VIBE
Miami Knights: 30 Florida Rappers You Need To Hear Right Now
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25 Florida Rappers Who Are On The Brink Of Stardom
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Bizzy Crook
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Eskeerdo
Grammy award-winning artist and songwriter Eskeerdo has been putting in work nonstop for the past few years. Since achieving his claim to fame by penning songs for Rihanna, Big Sean and Kanye West, the Hialeah native took his career in a new direction by releasing his own project hosted by Don Cannon 31 Days in 2014, which consisted of 31 freestyles he made within a month’s span. After dropping off his self-titled EP last year, Eskeerdo proved that he’s more than just a songwriter.
The 27-year-old MC reps his deep roots in Miami in songs like “For The City” and describes his rough upbringing in the Infamous produced record “Bout Me.” With 2015 in the past, the Cuban American rapper isn’t letting his hustle die off anytime soon. Eskeerdo recently teamed up with producer Infamous once again for his new single “Weekend Behavior,” which has ignited the airwaves all over the country throughout 2016. Recently, the rapper/songwriter released the epic two-part visual that perfect depicts how he acts every weekend.
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Cashy
Cashy Kesh Dolla vintage sense of style that fuels his clique the Vintage MOB can’t be matched by any budding MC in the Southeast. The Vintage MOB chief out of Perrine broke out on the scene with songs that embody South Miami's growing trap rap scene accompanied by flashy and nostalgic videos filled with VHS-inspired intros and homages to the '90s.
Since dropping off his breakthrough mixtape Platinum Plus in 2013, Cashy has garnered national attention within the underground rap scene with tracks “Wrong Way” produced by Purrp Dogg and “Playa Pimpin” featuring Yung Simmie. Within the past year, Cashy has dropped off two EPs, Priceless and Holographic Art. Miami producers Keenanza and PurrpDogg curated beats meant to bring new life to Dolla’s vintage hustle and unique wordplay on both EP’s.
Cashy dropped off his single “Big Money Balla (BMB)” to kick off 2016, which is one of five tracks featured on his latest EP Supply & Demand.
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Jay Burna
From Miami to L.A., the streets have been buzzing about Jay Burna for several years. Since 2008, the Fort Lauderdale native has keeping his fans at bay with mixtapes like Winters Summer been and creative music videos like “Break Me Down.” Throughout his come-up, Burna has worked alongside Grammy award-winning producer Jerry Wonda, Kid Ink, singer Sammie, and more in the studio.
After he released his Fear Is A Lie EP last year, the founder of Black Congress Music Group followed up with his most popular single thus far “Mood.” Since its VIBE debut, the single has garnered over 1.6 million plays on Soundcloud. Recently, Burna reignited his soaring momentum by releasing his latest mixtape Trill Nights.
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Denzel Curry
Denzel Curry’s career began to flourish as a young high school student. After he dropped his debut mixtape King Remembered Underground Tape 1991–1995 in 2011, Curry was recruited by SpaceGhostPurrp to join the Raider Klan. After his next two projects hit the ears of Earl Sweatshirt and Odd Future, Curry broke away from the Miami-based rap collective to work on his first solo album Nostalgia 64.
Last year, the Miami native strengthened his catalog with the release of his double EP 32 Zel / Planet Shrooms, which features synthesized trap anthems like “Ice Age” featuring Mike Dece and “Ultimate.” In 2016, Curry stands strong as the ULT champ after touring with the likes of Allan Kingdom. Earlier this year, the Carol City native dropped off his mixtape Imperial featuring Pro Era's Joey Bada$$ and MMG boss Rick Ross.
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Indigo Child Rick
Producer and rapper IndigoChildRick is one of the most creative enigmas Miami has to offer. His production styles varies from Miami Bass influenced tracks like “Hush That A$$” featuring Pouya to hard-hitting, lyrical records like “Game Over” featuring Robb Bank$. IndigoChildRick has yet to define his sound.
Rick has the potential to become the next Travis Scott with his versatile flow and cunning wordplay used in cultivating tracks like “Control” produced by Miami producer Nuri. The millenial musician is ready to make an impact on the rap game in 2016. In his recent audio offerings like “What Did You Say,” Rick embraces his Dade county roots over a catchy beat he created with Sean Pizz that will to ignite radio airwaves everywhere.
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Gill Graff
Gil Borges aka Gill Graff makes music as a form of therapy. Instead of following the social trends, the Venezuelan MC crafts his authentic lyrics and unique flows based on his personal struggles that occurred after he and his family relocated to Miami from South America in the early ‘90s. Graff's debut project Therapeutic gave him the opportunity to vent his frustrations about his past and aspirations for the future in songs like “All The Lows" and “Dear Tomorrow” featuring Anjuli Stars, Ghostwridah & Reks.
Since his raps broke through in 2012, the 30-year-old rapper has cut records with the likes of Emilio Rojas and Vinny Chase. Graff plans to follow-up his 2014 project Let Me Fail with the release his upcoming mixtape Hidden In Plain Sight later this year. The Miami-based lyricist dropped off the first single from the project called "Man Down" as well as his latest single "Clarity" with Bernz of ¡Mayday!
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Jigg
Jigg is building up his brand to withstand the overwhelming underground scene in Miami. The Dade County spitter hit the ground running after the release of his collaboration with Ice Cube “What I Want” in 2010. One year later, Jigg came through with his breakthrough mixtape HighGrade, which features production from The Runners, The Heatmakerz and more. Once the mixtape caught national attention, Jigg decided to flip his affluent title into a mixtape series and released the second installment HighGrade 2 in 2013.
Eventually, Jigg’s music hit the ears of rappers like Jeezy’s CTW signee Wink Loc, G-Unit’s Young Buck and rapper/producer Chase N. Cashe. In 2014, Cashe and Jigg dropped their joint EP 30504, which is a combination of their respective area codes. With the release of singles like "Stairs" and "Right Now." It's likely the locked up in the studio finishing up his highly anticipated mixtape HighGrade 3, which is set to drop this year
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Kodak Black
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Kent Jones
North Broward native Kent Jones has been musician since birth, and is finally receiving the shine he deserves. As a producer under the guidance of Cool & Dre, Jones has worked with well-known acts such as Fat Joe, Ace Hood, Snootie Wild and plenty more noteworthy acts. Not long after signing to DJ Khaled’s We The Best Recordings, Jones struck gold in 2015 with his self-produced hit single “Don’t Mind.”
The lead single off his Tours mixtape has garnered over 1.5 million hits on Soundcloud and remains in heavy rotation on radio stations across the globe. After "Don't Mind" achieved Gold status halfway and slaying audiences across the country alongside DJ Khaled on Beyoncé's "Formation tour, Jones is focused on outdoing himself on albums like Khaled's Major Key and Fat Joe & Remy Ma's Plata o Plomo coming soon.
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Legaxy
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Pouya
Dade County native Kevin Pouya has brought Miami’s underground rap scene to new levels with his highly energetic flow and outlandish lyrics. Pouya has consistently dropped records that stray away from the stereotypical Miami sound established by veteran artists like Trick Daddy and Rick Ross. Since releasing his debut mixtape Baby Bone, the 20-year-old rapper has remained “loyal to his soil” by teaming up with fellow Miami lyricists Robb Bank$, Denzel Curry, and Nell.
As his loyal fanbase prospers online, Pouya’s professional network has flourished significantly after building musical partnerships with artists like Allan Kingdom, Sir Michael Rocks, and producers Blended Babies. Recently, Pouya dropped off his latest album Underground Underdog which features appearances from the Ying Yang Twins, Germ, Sdot Braddy and more. Look out for the lyrical phenom on the 'Underground Underdog' tour this fall.
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Prez P
Prez P brings out the positive vibes with his somber “cloud raps.” The Miami native started his grind back in 2012 with the release his group Da Camp's mixtape VII Day Vacay. Within the same year, Prez began building his own career his debut solo mixtape DreamSucceeDie. Prez refused to allow his hustle to weaken and followed up with mixtapes like 305° In The Sunshine and Highatus in 2013.
After receiving an abundance of praise for his song “Neva Love Em” off The Ambiance, Prez continue to produce more projects including his most recent EP The Preztige. Recently, Prez decided to follow up the success of his Travie Bowe assisted record “Play That Funk” with his latest video for "Lost In The Moment" featuring Philo B.
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Sin
Since dropping off his debut mixtape The Third Lifetime in 2011, Florida rapper Sin has been able to entice fans with his intricate bars, which reflect his valuable street smarts and deeply rooting emotions. Sin's rugged flow goes hard like Brooklyn in the winter on tracks like “Wipe Your Eyes” and his emotionally-charged mixtape, The Day After Love 2, which features relatable tracks like “Drunk Dialing” and “The Coldest Weather.”
In 2015, Sin brought his hustle back into the streets with his Dark Waters EP, which features Reks and production from well-known underground producers like The Pyrvmids and Dark Knight. To close out 2015, Sin released his newest single “Look What I Did” featuring Legaxy and produced by Hooligan. Sin officially broke his silence in 2016 with his brand new Victory Lap EP, which includes five fresh tracks that provide us with an update on what's going on in his life.
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Robb Bank$
Robb Bank$ became a household name in South Florida hip-hop after he dropped off his debut mixtape Calendars in 2012. Born in Brooklyn, New York to his famous yet estranged father Shaggy, Bank$ made the move to Coral Springs, Florida at the young age of 6 and has been putting on for Broward County ever since. After he began rapping along side fellow South Florida natives like Matt Meyer Lansky, Denzel Curry, and IndigoChildRick, Bank$ started dropping off mixtapes like Tha City and Year Of The Savages.
Bank$ has taken Internet Rap to new levels with his weed-induced bars on viral hits like “Pressure” and the SpaceGhostPurrp assisted “All The Way Live.” Bank$ wasted no time in releasing brand new music in 2016. Amongst a handful of singles like "Bett," Robb's recent mixtape No Rooftops, which is a nod towards Lil Wayne’s No Ceilings, features 11 tracks including collaborations with Miami natives Pouya, Fat Nick, Dooney Montana and Kie Money.
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Sylvan Lacue
Miami rapper Sylvan LaCue’s come-up story is interesting to say the least. He began his career in 2009 under the alias QuEST after being inspired by the success of Drake’s breaktrough mixtape So Far Gone. Once he was selected to tour with Logic in 2013, LaCue was signed to Logic’s Visionary Music Group soon after and released his debut mixtape Searching Sylvan.
After dropping his stage name for his birth name and leaving VMG in 2014, LaCue’s career took a new turn into a more prominent direction. The Miami rapper formed his new collective WiseUp at the beginning of 2015 and dropped his Evangeline. The EP foreshadows a budding love story that stems from the events that occur in his most recent release Far From Familiar, which consists of 16 of his most recent deep cuts.
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Yung Simmie
Raider Klan affiliate Yung Simmie has gone above and beyond to gain respect in Dade County. The 21-year-old MC owned the popular “cloud rap” style that was spawned in the South before he dropped his debut album Shut Up & Vibe 2. With the help of producers like PurpDogg, DJ Smokey and Reazy Renegade, Simmie has dominated the underground scene with records like “Full Metal 2” and “LOCN.”
Before 2015 came to an end, Simmie dropped off six new tracks for his OG Smoke EP which includes the Denzel Curry assisted “STR8 Savage” and “As I Sit Back” produced by Highaf and Mythic. He also dropped the official visual for “Fantastic." Throughout 2016, Simmie has driven his millennial fanbase wild by bringing his new hits off his latest mixtape It's Simmie Season and other crowd favorites to stages across the US at festivals like Rolling Loud in Miami and overseas in Europe.
Amanda Barona
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Zoey Dollaz
No trip to Miami is complete without Zoey Dollaz’s signature hit “Blow A Check” blasting through your Uber driver's speakers while riding down I-95 with the windows down. Since the Smash David produced hit took over the clubs across the country, the track off Dollaz’s 2015 mixtape Who Don’t Like Dollaz has evolved from a trending radio record into Diddy's stand-out remix off his MMM mixtape.
Since Future and L.A. Reid signed him to Freebandz/Epic Records, it's clear to see that the Haitian American MC has a bright future ahead of him. Zoey progressed his hustle further by dropping his latest mixtape Port-Au-Prince earlier this summer, which holds features from Freebandz chief Future, Lil Durk, Cheeks Bossman, K. Camp and more. The 25-year-old North Miami resident plans to release his debut album Success And Enemies later this year.
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Scrilla
Since Rick Ross signed him back in 2014, Scrilla has been described as the future of Maybach Music Group. After releasing his latest single "Fork In The Pot," Scrilla is set to drop his major label debut Bag Of Dope before the end of 2016. The Hollywood resident is also working on his contributions to MMG’s highly anticipated Self Made 4 compilation. At the moment, he's pushing his latest single with Rozay and Sam Sneak, "Supa Cindy." Scrilla seems to be making all the right moves to become the next major artist to blow up from South Florida.
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Hi-Rez
Now a days, Hi-Rez seems to look far past his critics who deemed him an “amateur” during his come-up. The Fort Lauderdale born musician has been dropping off mixtapes since 2010 from Product Of My Environment to Lost Time. A few years after he dropped his breakthrough EP Impatiently Waiting in 2013, the 21-year-old MC struck gold when his freestyle “How To Order From McDonald’s Like A Boss” went viral. Within days after the video dropped on YouTube, Lil Wayne expressed his support for Hi-Rez after witnessing his lyrical food order.
The entertaining video has exceeded well over 15 million views and still receives praise from his fans. Since the top of 2016, Hi-Rez dropped off several singles including "Too Late" and "Mix It Up." Recently, Rez released his new mixtape Never Say Die, which features Smoke DZA, Chase N. Cashe, Chris Webby, Riff Raff, the late Sean Price, and more.
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Grimass
Grimass’ confident persona and gritty lyrics have attracted fans from around the U.S. and his homeland Haiti. The name Grimass is the Creole word for “Grimace” which is defined as “a facial expression usually of disgust, disapproval, or pain.” Miami native Carlson Pierre earned the playful nickname as a child from his mother. As an adult, Pierre’s childhood alias carried over and became his well-known stage name.
Since launching his career in 2010, Grimass has released several mixtapes like Push Time Vol. 1 and It’s Over For You N*ggas hosted by 103.5 The Beat’s DJ Epps. Last year, Grimass linked up with R&B sensation August Alsina for his smash single “I’m That Boy.” Grimass plans to follow up the single’s success with his forthcoming EP R.L.S. coming soon.
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Lajan Slim
Haitians in hip-hop went from 0-100 real quick in 2016 thanks to Miami lyricists like Zoey Dollaz, Billy Blue, and Broward’s own Lajan Slim. The 22-year-old rapper from Lauderhill came out swinging in the name of his family’s native island with his trending single “Haitians” back in February. Since then, Slim has become a hot commodity in the South, and hopes to impact the rest of the world with his music.
Slim’s influences range from classic artists like The Temptations and Five Heartbeats to legendary rappers like 2Pac and Lil Wayne during the early days of the Cash Money era. His deep Haitian roots bleed through his breakthrough single, but he’s also got other certified bangers like “Lajan Anthem” and “Irritating” that are sure to captivate new fans everywhere. Look out for Lajan Slim’s debut single coming soon.
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Bobby Biscayne
Bobby Biscayne, born Joevanny Astorga, represents the new generation of Dade county hustlers who are out to make a difference in hip-hop. Due to his family's grueling financial troubles, the 28-year-old spent most of his young life moving around from cities like Hialeah Gardens, Carol City, Westchester, and Coral Gables with his hard-working mother and his father, who worked as a drug-runner.
The Cuban American MC drowned out his troubles with classic tunes from Puff Daddy, Mase, Snoop Dogg , and Dr. Dre. At age 16, Biscayne enrolled in SAE music school for audio engineering, but later discovered rapping was his true passion. Since then, he's collaborated with famed Miami producer Purrp Dogg for thier collaborative record "Paris OG", dropped his visual for "Cream," and has caught the attention of Mr. Worldwide Pitbull. Bobby Biscayne plans to drop his debut mixtape Dinner at Prime later this year.
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Wifisfuneral
Wifis Funeral began making waves in hip-hop before he received the official co-sign from Earl Sweatshirt on Twitter. With the help of his partner-in-rhyme Gabriel Guerra and manager Tariq, Isaiah Rivera has graced a plethora of stages across the country like Miami’s Rolling Loud Festival and Tampa’s TxL Festival.
Last year, the West Palm Beach native dropped off his EP This Is Temporary, which is the follow-up to the 2014 mixtape Wifisfuneral 2. Wifisfuneral is preparing for another year of success after the release of his critically acclaimed mixtape Black Heart Revenge. Look out for the Puerto Rican emcee to hit the road once again for his upcoming 'Black Heart Revenge' tour this fall.
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Bernz
If you're a fan of Miami's rap/rock group ¡Mayday!, then you're already a fan of Bernz. The Cuban/Venezuelan emcee came up through the unique band of musicians. Once Tech N9ne signed them to his Strange Music record label, the group's career began to progress significantly.
Not long after fellow ¡Mayday! rapper Wreckonize dropped off his second solo release Sunny Winter, Bernz began to venture off to gain more success with his own solo career. Thanks to firm requests from his fans and the label, Bernz released his debut solo album See You On The Other Side earlier this year. He's also in the process of a fresh collaboration with his label mate Murs and finalizin his next ¡Mayday! album.
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ER305
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OYABUN
OYABUN’s love for hip-hop began with his deep roots in Brooklyn, New York. Once he made the move to Miami, OYABUN fell back on his Caribbean upbringing with his Jamaican father and his mother from the U.S. Virgin Islands to create his unique lane. OYABUN blends R&B, Trap rap, and reggae together for smooth jams like “All I Need” and “New Phone Who Dis” that can illuminate any weekend playlist.
Throughout 2016, OYABUN has been setting himself apart from handful of emerging “trap & B” style artists with bangers like “$ Long” produced by Mike Will Made-It and his most recent single “SÓ VÔCE.” Although he hasn’t dropped his debut project (yet), his focus on releasing audio freebies have garnered him plenty of attention across the ‘Net, which is a good sign of longevity in the Internet rap game.
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JOR-G
Throughout the streets of Hialeah, rapper JOR-G has been able to establish a strong following in Dade county. After being locked up during his adolescent years, JOR-G started to construct his fast-paced, hardcore flow with heartfelt lyrics about his struggles in life. As soon as he was released in 2003, the Cuban lyricist began his journey to make a unique movement in Latin hip-hop from Hialeah.
Following the release of his debut album Give it 2’Em Raw in 2006, JOR-G remained consistent by dropping off one project every year up until 2012. When he wasn't releasing new music, JOR-G was taking his talents around the country for a couple of solo tours. The Hialeah rhymer returned in 2015 with the release of his most recent project Versatile. At the top of the summer, JOR-G dropped off his latest single called "Score."
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Paper Brigade
Aside from Strange Music’s Miami-based rap/rock group ¡Mayday!, there aren’t many rising rap collectives making noise in South Florida. However, if there’s one group that’s on a mission to stand out from the rest, it’s the Paper Brigade. For the last few years, Robzilla, Fortune, and Vivo have combined their unique personalities and their love for gangja together to create music that adds to Florida’s growing cloud rap scene.
Once their experimental, debut project Modestly Cocky dropped in 2011, PB hit the ground running in order to dominate the local scene with hopes of making a national impact with their music and videos like Robzilla’s “Off” and “Fortune’s “’96 4Runner.” Earlier this year, PB released their mixtape Life After 2 A.M., which gives their fans an up close & personal look of their wild antics and how they survive the vamp life, and quickly followed up with their 3-track EP SN:OOZE.
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