At only 17, Luh Tyler is already making a huge splash in the hip-hop game. The Tallahassee, Fla. native went viral late last year with his hit “Law & Order” (currently at over 21 million views on YouTube) and has had a strong start to 2023, recently releasing his song and video “First Show.” Tyler has also displayed an ability to rap over a myriad of different beats and instrumentals using his trademark punchlines and stark delivery. Need further proof? His March-released debut mixtape My Vision should do the trick.

New York-born and Atlanta-raised, Sid Shyne has an aggressive rapping style that he employs over a barrage of rolling synths and heavy yet muddled bass that will open your eyes and ears with the quickness. A large part of the ATL’s Plugg Wave, along with his brother and fellow rapper $odaman, Shyne dropped his last full-length project Midnight Fantasy, a prime example of his ethereal soundscape, in 2021.

One of the new faces of R&B, Alex Vaughn is inspired by Jill Scott and Indie.Arie, among others, and has been dropping soulful tracks that relay her knack for creating heartbreaking anthems, which detail love lost, tragedy and the hopelessness that comes with it. Also an excellent songwriter, Vaughn has been working with Grammy-winning producer Dark Child on her latest work, which includes 2022’s The Hurtbook. She also performed at the 2022 BET Soul Train Awards in the Soul Cypher segment.

Dubbed the “Drill Justin Bieber,” DD Osama has established himself as one of New York’s youngest and most popular artists in the drill scene. Hailing from Harlem, the 16-year-old took the Big Apple by storm with “Dead Opps,” the early 2022 collaboration with his brother Notti Osama prior to the latter’s tragic murder just months later. In honor of his fallen kinfolk, DD has been on a tear, releasing viral tracks like “Letter 2 Notti,” and the Coi Leray-assisted “Upnow,” which he released in March.

Tony Shhnow may only be 27, but his 15-project catalog is already relatively long for his age. The Cobb County, Ga. native takes much of his early hip-hop inspiration from his family’s West Coast roots – citing Tupac and DJ Quik, while also crediting East Coast greats like DMX, Jadakiss and Jay-Z for his bar structure. His latest album Love Streak, released April, is perhaps his most versatile and well-rounded work to-date. And he’s only getting better with time.

The multifaceted stylings of Chicago native Dreamer Isioma has them seamlessly intertwining elements of afrobeat, R&B, hip-hop, and alternative rock into their music while maintaining an authenticity that is unmistakably theirs. A second-generation Nigerian who spent a portion of their youth in Lagos, Isioma just released their brand new album, Princess Forever, which is a rich tapestry of Pan-African sounds reminiscent of Fela Kuti while also emanating Chief Keef's unfiltered, free-spirited ethos.

AfroFusion artist Ayra Starr is undoubtedly one of the youngest and biggest names in the international music scene. The 20-year-old Lagos native has already racked up over 820 million streams worldwide, many of which came from her September 2022 hit single “Rush” that went viral on TikTok and ranked in YouTube’s Top 30 Music Videos for three consecutive months. Releasing her debut full-length mixtape 19 & Dangerous in 2021, Starr is ready to continue her ascension as this year progresses, making her an Afrobeats force to watch.

Destroy Lonely is one of the biggest stars in the rage rap scene and his newly-released album If Looks Could Kill is a prime example of how far he can push the genre. A signee to Playboi Carti’s Opium Records, the Atlanta native has used the influence of his label head’s groundbreaking 2020 album Whole Lotta Red to keep ragers satisfied and continue to build one of hip-hop’s fastest-growing subgenres. His enigmatic style features muffled vocals and wildly-mastered instrumentals to create an addicting sound that can put you in a trance if you’re not careful.

Kenyan-American singer KayCyy is perhaps best known for his work with The Weeknd on his 2018 EP My Dear, Melancholy. However he’s made waves as a breakout artist himself. Slated to release his second EP TW2052 later this month with French DJ and producer Gesaffelstein, the 25-year-old will have a chance to once again showcase his esoteric singing style, as evident on his new single/video “Roll The Dice” (released last week).

What is a hip-hop list without a little New York hardcore? In keeping with the trends of 2023, when women reign supreme in rap, we bring you Scar Lip, who is every bit as lyrical and hardbody as any male emcee from the Big Apple’s storied yesteryear. If you need proof of just how thorough the Bronx native is, just call back tracks like “This Is New York” and “Glizzy Gobbler” to answer any questions. Scar’s heavy-handed bars and unapologetic in-your-face energy is the perfect soundtrack to lace up your Timbs and throw on a Yankee fitted.