Of course, classic hip hop will always have its place, there’s no doubt about it, but there’s nothing like discovering something new. Rap music has become a rich and layered culture throughout its history. There are so many rappers and musical artists that go beyond the mainstream, and it’s great to expand your horizons and find new artists and songs to enjoy.
If you’re looking to expand your playlist and go beneath the surface, you’re in luck. Sometimes, the hip hop world can feel so vast that you almost don’t know where to go to get into the deep cuts, but there are so many artists that haven’t quite blown up to radio-friendly levels of star power yet. Whether they’re brand new and truly on the come up or they’ve been around for a while and haven’t gotten the appreciation they deserve, there is a vast array of hip hop artists that simply deserve a little more love.
As for the playlist in question, this mix is exactly within that vein. Sure, there are some names you might recognise or you might have seen before, but you may not have scoped them out yet. Alternatively, there are some artists that might look entirely foreign to you. Really, there’s something great in having a balance of both.
If you want to expand your playlist and find some new favourite artists and new favourite songs, it’s all about following the artists you find interesting down their rabbit holes. While this playlist is a great place to start off, there are so many more songs and artists that exist alongside these. Who knows? You might just find the next hot rapper to grace the scene and start listening before they blow up.
25 songs from great rappers you don’t know yet:
- ‘Gemini’ – Princess Nokia
- ‘Un Deux Trois’ – Blimes and Gab
- ‘REDMERCEDES’ – Aminé
- ‘Product of My Environment’ – Nyck Caution, Eric the Architect, Kota the Friend
- ‘Trouble On Central’ – Buddy
- ‘Dracula’ – The Underachievers
- ‘Sleeping With the Enemy’ – BbyMutha, Kindora
- ‘Own It’ – Rico Nasty
- ‘Girl U a Star’ – A$AP Twelvy
- ‘Sometimes’ – Rich Brian
- ‘Girl Blunt’ – Leikeli47
- ‘Never Again’ – Kirk Knight
- ‘L’enfer’ – Stromae
- ‘MEDICINE’ – CJ Fly
- ’23’ – Rejjie Snow, Caroline Smith
- ‘Daddy Chocolat’ – Koba LaD, Gazo
- ‘I Didn’t Realise How Empty My Bed Was Until You Left’ – Roderick Porter
- ‘edamame’ – bbno$, Rich Brian
- ‘Understood’ – Mick Jenkins
- ‘Vitamins’ – Qveen Herby
- ‘Underwater’ – Issa Gold
- ’24k’ – Tkay Maidza
- ‘Love Is Only a Feeling’ – Joey Bada$$
- ‘Let It Go’ – Erik the Architect, Loyle Carner, FARR
- ‘Elastic’ – Bali Baby