Compton-native Channel Tres pulls from a near-endless variety of influences. His latest offering, “Weedman,” is a ‘70s version of Half Baked with living room choreography. He was handpicked by Tyler, The Creator to remix his GRAMMY-winning “EARFQUAKE,” adding numerous pitch changes and a house-inspired twist more than ready for the dancefloor. Channel made his career as a touring DJ and was involved in the EDM world for quite some time until positioning himself to make it on his own terms as an artist. His Black Moses EP from Summer 2019 displayed some serious charisma, especially in the vocal department. He tapped JPEGMAFIA for “Black Moses” and dropped a song titled “Sexy Black Timberlake,” a tongue-in-cheek take on Justin Timberlake’s 2007 mega-hit “SexyBack.”
For Fans Of: Duckwrth, JPEGMAFIA, Galcher Lustwerk
Channel Tres
Hailing from Camden Town, London, multifaceted artist Bakar released a brief but brilliant 15-minute project in Will You Be My Yellow? to round out 2019. The six track effort featured the standout song “Stop Selling Her Drugs,” enlisting BrockHampton member Dominic Fike for a minimal, guitar-driven track. The sonics transport listeners to a sunny Los Angeles with some grimmer content about getting caught up in the party life. Bakar got his start cutting samples of Bombay Bicycle Club and chopping King Krule vocals just for fun. His debut effort, 2018’s Badkid, was unapologetically political (see a track like “Badlands” for an upbeat example of a joblessness malaise). He’s an artist who spurs genres, and instead creates on his own terms.
For Fans Of: Dominic Fike, BADBADNOTGOOD, slowthai
Bakar
Currently a junior studying neuroscience at Howard University, 20-year-old rapper Mavi released his full-length Let The Sun Talk in October 2019. He wowed fans and critics alike with his stream-of-consciousness verses effortless flow between the abstract, esoteric and concrete. His technical wizardry is on full display throughout the 13 tracks, which are rooted in spiritual identity and community. The D.C.-based, Charlotte-raised rapper even recruited mentor Earl Sweatshirt to produce “Sense” after appearing on Sweatshirt’s Feet of Clay cut “El Toro Combo Meal.” His opening verse was full of complex internal rhymes, a fervent pace and themes of loss and depression. He presents existential questions throughout his work but his 10 toes are planted firmly on the pavement. Mavi’s creative output comes with a nuance and presence beyond his years.
For Fans of: Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE, Maxo, Pink Siifu
MAVI
Kaiit is Australia’s newest heir to the neo-soul throne. The Papua New Guinea-born and Melbourne-based songstress has had a fruitful year as she jumped off the success of her 2018 EP Live From Her Room, dropping the therapeutic single “Miss Shiney” in May 2019 and hitting the road for her first national headlining tour. The 21-year-old also achieved some personal goals including opening for SZA — one of her biggest inspirations — along with performing at the revered Splendour In The Grass music festival. Kaiit’s honesty and belief in self-love is a much needed message in today’s world, and along with her impeccable vocal ability, she’s sure to make even bigger waves in the coming year.
For Fans of: Jean Deaux, Raveena, Ama Lou
Kaiit
It took Tay Iwar about four years to create GEMINI, but the release of his debut studio album this 2019 made it worth the while. The young Nigerian artist started a professional career at the age of 16 with the mixtape Passport, and Iwar — now 21 — is continuing his deep dive into his brand of R&B and Afrofusion. Clocking in at approximately 40 minutes, the 16-track album sees Iwar in his most expressive state yet, finally providing him the space to be satisfied with his work after five long years. He followed that effort with GOLD alongside Le Mav where his introspection and uncompromising vision continues to grow.
For Fans of: Childish Gambino, Santi, Odunsi (The Engine)
Tay Iwar
At just 18, Keyon Christ sold his first ever beat to Rihanna for $18,000 USD. The first professional music studio he ever set foot in was Kanye West’s. After moving on from his original G.O.O.D. Music deal, Christ decided to dive headfirst into his career as a solo artist, traversing through off world soundscapes and ultra-layered compositions. His penchant for his electronic-meets-hip-hop production is what kicks his vision into the ninth gear — skittering synths are met by sawtoothy 808s, and brash distorted sidechaining is met by ethereal melodies. He furthered his collaborative efforts with his memorable Vic Mensa track late last year. Big things are coming for Keyon, both as a solo artist and a producer, so be on the lookout for what he has to offer in the coming future.
For Fans of: Kanye West, Burial
Keyon Christ
MemoTheMafioso has played a major part in San Diego’s recent rap renaissance. When he first started, Memo was inspired by the lyrics of New York City’s premiere talent like Joey Bada$$, Capital Steez and Flatbush Zombies. He’s since mixed that with West Coast style for his own unique sound. His track “Dough Boy,” currently sitting at just under 5 million views on Youtube only six months after its release, is a perfect example of his lyrical prowess injected into a West Coast anthem. His upcoming EP Pennies To Riches is slated for later this year.
For Fans of: Drakeo The Ruler, Mozzy
MemoTheMafioso
The reemphasis on street-fueled hip-hop has become an ongoing fixation for many over the past few years, with the recent wave incorporating a range of artists who prioritize off-beat flows and heady one-liners. Following in the footsteps of artists like Blueface and Baby Smoove, Flint, Michigan’s Rio Da Yung OG has been creating waves around his hard-nosed deliveries. Becoming a hot commodity in his region’s hip-hop scene, the raspy-voiced rapper remains rooted in tongue-in-cheek punchlines, outlining the tumultuous life of street hustling and gang banging.
For Fans of: Blueface, Baby Smoove, Sada Baby
Rio Da Yung OG
2019 is the year of the Black Pumas. The Austin-based funk/soul duo — composed of singer Eric Burton and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada — is wrapping up their most productive year yet, achieving major feats like performing at South by Southwest, dropping their highly-praised eponymous debut studio album in June 2019 and receiving a Best New Artist nomination at the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards. The experienced musicians offer a refreshing take on the old-timey genre, doing their craft a favor and breaking a generational barrier to create a more inclusive style. Their self-titled Black Pumas is an essential listening experience.
For Fans of: Leon Bridges, Sir Little
Bay Area-native Benjamin Earl Turner has been leaving his mark on hip-hop’s underground over the past few years. The West Coast artist lent his talents to Saba’s ComfortZone, and most recently worked on Noname’s critically acclaimed Room 25. In addition to adding to his own collaborative repertoire, Turner also broke out as a solo artist with his debut album, Bad Nature, last year. The nine-track project saw him diving into highbrow flows and visceral lyrical portraits, infusing elements of jazz, funk, soul, R&B and hip-hop throughout. With the release, Benjamin Earl Turner proved himself as a talent to be reckoned with — on the album he can be found exploring anywhere between two and four deliveries and flows, all utilizing different pitches and tempos across various hooks and choruses.
For Fans of: Kendrick Lamar, Noname, Mick Jenkins
Black Pumas
Benjamin Earl Turner
New Gen is HYPEBEAST Music’s quarterly series highlighting some of the most promising up-and-coming voices in the music game. Every season, we spotlight talented and buzzworthy names from all corners of the globe, across all genres.
New Gen’s Spring 2020 class defies genres and boundaries, with a running theme of artistic independence. Many of the artists selected have developed producing chops in recent years, experimenting with new directions in their sonic growth. Selections feature a standout in the Brooklyn drill movement, a former Kanye collaborator, a rising voice in the growing San Diego rap renaissance and even an artist handpicked to remix one of Tyler, The Creator’s GRAMMY Award-winning selections.
As Spring 2020 gets underway, HYPEBEAST has picked 15 artists for you to add to your personal playlist for the coming months.
15 artists to discover this season.
New Gen: Spring 2020
AzChike
For Fans of: YG, SOB X RBE, E-40
LA's AzChike stands firmly at the forefront of a modern West Coast rap-renaissance, having helped bless his area with a type of fresh, exciting creativity that hasn't been seen since YG transitioned from jerking and "Toot It and Boot It" to mainstream magazine covers and Barney's shelves. Virtually every song he's put out in 2018 has had the potential to be a regional hit, having gone on to soundtrack parties and filled up cruising playlists across the West. Alongside fellow AzCult members AzSwaye and AzBenzz, he’s a large part of why West Coast hip-hop sounded like it did in 2018. Now in the same R Baron-helmed camp that brought us the ascents of Drakeo the Ruler and 03 Greedo, AzChike is just one big record away from becoming his state's next headlining star.
Lil Dude
For Fans of: 21 Savage, Gucci Mane, Migos
Alongside his close friend, musical affiliate and fellow DMV underground king Goonew, Lil Dude has created a signature style that's being imitated as much as Valee's. Mixing together calmer-toned vocals with agile, breathless flows, the "Trapnana" originator slithers across menacing, bass-heavy beats as if every new record is a freeform sonic experiment. In the same fashion as Atlanta superstars Young Thug, Gunna, Future and Lil Baby, Lil Dude uses his voice as an instrument, adding unconventional, psychedelic twists and turns to raw street music. As the codeine-coated melancholy of recent releases like “Magic” and his experimental, progressive approach to production prove, he also holds the type of of versatility that almost guarantees longevity. With his cult following expanding beyond the boundaries of the underground, expect his next run of videos and projects to quickly catapult him to new commercial heights and critical breakthroughs.
Blueface
For Fans of: 03 Greedo, Young Thug, YG, Gucci Mane
Say what you will about his "unconventional" -- to say the least -- delivery, Blueface is one of hip-hop's most impressive recent success stories. Swiftly propelled to his side's top spot thanks to the astounding organic explosion of "Deadlocs," "Thotiana" and "Respect My Crypn," the fast-rising LA rapper has turned head-spinning and polarizing viral triumphs into a meteoric rise that could be compared to Migos after "Versace." Adding fuel to the fire: Drake is a huge fan, Quavo has been spotted in the studio with him, DJ Mustard has popped up at his recording sessions and a YG collaboration out now.
1TakeJay
For Fans of: YG, Nipsey Hussle, RJ
Ever since listeners were given a taste of what it was like to live a "day in the life of a player named Quik," the West Coast has always been hip-hop culture's foremost supplier of party music -- whether it was bottle-breaking, beat-down-your-block records or smooth cuts that feel at home in the middle of a Sunday night session with Art Laboe. Carrying on that proud, substance-streaked tradition, 1TakeJay has become the latest hero for his coast's nocturnal set. Separating himself from the pack, the slick-tongued proponent of the fast life blends together tightly-wound flows, 200 mile-per-hour energy and the playfully-arrogant shit-talking of like-minded regional cohorts like Drakeo the Ruler and Blueface. As raw snippets of future releases go viral within hours and the views of his videos near the million-mark, 1TakeJay stands as one of his scene's most promising new acts. If he continues at this pace, superstardom is inevitable.
Japanese Breakfast
For Fans Of: St. Vincent, Grimes
The solo project of Michelle Zauner, Japanese Breakfast has racked up millions of views and listens in recent months thanks to the act's genre-agnostic approach to experimental indie, rock and alternative. Zauner's Japanese Breakfast project has received a flood of critical acclaim since its inception, and Zauner herself is also an award-winning author. Japanese Breakfast blends together various cultural influences from around the world, connecting with listeners on levels outside of just the usual sonic bonds. While many have noted contemporary rock's lack of innovation and creativity as of late, Japanese Breakfast stands as one of the most forward-thinking, progressive acts in that field. Breaking boundaries on all sides, Zauner's solo effort stands poised to be one of indie's biggest forces in 2019.
22Gz
For Fans of: Kodak Black, Casanova, Fivio Foreign
22gz is one of the main reasons that Brooklyn’s drill scene made its way to the masses. Kodak Black took notice of the Flatbush-born rapper, signing the artist to his Sniper Gang label early last year. 22gz, aka TuTu Da General, followed up his promising The Blixky Tape with his “Blixky Gang Freestyle” this past February, a track that took an impromptu verse on Funk Flex and turned it into an undeniable hit. His young career has already come with numerous high-profile feuds and confrontations, though. 22gz was one of five acts barred from performing at Rolling Loud New York due to gang affiliations and safety concerns.
Baby Smoove
For Fans Of: Brainfeeder, Stones Throw, Thundercat, The Internet
22gz is one of the main reasons that Brooklyn’s drill scene made its way to the masses. Kodak Black took notice of the Flatbush-born rapper, signing the artist to his Sniper Gang label early last year. 22gz, aka TuTu Da General, followed up his promising The Blixky Tape with his “Blixky Gang Freestyle” this past February, a track that took an impromptu verse on Funk Flex and turned it into an undeniable hit. His young career has already come with numerous high-profile feuds and confrontations, though. 22gz was one of five acts barred from performing at Rolling Loud New York due to gang affiliations and safety concerns.
Money Marr
For Fans Of: Q Da Fool, Goonew, Hoodrich Pablo Juan
A new era of the DMV’s ever-eclectic and ever-changing music scene has highlighted new talents like Q Da Fool, Xanman, YungManny and more. With the DMV flow expanding and contorting to meet the scene’s growing popularity, MoneyMarr is one of few who is experimenting with the region’s sound. Over the past few years he’s continued to drop off a variety of tracks like 2018’s “Whip Out The Stick” and last year’s “Cable Box,” releasing the first and second installments of his Youngest Trapper and Draco Vibes 2 mixtapes. While Money Marr is still young at just 20, he’s one of the region’s most promising artists, and that showed on his recently released Exotic Habits project.
Cassowary
For Fans Of: Thundercat, Steve Lacy, Kamasi Washington
Miles Shannon, otherwise known as Cassowary, is paving his way to become the contemporary sound of Los Angeles. Just like the dangerous bird that is his moniker, the Los Angeles multi-instrumentalist is formidable in scale as he seamlessly weaves through jazz, funk, R&B, hip-hop, psych-rock, and everything in between. Having made his recording debut by playing the keys on childhood friend Earl Sweatshirt’s I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside, Cassowary encapsulates a different sound with genre-bending grooves and sun-baked tunes that hark back to blissful and laid-back West Coast days. With his self-titled debut album set to release soon, he is establishing himself as a versatile artist to watch.
Sudan Archives
For Fans of: serpentwithfeet, Jamila Woods,
FKA twigs
Self-taught violinist and vocalist Brittney Denise Parks, better known as experimental electronic artist Sudan Archives, closed out last year with the release of her studio album Athena via Stones Throw Records. Her fusion of electro, R&B and even Sudanese fiddle music makes her one of the most interesting, eclectic and detailed musicians of the past few years. To top it off, Sudan Archives never fails to deliver a visual just as stunning and unorthodox as her music, just watch her “Limitless” visual for proof.
Orion Sun
For Fans Of: Mereba, Choker, Arlo Parks
Orion Sun is quickly making her mark as a powerful creative force. Philadelphia singer-songwriter Tiffany Majette, suspends time and reality with her lyrical storytelling, cathartic melodies, and brings it all together with his detailed ear for production. With an ethereal blend of vintage jazz, folk and R&B, she not only has a self-produced compilation A Collection of Fleeting Moments and Daydreams up her sleeve, but also releases volumes of her own ideas and experiments spanning hours. Her recently released debut album Hold Space For Me channels heart-tugging artistry with relatable vulnerability and nostalgia. Her soul soothers are gentle invitations to build safe spaces for one another and are reminders to make room for her exciting growth as a rising star.
MAVI
For Fans of: Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE, Maxo, Pink Siifu
Currently a junior studying neuroscience at Howard University, 20-year-old rapper Mavi released his full-length Let The Sun Talk in October 2019. He wowed fans and critics alike with his stream-of-consciousness verses effortless flow between the abstract, esoteric and concrete. His technical wizardry is on full display throughout the 13 tracks, which are rooted in spiritual identity and community. The D.C.-based, Charlotte-raised rapper even recruited mentor Earl Sweatshirt to produce “Sense” after appearing on Sweatshirt’s Feet of Clay cut “El Toro Combo Meal.” His opening verse was full of complex internal rhymes, a fervent pace and themes of loss and depression. He presents existential questions throughout his work but his 10 toes are planted firmly on the pavement. Mavi’s creative output comes with a nuance and presence beyond his years.
Bakar
For Fans Of: Dominic Fike, BADBADNOTGOOD, slowthai
Miles Shannon, otherwise known as Cassowary, is paving his way to become the contemporary sound of Los Angeles. Just like the dangerous bird that is his moniker, the Los Angeles multi-instrumentalist is formidable in scale as he seamlessly weaves through jazz, funk, R&B, hip-hop, psych-rock, and everything in between. Having made his recording debut by playing the keys on childhood friend Earl Sweatshirt’s I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside, Cassowary encapsulates a different sound with genre-bending grooves and sun-baked tunes that hark back to blissful and mellow West Coast days. With his self-titled debut album set to release soon, he is establishing himself as a versatile artist to watch.
22Gz
For Fans Of: Kodak Black, Casanova, Fivio Foreign
Orion Sun is quickly making her mark as a powerful creative force. Also known as Tiffany Majette, the Philadelphia singer-songwriter suspends time and reality with her lyrical storytelling and cathartic melodies, bringing it all together with a detailed ear for production. With an ethereal blend of vintage jazz, folk and R&B, she not only has a self-produced compilation A Collection of Fleeting Moments and Daydreams up her sleeve, but has also released volumes of her own ideas and experiments that span hours. Her recently released debut album Hold Space For Me channels heart-tugging artistry with relatable vulnerability and nostalgia. While her soul soothers are gentle invitations to build safe spaces for one another, they are also reminders to make room for her exciting growth as a rising star.
Channel Tres
For Fans Of: Duckwrth, JPEGMAFIA, Galcher Lustwerk
Self-taught violinist and vocalist Brittney Denise Parks, better known as experimental electronic artist Sudan Archives, closed out last year with the release of her studio album Athena via Stones Throw Records. Her fusion of electro, R&B and even Sudanese fiddle music makes her one of the most interesting, eclectic and detailed musicians of the past few years. To top it off, Sudan Archives never fails to deliver a visual just as stunning and unorthodox as her music, just watch her “Limitless” visual for proof.