TOP FIVE UNDERRATED NEXT GEN RAPPERS
On this Top Five, I wanted to look at rappers I’ll call "Next Gen," which I’ll loosely define as those who are relatively new to the scene and/or are pushing the genre forward and are not getting the attention and credit they deserve for their talent and vision. One caveat: this is a Top Five specifically for rappers I haven’t talked to/about on the site yet; I could very easily have put Abstract Sekai, Shunaji, Poetical Nadz, Icykal, and Lil Tytan on this list. If you haven’t checked those interviews out yet, I encourage you to do so (and check out their music of course!). Without further ado…
5. Kamaiyah
We’ll start with the most established of this group in Kamaiyah, part of XXL’s 2017 Freshman Class. I would describe her style as a hybrid informed by hyphy, vintage Bay Area hip-hop like N2Deep, and Missy Elliott, but a style that is, indeed, all her own. I saw a comment on one of her videos describing her as having "subtle bangers," and that’s such an accurate descriptor for tracks like "How Does It Feel," where her ability is on full display with hooks for days, her silky-smooth flow floating over a tight neo-80s beat.
4. $atori Zoom
According to his website, "$atori Zoom has played fast and loose when it comes to genres, often incorporating elements of experimental rap, punk rock, goth, alternative, and hip-hop…Drawing influence and inspiration from the likes of Joy Division, XXXTENTACION, The Germs, Playboi Carti, and Radiohead, $atori Zoom has been able to craft a clear vision for his musical direction." Intensely forward-looking, Zoom aesthetically and sonically could sit comfortably next to say, Xavier Wulf and some of that modernized Memphis menace, or in the ballpark of a lot of the more interesting dark trap or trap metal, but he’s not staying seated in one spot for long.
3. Backxwash
What initially caught my eye with the Zambian-Canadian rapper and producer based in Montreal, Quebec was the intriguing aesthetic blend of black metal meets dark shamanic ritual meets Integrity, and the music proved to be equally intriguing and dark in its own right. There’s a bit of some of that early- to mid-2000s Epitaph Records alternative rap like Sage Francis in there, some Moor Mother, all sorts of at once expansive and oppressive soundscapes twisted through various tortured filters like horrorcore, metal, and more weaved into Backxwash’s hellscapes. A track like "Spells" mines Deftones pretty heavily with an Eminem-like flow, and yet it doesn’t sound at all as that description reads. I probably wouldn’t listen to any Backxwash if you’re in a good mood or want to get in one.
2. Jujulipps
Born and raised in South Africa and now based in New Zealand, Jujulipps’s bombastic, fun, and flexible approach borrows influence from artists like Keikeli47 and Rico Nasty; a track like "Airplane Mode" feels like something Moonchild Sanelly might write. Exceptionally talented with a unique vision, Jujulipps is only just scratching the surface and it’s already this good.
1. Juice Menace
The brash and versatile Cardiff, Wales-based Juice Menace has such a seemingly-effortless flow and skilled delivery, exemplified on tracks like "24s," "Creepin" (my personal favorite Juice Menace cut), and the nightclub-ready "Pink Notes." Loads of attitude and obvious talent, it’s only a matter of time before she’s on the A-list of UK hip-hop.