The music industry moves really fast, especially in these days where artists can reach their fans directly via social media and various Internet-based platforms. Each year brings with it a host of new artists; some who never really take off and some who attain stardom. 2017 is no different. We should expect new stars to be born and several up-and-comers/underground artists to finally start getting some widespread recognition. Here’s a list of ten rappers who’ve been bubbling and who’ve got the potential to make a mark on the music industry in 2017.
6lack
This guy’s name is confusing but just to clarify it’s pronounced as “black”. This 24 year old from Atlanta made waves in 2016 with a number of songs most notably PRBLMS. His music is a beautiful fusion of R&B and hip hop which makes it relatively easy to reach millions. He releases his debut studio album FREE 6LACK in November last year under the LoverRenaissance label. It managed to chart on the US Billboard 200 where it peaked at number 68. Some of his songs got over a million streams too which is no small feat. Let’s wait and see what he has in store for us in 2017.
Dave East
Dave East had the potential to be an NBA star but unfortunately that didn’t work out. He then pursued a rap career and ended up being signed by Mass Appeal Records. He has released ten mixtapes to date. His most recent one, Kairi Chanel, was released in September 2016 and managed to hit the 38th position on the Billboard 200 chart. He also managed to sign a partnership with Def Jam which should help him reach a wider audience. 2017 might just be his year.
Noname
Noname stepped onto the scene at just the right time to balance out the likes of Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea. The Chicagoan is a wordsmith whose rich vocabulary is a breath of fresh air in a climate where female rappers thrive off of their sexuality. She was a featured artist on Chance the Rapper’s critically and commercially successful album Coloring Book. She also appeared on Saturday Night Live with Chance which provided her with a lot of exposure. She released her full length debut mixtape Telefone mid last year to great fanfare and critical acclaim. It’s only up from here.
NAV
Nav’s feature on Travis Scott’s Beibs in the Trap which is a song taken from Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight is one of the highlights of the album which came out mid last year. A video for the track came out less than two weeks ago and it’s performing very well, having amassed more than seven million views at the time of writing this article. He produces his own music and has had millions of plays on SoundCloud. He’s expected to release a project with Metro Boomin as well appear at Coachella as a performer. Things are looking really good for the Toronto rapper/producer.
