Hip-hop music continues to be a leading genre throughout the world and together with a renaissance in R&B music in recent years, these two genres continue to impress. But behind the Drakes, Kendricks, Summers and SZAs, there is a whole crop of DIY independent artists on the rise and popping up daily with quality music that rivals their major-label counterparts. During this article series, take a deep dive into 10 new independent releases from the stars of tomorrow within hip-hop, R&B and related urban music genres.
Skot the Idea
Skot the Idea is a rising American-Nigerian artist born and raised in Rockville, Maryland. He also lived in London, UK for almost a decade during his early life, where he found a love for electronic music. Blending this with his background in the US and love for hip-hop, his sound is fresh and dynamic, which is showcased on his brand-new EP, 3 to Thrive Through. Fusing his smooth rap flow with high-octane electro beats, the three-track project is perfectly executed and makes for a fascinating listen. The EP is led by main single “When the Tune Hit”, a feelgood party anthem. Packed with infectious melodies and a huge anthemic hook, it showcases Skot’s brilliant songwriting abilities and will no doubt be etched into everyone’s head after one listen.
730RARRI
Hailing from Toronto, 730RARRI has been going from strength to strength since bursting on the scene a few years ago with debut single “Slide”, and he doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon – in fact, the opposite. “Heartbreak & Hermes” sounds like another hit, immediately standing out with its bouncy production, infectious hook and 730RARRI’s smooth cadence. Clearly gifted with a special talent, 730RARRI will be one to watch over the next year as he releases more music.
Kush Dinero
Tallahassee-born Kush Dinero is the next prolific artist to come out of Florida. With his witty lyricism and catchy song structure, he is carving out his own lane. After a series of well-received singles over the past few years, Kush is keeping the momentum going with “Get Fly”. Being raised in a family full of musicians, Kush has been a fan of music since he was a child, and this is evident when listening to “Get Fly” as his confidence and talent shine through. With punchy lyrics, a memorable hook and a hard-hitting beat produced by LX Xander and 100k, “Get Fly” is a track that deserves the spotlight.
TrillestSince87
Based in the Philadelphia area, US producer TrillestSince87 (TS87) has been building a name for himself as a producer since arriving on the scene a few years ago. Following the release of his first official single, “GET BUSY”, last year, he’s shared several follow-up singles and looks set to reach new heights with “OTW” alongside rapper and frequent collaborator Connor Evans. With Connor’s smooth cadence and impressive lyrical abilities combined with TS87’s refined production, it’s a quality hip-hop track. “OTW” is taken from TS87 and Connor Evans’ joint EP of the same name, and it sets the tone perfectly for what listeners can expect on the rest of the project.
VTA
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, hip-hop/rap newcomer VTA makes a huge first impression with debut single “The Weekend”. The summer anthem focuses on appreciating the weekend after the turmoil of a hard week and boasts a throwback old-school sounding hip-hop production and showcases VTA’s smooth cadence, infectious melodies and sharp lyricism. It may be his first release, but his talent is on full display, and it’s clear the emerging rapper has a huge future ahead. The track is boosted further by its vibrant music video (directed by @jay.cray) filmed in Pattaya, Thailand.
Bg5ive
Born and raised in Tuam, County Galway, in the west of Ireland, Bg5ive is an upcoming rapper now based in Toronto, Canada. Since arriving on the scene in 2019, he’s released several singles, an EP and two full mixtapes, helping to establish him as one to watch on the underground rap scene. “Open It Up” is another quality entry into the rising rapper’s growing discography, and the track hears Bg5ive flex his passionate rap flow and impressive lyrical abilities. The track is accompanied by an equally memorable music video directed by Liger Productions. Oozing with star quality throughout both the song and video, it’s clear Bg5ive is a huge talent.
Diva Flawless
It’s safe to say Diva Flawless is a star with a huge future. A singer, songwriter and producer based in Vancouver, Canada, Diva began her music career in 2019 and has been going from strength to strength ever since. In just three years she has accumulated over 16 million streams across all music platforms and over 1.5 million followers across her social media channels. With her fanbase continuing to grow with each release, she has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. Her latest single, “They Don’t Know”, is out now and looks set to be another success and help continue Diva’s incredible rise. With its head-nodding beat and Diva’s captivating smooth vocals, the track immediately draws you in.
THISMINORITY
THISMINORITY is a rapper from New Orleans, LA, and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The rap newcomer recently unveiled “SUNNY BEACHES” (feat. Indigo), which is only his second single following the release of debut track “MEDI” earlier this year. After such a great debut, he has remained on form with “SUNNY BEACHES” and looks set to continue his rise. The track is taken from his upcoming project, THE MINORITY REPORT, and stands out immediately with its ukulele-led tropical-sounding hip-hop production. THISMINORITY’s captivating rap flow and elite lyricism tie everything together perfectly, and the end result is a track with enormous replay value.
COOKIE.
German-born, New York-raised singer, songwriter, producer and dancer COOKIE. brings a versatile sweetness that packs a powerful punch. Since arriving on the scene in 2019, she has dazzled with a series of stunning releases and has struck up a great creative partnership with Grammy Award-winning producer Brasstracks (Chance the Rapper, Anderson .Paak, Khalid) with tracks such as “After A While” and “Green Season”. And the pair have teamed up once again for COOKIE.’s latest single, “Bite The Bullet”. Infused with catchy melodies, a memorable hook and a classic-sounding groovy R&B production, the track is another impressive offering by the emerging artist and will surely propel her rise in the music scene even further.
Adam Mohamed
Adam Mohamed is an Irish-Sudanese recording artist from Ballymun in Dublin. He debuted in early 2021 and is making a mark with his latest offering, “Stuck in Traffic”. The R&B and rap-infused track demonstrates Adam’s catchy vocal melodies as well as his raw rapping style. Warm synths penetrate through the mix, creating strong foundations for his signature vocal to be expressed on top, all the while backed up by an infectious rhythmic section.
