13 New Artists to Watch in 2013

Get ready for some exciting music.

13 New Artists to Watch in 2013 - With Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, Future, Meek Mill and Elle Varner all dropping their debuts, 2012 was a banner year for new music. But 2013 is looking nearly as promising, with upstart artists set to drop new albums, spark new movements and take music in exciting new directions. Read on to see 13 artists you should check for in the New Year. —Alex Gale   (Photos from left: John Ricard/BET,Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)
Joey BadA$ @joeyBADASS - Tweet: "Drake never said he was poor and homeless.. You dont know what he felt the bottom was yall need to stfu n Stop hatin.."Joey BadA$ defends his homie Drake against comments that the Canadian rapper and former child star didn’t really “start from the bottom” as the title of his new track suggests. (Photo: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)
Trinidad James - You thought Chief Keef blew up quickly? Meet Trinidad James. After rapping for just a few months, the ATL rapper released his Don’t Be S.A.F.E. mixtape in July, which yielded the viral-video sensation “All Gold Everything,” perhaps the biggest indie-rap track of the year. In December, James took New York by storm, selling out a Manhattan club and hitting the stage at Madison Square Garden with Trey Songz and Young Jeezy. A couple weeks after that, he signed a multimillion dollar deal with Def Jam. If Trinidad keeps up this pace, 2013 is going to be a huge year for him.(Photo: Randy Smith/BET)Luke James  - You’ve already heard and seen New Orleans singer Luke James, even if you don’t remember his name. He’s sung backup for Tyrese, written for Justin Bieber, Britney Spears and Chris Brown, appeared in Beyonce’s “Run the World” video and made his first televised appearance at the 2012 BET Honors. But 2013 looks like a tipping point year for James: Not only will he release his debut album, Made to Love, via Def Jam, but he landed a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance with his single “I Want You.”(Photo: John Ricard / BET)

Next Gallery

Women's History Month: The Most Iconic Fashion Moments by Black Women

13 Photos

1 / 14

13 New Artists to Watch in 2013 - With Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, Future, Meek Mill and Elle Varner all dropping their debuts, 2012 was a banner year for new music. But 2013 is looking nearly as promising, with upstart artists set to drop new albums, spark new movements and take music in exciting new directions. Read on to see 13 artists you should check for in the New Year. —Alex Gale (Photos from left: John Ricard/BET,Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)

ADVERTISEMENT