Wired 25: The Top Hip-Hop Stars That Are 25 & Younger - Page 6
Once upon a time, Hip-Hop used to put 40-year-old rappers out to pasture before they had the opportunity to get business savvy. It was a cold time that we casually shrugged off by saying, “It’s a young man’s game.”
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Those days are gone, but by and large, it’s still a youth-driven culture that provides for talented people of all ages. One month deep into a new year, here is some new blood in the form of the top 25 Hip-Hop stars that are 25 & younger.
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Photo: WENN
photo: WENN
Casey Veggies
Young Veggies won’t blow you away with bars, but he’s got a surprisingly nimble array of flows and cadences to ride the top-notch beats he chooses. Listen closely and you’ll be surprised at the moments of introspection.
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Azealia Banks
There’s only room for one Azealia to bloom on this list. We’re riding with the one who can blend different genres without making tone deaf assumptions about her place in the culture. Plus Banks can really rap and does it without a faux Southern accent.
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Travis Scott
Either Travis heavily inspired Yeezus (for better or worse) or he just wants to ride ‘Ye’s wave for a bit. Let’s bet on the former and dap the young dude for experimenting with the form by co-opting the Lord Infamous flow in Auto-tune over Trap production.
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Tyler The Creator
As a bar for bar emcee, Tyler is kind of overrated. But there’s not another rapper/producer his age who can shift from juvenile subject matter, to repping for whatever this lost generation of ‘90s babies is about, then craft some easy listening material featuring Erykah Badu and Coco from Quadron.
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Mac Miller
Young EZ Mac is the opposite of an anti-drug PSA. He wasn’t nearly as bad as some critics originally said. He proved it by moving out to L.A., losing some brain cells, and making some great, experimental music.
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Vic Mensa
He doesn’t sound as quirky as Chance, and he won’t scare old people the way Chief Keef does. But Vic can incorporate all of those elements in his music in his own unique way.
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YG
YG had been at it for a minute, and all it took was some direction from DJ Mustard and Jeezy to unlock his potential. My Krazy Life was like a ratchet version of good kid, m.A.A.d city where we found out what happens when Pirus and Crips don’t get along.
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Young Thug
Yeah, his behavior is super pause-worthy sometimes. Thugger is doing some innovative things with melody, and an argument can be made that it’s not really rapping or singing. Granted, if you’re making that argument, you’re probably doing too much thinking and not enough drinking.
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Tyga
Tyga is doing some quasi-shameful stuff outside of the booth. But don’t act like you weren’t (reluctantly) messing with “Rack City,” “Make It Nasty,” “Loyal,” or “Deuces.” So yeah, he’s good for annually making or appearing on at least one of those.
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Rich Homie Quan
After their Rich Gang adventures, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to separate Quan and Young Thug. But Quan is also running in a lane of melodic, syrupy Trap singles. And that lane is winning.
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MGK
Chalk up all those clichéd “Wild Boy” antics to perception and some great marketing by Interscope. The MGK underneath all of that can rap about everything from being a young dad to being hooked on heroin, and he does it incredibly well.
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Migos
Regardless of how you emotionally feel about Migos, it’s time to stop calling them one hit wonders. They took the patented Lord Infamous flow mainstream, and should probably be giving the late Three 6 Mafia member royalties. But they’ve tapped into something, and the youthful trio doesn’t appear to be going anywhere any time soon.
