Music moves quickly these days. With so many new artists popping up, it can be difficult for any rap fan to keep pace. Our monthly column 10 Rappers You Should Know Right Now cuts through the noise to tell you the rising hip-hop artists on Audiomack you should be paying attention to. Listen to standout selections from all 10 artists as a playlist below.

Sett

Hometown: Memphis, TN

Over the last few years, Gucci Mane has proven he has his finger on the pulse of Memphis’ rap scene with his 1017 label. Sett, one of his latest signees from the city, has been on a tear since signing to the label last year. “Piss Sett Off” has become his breakout, but his more recent single “Snap” shows a rapper with more versatility. On the latter song, Sett weaves in between the beat’s jangling bell melody, recounting his time being locked up and delivering a memorable hook.

Lil Tony Official

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Since breaking out last year with “Quagen,” Atlanta rapper Lil Tony has established himself as one of the most exciting young prospects in the city. His TKEY project, released in May, is a cohesive showcase: Over sinister, minimal beats, Tony serves reality raps, threats, and boasts with a rough authority. Standout “Billie Jean” finds him rapping about masks and gloves over organ chords and pounding drums.

Blo

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Like many Atlanta rappers before him, Blo seems to approach the beats he raps over with a certain off-kilterness. His recent single, “Fat Bit$h,” is relatively straightforward on its surface—a guitar-driven beat, Blo’s melodic flow—but the way he emphasizes the song’s title multiple times, relishing all the vowels and consonants, takes the song into new territory. “Mama left me in the house with noodles and some canned goods, this ain’t even a meal,” he raps a few bars later, pausing for effect.

Babyfxce E

Hometown: Flint, MI

Flint rappers have put themselves on the map over the last few years through clever punchlines and a healthy amount of humor. Babyfxce E—the fastest-rising rapper from the city—brings with him a fair share of entertaining bars, but he also has a versatility that has elevated him within the wider Michigan rap scene and beyond. On “Scavenger,” a recent single produced by Enrgy Beats, he raps over a clipped sample and typically busy percussion patterns, throwing off one-liners like, “Rob the juice plug for a cup and then I spilled that shit.”

DracBaby

Hometown: Memphis, TN

In recent years, as with many regional rap sounds around the country, Memphis has established a style that’s distinct and, at times, can be repetitive: ominous beats and double-timed, monotone flows are the current norm. While Memphis rapper DracBaby certainly conforms to this sound at times, his recent single “Thuggin” is a slight departure. Rapping over a piano melody and vocal sample, he allows the beat to breathe more than some of his contemporaries while still filling up the space with a narrative detailing the danger in his hometown and the rewards of his impending rap success.

Treety

Hometown: New Orleans, LA

Treety has been making bounce anthems for years—2017’s “Dick Drop Offs” instantly became a regional favorite—and her latest single “Making Love” has that same potential. Produced by New Orleans bounce legend BlaqNmilD (of “Nice For What” fame), and built around a sample of Dondria’s 2010 song of the same name, “Making Love” finds Treety returning to swaggering form, calling out New Orleans neighborhoods over the smooth production.

stoneda5th

Hometown: Moreno Valley, CA

More than a year after Drakeo The Ruler’s tragic death, his influence clearly still looms large over Southern California rap. Strains of the late rapper’s conversational flow and colorful lexicon can be heard in the music of stoneda5th, a rapper from the Inland Empire city of Moreno Valley. Yet, stoneda5th also brings his own lilting intonations and first-person perspective to his songs; “Front & Back,” a standout from his recent Life of a Joint project, finds him rapping in a feathery whisper as if he’s perpetually inhaling.

BBG Steppaa

Hometown: Newark, NJ

BBG Steppaa, a Newark rapper who’s managed by club rap pioneer Bandmanrill, has recently been a leading figure within the confluence of Jersey club and drill that’s taken over the Tri-State area. On recent single “Spinnin,” he teams up with Harlem rapper Sugarhill Ddot for a menacing track that falls more into the straightforward drill category, as the two trade verses over a somber violin melody.

Hopout Shawn

Hometown: Memphis, TN

Though it seems like he’s only been rapping for the past year, it’s easy to hear the progression in Memphis rapper Hopout Shawn’s songs. His most recent single, “Got Off,” is his most convincing track yet. Over a trunk–rattling bassline and a dark piano melody, Hopout Shawn rides the beat for two minutes, letting the buoyancy of the production carry his voice.

4kMicheal

Hometown: Baltimore, MD

Baltimore rapper 4kMicheal has been a standout in his city’s independent rap scene over the last several years, releasing a consistent supply of songs and projects that find a balance between introspection and hardness. On his latest project, May’s Free The Birds, he tows this line gracefully, mixing engaging sonic elements with a mixture of confessionalism and relatability. “All Falls Down,” a highlight from the project, is built around a guitar melody and knocking drums, as 4kMicheal vents his frustrations and paints a picture of the bleakness around him.

10 Rappers You Should Know Right Now (June 2023)