Rap and Hip-Hop has always been the subject of heavy discrimination ever since I can remember, and for all of the wrong reasons. Artists like Chief Keef, Migos, and Travi$ Scott give the implication that hip-hop is a mindless art form that only gangbangers can enjoy. That is not the case. Here are eight rappers who should be on your radar.
Rappers like Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Future will not be featured on this list, since they have all reached superstardom.
Also, the links to songs are the explicit versions of the songs.
1. Chance the Rapper
When you make music like this, people take notice very quickly. Chancelor Bennett, or Chance the Rapper, has been making waves in the hip-hop community since 2013 with the release of his mixtape, "Acid Rap." He has been taking over the world with his insightful rhymes as well as his public voice making people look at themselves in a way that hasn't been seen in a long time. Chance just released his third mixtape, "Coloring Book." You can stream it here.
2. Lil' Dicky
Hailing from outside of Philadelphia, David Burd, AKA Lil' Dicky, has made a nice little niche for himself within past couple of years. His ascent began when his first song "Ex-Boyfriend," which gained a million views within its first day. Dicky's name is a joke that is seen in the photo above, but what has made him stick out has been his lyrical flow and his willingness to realize his privilege. Moving beyond that, everything from his witty rhymes to his multiple different flows has endeared him to many. Two songs, "$ave Dat Money" (feat. Rich Homie Quan and Fetty Wap) and "Professional Rapper" (feat. Snoop Dogg), show off these qualities perfectly. His latest album, "Professional Rapper," is out now and I encourage you to listen to it.
3. Logic
Hailing from Montgomery County, Maryland, Robert Hall, or Logic, has been making quality rap music for years. His career received a huge boost when he was featured on XXL Magazine's Top Freshman list of 2013. From this list, he released a single called "On the Low," featuring Kid Ink and Trinidad Jame$, that thrust him into the mainstream. Through his career, he has been praised for his incredible wit and lyrics that can be seen on a song from his first studio album, "Under Pressure," entitled "I'm Gone." Logic's second album, "The Incredible True Story," was released in 2015 and is available everywhere.
4. Childish Gambino
Donald Glover, or Childish Gambino, has been making waves in not only the music scene, but the TV scene for years. After graduating from NYU in 2006, Gambino started writing for the TV show "30 Rock." While he was writing, he released a steady stream of independent mixtapes from 2006 to 2010. His song "Freaks and Geeks" gained him some attention, but it wasn't until he performed his song "Bonfire" on Jimmy Fallon was it that he gained a wealth of attention. Gambino has been endearing to the rap community because of his incredible singing as well as lyricism that has made him stand out to different groups of people. His latest project, "STN MTN/Kauai," is available now.
5. J. Cole
Jermaine Cole, or J. Cole, has been a stalwart in the rap industry since 2009 who has only just crossed into the mainstream now. At first, Cole was a producer on Jay Z's label, Roc Nation, but he quickly transitioned into the limelight with his almost inhuman ability to tell stories, best shown in his songs "Wet Dreamz" and "Lost Ones" Cole has endeared himself to many with his 2014 album, "2014 Forest Hills Drive." Cole did not advertise the album whatsoever and just released the album. His risk worked, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. "2014 Forest Hills Drive" is out now.
6. Angel Haze
Raeen Wilson, or Angel Haze, is part of the reason that women have been getting more respect in the rap game. Her song "Werkin Girls" was featured in the 2013 film "The Heat" as well as its music video, amassing more than 4 million views on Youtube. Her song "Battle Cry," featuring Sia, was met with a ton of critical acclaim, and was even nominated for Best Video With a Social Message for the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. Her album "Dirty Gold" is available everywhere now.
7. Earl Sweatshirt
By far the youngest rapper on this list at only 22 years old, Earl has been making a large impact in Hip-Hop since 2009 with his debut mixtape, "EARL." Only a teenager at the time, Earl's mother disapproved of his music and the amount of trouble it got him in, so she sent him to a boarding school in Samoa. Once he returned, he got to work on his next album, "Doris," which was promoted by the incredible single, "Chum." After the success of the album, his next album, "I Don't Like S--t, I Don't Go Outside: An Album by Earl Sweatshirt," was released in 2015, to a large amount of critical claim. The album featured the rough and introspective "Grief." The album is everywhere now.
8. Run the Jewels
The last rappers on this list are a group of MCs who have had steady careers, but with each other, their careers have skyrocketed since. Their debut album, "Run the Jewels," was met with tons of critical acclaim. Made of EL-P and Killer Mike, the styles of each rapper compliment the other very well. EL-P's clever rhymes and gift for wordplay is balanced by Killer Mike's aggressive raps and political awareness. Their second album, "Run the Jewels 2," was met with even more acclaim, the album was led by the challenging "Oh My Darling (Don't Cry)," but the song that gained the most attention was "Close Your Eyes (And Count to F--k)" featuring Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine. The song was accompanied by a powerful music video that took a brutal look at Police Brutality in America today. "Run the Jewels 2" is available everywhere now.
Hopefully, this list will open your mind to all the wordsmiths that currently deserve more people listening to what they have to say.
