So at different times every year magazines and websites like to ask what rapper’s are you looking forward too? I guess this is no different except I feel that with each year this question gets harder and harder to answer. Every day I log onto these hip hop websites I see new songs from new artists I have never heard of and few months later it’s a whole new batch of new artists and I end up not hearing from the previous batch of new artists. Point being it’s hard to standout in this crowded hip hop landscape these days especially when the hip hop market share is decreasing.

So everyday I go on the Internet I see a few new names popping up consistently over the past whatever amount of months and then I see a few old names. Below is a list of the artist’s I am seeing pop up all over the Internet these days. Let me know which one’s you are actually looking forward too and also where you are from. Write-ins are allowed but not encouraged. Unless you are getting crazy placements on the internet (nah-right, hiphhopgame, worldstar, etc.) don’t tell us to look out for you. I am talking real buzz.

Charles Hamilton
Mickey Factz
Maino
Max B
Cory Gunz
Joell Ortiz
Glasses Malone
Asher Roth
Wale
Crooked I
Termanology
Skyzoo
Torae

I know I missed some people on this one but seriously let me know. Who’s music do you really like that is new? What does it take for these artist’s to rise above the rest?

First off thoughts and condolences go out to Dr. Dre and his family. Keep you heads up.

The biggest record of the moment seems to be “Swagger Like Us” from TI, Jay, Wayne, and Kanye. Dropping this record at the time that the song it sampled, M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes,” is playing on top 40 radio all over the country is very smart. My question is who’s got the most “swagger” out of all the people in mentioned above? I am going with M.I.A. It is kind of late for people to get up on this girl but she makes dope music and will be a superstar by the time her next album drops.

Also if you like “Swagger Like Us” and “Paper Planes” you should check out the original song they sampled, The Clash’s “Straight To Hell”. Check it out below. The Clash are one of the best bands and their album, London Calling, is amazing.

On another note, did anyone catch Daddy Yankee with John McCain? Huh? If this doesn’t show McCain’s age I don’t know what does. If hip hop is dead then what does that make reggaeton? Daddy Yankee had a hit a couple of years ago and since then his career has been over. You may argue that in Arizona he is huge but the reason a presidential candidate aligns with a contemporary musician is appeal to the youth vote and people stopped finding Daddy Yankee appealing on a mainstream level was 2005. But maybe McCain is kind of smart because Yankee’s last album was the top selling Latin album for that year. The grassroots approach might be McCain’s best move. So who does he align with when he needs to get the backpacker’s support?

DP