King Chip

King Chip, formerly known as Chip Tha Ripper, has been scratching and clawing behind the scenes for the attention he is so deserving of. I have witnessed this struggle first hand. In 2010, Chip Tha Ripper opened for Kid Cudi at the University of Connecticut's Spring Concert. The majority of the crowd, made up mostly of drunk college kids who wanted nothing more than to hear "Day and Night" and "Make Her Say," booed the talented up and comer as he performed an extended set to cover for Cudi's delayed appearance on stage. Reminiscent of the reception Lupe Fiasco got during Kanye West's Glow In The Dark Tour, I felt bad for Chip, and even worse for the audience who missed out on true talent due to a combination of impatience and ignorance.

Chip has been quietly accumulating a humble, yet passionate fan base with six mixtapes and one studio album  to date. His most recent and most popular tape, entitled "Tell Ya Friends," which featured the likes of CyHi Da Prynce, KiD CuDi, and Bun B, has helped carry Chip's name further than ever before. A partnership with Chunk Inglish, the breath-of-fresh-air rapper/producer from Cool Kids, has led to some of the greatest voice/instrumental pairings I've ever heard. "Everyday Chillin'" is a perfect example of such, as the combination is so seamless that it's as if the two share the same creative mind.

Perhaps the greatest relationship Chip has made thus far, however, is Kid Cudi. Mutual friends led these two Ohio emcees to hook up and it wasn't long before Chip Tha Ripper was introduced to hip hop fans the world over. Cudi immediately saw great potential in Chip, giving him his first glimpse at the mainstream with a guest spot on "Man On The Moon: The End Of Day," Cudi's debut studio album. The mutual respect was evident, as Cudi gave Chip the first two minutes of the three and half minute song all to himself, to show the world what he was capable of. The opportunity was not wasted. Smooth lyrics and laid back flow only mask the lyrical intensity that King Chip brings to the table. In an interview with VladTV, Chip describes Cudi as the "brother he never had," an appreciation far too uncommon in the competitive world of hip hop.

(Everyday Chillin' - King Chip)

(Kid Cudi Interview With VladTV)

Joey Bada$$

When a teenage rapper breaks onto the scene everybody knows about. This is partially because gaining popularity at such a young age is an impressive feat. On the other hand a teenage rapper tends to remind you how old they are at every turn, whether it be explicitly through their lyrics or more subtly through their evident inexperience. Joey Bada$$ is 17 years old, but don't for a second think that he fits the mold of other rappers his age. Truly talented beyond his years, Joey, born Jo-Vaughn Scott, hails from Brooklyn, a city with more than a mediocre rap history. The birthplace of legends like The Notorious B.I.G., Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Jay-Z, Joey can keep up with the best of them. The kid doesn't even have a Wikipedia page yet, however make no mistake, though he remains fairly deep underground he isn't completely unrecognized. The first time I heard his name was when he was announced in the 2012 BET Cypher lineup where he stood tall next to Angel Haze, Driicky Graham, Childish Gambino, and A$AP ROCKY, arguably the greatest of the 2012 Cyphers. He even gets a shout out in Gambino's verse, "I have to say I'm such a Joey's last name." His verse was outstanding, inspiring me to take a deeper look.

When I first began listening to his music, I had no idea he was 17. When I found out, I was completely blown away. Maturity shines through so brightly when he picks up a mic, that I didn't even question his age. Joey Bada$$ has dropped two mixtapes to date; the first of which entitled 1999, and the second containing songs that were left off 1999, entitled Rejex. Like most of the up-and-comers these days, Joey has taken to YouTube to help grow his fan base. Out of the 15 tracks on 1999, four have been turned into music videos, two of which have amassed over 1 million views. Putting on a lyrical clinic in "Hardknock" and "Survival Tactics" is just part of the appeal of this young emcee. The way he carries himself, his voice, his message, and his overall style scream legend-to-be.  The complexity demonstrated after the beat-drop on "Hardknock" is on par with the greatest of all time (3:42 on the mixtape version, 3:45 on the music video). "All about their cheddar, young guns know nothing that's better / Like fuck a prison letter, those Beretta's led us to the lettuce / Relish fetishes menaces, Want the senator's percentages / if you ain't prejudice you still a nemesis / Smoking on the Clematis, get open like a present is / Now your presence is on the premises for them presidents."

If I can leave you with one thought it would be this: Although his age is a huge conversation point when talking about Joey Bada$$, as one would expect with such a young rapper, it is important to note that he is not great for a 17 year old; he is just great. Plain and simple.

(Hardknock - Joey Bada$$ feat. CJ Fly)

(Survival Tactics - Joey Bada$$ feat. Capital STEEZ)

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The Weeknd

Strictly speaking from the vantage point of the hip hop community, there has consistently been a few singers who earn the respect of fans and real hip hoppers alike. An early example includes R. Kelly. For years, he was the premier R&B figure in hip hop, laying down choruses for the most successful rappers in the world such as Jay Z and Snoop Dogg. More recently, Frank Ocean has skyrocketed to success taking a slightly different route. While he began in the hip hop group, Odd Future, he isn't exactly the collaborator that R. Kelly was. His debut album release, Channel Orange, featured only a few collaborators and made huge waves in the hip hop blog circuit as well as being featured on late night television, various award shows, and Saturday Night Live. Now that his buzz is dying down a bit, who will be the next big name in the R&B - hip hop cross over? One artist has risen above the rest, popping up on sites like 2dopeboyz.com, and hiphopdx.com, as well as making appearances in XXL Magazine and The Source. I am referring to the increasing popular R&B artists and producer, The Weeknd.

Co-signed by fellow Canadian Drake, this Ethiopian-Canadian singer has only been around in the public eye since 2010, when he started uploading videos to YouTube leaving the masses to ask, "Who is this guy and where can I get his music?" Less than 6 months later, the trilogy began. In 2011 The Weeknd launched three mixtapes within one year; House of Balloons in March, Thursday in August, and Echoes of Silence in December. The mixtapes were met with a lot of positive feedback and critical success including two nominations for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize, for House of Balloons and Echoes of Silence. After only about a year off from any major releases, his debut studio album, entitled The Trilogy is set to drop in less than two weeks. The album will contain remastered versions of previously released tracks from his three mixtapes, hence the title, as well as three new tracks. This unorthodox approach to a debut album certainly breaks the mold, but then again, what has The Weeknd done that doesn't? His style has a distinct dark side to it, while unadulterated truth bleeds through his lyrics. It's hard not to listen to songs like "Enemy" and "Rolling Stone" and not immediately be sucked into his world. A somber tone saturates every lyric giving the listener a mixed bag of emotions ranging from sympathy to respect. With such a high level of dedication to his craft, a truly unique approach to the industry side of things, and a simply angelic voice, The Weeknd is destined for greatness. Go pre-order The Trilogy scheduled for release on November 13th and if you are unfamiliar with his work, check out the music video for "Rolling Stone," off of Thursday, for a taste of what you've been missing.

(Rolling Stone - The Weeknd)

(The Weeknd Trilogy - November 13)

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A$AP Rocky

It seems that since birth, Rakim Mayers, aka A$AP Rocky, was destined to make a name for himself in hip hop. After all, he was named after one of the best rappers of all time, the god emcee himself. Born in Harlem, NY, he began rapping early on at the age of 8 when his older brother started banging on the table in his kitchen and challenged him to freestyle over the beat. His brother played a big part in developing Rocky's confidence and ability to move a crowd by getting him used to a cypher atmosphere. So when his brother was killed just around the corner from his apartment, Rocky was devastated. He responded by getting serious about rap. With self proclaimed influences like Wu-Tang, UGK, Three 6 Mafia, and The Diplomats, it was only a matter of time before he found himself in a 'hip hop group' environment. In 2007, he joined the A$AP Mob, a crew from Harlem that led to the moniker A$AP being thrown in front of his name. A$AP stands for "Acronym Symbolizing Any Purpose," a description he takes advantage of, as he often changes the meaning to "Always Strive and Prosper," "Assassinate Snitched and Police," and a number of other phrases.

A$AP Rocky released his first mixtape, LiveLoveA$AP, in 2011 which included "Purple Swag" and "Peso," his two biggest singles to date. He is currently working on his debut studio album LongLiveA$AP which is set to drop this Halloween. He is also known to be affiliated with the exploding Black Hippy crew, especially Schoolboy Q as he has frequently done shows and collaboration with the west coast native. Their most recent collaboration is Q's "Hands on the Wheel," which showcases lyrical density over a chopped and screwed Kid Cudi sample. Rocky's work has earned him award show nominations on BBC, BET and MTV. There is little doubt that he will start taking some of those awards home soon enough. A$AP was also featured in one of this year's cyphers at the 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards alongside fellow up and comers Childish Gambino, Joey Bada$$, Driicky Graham, and Angel Haze, in arguably the best start to finish cypher this year. 'From humble beginnings to super stardom' is America's favorite story. Will A$AP Rocky be next? Be sure to check out the new album on October 31st and be there to find out!

(Hands on the Wheel - Schoolboy Q feat A$AP Rocky)

(A$AP Rocky meets his namesake Rakim)

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Skyzoo

For the past few years, through lyrical density and unmatched drive, Skyzoo had worked his way into the consciousness of fans and critics worldwide, yielding fantastic results. Trust me. When I use the term 'unmatched drive,' I do not use it lightly. Skyzoo has already released ten mixtapes in his very young career, collaborating with the likes of Just Blaze, 9th Wonder, and DJ Premier, some of hip hop's most prolific producers. He has worked with rap icons including Talib Kweli, Styles P and Wu Tang members Raekwon and Ghostface Killah. Earning features in XXL, The Source, and Vibe, as well as write ups on AllHipHop.com, HipHopDX.com, HipHopGame.com, and in my opinion, hip hop's best online resource, 2dopeboyz.com, Skyzoo is gaining notoriety at a rapidly increasing rate, allowing  him to headline tours in the United States, Canada, and China.

Sky signed with independent label, Duck Down Music Inc. in 2009 and has since released two outstanding albums. The Salvation, released September 29, 2009, featured no famous guest appearances, much like the iconic Illmatic album by Nas, yielding a similar outcome; being crowned the best lyricist. The album debuted at 14 on the Billboard Hip Hop charts as well as grabbing the attention of the hip hop community who has since been begging for a sophomore release. On October 2nd of this year, that day finally came. Likely a result of his exponentially growing popularity, his most recent release, A Dream Deferred, featured big names like Jill Scott, Freeway, and Talib Kweli. This album is a must buy for anybody looking for the next big thing. If you would like to sample the goods before committing to a purchase, be sure to check out his mixtapes. I recommend The Great Debator or Corner Store Classic. And if you're too lazy to download one of his mixtapes, I would probably look into reevaluating your life. But at the very least, check out his video for The Beautiful Decay. I'll throw it in this post so all you have to do is click play. Enjoy.

(The Beautiful Decay - Skyzoo)

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