A collection of friends, rappers and producers I believe in, want to see succeed, and who have agreed to join my team.
JID
Born and raised in East Atlanta, J.I.D — a name adopted and adapted from what his grandmother called him as a jittery child — first appeared on the Atlanta hip-hop scene with his debut EP, Dicaprio, in 2015. Growing up, J.I.D’s first connection with music was through his parents’ collection of classic funk and soul LPs. After a stint at Hampton University playing football, J.I.D also hooked up with fellow MCs as part of the Spillage Village collective. By 2012, he had dropped out of college to focus on music, and in 2014 he headed out on what would be a productive tour with EARTHGANG, Bas, and Ab-Soul. Touring allowed J.I.D to craft his skills, and a year later he recorded and dropped the Dicaprio EP, which saw him team up with a host of producers, as well as EARTHGANG. While keen to distance himself from the generic abrasive trap sound that had dominated the Atlanta scene, J.I.D wanted to deliver something that was more than just about a beat, and instead focused his time and effort on lyrics as well. In 2016, J.I.D, alongside the rest of the Spillage Village crew, released the album Bears Like This Too Much, which saw the rapper honing his unique delivery and inspired lyrics. In 2017, he announced that he had signed to J. Cole’s label (a connection made with the rapper via J.I.D’s part in the 2014 tour with Bas and J. Cole’s friend and producer Cedric Brown), which released the single Never and full-length The Never Story at the beginning of the year.
Cordae
Cordae is an American Rapper from Maryland. He is known for his songs “Old N****s” and “My Name is”. “Old N*****” is a remix of J. Cole ‘s song 1985 where he criticizes how people who enjoy rap from previous generations who talk down to the newer rappers, most notably SoundCloud Rappers. “My Name is” is a remix of Eminem ‘s song “My Name is”. Cordae started writing music at a young age, but did not start recording until he was 15-years-old. At the time, he was really into Joey Bada$$ and Pro Era. He did not take rap seriously until 2017.
Wale
The self-proclaimed “Ambassador of Rap for the Capital,” Wale (pronounced “wah-lay”) was able to transcend his status as local sensation and become a national rap contender using go-go-inspired hip-hop as the vehicle for his clever wordplay and music. Most of the major singles that ensued for him, however, were melodic slow jams spread across the tail-end of the 2000s and well into the late 2010s. These hits, such as “Lotus Flower Bomb” and “Bad,” supported albums that regularly landed near or at the top of the Billboard 200, including the chart-topping The Gifted (2013) and The Album About Nothing (2015). The proper full-length studio releases were supplemented with numerous mixtapes, featured appearances on hits by the likes of Waka Flocka Flame and Rick Ross, and starring roles on multiple volumes in Maybach’s Self Made compilation series. The rapper closed out the 2010s with Wow…That’s Crazy (2019), his fourth solo full-length release to enter the Top Ten of the Billboard 200.
Olubowale Victor Akintimehin was born in Washington, D.C. in 1984 to Nigerian immigrants who’d arrived in America five years earlier. Although the family moved to Maryland when the future rapper was ten years old, Wale was mostly raised in suburban D.C. He attended both Robert Morris College and Virginia State University on football scholarships, and eventually transferred again to Bowie State. The music bug had already bitten him hard, though, and soon he quit college altogether to turn to a recording career. He got his first airplay circa 2003-2004 with “Rhyme of the Century,” thanks to the help of a local radio DJ who believed in his potential. This landed him in the Unsigned Hype column in Source magazine the following year.
In 2006, Wale signed with the local start-up imprint Studio 43 and enjoyed a string of hits in the D.C./Maryland/Virginia area that year. Many of those records sampled from ’80s go-go — a more raw, percussion-driven offshoot of disco originating in D.C. — like the popular “Dig Dug,” a tribute to Ronald “Dig Dug” Dixon of go-go band the Northeast Groovers. Smart use of the Internet and MySpace was also a big factor in his success, as it helped über-producer and DJ Mark Ronson (known for his work with Amy Winehouse, Christina Aguilera, and Rhymefest) to catch wind of the go-go MC in 2007. Wale struck a production deal with Ronson’s own imprint, Allido, and released the 100 Miles and Running mixtape that summer. Despite not being signed to a major label, he was met with positive press from a number of sources, ranging from XXL magazine to The New York Times.
After a bidding war that included offers from Epic, Atlantic, and Def Jam, Interscope finally grabbed Wale for its roster in early 2008. Among the rapper’s first major-label singles the following year were the boisterous “Chillin,” featuring a hook from Lady Gaga, and the go-go-inflected “Pretty Girls,” assisted by Gucci Mane. Those hits preceded and appeared on the full-length Attention Deficit, which arrived in November 2009 and entered the Billboard 200 at number 21. Momentum was sustained with a featured spot on Waka Flocka Flame’s multi-platinum “No Hands.” More significantly, the first fruit of a new deal with Rick Ross’ Warner-supported Maybach Music Group was the compilation Self Made, Vol. 1, in which Wale was prominent. The album’s “That Way” became the rapper’s first gold-certified single as a lead artist.
The rapper’s second full-length and first proper release for MMG, Ambition, landed in November 2011 and hit number two on the Billboard 200. Its success was driven by the mellow slow jam “Lotus Flower Bomb.” One of the year’s biggest radio hits, the Miguel collaboration topped Billboard’s R&B/hip-hop chart, cracked the Top 40 of the Hot 100, and was later nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Rap Song. Between albums, Wale played a major role in Self Made, Vol. 2, highlighted by “Bag of Money,” and supporting roles on tracks from within and outside the Maybach family, such as Ross’ “Diced Pineapples” and Cash Out’s “Hold Up.” In June 2013, the Wale album-release gap was closed by The Gifted, a number one Billboard 200 hit due in part to the multi-platinum ballad “Bad” — the one with the squeaking bed springs — featuring Tiara Thomas (or Rihanna on the remix). MMG’s third Self Made volume, with Wale understandably less involved, was out within only a few months.
Wale’s commercial presence remained at a high level during the latter half of the 2010s. He received a boost as one of the several artists on “Ride Out,” recorded for the Furious 7 soundtrack. Influenced by the TV sitcom Seinfeld but hardly lightweight in much of its subject matter, The Album About Nothing landed in March 2015 and became Wale’s second number one album. Usher, Jeremih, and J. Cole were among the guests, while Jerry Seinfeld himself acted as narrator. A series of singles that began near the end of 2016 — including “My PYT,” Wale’s seventh Top 20 R&B/hip-hop single — led to Shine, issued in May 2017. After parting ways with Atlantic, Wale signed with Warner and returned in 2018 with a trio of EPs: It’s Complicated, Self Promotion, and Free Lunch. The next year, he scored a number 22 pop hit with the Jeremih collaboration “On Chill,” and followed it that October with Wow…That’s Crazy, an album that entered the Billboard 200 at number seven. Along with collaborations like “Won Le Ba” with Davido and Shizzi, 2020 brought a new Wale EP called The Imperfect Storm.
Rich Brian
Growing up homeschooled in Indonesia, Brian found the Internet to be his English teacher and window to the world beyond. After moving to America alone at the age of 17, Brian has been both awed and humbled by his experiences, as they simultaneously smack him down to Earth and lift him up. 2 years later, Rich Brian has come a long way.
“The Sailor is a symbol of being an explorer.” Brian says. “Of exploring uncharted territory and just going through life, curious. It’s my own story as well as the story of all immigrants that brave new worlds for a chance at something better.”
After moving to America, Brian has experienced all the glory of “making it” – from collaborating with the likes of 21 Savage, Offset, and Playboi Carti, to selling out shows and playing festivals around the world. Brian’s debut project Amen, released in February 2018, garnered widespread critical acclaim and topped the iTunes Hip-Hop charts – a first in history for an Asian musician.
Making an album that was written with real instruments in real time in the studio was the antidote to the paralysis of overthinking. The Sailor is pure – clear in motivation and self-awareness. The intent was to inspire others like Brian to be curious – to see what else there is to see.
Pi’erre Bourne
Pi’erre Bourne emerged as one of the pre-eminent rap producers of the late 2010s, scoring major hits with Playboi Carti and 6ix9ine, in addition to working with Kanye West, Travis Scott, 21 Savage, and others. Also active as a rapper, he has recorded several solo mixtapes (The Life of Pi’erre series) and singles, showcasing his atmospheric beats and Auto-Tuned crooning. He first gained widespread attention when he produced Carti’s 2017 breakout hit “Magnolia.” He later received acclaim for Sli’merre, his 2019 mixtape with frequent collaborator Young Nudy.
Born Jordan Timothy Jenks in Fort Riley, Kansas, Bourne spent his summers with his grandmother in Queens, New York, where he became interested in East Coast rap. Inspired by his uncle, who was a rapper and graphic designer, he began making beats while in elementary school, and later moved to Atlanta to study sound engineering and pursue a career in music. He began releasing music in 2014, and worked at Epic Records as a sound engineer beginning in 2015, leaving a year later to focus on his career. He released three volumes of his solo mixtape series, The Life of Pi’erre, in 2016, and produced tracks for Young Nudy and Trippie Redd the same year. After meeting Playboi Carti, Bourne produced several tracks on the rapper’s self-titled debut, including “wokeuplikethis*” (with Lil Uzi Vert) and “Magnolia.” The latter was a breakthrough for both the rapper and the producer, with Bourne’s producer tag (“Yo Pierre, you wanna come out here?,” sampled from The Jamie Foxx Show) spinning off into an Internet meme in its own right. Bourne and Carti also recorded a song called “Yo Pi’erre!,” which was announced as being the first single from The Life of Pi’erre 4.
From there, Bourne became one of rap’s most in-demand producers. By the end of 2017, he had produced songs for Lil Yachty, XXXTentacion, 21 Savage, 6ix9ine (“Gummo”), Big Sean, and many others. Bourne produced the majority of Carti’s acclaimed 2018 full-length Die Lit, in addition to producing Travis Scott’s “Watch” and co-producing Kanye West’s “Yikes.” In 2019, Bourne and Young Nudy released their first full-length collaboration, Sli’merre, to critical acclaim. That summer, he issued his official full-length debut, The Life of Pi’erre 4. The hazy, Auto-Tuned set featured the track “Poof” and landed just outside the Top 100 on the Billboard 200.
Skyzoo
Growing up just a block away from The Notorious B.I.G., watching him go from local corner boy to rap superstar, Skyzoo couldn’t help but dream big. The Brooklyn, NY native saw life in all of its “heaven and hell” juxtaposition, being from the infamous home of both Jay-Z and “Do The Right Thing”. He started rapping at age nine, writing about what he witnessed on his daily routines as a child. Those years of observation have turned into first person narratives that have labeled Skyzoo as a “new legend” and have led to his albums being critically acclaimed by fans and critics alike. His storytelling has been commended by all walks of literary life, from hip hop royalty to university professors and everyone in between.
An artist in his own right as well as a songwriter for others, he’s collaborated with a plethora of artists and producers, including the likes of Jill Scott, Just Blaze, Dr. Dre, Tyrese, Wale, Jadakiss, Black Thought, Illmind, John Legend, Raheem Devaughn, Talib Kweli, and Spike Lee, just to name a few. His most recent album, “Retropolitan”, a full length collaborative album with legendary producer Pete Rock, has been garnering praise and attention since word of its inception leaked. What stands out most in regards to all of Skyzoo’s accomplishments is how they’ve all come to fruition on account of his own work and will. As his slogan states: Lyrics Will Never Be The Same.
Westside Boogie
A Compton rapper signed to Shady Records who released his debut album Everything’s For Sale in early 2019. Boogie is most notably known for his nasally voice and bitter delivery which sets him apart from the pack. Collaborators include Eminem, Royce Da 5’9, J.I.D, 6lack, Wale, YG, Ab-Soul, Reason, etc.
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IDK
The Maryland rapper has been dropping mixtapes every year since 2014 until finally dropping his debut album Is He Real? in 2019. His style is always changing and evolving, going from ignorant trap raps to introspective storytelling. Collaborators include DMX, Pusha T, J.I.D, Swizz Beatz, Chief Keef, Tyler, The Creator, Burna Boy, Saba, Rico Nasty, Denzel Curry, and many more.
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Guapdad 4000
Guapdad blasted onto the scene in 2019 after featuring on 5 songs on ROTD3 getting him a nomination at the 62nd Grammy Awards. His debut album Dior Depositis came shortly after in Oct. of 2019 featuring Tory Lanez, 6lack, Chance The Rapper, G-Eazy, Denzel Curry, Buddy, E-40, Charlie Wilson, Maxo Kream, and many more.
Your Old Droog
Independent Brooklyn rapper Your Old Droog worked on his craft for years before sharing his first songs online in 2014. The MC’s raspy voice, effortless flow, and distinctively East Coast-style all merged with minimal available information about his background and led to speculation that Your Old Droog was actually an alter ego for rap legend Nas. The rapper eventually gave a series of interviews setting the record straight, and he went on from these early conspiracy theories to work with peers like Danny Brown and Heems on the 2017 mixtape Packs. He’s maintained a prolific output, putting out no less than eight full-lengths between 2019 and 2021, including two albums with Tha God Fahim and the autobiographical TIME.
Deante’ Hitchcock
Representing Riverdale, a small suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, Deante’ Hitchcock is a rapper who has demonstrated flexibility across his studio work and freestyle verses, as well as his performances with a live band. Hitchcock’s career began in earnest as a teenager, when he released his debut mixtape, 19 Summers (2012). Additional independent tapes Wishful Thinking (2015) and Good (2016), combined with freestyle clips uploaded to social media platforms, helped build a following that spread beyond his native region. After an EP, Just a Sample, and the in-concert recording Good: Live (both of which arrived in early 2017), Hitchcock was boosted by signing with the RCA-affiliated ByStorm label, where he reintroduced himself with the six-track So Much for Good Luck (in October 2017). By that point, Hitchcock had been favorably compared to the likes of T.I. and J. Cole, though it was evident that he had a voice of his own, with a style capable of appealing to fans of both of those dissimilar artists. A string of singles carried him into 2019, including “I See It” and “Side N*gga Anthem.” ~ Andy Kellman
MAVI
20 year old rapper out of Washington D.C who’s also a juinor at Howard University studying neuroscience. MAVI recently released his latest project Let The Sun Talk in Oct. of 2019. Critically acclaimed by many people online, he seems to be next up and Earl Sweatshirt sees his potential too as he had MAVI feature on his latest project.
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Jay Versace
Quadeca
Quadeca, is an American YouTuber, rapper and video game commentator He uploads rap songs, music videos, comedy sketches, and video gameplay to his Youtube channel, QuadecaX8, which as of February 2019, has more than 152 million video views and more than 1.5 million subscribers. Besides YouTube, he has lots of fan following on his other social media platforms. Recently, his popularity increased after he created a diss track video aimed at popular YouTuber, KSI, on November 23, 2018.
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Nasaan
Son of late rapper Proof, Nasaan is taking after his father chasing the same dream. On Aug. 9th, 2019 he released his debut EP under Def Jam Records titled Kiss Of Karma featuring 5 songs.
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Chris Patrick
Born and raised in East Orange, New Jersey, Chris Patrick, is a rapper on the rise in the Tri-State area. Patrick’s versatility as an artist leads you through a roller coaster of emotions. His lyricism is thought provoking with meaningful content that he prides himself on because he knows he can inspire and touch the masses. But he’ll also jump in his bag and give us an “All falls down” where he gracefully sings a record that’ll leave you singing right along with him word by word. Chris’s talent is an art that he has been practicing for years now.
“First time I started rapping was when I was in the 6th grade and my mom used to take me to school and would point things out for me to rap about.” – Chris Patrick.
That was over 10 years ago and that start has led him to becoming the great lyricist and artist he is today. Chris has been co-signed by rappers Black Thought and J.I.D and has received recognition from media outlets such as Lyrical Lemonade and Daily Chiefers. His fan base is growing daily as we see more and more people acquiring about new music and drops. Chris draws his inspirations from his experiences in life.“The song’s I write are penned from my experiences in the world.” And you can see this become truth when he gives you records like “Slaves” where he raps on being a black man in today’s society and the struggles that come with it. Ultimately what Chris wants to get out of giving the world great music is to gain sustainability and to impact the lives of his friends and family as well as all the people who are able to gain comfort and connections to him from his art. – xchrispatrick.com
Redveil
redveil is a 17-year-old American rapper & producer from Prince George’s County, Maryland. His independent release of the album Niagara in August of 2020 created major buzz on the internet, launching him into underground stardom. Jazz and soul influence strike through his music, coupled with smooth flows and impactful lyrical content. He has been noticed and received praise by the likes of Tyler, the Creator, Brockhampton, and many other notable artists.
Blaccmass
Blaccmass is a producer and mashup artist who gained popularity on YouTube via his unorthodox mashups, which often paired vocals from artists like Pop Smoke and Playboi Carti with more esoteric production from songs by the likes of Beethoven, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Usher, and original production from Blaccmass himself, although sometimes he does the opposite, placing pop vocals onto well-known hip-hop instrumentals. Blaccmass gained his first major beat placements with Zack Fox’s “IHY2LN” and “Marinate” 2-pack in December 2020.
Armani White
Sometimes the cut does run that deep. For Philly born Armani White, that moment was at the age 4, during a domestic violence episode between his parents. Screaming at the top of his lungs for the violence to stop and to be heard by no one, Armani uses that moment to capture his voice every time he steps to the mic. After uploading a 1 minute video to YouTube entitled “Stick Up”, not only would his voice be heard but amplified. The record would land him on the pages of Pigeons & Planes, MTV and go on to be spun on Pharrell & Scott Vener. He took a step back from music in 2016 after losing his father to Cancer, but later returned in 2018 with a standalone cut titled “Public School” via Beats 1. After touring and working with artists ranging from heavy hitters like Vince Staples to legendary acts like Nas, Armani stepped fully back into the light with “Keep in Touch”. Inspired by his father’s life and death, Keep in Touch it details a long winded demonstration of his father’s advice “Never be someone with good intentions and bad execution.” He writes: “The concept in a nutshell is “Save me from myself”, threaded around the idea of finding out your purpose in life before it’s too late to act on it.” The project itself protects the high energy reputation while ranging into the more playful and experimental bounds of Hip-Hop. This is imagination music.
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J-S.A.N.D.
J-S.A.N.D. is a Louisiana-based artist known for his thought-provoking lyricism, hard-hitting production, and witty wordplay. He’s also a producer, graphic designer, director, & film editor. J-S.A.N.D.’s musical resume includes opening for artists such as Rico Nasty, Kash Doll, Partners N Crime, Saba, & Young Nudy, and doing graphic artwork for Audio Push. J-S.A.N.D. also has received many notable co-signs from legendary artists such as Schoolboy Q, Missy Elliot, and J.I.D., solidifying him as one of the most promising rising talents of his generation.
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Zateb
Zateb is an artist/producer from the Twin Cities. At age 21, he has self produced a few projects with his newest being Tranquility, an album about chasing after a state of peace throughout everything he has been through.
Deltah Beats
Deltah Beats ia an 18 year old producer from St. Louis, MO. He has production credits with Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Tecca, Lil Keed, YBN Nahmir, Sheff G, UnoTheActivist, & Asain Doll.
Animist
Animist was born and raised in a small town in Oklahoma. They started writing as a coping mechanism but quickly fell in love with the art of music, and poetry. Their influences come from Milo, Earl Sweatshirt, and MF DOOM. Through each track they put out Animist delivers a personal insight to their emotions, experiences, and struggles while rapping on sampled instrumetnals. Right now, Animist only has two singles and a music video for “Too Much Love” under their belt which both came out in 2020, but it’s only the beginning for what the young artist has in store.
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Brique
Being of South Asian descent and claiming the musically-historic city of Memphis as his hometown, Lil Brick brings a variety of multicultural elements into his artistry. A Lil Wayne “superfan”, Brick also highlights Wiz Khalifa, Kid Cudi, Future, Nas, and DMX as the main influences on his approach to hip hop. Brick began his career by releasing a mixtape of freestyles over Tha Carter V instrumentals, before recently launching his debut single “Thinking Twice.” Wanting to specialize as a pure vocalist, Brick aims to “raise the voices of those who go unheard” with his music, with mental health, love, and social issues being central topics.
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Gukie
Super passionate about music & business, Gukie is a writer, producer & amp; entrepreneur based in Calgary. Influenced by Hip-Hop, RnB, Trap, House, Afro beats & amp; Pop music from artists like Post Malone, Tory Lanez, Drake, Bryson Tiller, Anderson .Paak, Kaytranada, Pharrell, Travis Scott, H.E.R, Davido, Wiz Khalifa & amp; Kid Cudi.. etc. Involved in music since the age of 8 years old, Gukie believes he has something very unique style to offer.
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S.P.I.K.E.
Nigerian born rapper S.P.I.K.E is a gritty, vibrant and an all round force of nature with rhymes. Residing in The North, where the only thing colder are his bars, the most potent MC seeks to dispose of the weak rappers that continues to plague the airwaves. Even just a small dose is more than enough to prove that he’s So Potent It Kills Everything.
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Sevan Mattar
Sevan Mattar is a 22 year old Hip Hop artist based out of Calgary Alberta. Of Palestinian descent, Sevan has been making music since 11 years old and grew up listening to influences like Jay Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Tupac to name a few. His music dives into mental health, various emotional struggles and other trials throughout his life while never shying away from displaying his love for lyricism. He’s gearing up to release his very first project under his real name.
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Soundmind
“Big L is the reason I rap. I’m really into punchlines and rhyme schemes but overall I just want to make music that reflects who I really am. I do it for the passion and the sport, not the clout”
Julian
Working on creating a sound we’ll hear in 2050. Based in Idaho, 17 years old. Loves all things music, will change the world.
Sand
A rapper and student based out of Seattle, WA, Sand uses storytelling along with a vast facet of flows to compliment his raps. Jaysand credits his love for rap to being around music as a young kid, listening to artists such as Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar & J. Cole. “I feel like there’s a lot of guys who have helped me find my sound and have the courage to tell my story. I appreciate music for that.” Sand states.
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Pres
Pres is a 19-year-old rapper based out of the southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois looking to make waves in the world of hip-hop. Pres delivers all sub-genres of hip-hop while still spitting punchlines, quick flows, and storytelling.
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Clyde Cyrus
Clyde Cyrus is an upcoming vocalist hailing from Indiana. Jumpstarting his career as an ambitious teen performing alongside Dead Prez, at his first concert, Clyde linked up with esteemed hit-makers Basquiat and Makaih Beats to release bangers such as 1998 and W.A.N.T.S., amassing tens of thousands of SoundCloud streams. After a slew of other singles including INVINCIBLE, assisted by Grammy-winning Julia Michaels, C² released Cleverlasting and The Crown Chakra EP to critical acclaim. Clyde is currently working on his debut album, “AMETHYST”, exclusively produced by Makaih Beats. If you want to hear an upcoming artist who has impressed the likes of established names such as Earl Sweatshirt, Joey Bada$$ and IDK, you’ve found him right here.
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Geniio
The mysterious Hip-Hop artist from Central Florida released his debut mixtape I LOVE GENIIO in August of 2019. Instead of public appearances, Geniio would rather bask in the shadows of anonymity and let the music speak for itself. His musical influences include Kanye West, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, and Lil Uzi Vert.
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Nick Enaigba
A local kid born & raised in The Bronx, NY trying to make his way into the underground hip hop scene. He has been creating music since the tender age of 15. Rapper, Producer & Engineer Nick Enaigbe’s style consist of different sound structures such as trap, gritty conscious bars, R&B with a little bit of pop influence. Biggest influences are Kanye West, Biggie, Wu-Tang, Eminem, Nas, The Beatles, Griselda
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