10 New DMV Rappers to Watch Out For

Where they keep a ratchet close and tend to think irrational.

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Image via Complex Original
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Composed of D.C., Maryland and Virginia, the hub known as the DMV is a petri dish for love and hate. D.C. is known for its wings and mumbo sauce, Maryland for crab cakes and football, and Virginia for lovers—and vicious speeding tickets. Aside from that, the area has quietly produced great music.

Hate it or love it, the DMV’s musical trademark  is Go-Go. The percussive, “pots and pans” sound  was popularized by the legendary Chuck Brown, who’s passing last month at the age of 75 rocked the entire area. Brown’s legacy will live on, as will the contributions of Go-Go acts like the Backyard Band, UCB, and Rare Essence, all of whom have influenced the area’s biggest  hip-hop success story to date, Wale.

Going all the way back to  DJ Kool and Nonchalant, the DMV has produced its share of hip-hop acts through the years. Along with Wale, Tabi Bonney has attained success over the past five years, shining the spotlight on the area. The DMV is ripe with talented and diverse hip-hop artists looking to rise above the “crabs in a barrel” mentality that plagues the area, and with all eyes on them, the time is now.

Complex has scoured Chicago, Philly, L.A. and New York for emerging talent, and now it’s the DMV’s turn. Come get a dose of hip-hop with some sardines and pork and beans as we bring you 10 New DMV Rappers to Watch Out For. Chuck Brown would be proud.

RELATED: Green Label - Artists to Watch For In 2014

Written by Julian Kimble (@JRK316).

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Black Cobain

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Black Cobain

Hometown: Alexandria, VA
Twitter: @blackcobain
Pros: Versatility; international exposure; good production.
Cons: Sounds too much like Wale.
Essential Listening: Young, Gifted & Black

The first signee to Wale’s BOA (Board Administration) imprint, Black Cobain understood that he’d have to distance himself from Folarin to avoid his shadow. The association is enough, but sounding similar to someone whose label you’re signed to can be an obvious problem.

Regardless, the Northern Virginia native put out two solid mixtapes with Now or Never and Now before dropping his most complete project, Young, Gifted & Black, last year.

Black Cobain got some excellent exposure as the opening act for Wale’s 53-city Ambition tour last year, and crucial international exposure as the featured hip-hop artist for Mark Ronson’s Royal Ballet Production last month.

Wale made a similar move during the summer of 2007, and it worked wonders for him in terms of establishing an international fanbase. He also dropped his latest, Cheers, last month, was an XXL 2012 Freshman Class candidate and he’s already been featured on this site.

Chris Barz

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Chris Barz

Hometown: Largo, MD
Twitter: @ChrisBarz
Pros: Clever, witty wordplay; also a producer.
Cons: Occasionally overdoes it with the #hashtg flow.
Essential Listening: Class[Sickz] Out The Dark

Representing PG County, Chris Barz is pound for pound among the best rappers on this list without question. Barz keeps listeners on their toes with his lyrics, dropping gems left and right, though he occasionally pushes the hashtag flow to the limit.

From the desire to be great to school just not working out, he rhymes about real-world issues, and accurately spins stories for those who don’t live and die on the corners.

He’s worked with DMV artists such as Tabi Bonney, and producers Tone P and Best Kept Secret, and the video for his relatable track “Dreamers” featuring Soul Train Award Nominee Jesse Boykins lll was played on MTVU.

His talents also extend beyond the mic, as he co-produced the beat for “Don’t Hold Your Applause,” the lead track from Wale’s MMG debut Ambition. With effortlessly smooth lyrics over mellow beats and a multitude of skills, Chris Barz can easily be one of the next artists from the area to flourish.

Fat Trel

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Fat Trel

Hometown: Northeast D.C.
Twitter: @FATTREL
Pros: Menacing, tenacious, no-holds-barred style; a goon alternative to what you’re used to hearing out of the area.
Cons: Can that translate into mainstream success?
Essential: No Secrets

Dreaded up, North Faced the-fuck-down and with a harrowing, green-eyed stare, Fat Trel is the physical embodiment of the faction he represents: the streets. Where artists like Wale and Tabi Bonney have found success on the opposite end of the spectrum, Trel spins gritty D-Boy tales worthy of Don Diva. He possesses a Beanie Sigel-like ability to pound each lyric into your brain like he’s punching you in the chest, providing a literal lyrical beat down.

Formerly down with Wale’s BOA (Board Administration), Trel was inexplicably dropped right before the release of his April Foolz project. Undaunted, he moved on, and despite specializing in high-energy tales of goonery, he has a charismatic side.

With features in the Fader, slots opening for artists like Waka Flocka and a not-so-random appearance during an A$AP Rocky show a few weeks ago, Fat Trel is poised to tell the world the tales of the D.C. streets. One way or another.

Logic

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Logic

Hometwon: Gaithersburg, MD
Twitter: @Logic301
Pros: Sick lyrics; does it all from producing to engineering; confident; polished
Cons: Sounds too much like Drake.
Essential Listening: Young Sinatra: Undeniable

A MoCo (Montgomery County) representer, Logic paints detailed and vivid pictures, which makes perfect sense because it’s film that helped solidify his love for hip-hop. It was the score of Kill Bill, done entirely by the RZA, that let a then-15-year-old Logic know he wanted to be a rapper.

Artists like RZA and the rest of the Wu, Nas, Jay-Z, Blackstar, Big L, and Gangstarr are all influences, and Logic’s appreciation of those that blazed the mic before him is evident in the rapper’s vintage style.

Dude has rhymes for days—plain and simple. From lyrics, to flow, wit and the the necessary confidence needed to pull it off, Logic has it. He’s also a worker, recording, mixing and engineering his own music. Although he has a voice reminiscent of a certain Toronto MC, there isn’t much he can do about that and they don’t rhyme the same.

He does share that same rapper’s ability to make an actual song; a skill that many artists lack. His Young Sinatra project showed tons of promise, but it’s follow up, Young Sinatra: Undeniable, displays a polish and maturity that shows Logic is ready for the big time.

Lyriciss

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Lyriciss

Hometown: Hyattsville, MD
Twitter: @Lyriciss
Pros: Bodies verses on the humble; good ear for beats.
Cons: Has little commercial appeal, and probably doesn’t want any.
Essential Listening: The Practice

The PG County resident’s name is perfect, because he’s just that—a true lyricist. A hardcore hip-hop head, Lyriciss takes it all the way back to the essence with cerebral lyrics over equally visceral  production. He finally seems to have found his voice, sounding comfortable on tracks that he once strained to keep up with. 

While breezing over excellent production, he spews intricate rhymes that require multiple listens for you to soak everything in. His music is soulful with a ‘90’s swing that oldheads and youngin’s  alike can both vibe with.

His lone drawback may be that he has virtually no crossover appeal, but that’s not even his wave. He may never get the attention he deserves, but now that he’s achieved a balance he’s happy with, he should be good.

Phil Ade

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Phil Adé

Hometown: Silver Spring, MD
Twitter: @PHILADE301
Pros:
Ridiculous flow; versatility; excellent attitude.
Cons: Will the mainstream welcome another rapper/singer hybrid?
Essential Listening: A Different World

Also hailing from Montgomery County, Phil Adé might be the most prepared for stardom out of the batch. With an absurd flow and the ability to make any type of song, Ade is primed to enter the game as a rare breed—a complete artist.

Aligned with D.C. crooner Raheem DeVaughn’s 368 Music Group imprint, Ade is just as at home snapping on a the boom-bam of a 90’s-esque track as he is on a radio-ready single. In other words, he can rip Ice Cube's "Wicked" just as easily as he can flip N.E.R.D's "Everyone Nose.

Ade has been on the incline since dropping his debut project, Starting On JV, in ‘09. He’s shown growth with each subsequent release, and his #PHILADEFRIDAY mixtapes, composed of weekly new music releases, show he understands the importance of social media and staying current. This dude has all of the right intangibles to break out the area.

Pro'Verb

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Pro'Verb

Hometown: Largo, MD
Twitter: @ALLPROALLDAY
Pros: That underdog hunger.
Cons: A big gap between projects.
Essential Listening: While You’re Waiting

After a hiatus, Pro’Verb finally returned last year with his While You’re Waiting Project. Reppin’ the underdog, Pro’Verb is the type of MC you want to see succeed because you relate to that everyday struggle. Most of us can understand what it feels like to have doubters constantly dragging you down, or to be grounded by unforeseen setbacks, and Pro’Verb’s music speaks to all of that.

While You’re Waiting is a strong comeback showing, and he flexed on naysayers, regular-dude style with the infectious “Caught You Lookin’.” It’s a celebratory battle of the sexes track that, once again, we can all relate to because we’ve been there at one point or another. Let’s just hope he doesn’t take so much time between projects next time around.

RAtheMC

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RAtheMC

Hometown: Washington, DC
Twitter: @RAtheMC
Pros: Is a legit MC; no frills or gimmicks
Cons: Overshadowed by male and female counterparts.
Essential Listening: The Grace Jones Experiment

First and foremost, RAtheMC holds her own against the gentlemen on this list because she can rap her ass off. Female rappers’ skills are still often overshadowed by overt displays of their sexuality, RA is a throwback to the lady MC’s of old. Lyrically, she can go toe to toe with the best of them, with a confident rhyme-style that immediately evokes memories of Rah Digga and Lauryn Hill.

She was dope enough to score an MTV VMA Breakout Artist Nomination in ‘09, beating out hundreds of other local acts, so people are aware of her talent.  Hopefully, more will take notice and her talent will get the recognition it deserves.

Shy Glizzy

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Shy Glizzy

Hometown: Southeast D.C.
Twitter: @SHYGLIZZY
Pros: Eager; willing to beef with whoever.energetic and not scared of beef.
Cons: Needs more material; extremely nasal and needs to improve song-making skills.
Essential Listening: Streets Hottest Youngin

At just 19-years-old, Shy Glizzy brings a youthful exuberance to the mic. Despite his age, he’s already had numerous run-ins with the law; probably spending more time in trouble than in school.

After earning his GED while incarcerated, he decided to try his hand at rap and dropped his debut mixtape, Streets Hottest Youngin, last Halloween.  He stays true to what he knows—the streets—but tracks like “Dirty Game” show that he’s aware of past wrongs in his short time on this planet.

Then, of course, there’s the beef. He’s taken shots at Fat Trel, aiming high with “Disrespect The Tech,” a play on Trel’s “Respect With The Tech.” More recently, he’s feuded with Chief Keef, getting extremely personal over both the “3Hunna” and “I Don’t Like” beats.

He’s clearly not one to back down, but for the sake of music, let’s hope they all keep it on wax. Shy Glizzy has potential by the kilo, and his next project, Law, is due out today. Hopefully that project will be a step in the right direction and show some growth as an artist.

Young Moe

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Young Moe

Hometown: Alexandria, VA
Twitter: @Young_moe93
Pros: Hungry; rolls with Fat Trel, which should get him some shine.
Cons: Can he stand separately from Fat Trel?
Essential Listening: Humble Hustle

Despite still being in his teens, Virginia’s Young Moe raps as if he’s in his 30s. Moe uses that smoky voice to do more than just spit street tales and struggle raps—he makes it clear that he wants out.

His latest project, Humble Hustle, features everything from the grim “Death Is A Guarantee” to the Old Earth tribute “Dear Mama”to the Fat Trel-assisted “Tired Of Being Broke.” Young Moe is well aware of the American Dream, and he’ll put in whatever work necessary to get it.

Being associated with Trel which certainly get him attention, but it remains to be soon  if he can establish himself outside of Trel’s shadow. Regardless, Young Moe is extremely young, so he has plenty of time to develop as an artist. Whether it’s telling a dark story of hood circumstance, praying for a better situation or just being rowdy, Young Moe does it with a maturity beyond his years. 

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