• Top Ten
Top Ten in "O'10": The Midwest
Posted by Belvi on Mar 6, 2010
    1. XV - XV is not easy to peg but that's a good thing. He's part new school, part soul, part pop, part pick 'em. He has the ability to do it all, an excellent trait to have.
    2. Add2 - reminiscent of a Do or Die member in style. Relatable and authentic.
    3. Big Sean - naturalistic style blended with a flashy feel. Cosigned by the now infamous Kanye west.
    4. The Cool Kids - a perfect blend of new age cool and rap skills. With time and a little more range they could easily go to the next level.
    5. The Black Keys - The Black Keys are not new by any means. They've been releasing albums, touring, and performing for sold out music festivals since 2001. But their recent collaboration with Damon Dash for the album Blakroc which was released in September of 2009 should bring a new audience in for 2010.
    6. Kidz in the Hall - there's something about Chicago mc's. They're love of music is deliberate and infectious. The Kidz in the Hall unquestionably keep the trend of talented, Chi-town, music lovers alive.
    7. Kid Sister - Illinois' own new age female MC. She's another in a long list of hybrid artist who both sing and rap. Pop hooks, "cheerleader" rap, and a Kanye feature all equate to a palpable opportunity for this young midwestern girl.
    8. Mike Schpitz - Mike Schpitz looks like one of the Beastie Boys in their first days. But he doesn't sound like them. He's one of many Caucasian rappers to become developed MC's, lyricists, and songwriters post Eminem. But he doesn't sound like him. No, Mike Schpitz, is just one dotted line away from making his mark in the non-black rapper set.
    9. The Hood Internet -  I know, I know, you see the name and say to yourself, "WTF!"(Internet pun). The Hood Internet is not a group in the traditional sense, a fact not lost on their name. DJ ABX and DJ STV SLV mash-up what are, sometimes, the most unlikely of tracks and artists (i.e.: Lil Kim and Dam Funk). Though mash-ups are nothing new, the seamlessness and creativity of their creations could spawn a new lust for music lovers everywhere.
    10. White Williams - Cleveland produces anything but ordinary. Bone Thugs and Harmony, LeBron James, Kid Cudi... you can add White Williams to that list. A mix of punk, electro, and pop/ brit pop fall gracefully into 3 minute tracks that make you oddly cofortable with the phrase " New Violence."


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Top Ten in "O'10": The South
Posted by Belvi on Feb 10, 2010
The South

    1. The Knux - Picture the Dungeon family starting a farm system, this duo would be the prized prospects.
    2. Bobby Ray (B.o.B) - Genre bending composite act of singing and rapping. You're better off referring to him as an artist than either rapper or singer.
    3. Curren$y - A clear sign that the indie, hipster, x-game, and Nike Dunk-wearing artists of the new age have reached further out than the westcoast borders it hails from. Still a young artist brimming with potential.
    4. Jay Electronica - Though so much is known on Jay Elect already, it doesn't hurt to mention him again before he actually drops. View him as a southern Nas.
    5. Nicki Minaj - In a female MC market that is still looking to replace Lauryn Hill, Nicki Minaj is not that artist, but she will excel on the pop charts. Easily marketable.
    6. Hollyweerd - Hollyweerd, out of Atlanta, are what you don't see in southern artists but sometimes wish you did; urban, identifiable styles with creative musical basics.
    7. Brisco - Okay so you're a local Dj and you're looking for a new artist with a familiar sound that can keep a party going or a club hopping, Florida's Brisco might be you're man. Especially being co-signed by Lil Wayne.
    8. J. Cole -  North Carolina is not known for producing star quality rap stars but when you're as multi-faceted as J. Cole and you're co-signed by the richest and arguably the greatest rapper thus far... well that seems to be all you need(no pun intended).
    9. Jason Derülo - Haitian American, out of Florida, and though his talent may be a little more visible than audible (dancing and singing) because of his use of auto-tune, in the current climate of hip-hop and r&b Jason Derülo is made for music now.
    10. Priscilla Renea - talk about an artist that just needs a big break. Priscilla Renea has a pop(popular) look, a pop sound, and she's what a lot of artists in this series aren't... kid friendly.


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Top Ten in "O'10": The East
Posted by Belvi on Jan 30, 2010
East   
    1. Diamond District - A trio from D.C. with soulful and sonically pleasing music. A blend of Dilla soul and Mf Doom weird. Note: they are not producers.
    2. X.O. - excellent beat selections and a style that is small part Kanye and a small part 50 Cent (ironic, I know).
    3. Kooley High - talented and energetic group out of North Carolina fueled by a general love for good music.
    4. Tanya Morgan - Not a woman. Not an emo rock group. Three Rappers. But they pose a bit of a problem. Two members are from the midwest, Cincinnati to be exact. The other is from Brooklyn. So maybe I include them on both lists.
    5. Theophilus London - Nowadays, in the Kanye effected Hip Hop world, electronica/dub-step mixed rap is all the rage and if listeners can either pronounce or get over his name, NY's Theophilus London might be next in line.
    6. Wiz Khalifa - another in a long line of Lil Wayne style rappers except Wiz Khalifa, representing Pittsburgh, has an element of sincerity in his music that seems to set him apart from the rest. With time he'll grow into his own artist.
    7. Outasight - hearing his projects for the last couple of years have led me to the conclusion that New York's Outasight is a new breed of Caucasian MC. Versatile enough to sing and rap with similarities to Kanye West.
    8. French Montana - though not born in the states French Montana hails from Bronx, New York. He is reminiscent to early aught rappers from Dipset and and D-block.
    9. Mickey Factz - Westcoast "New West" style, eastcoast rap bravado and delivery. That pretty much sums up this on the rise artist out of the raps womb, Bronx, New York.
    10. MGMT - If you hear this Brooklyn, New York group's name and don't get what the fuss is you probably haven't heard "Electric Feel." MGMT is about as in the ether, bongwater, modern day counter-culture as a budding pop group can get, but their music is just too damn good to ignore.


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Top Ten in "O'10": The West
Posted by Belvi on Jan 20, 2010
The Top Ten's List

Throughout the upcoming weeks I will be posting lists of 10 artists to look out for from each of the four major areas of the U.S.(west, east, south, midwest) and around the globe. Now generally there are no restrictions on genre in our group but our "crack staff" at lastereo did stray away from the next hot classical pianist or a new B.B. King knockoff. We stuck to the sounds our audience would find appealing. And though that means predominantly Hip Hop there are speckles of other styles of music we've included. So with no further adieu....


Lets start with home.

West:

    1. Nipsey Hussle - A throwback to late 90's westcoast gangster rap and superb lyricist with a very modern sound.
    2. Pac Div - A trio from Palmdale making waves in the industry who, though they will be endlessly compared to A Tribe Called Quest, sound a lot more like Pharcyde.
    3. Diz Gibran -  The west coasts version of a savvy, 90's, east coast lyricist. Excellent timing and tremendous wit.
    4. U-N-I - An excellent performance tag team who are sonically as soulful and commercial viable as you would hope a young group to be.
    5. Skeme - A young flamboyant rapper that is as flashy and talented as a rookie Randy Moss. Will be frequently compared to Lil Wayne.
    6. TiRon - Soulful, relatable, understated are the best words to describe Tiron. Eriely similar to early Kanye.
    7. Blu - The embodiement of the poet/MC. Witty and seemingly on a higher level than most rappers.
    8. Dom Kennedy - Slow, southern drawl style reminiscent to Slim thug. Very industry ready.
    9. El Prez - a laid-back, smokers MC out of Inglewood with a relatable persona and current style.
    10. Miguel - vocally he sounds as though he would typically be the lead singer on a foursome R&B group but he's primed and ready to break out on his own.


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