87 roster ended last year on a high note and kicked the doors down early 2015 with their riot-inspiring track “Heavy,” featuring OG Maco. Needless to say that we expect for fire from the two dynamic rappers.
Rome Fortune
The eclectic Atlanta rapper swoons listeners with his playalistic flow a la some sort of slick mack, though not exclusively “Goldie.” He most recently kills his contributions to he and OG Maco’s collab EP, Yep.
D.R.A.M.
Representing the 757, or Seven-Cities area in Virginia, this Certified Fresh alum is among the most unique artists in the bunch. Thanks to hometown legends like The Neptunes, Timbaland, and Missy Elliott, D.R.A.M.’s birthplace doesn’t confine him to a certain sound — such can be heard on his 2014 project #1EPICSUMMER.
https://soundcloud.com/only1dram/02-cha-cha
Lucki Eck$
Though from Chicago, the sounds of drill are all but removed from Lucki Eck$’ music and instead is replaced by reflective rhymes delivered with a hazy, drug-inspired cadence and trippy sounds.
Key!
It’s fair to say that much of Atlanta’s bubbling music scene knows and even admires Key!. An enigma of sorts, the rapper boasts an off-kilter style, undoubtable bravado, and a chorus writing ability that could usher him into the big leagues.
Taylor Bennett
The young of the two brothers Bennett (the eldest is Chance The Rapper) can also rhyme his a$$ off, and make a song. During these times, the latter could earn the Chicagoan a trip to the promised land of rap.
BMac The Queen
The Los Angeles wordsmith quietly killed ish in 2014 on HS87’s We The Plug compilation, radio freestyles, etc. And with Hit-Boy and his fleet HS87 producers at the helm, it’s safe to say her wave will only become bigger and better.
Remy Banks
Banks, a member of Queens-bred rap group and member of the Beast Coast collective World’s Fair, also shines solo.
Jay 305
The #FreeJay305 movement put the Los Angeles rapper on my radar. But it’s his authenticity that kept me listening.
