In today’s digital age of music, we get to enjoy the luxury of heightened exposure to artists. We have the ability to keep up with a seemingly endless amount of talent, and as fans, our means of finding our next favorite artists has been simplified significantly. With so many artists competing for the spotlight, it’s become a challenge for fans to have a comprehensive awareness of the music industry’s future stars. This new column is designed to keep our readers in tune with who’s up next. We’ll be alternating between recording artists and producers each week, with this week focusing on artists.
Ronen
One artist who’s demanded our attention as of late goes by the name of Ronen. You might recognize this Dallas native’s name from his production on Lil Peep‘s track, “FLEXIN”. Outside of this notable piece of production, Ronen has been steadily working towards growing as a recording artist. His emotionally indulgent voice, along with the strength of his melodic ability tends to force listeners into deep thought. When I asked him who his biggest musical inspirations are, he credited Bones, Lil Peep, Killstation and Yung Lean. I can’t wait to hear what’s next from this promising young act- it looks like we’ll be getting new music from Ronen within the next week, so stay tuned! If you’re looking for a track to leave on repeat, check out his most recent single, “Died For You”.
KCG Josh
Last week, I had the privilege of seeing Maxo Kream live at SOB’s in NYC. During Maxo’s set, he performed his track, “Brothers,” which actually features KCG Josh. Turns out the title is no coincidence, as the two are actually related. In KCG Josh‘s first released track ever, he shows that he can keep up with his brother Maxo while maintaining his own original sound. Josh is a notably talented live performer, I’d definitely recommend trying to check him out live at one of their last stops on tour (there’s still roughly two weeks left in their tour with Q Da Fool and Slayter). Keep an eye out for this Houston young gun. You’re gonna be hearing a whole lot more about KCG Josh in the future, so stay tuned.
Lo Village
Hailing from the DMV, this dynamic trio has made quite a statement over the past few months. Lo Village has been dropping some fire, single after single. Some of their most notable tracks at the moment are “NERD”, “Jefe’s House”, and “Lil Mama”. The group has a classic yet contemporary sound, which has been key in their ongoing success. Lo Village is one of my favorite groups out right now- with such a unique dynamic, there’s a good chance they’ll become one of yours too. Two of their biggest singles are collaborations with fellow Rebel Music Collective member Dirty Shafi, yet another talented DMV artist. The group just dropped a brand new track, titled “Richie Rich”. Check out the latest from Lo Village below!
ICECOLDBISHOP
There’s nothing better than a truly organic rise in Hip-Hop. Watching somebody carve out a career off the strength of focus, hard work and pure talent is always a joy to watch. One of those artists has been Los Angeles rapper, ICECOLDBISHOP. After lurking in the shadows for years as a songwriter, BISHOP exploded this year. First, with his inclusion on COLORS, where the live performance of his track, “Irate” went viral and established him as one to watch. Then, shortly after, he delivered a back-breaking verse on, “Bishop Speaks… Matter,” from Atlanta native, Grip‘s critically acclaimed album, Snubnose. To top it off, he recently released his first official single in years with, “Creep,” an eclectic collaboration with Mick Jenkins that sees BISHOP showcases his impressive ability to shoot off mind-warping lyrics at a breakneck pace. With his debut album on the horizon, it’d be better to hop on the train now, than later. Check out, “Creep” below.
Richie Bux
Being a transplant can, at times, be a tough blow to a new artist. In a sport as confrontational as Hip-Hop, people can get real possessive about their city, and it sometimes leads to trouble. Moving from Indiana to Las Vegas, rising rapper Richie Bux is not one those artists you’re going to trouble. Amassing a fanbase from Vegas to Indiana — and everywhere in between — Bux has spent the last 3-4 years organically building a solid resume off the back of his prolific work ethic and accurate shooting percentage. Just this year, he’s released two EP’s, one of which included the Drayco McCoy collaboration, “Menace,” that helped him gain even more notoriety. Most recently, he linked up with the popular YouTube production page, ABOVE ALL to release his video for, “Murder Rate,” a high-octane banger that highlights many of the reasons why Bux is on this list. Watch the video below and get familiar.
Kee Riches
It’s well documented and acknowledged that the death of Hip-Hop legend, Nipsey Hustle has left a gaping hole in the genre–but it hit his hometown of Los Angeles 10-times harder. Despite sorrow, the city continued to thrive, musically, as many of the rising artists stepped their game up to another level. One of those cats has been Compton native, Kee Riches, an inventive street artist who’s redefining what it means to be independent with his Get Rich collective. Similar to Nip, Kee has carved his own lane by gaining fans not only through music, but through popular merchandise releases, community outreach events and more. Still, his music is wildly popular on the West Coast, and songs like, “Faith” with Rucci, “Westside Lady,” and probably his best work to date, “From Broke To Rich,” the chillingly accurate story on his rise that served as an intro on a project of the same name. With collaborations with most of LA’s hottest artists — and Pro Club — in the works, you can bet that Kee will be a household name this time, next year. Listen to his latest song, “Tell Me,” below and get hip to California’s newest export.
