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Wiz Khalifa - After a few false starts to his rap career, Wiz Khalifa is on the fast track to superstardom. The Pittsburgh rapper turned his hometown-repping single “Black and Yellow” into a national sensation, and then saw his recently released rookie album Rolling Papers debut at No. 2 on the Billboard charts. And now, with his music soaring and his very public relationship with hip hop socialite Amber Rose sparking daily blog fodder, Wiz has become quite the media darling on his way to mega-star status.(Photo: Scott Gries/PictureGroup)

Photo By Scott Gries/PictureGroup

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Bruno Mars - Bruno Mars is a proven hitmaker. The California native was a breakout star in 2010 thanks to his hit singles "Just The Way You Are" and "Grenade" and his feature spots on B.o.B's "Nothing on You" and Travis McCoy's "Billionaire." The multitalented singer/songwriting/producer has set the bar high with the success of his debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, and now fans will pay close attention as Bruno preps his sophomore LP. (Photo: Marcus Brandt DPA/LANDOV)

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J. Cole - The Roc Nation signee has built a significant buzz for himself working with big names like Jay-Z, Drake and Diddy. Though his still-untitled debut has been oft-delayed, the upcoming artist has kept relevant with a string of critically acclaimed mixtapes. You can catch Cole performing cuts from his latest project, Friday Night Lights, as the opening act on Rihanna's LOUD tour.\r\r(Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for VEVO)

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B.o.B. - B.o.B. has brought a fresh new sound and look to hip-hop that has been well-received. His debut album featured two No. 1 hits, “Nothin’ on You” and "Airplane." His skills and unique style have all eyes on him. (Photo: Chris Blumenshine/PictureGroup)

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Diggy Simmons - Diggy Simmons is a young mogul in the making. On top of trying to break into the rap game, the teen rapper is launching his own his sneaker line, Chivalrous Culture. The son of rap legend Joseph "Run" Simmons, Diggy is tasked with living up to great expectations. The 16-year-old lyricist has gotten off to a good start, playing the underground circuit and receiving great reviews. Still, the real test comes with his soon-to-be-released, still-untitled debut album.(Photo: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)

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Jeremih - Teetering on the brink of becoming a one-hit wonder following the success of his 2009 hit "Birthday Sex," Jeremih has rallied back from disappointing dry spell. The Chicago R&B crooner has made huge strides of late on the strength of his infectious single “Down on Me,” which features a guest spot from 50 Cent. The impressive comeback proves that the R&B star has notable staying power. Stay tuned for more.(Photo: UPI/Michael Bush /Landov)

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Wale - Wale continues to put D.C. on the map with his success. The public’s expecting big things from Wale after he recently signed with Rick Ross’s Maybach Music Group.(Photo: fafotos/picturegroup)

Photo By Photo: fafotos/picturegroup

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Tyga - As the sometimes overlooked star of Lil Wayne's Young Money crew, Tyga is on track to do big things in 2011. After being featured on Chris Brown's Grammy-nominated hit "Deuces" in 2010, the California rapper is gearing up for his sophomore album by releasing a new mixtapeBlack Thoughts 2, touring with Wayne, and clocking studio time with the YM family. It's young moolah, baby.(Photo: Adrian Sidney/PictureGroup)

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Cory Gunz - Cory Gunz is signed to Young Money/Cash Money, and he’s been working closely with the master Lil’ Wayne on his debut album. It’s said that he’s also working with Nick Cannon on his own show Son of a Gun which will document Cory's journey in the music industry.(Photo: PNP/ WENN.com)

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Sean Garrett - Sean Garrett is one of the most accomplished recent songwriters/producers. The ATL native has crafted hits for Destiny's Child, Mary J. Blige and Usher, just to name a few. Now that Garrett is ready to drop his second studio album, it’s expected that he’ll work that same magic for his own cause.(Photo: Paul Abell/PictureGroup)

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Meek Mill - Meek Mill just signed with Maybach Music Group and is working on putting out new tracks. You can check him out on Maybach Music Group’s Self Made compilation, due out in May.(Photo: www.myspace.com/meekmill)

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BIG K.R.I.T. - Big K.R.I.T. is emerging as a Southern rap superstar calmly waiting to take the game by storm. He's been rocking the underground airwaves with his critically acclaimed mixtapes and recently signed with Def Jam; last month, the lyricist and producer released his much-anticipated, self-produced mixtapeReturnof4eva.(Photo: David Blake Hutchinson/Flickr.com)

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Kendrick Lamar - Straight out of Compton, Kendrick Lamar is on the rise. He’s a freshman in the game that’s already earned a rep with his mixtape success. Keep a look out for his debut album, A Good Kid in a Mad City, due out later this year.(Photo: Zyaire P./www.thezics.net)