J. Cole

This young and talented emcee from North Carolina has yet to release a studio album but his three mixtapes have already caught the attention of big name rappers such as Talib Kweli, Mos Def, and  Jay-Z, who signed him to his newly-created record label, Roc Nation. His style can be compared to Drake minus the auto-tune and constant metaphors. As both an emcee and producer, J. Cole controls his destiny in the rap game and it is clear already with his mixtapes and upcoming debut album he will be a name you will hear about in years to come.

            Key Tracks: “I get up”, “Dreams” and “Home for the holidays”

Lifesavas

Straight out of Portland, this trio consisting of rappers Vursatyle and Jumbo and DJ/Producer Rev. Shines, has been holding down the city’s small and developing Hip-Hop community for nearly 10 years. Their 2003 album “Spirits in Stone” is packed with socially-conscious rhymes behind unique underground beats. Their sophomore release, “Gutterfly”, is based off blaxploitation cinema and demonstrates a development of their production with chill, sample-based beats and appearances by other kings of the underground such as Dead Prez, Camp Lo, and George Clinton. Although their albums are catchy and fresh, it is their live performance that truly amazes me about the group. Vurstatyle and Jumbo feed off each other’s  energy and turn a stand-still hip-hop show into a wild party.

            Key Tracks: “Hellohihey” “No Surpirse” “Dead Ones”

Calle 13

While Kanye West and Lil Wayne pack stadiums in the United States, Puerto-Rican duo Calle 13 (Pronounce Kai-yay tray-say for you unworthy non-spanish speaker) headlines all the large festivals of Latin America. Composed of rapper/singer, El Residente, and producer El Visitante, the group sounds like a fresh mix of Latin pop, rock, and Hip-Hop. El Residente reminds me of the “Latin-American Eminem” with his controversial and off-the-wall lyrics. In the song “Juan el esquizofrenico”, El Residente puts himself in the shoes of a schizophrenic boy as he goes about town and muses about his life. Loco to say the least. Already a winner of 15 Latin Grammys, Calle 13 has become a sweeping sensation through  Latin-America and is slowly making a name for himself in the U.S. scene. I highly recommend him to all Spanish speakers, so you can understand and get to know the eccentric personality of El Residente.

            Key Tracks: “Atreve-te-te!” “Que Lloren” “Ven y Criticame”