Whether he’s chronicling his personal journey to inner peace or explaining how he made thousands playing stocks and grinding, Ianthesage always has a smooth and natural charisma that gives his music a casual and slick appeal. He has the energy of someone who knows exactly what they’re doing and wants to take you along for the ride - tracks like ‘Hustle’ have a light and airy feel on the surface, but if you listen to his lyrics you can see his expert storytelling…

Throughout 2020 our team listened to several hundred artists and over one thousand projects, and out of all of them one rapper stood out - K!d Hype, a young rapper from Philly, was able to secure the #1 spot on our ‘Top Albums of 2020’ list and the highest rating out of any project we’ve ever reviewed with a combination of incredible writing, high quality production and mixing, a variety of flows ranging from sing-rap to blazing speed, and a unique voice and delivery style that stands out…

A lot of the rappers we cover here are just starting out, with only one or two albums - Drop, a veteran in the underground rap game, has 10 full length projects and a variety of singles. This discography allows him to show off all sides of his talent. He can switch from smooth sing-rap to bouncy, melodic choruses to intense and hard-hitting bars so easily you never know what to expect. With the work ethic Drop has, you know he’s continuously putting in the effort to level up his sound and experiment..

Coming out of Brooklyn, Crisiskhan has shown the importance of possessing a variety of skills in the rap game, having perfected both production and lyrical ability. Starting music at just 13 years old, his 2020 EP “Quarantine” has everything you’d want in a debut project. The 6 track EP shows not only huge future potential for the emerging artist, but also perfectly highlights his ability to produce his own music, allowing for complete creative control. Each track carries its own unique vibe that is largely created by the top tier production ability, setting the tone for each individual song…

While Cali has been a recent hotspot for emerging artists, none of them have as much of the hardworking and blue collar feel as young artist Tru Money. Not only does he make high quality music, he also founded and manages his own record label for like minded artists - this kind of entrepreneurship and commitment to the grind is what sets him apart, and you can hear it through his verses. When he raps about grinding to the top, you know it’s legit. This lends his music a credibility and respectability that many underground rappers struggle to achieve…

Drawing an interest in music at an early age, Nate has developed this skill into a blooming career, with 7 singles out and more on the way. The Virginia artist displays a wide range of musical talents, highlighting strong vocals on tracks like “Dark” and “Wasting Time” while tracks like “3 AM Freestyle” spotlight a precise measured flow. Inspired by the works of legends like Drake and Lil Wayne, Nate has evolved his own sound over the course of his emerging musical career, with each single carrying its own unique vibe to it…