1$teven Cannon (aka Xan Man)
@_StevenCannon (twitter/instagram)
@l-e-g-i-lvtor (soundcloud)
Cincinnati / LA
Started in the trap, rising to the top.
It’s no secret $teven Cannon comes from the trap. Dealing drugs, stacking cash and living fast are the main themes of his music (and he’s also known as the Xan Man). His life is basically a young man’s wet dream.
One of his biggest assets is his hustle and grind. The rate at which he releases music propels him even further down the road of success. It seems like every time I turn around this guy is dropping a new track or a new video or some other project (like his In The Kitchen performance on the No Jumper channel).
His flow is sick and his style is fast-paced, which matches his hustle. He could make the soundtrack to a Fast and Furious movie by himself, twice, and be the star of the film. That’s the kind of energy that he brings to his music.
He commonly teams up with equally talented associates like Aris Ray, and Joei Razook. These are some of the hottest rappers from the Cincy area and they are collectively making a name for the city.
Check out his #OneTake video on the BuffNerds channel, performing “Wasabi” with a 96.9% like-rate.
2Kelow LaTesha
@SuperKelow (twitter)
@kelow (soundcloud)
PG County, Maryland
Fashion icon and spiritual being
Joining the ever-growing list of strong female rappers in the game is Kelow LaTesha. With a sick flow and unique style (both musically and with fashion), she makes her presence known. She commands attention.
Her fashion style emits a radiance reminiscent of Lady Gaga and Bob Marley blended with an acid trip. The style is so unique and appealing that ten years from now her name will probably be an adjective used to describe woke fahsionistas.
The style of her music is incredibly diverse; every track she makes seems completely different from the others. She is so expertly diverse as a musician and artist that other rappers look amateurish in comparison. Her music varies from hype tracks to trippy vibes to ball-busting rebellion against the popular rap crowd (“all these weak rappers is Jigglypuff”).
I’m also impressed with the depth of her cultural wisdom; in the music video for “Jigglypuff,” she wears a shirt depicting the Ancient Mew Pokemon card, an ultra rare card that was only available for one week with the purchase of a ticket to see the second Pokemon movie. She could have chosen any other shirt, but choosing this one emphasizes how on point her nostalgia game is.
She isn’t afraid to be different, and it’s probably her biggest strength as an artist; all of the great artists of history share this trait.
Check out the music video for her song “Finna,” with a like-rate of 95.2%.
3UG Vavy
@ug_vavy
Chicago
Half rapper, half nurse, completely talented
UG Vavy is like that kid that sits in the corner all year, completely quiet, and then all of a sudden takes over the world. He’s passionate, intelligent, talented and driven. Skilled both academically and musically, he’s a force to be reckoned with.
He started producing at 13, started rapping at 15, and continues to grow (massappeal.com). Starting that young has given him the advantage of experience over his peers, and it’s clear in his music, which he produces himself.
His flow is sick, his sound is polished, and he’s only going to improve over time, and that seems to be his focus – he has big plans for 2017: “shooting videos, launching the site, merch, bigger shows”, and more (flowsfordays.com). He’s slowly building an empire that’s going be huge and a big money-maker for sure. Stay tuned.
If you haven’t heard his sound yet, you won’t be disappointed. Check out the music video for “Bussin” with a 95.5% like-rate.
4Evan the Twerkgod
@evanthetwerkgod
Detroit
Skilled rapper & inspirational presence on social media
Evan the Twerkgod is one of the hottest up-and-coming rappers out of the Detroit rap scene. His style is sexy, his sounds are amazing, and his hustle is inspiring. Reading through his Twitter page sends the message that making money is his drug.
His music comes in several different flavors; he has everything from twerk tracks, chill vibes, trippy shit, hype tracks and everything in between. One of his most notable tracks (and perhaps the greatest twerk track ever made – he is the Twerkgod, after all) is “B.E.T. Uncut.” When you hear this song, you have to dance.
Currently he’s two albums deep and opening shows for big name rappers like Lil Yachty, Lil Uzi Vert, Robb Bank$, OG Maco, Rich The Kid and gaining massive exposure in the process. He even got a co-sign from Masked Gorilla which stated “Evan The Twerkgod Is Having More Fun Rapping Than You Are“. It’s only a matter of time before he’s nationally famous.
Check out his music video for “Lean Cuisine”, currently sitting at a 97.2% like-rate.
5Reeves Junya
@ReevesJunya
Minnesota
He sees a hustle beyond rap
Reeves Junya is a rapper who talks about nearly everything except for rap music. He is a young entrepreneur pursuing several avenues, like working on his own clothing line and running his own record label (reevesjunya.com).
His drive to succeed is inspiring, and it’s reflected in his fast-paced and quick-witted music. He has sick lines and references his entrepreneurial ideas like “N*ggas still on rap, wait til I drop this app” or “I might be the first rapper in porn.” There’s nothing he isn’t considering doing – if it makes money, he’s interested.
His flow is solid and the sound varies from polished hard-hitting hype tracks like “Deposits” to smooth, soulful love tracks like “If You Need Me.” There’s a marketing strategy in his music as well – he likes to appeal to nostalgia. The music video for his song “GameBoy” was shot in an arcade, and the video is almost entirely just footage from (or around) video games.
There’s no telling where this guy will end up, but his journey is surely going to be adventurous and worth following.
Check out his music video for “Deposits”, with a current like-rate of 97.4%.
