When listening to music, it's always nice to keep a nice mix and variety of artists and genres in the rotation. It's undeniably true that certain people out there just continue to listen to the same music over and over constantly on a playlist repetitively. There's no disputing it. It's that simple fact that has influenced and inspired me to curate a list of some of my current go-to’s in music. Below you’ll find a collection of 7 different artists that I’ve been enjoying for a while now. Out of the selection, there is a good mix of genres. The majority are hip-hop artists, just because I have a bias towards that genre. But I think this list is bound to pique interest at least once or twice.

For each artist, I decided that I would lay down some knowledge on who they are, where they’re from, what kind of work they’ve done and other similar information. Also included is my brief opinion of them as well as a few song suggestions. If you find anything you like and what to dig deeper, all you have to do is search up the song or artist you like and check out the Wikipedia page. There you can see the discography of each artist and see what else they have.

1. Stro

Alright. Stro is an up and coming dude out of Brooklyn. Frequently known as Astro, The Astronomical Kid, his real name is Brian Vaughn Bradley Jr. and frankly, he can get into a beat... at times. Much of his work at this point in time remains unimpressive, but I will say I like him a lot because of his "good stuff". I see potential. Producing a track with Stro would be pretty cool considering his following on SoundCloud. Check him out. These are my suggestions: Everybody Know Me (Produced by Gold Digga) on B.E.S.T. B.Y. F.A.R., and Keep It Pushing (Produced by Lazy Knuckles) - Single. He'd definitely a dedicated individual, and I respect him for that, but he still has a way to go before he hits the big stage.

2. Split Screens

Jesse Cafiero from San Fransisco is responsible for the split screens project. Cafiero started in 2012 with his self-titled EP. His songs are described as "introspective compositions" that offer a delightful "deviation from the hurried rush of the day." His next work would be an album labeled, "Before The Storm," and it apparently caught the eye of several high-profile people, because soon after the release he was heard on the television show "Bones."

3. Zion I

Zion I is another hip-hop duo out of Oakland, California. Baba Zumbi and Amp Live are the current members. They've been active artists for quite a while with some noteworthy accomplishments. Zion I has released nine albums with numerous compilation albums, EP's, singles and features, its surprising they don't have a larger audience. The two have won Independent Album of the Year by The Source magazine for their album, Mind Over Matter, in 2002. On top of that, they were ranked in the 10 Best Bay Area Hip-Hop Records of 2012 for their Shadowboxing album chosen by SF Weekly. As an introductory song, I would give Coastin' featuring K. Flay a listen, it's got a nice mix of musical elements that really bring the track together.

As always, I encourage you all to expand your musical horizons.