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1. God Kuro | | @chlothegod
The soulful songstress hasn’t released an official single in almost two years, but she’s managed to attract the attention of over 13,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Luckily for her fans, they can hear Chlo’s textured voice on TikTok, counting 168,000 followers, and her fans are patiently waiting to see what happens next. I hope that in 2019 we’ll have accessible tracks like “See Me.”
2. Davan | | @coolkiddavaun
Producer/rapper DaVaun’s producing and songwriting abilities are impressive. Every song feels like it was made for the radio, and his cool kid persona can be seen live as well as in his music. This year, DaVaun has performed throughout his Triangle and even curated his own show, DaVaun & Friends. He performed at his Mir.I.am’s Carolina Waves at his fifth anniversary event, ending the year with great success.
3. De facto
2022 has been an experimental year for Durham-based rapper Defacto Thezpian (Raheem Royal). After some time away from music, his ‘comeback’ was very well executed. The trained actor-turned-rapper has featured Raheem Royal in his role as producer, streamed, opted out of releasing albums on his platform, and set the price of albums at $20. I took a lot of risks, such as Often released, on average, his A-list rapper’s albums cost almost twice as much as him. But the purchase came with a perk: Defacto gave those who bought the album access to a mini-documentary and a podcast, and the album’s rollout was arguably one of the best in the Triangle area this year. It may be a while before we hear from one rapper/newbie producer, but we’re excited to see what innovative marketing strategies he envisions next.
4. Fif Shan | | @iamfifshang
Consider this: Ol’Dirty Bastard meets Ludacris with a sprinkle of Lil Wayne. Fif Shang’s creativity and boundary-pushing performances often involve many props and are positioned as students of the aforementioned rap legends. His raps are gritty yet playful, and are sure to capture the mood.
5. G Yamazawa | | @Giyamazawa
Land on no. Hard Flex ranked 6th on the iTunes rap chart. It’s no easy task without the support of his label, but George Yamazawa, better known as Ghi Yamazawa, made it after the release of his self-titled album. The album includes production collaborations with other local talent, such as Young Bull’s Solomon Fox and Zoocrü’s Alan Thompson. The album’s biggest surprise is track No. 4, “Make It Knock,” featuring Big KRIT from Mississippi, 2022 was a significant year for him in another way. Georgethe rapper got married and won a documentary award for his work become mountain sushi2023 screams headline performances, a host of dope features, and additional creative endeavors to make the most of all his talents.
Multi-instrumentalist Imani Presley is a true admirable talent.Written, produced, mixed and mastered by a Grammy-nominated producer self., her latest album released in October. Artists across genres have created pop, R&B, EDM, dubstep, and trap music to impress listeners.
Born and raised in Gulfport, Mississippi, Raleigh-based rapper Jazzy (Jazmine Handy) possesses an unparalleled level of grit and effort. A mother of two, she gracefully juggles entrepreneurship while working as one of Laurie’s top hair stylists and as an avid rapper on the rise. Jaszie’s freestyling abilities set her apart from other female rappers, and her music follows the tradition of female rappers celebrating sexual agency and embracing all that is dirty.
For Jooselord, the infamous Moshpit Messiah, 2022 was a year of consistently high-energy live performances statewide. In July, Joe announced that he had signed with the Empire He agency, and in September he was the official artist at Raleigh’s Hopscotch Music Festival, headlining Slim’s, the oldest bar in downtown Raleigh. I was. If you haven’t experienced the Jooselord show yet, we highly recommend doing so in 2023 well in advance.
9. Lena Jackson | | @ljackpower
Lena Jackson is a beast! The host is well versed in storytelling and lyrical muscle flexibility. This year, Jackson shared the stage with hip-hop legend She KRS-One and her Grand Puba of Brand Nubian. Her singles “MASSA” and “Cup Runneth” are great introductions to her catalog of socially conscious music.
Representing the city of Charlotte, the Dreamville signatories can get their ass smacked. West spent most of the year playing a number of major festivals and releasing dope visuals to go along with his singles. We recommend keeping an eye on the Grammy-nominated rappers in 2023 due to the revival of
11. Northside Rockies | | @Northside Rockies
In 2020, I wrote, “Durham native Northside Rocky’s unique multi-genre sound allows him to master both singing and rapping. It has great hooks and impeccable production.” Three years later, this remains true. With Rocky’s soothing music, his impeccably curated Instagram, and his visually sophisticated content, Rocky is making the label’s dream come true.
12. Professor X | | @professorxtheproducer
Professor X is a producer from eastern North Carolina who draws inspiration from a wide variety of musical genres, from house music to jazz to boom-bop hip-hop. He is best known for his blends and mixes of soulful and nostalgic textures. But this year, Professor X shines as Professor X, and the DJ has arguably become one of the Triangle’s most talented hip-hop DJs.
Produced by Pat Jr. and his musical partner Justin Pelham, Xavier Omar’s ‘Feelings 4 You’ made it onto President Barack Obama’s 2022 Favorite Music list, showcasing the breadth of Pat Jr.’s music. is showing. Raleigh artists are talented writers and producers. His consistency has been rewarded with over 37,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and an engaging fanbase on Twitter.
14. Ruben Vincent | | @reubenvincent
Can you have a bad year when you’re a hip-hop genius? Reuben Vincent is a rapper’s rapper. His skills as an emcee are rooted in the foundations of hip-hop, and the 22-year-old Jamal/Rock his Nation signatory is twice his age, while doing well in college. has accomplished more than many of its peers.
15. Gang of Shame | | @iamshamegang
Considering all he’s accomplished in 2022, Shame Gang is arguably one of North Carolina’s hardest working rappers. Just this year, he opened for Benny the Butcher and hip-hop legends The Outlaws and his KRS-One. He has also performed at Raleigh’s Hopscotch Music Festival as an official artist, appeared in NPR’s live sessions, been featured on Amazon Music, and dropped two Super Dope videos of him.
16. Sonny Miles | | @sonyformiles
In 2019, Jordan Williams, professionally known as Sonny Miles, was featured on President Obama’s Favorite Music of 2019 playlist. Since then, his career has continued to grow, and his soulful vocals have proven to be a sought-after feature. He delivered a strong year as headliners for First Night Raleigh 2022. In 2023, he kicked off his New Year with a performance at CAM Raleigh.
17. Swank and King Draft | | @swankkingdraft
Swank and King Draft, representing Jamla Records, are working hard again this year. Their career trajectory shows that mainstream success does not depend solely on talent, but comes from dedication, hard work, and perseverance. And this lyrical effort of his two hosts works well. They juggle each other’s diverse flows and wordplay to provide a unique expression.This year, fans got to see them shine in his 9th Wonder’s Zion VII.
18. Tanaja | | @tanajahraps
Raleigh-based artist Tanaja spent much of 2022 touring across Denmark, playing at three major international festivals. Fresh! Aarhus Festival, Makimura Beta Festival, Gemini Festival. In October, she joined Barcelona-based duo Wild Her Bounce for their latest single, “Good Time.” 2023 looks good for Laurie’s international rap superstar.
You know you’re winning when your single is named one of the best songs of the year. pitchforkThe Winston-Salem native had another hit with “FreakyT,” and her rap career has been on the rise since it went viral in 2020. Two years later, her music continues to serve as the perfect sonic background for many of her TikTok users. The eclectic rapper can also wow fans with his creative looks, whether he’s dressed up like Halle Berry or not. bapu Or an anime character. In 2022, the mother of one child showed off her rap on Rock On. In addition to performing at Rolling Loud and her UPROXX music sessions, she was interviewed by Travis Mills on her Apple Music.
20. Young Bull | | @youngbullmusic
We’ve seen Young Bull grow their audience in the most organic way through sheer talent. Since his debut in 2016, his three young superstars with over 46,000 monthly listeners on Spotify have collaborated with BJ The Chicago Kid, Chrisis, Eric Lottery, Pat His Jr., Swank and King His Draft. . american idol Alum Malaya. In 2022, the trio released the soulful and groovy track “Fly on the Wall.”
21. Genius Party | | @thegeniuspartync
It’s been a great year for North Carolina’s newest group of producers, The Genius Party.From curating showcases to presentations for many producers and artists cutting room floorThe Genius Party, a new format show where producers compete live for challenges, helped prove that hip-hop lives in North Carolina. Received a Support Grant.
22. Mercenaries | | @theofficialmercenaries
The Mercenaries, a collective of producers comprised of Skates Beats, TG Beats and ChucceBeatz, have achieved a lot of success in a short period of time and have remained humble about their respective accolades. The trio signed with Miami-based legends Cool and Dre’s Epidemic Music Group in December 2020, and since then have seen a number of others, including Young Jeezy, DJ Drama, Fat Joe and NC legend Rapper Big Pooh. We have provided productions for many top talents.This year alone, Jeezy’s track “BIG SNO” is his snowfall The mixtape is considered a fan favorite. Only mercenaries from here on out!
23. Yk Raleigh | | @YKRLeigh444
Yk Raleigh has created a lane of its own, but it’s not hard to hear the influence of Gucci. His drawn out rhythms fit his street his rap most perfectly. Yk Raleigh’s unique song structure is ready for the anthem. He capped off his 2022 by releasing his long-awaited project. Genesis.
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