Eight For '08
There will be no new superstars in 2008. Famed heights like those occupied by Justin Timberlake and Kanye West just aren't realistic goals for up-and-comers in this download-happy, niche-stricken, exponentially-pessimistic music world. That's not to say that talent is non-existent; on the contrary, there are some thrilling music acts that are going to make significant waves this year. Just don't expect them to rival Jay-Z or Beyonce. So, here, in no particular order, are eight to watch for '08:
The Gray Kid: The problem with The Gray Kid is that he refuses any of those boxes media- and label-types like to place on young artists. He raps snarly pickup lines with the same flare as philosophical double entendres and then croons his own hooks. Or he'll just R&B the hell out of a track. Or, just go completely Beck and release an airy electronic take on the singer-songwriter album with a narrative based on a rarely-performed play. That's some kind of box. Tracks to check: "Lonely Love" and "Eh Man"
Jay Electronica: Aural aurora borealis from an attention-shy mystery man? Only in 2008 could someone like this make a signficant splash. Call it the beauty of a democratic Internet with a little help from backers like Just Blaze and Erykah Badu, but Jay Electronica is creating an audience for himself with a sound that can only be his own. Find another artist to sample various songs from Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind with such a genuine fervor, we dare you. Tracks to check: "The Pledge" and "A Prayer for Michael Vick and T.I."
Wale: The rap ambassador to the forgotten people of this nation's capitol, Wale has a serious skill set. Pronounced Wah-Lay, this man has more cadences than most rappers have rhymes. And when that's paired with his blind willingness to hop on anything with a beat, it results in hip-hop that is simultaneously groundbreaking and entrenched in the genre's decades-old ethics. Tracks to check: "W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E." and "Nike Boots"
B.O.B: The poppiest side of weird, this 19-year-old out of Atlanta has already hopped on samples ranging from the Outfield's "Your Love" to the Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony"...and that's not even including the heart-racing rave rompers he's rhymed over. Whether or not he'll convince Atlantic Records to clear any of those is another story. Tracks to check: "Stack My Paper Up" ft. Born Wit It and "Haterz Everywhere"
Wiz Khalifa: Pittsburgh seems to be the last rough and tough city to foster a breakout rapper and Wiz Khalifa aims to end that drought. The Steel City native has earned comparisons to Nas with his detail oriented street narratives and yet a song like "Say Yeah" drops and he's immediately more club ready than the Street Disciple ever imagined. With the backing of DJ Green Lantern and Warner Bros.-not to mention all of Pittsburgh-nobody beats this Wiz. Tracks to check: "Say Yeah" and "Youngin On His Grind"
The Cool Kids: The homie recently told me, "Slow rap is back" and part of that is because of this Chicago duo. Heavy bass knocks at a low BPM and is matched with lyrics that are as throw back as the fashion. Mikey Rocks and Chuck Inglish opened up for M.I.A. on tour this autumn and grace URB's cover this month, but that's only the beginning. Tracks to check: "Gold and a Pager" and "Black Mags"
Kid Sister: Certainly the only person on this list with a video featuring a certain Kanye West, Kid Sister debuted on URB's cover nearly a year ago. Since then, she's headlined across the country and been chased by every major label in the country. With razor sharp wit and an attitude to match, Kid Sister has all the sass of her female predecessors without sacrificing a drop of class. Tracks to check: "Pro Nails Remix" ft. Kanye West and "Control"
Bishop Lamont: Los Angeles has long had hopes of another hip-hop savior. The Game certainly placated a bit of that, but his questionably inauthentic gangster past splits hip-hop fans down the middle. Bishop Lamont, Dr. Dre's newest protege, unifies hip-hop fans by appealing to the disciples of gangster rap AND those with an unbinding affinity for the "real" lyrics often reserved for underground artists. Tracks to check: "Let's Go" and "I Always Knew"
Check URB.com for more information and a perfect playlist from these eight artists
