With so many rappers claiming their mixtape is fire, how do you know who’s really got that heat and who’s warm as a refrigerator? Thankfully the homies here at FUXWITHIT have you covered. We’ve put together a list of the top 8 rappers you need to be listening to right now.
Goldlink
In the past few years the DMV native has been blowing up the internet, getting love from DJs, every major blog and landing on the radar of XXL and Hot 97. His debut project The God Complex proved he was here to stay, but it’s his most recent works that have really impressed. From his Songs From Scratch collab with Chet Porter to his work with Falcons (‘Aquafina’, ‘Vroom’) and the huge single ‘Dance On Me’, Goldlink is proving to be one of the hottest rappers of the year. He’s also the only rapper to work with ZHU…so there’s that too.
IshDARR
When you think about hip-hop, Milwaukee might be the last city that comes to mind, but with IshDARR leading the charge, that’s guaranteed to change. His most recent project Old Soul, Young Spirit is the perfect description of his sound. The 18 year old naturally embodies elements of the golden era of hip-hop with a new school swag. He’s just as at home rhyming over soulful beats as he is going in on trap or even future bass (‘Sugar’). With an ear for great production, a killer flow and personal and relatable lyircs, IshDARR is hard not love and he gets more enjoyable with every spin.
Sylvan LaCue (QuESt)
Former Visionary Music Group artist and Miami native, QuESt, has been struggling to find his way in the game for years. After some initial success and hype he released several mixtapes that just didn’t quite hit. Finally last year QuESt found his place dropping Searching Sylvan. Not only was it one of the best releases of last year, it’s one of the best concept albums of the past decade. The storytelling, narratives and individual tracks can be compared alongside Kendrick Lamar’s debut Good Kid, m.A.A.d City and classics from Masta Ace and Prince Paul. The release signified a huge turning point in QuESt’s career creating a slew of rumours around his placement on the esteemed XXL freshman list in 2014. Though he didn’t make the final cut, his skills are undeniably above many of the selections, leading us to believe XXL needs to #WiseUp. After taking some time off, partying in LA and then soul searching, Sylvan’s search came to a conclusion with him finding himself again. He recently announced that he would be dropping his QuESt moniker and be known by his real name Sylvan LaCue. With the recently announced follow-up project Far From Familiar on the way soon, Sylvan is in the position to prove that he truly is next up.
Your Old Droog
Cozz
If you haven’t heard Cozz, you’ve been sleeping – for real. The L.A. native who signed to J.Cole’s Dreamville imprint in 2014 dropped his debut album Cozz & Effect and it is one of the best albums of 2014. The west coast kid has been touring with Cole and the rest of the Dreamvillains in an effort to reach a larger audience but capturing new fans shouldn’t be too difficult. Upon first listen of the album it’s clear that Cozz has a story tell and the up-and-comer is hungry. His voice inflection has depth and the emotion in his delivery shines through on every track. Cozz also doesn’t have a “classic” west coast sound, rather the beats sound very east coast but the subject matter and swagger is clearly Inglewood inspired. Of the 12 track album there are none that are skip worthy and at least half are repeat worthy. Listen to Cozz and thank us later.
P.Keys
Black EL
Working with producers Durkin and Victor Radz, Black EL created a new sound dubbed “Space Wave”. The combination of vibey, bass heavy beats and smoothed out flows go together like gin and juice. His lyrical abilities are nothing to lookover with his skills ranging from personal storytelling, to witty punchlines and thought provoking bars. Each track is a trip into his psyche and with one spin of L_ST he’ll feel like a close friend. Whether you’re riding in the whip or cooling out on a Summer’s day, Black EL is the perfect theme music.
Lil Dicky
Listening to David Burd rap under his pseudonym is really the only obstacle here. With a name like Lil Dicky it’s hard to press play and take the music seriously – but that’s all part of the plan. The Chelthenham rapper has taken the Internet by storm with a handful of comedy themed tracks all accompanied by equally hilarious videos. We wrote a little bit about Dicky when his album dropped and one thing is certain, Lil Dicky is dope. His story is not that of someone who was trapping out the bando or moving weight up and down the interstate. Rather, Dicky’s story is similar to that of someone living in a middle class household, who went on to college, got a job and decided to just say ‘fuck it, I’m going to live my dream’. Though his subject matter is comedic, his skill is undeniable. Dicky is capable of putting rhymes together with a smooth and fast paced flow and the bars aren’t weak. This University of Richmond alumni put together a solid debut effort and if you aren’t listening now, you should.
