Smaller than Philadelphia and less political than Washington, D.C., Baltimore is the Mid-Atlantic troika's forgotten member, a city regarded in popular culture as little more than a crumbling epicenter of violence, drug abuse, and poverty. But if "Bodymore, Murderland" has been painted blood-red with a wide brush, 24-year-old rapper Travis "Bossman" Holifield is intent on illustrating his hometown with a more nuanced palette.

"When you hear Baltimore music, you hear our story," explains Bossman. "On shows like The Wire there's a lot of negativity, so I don't want to brag on that like it's a good thing, but that's how we got noticed. People want to hear the street aspect, which is rap, and that's giving us a chance." The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Virgin Records signee is a vet of the local mixtape scene who drew attention with "Oh," a track produced by Baltimore club music legend DJ Rod Lee that blends Bossman's raps with the city's trademark frenetic break-beats and low-end bass. 

As much as Bossman's music embodies Baltimore's emerging sound, his back-story is also, unfortunately, a reflection of its gritty streets. At age 11, both of his parents were convicted of charges related to a robbery; his father served 13 years, his mother nearly two. "It's like a blessing and a curse the way I grew up," says Bossman of his troublesome household. "I can relate to somebody with a ‘fuck the world' mentality or relate to a person that gives a fuck and is trying to change things."

With his reconfigured debut, Law & Order, due for July 2006 (he dropped an indie version in December 2004), Bossman intends to plant his city's flag on the rap atlas. "I got a magnifying glass on me," says the Baltimore rep, "but there ain't no pressure to me-it's more pressure I put on myself. This is my life, and after this, I ain't got nothing else." Like they say: You work hardest when you're your own Boss.