Image via Complex Original
EVERYBODY IN ATLANTA RAPS.
You may think the same of your city, but no, it’s different in the A. There are probably more rappers per square mile in Atlanta than any other city in the United States. So many that the line is getting blurred between who’s “underground,” “up and coming” or just sticking around.
That’s also the same reason why Atlanta continues to find a way to stay at the top of rap's food chain, one way or another. With so many people rhyming, the odds that something "hot" will come out of Atlanta work in the city’s favor.
The fact that everybody in Atlanta raps also plays a part in city's diverse palette of MCs. Contrary to popular belief, not every Atlanta rapper is either in the Dungeon Family or in the trap.
Anybody that knows the Atlanta hip-hop scene knows that making a list of just 10 rappers to look for is damn near impossible. You have artists known mainly in industry circles (Big Zak), "underground rap" circles (TheCoolIsMac, ForteBowie), and the teen scene (KAP) that deserve mention and prove that you can’t go outside to check your mail without bumping into somebody who has a mixtape.
That said, this selective list is meant to show that what rap music Atlanta currently has to offer, on all fronts. Hopefully, listening to these artists will lead you check out an associate or two or four, then you'll really get an idea for how deep the talent runs in this city.
Written by Maurice Garland (@Maurice_Garland)
Jarren Benton
Twitter: @jarrenbenton
Pros: Very vivid wordplay.
Cons: Sounds like he's biting Eminem.
Essential Listening: Huffing Glue With Hasslehoff
This dude is out there. He’s cut from the Redman, Ludacris, Eminem cloth. Some of his songs sound like he’s narrating a Stephen King novel that was too extreme to be put on shelves, which is very entertaining. While it’s obvious that he’s using a character-type persona to set himself apart, don’t get it twisted, this dude is a raw MC and can rap his ass off.
Jose Guapo
Twitter: @RealJoseGuapo
Pros: Has the youngsters attention.
Cons: Only raps about money, hoes, and clothes.
Essential Listening: Cash Talk 2
Jose Guapo used to be in the Rich Kidz group that made “Patna Dem.” He is the epitome of the average young Atlanta cat right now: tatted up, not giving a damn about much. But not in the violent way, moreso the “fuck school and getting a job" way. Don’t be surprised if he winds up making the next big “Atlanta” song that takes over the radio.
Mach Five
Twitter: @MachFiveUSA
Pros: Has fun rapping, doesn’t take themselves too seriously.
Cons: Teeters along a fine line of whether to be taken seriously or not.
Essential Listening: Ratchet Shit Vol. 3
Five years ago there was a scene dubbed “Otherground Atlanta.” Mach Five came in at the tail end of it and people weren’t all the way sure about these dudes when they first came out. They kinda came off as “lifestyle rappers,” you know guys that we’re rapping because they were popular around town and had some free time.
But this year alone they’ve released a trilogy of projects called Ratchet Shit and have worked with a wide spectrum of artists including Bilal, Danny Brown, and Gangsta Boo, and have worked past many of the “otherground” artists that came before them.
P. Dukes
Twitter: @pdukesmusic
Pros: Versatility, broad appeal.
Cons: Raps about labels sleeping on him a little too often.
Essential Listening: Easy Money 2
Dukes is one of the few rappers in the city (other than CyHi Da Prynce) that really prides himself on being “lyrical,” or doing “rhyme javelin,” as Andre 3000 once said. He’s also one of the few that is able to make a club song, an ode to blue collar living, and a straight up “MC murder” track and sound like the same guy on all of them. Case in point, he snaps on Blackowned C-Bone’s “Transformer,” fully holding his own next to Future.
Rittz
Twitter: @therealRITTZ
Pros: Incapable of making a boring song.
Cons: Rapping fast all of the time could become a crutch.
Essential Listening: White Jesus
Rittz has gained some visibility from appearing on Yelawolf’s Trunk Music and Radioactive and he’s done a great job of not falling into his shadow. A lot of guys who rap super fast really don’t be talking about shit most of the time, plus you can’t understand them most times. Rittz is able to tell stories and show emotions even though he’s rapping at breakneck speed.
Sean Falyon
Twitter: @SeanFalyon
Pros: Can rap over just about any type of production.
Cons: Rapping against the world too often overshadows his personality and storytelling abilities.
Essential Listening: Sean Falyon Be Everywhere
Falyon is originally from Philly but started his rap career in Atlanta. He’s one of the artists that leaves the city and puts his music in different places, which is why he’s been able to work with and open for everyone from Freddie Gibbs to Chief Keef to Too $hort. Crowning “hustle” over “talent” may be cliché, but dude has both.
Scotty
Twitter: @ScottyATL
Pros: Good live shows, good ear for beats.
Cons: Voice not quite profound and defined yet.
Essential Listening: Summer Dreams
Scotty has been doing his thing independently for a couple of years now, but it sounds like he really found the direction he wanted go in when he hooked up with DJ Burn One, who produced his Summer Dreams project that dropped last year. He's doing a great job of building a fan base by putting together his own shows and bringing the attention to him and his music. His new project The Jiffy Cornbread Experience is hosted by DJ Scream.
Trinidad James
Twitter: @TrinidadJamesGG
Pros: Originality.
Cons: Flow can get sloppy at times.
Essential Listening: Don't Be S.A.F.E. (Sensitive As Fuck Everyday)
If you set foot in the right spots, you'll either hear Trinidad James music playing or run into him outside. His originality could lead to him being the first rapper in a while that can appeal to and possibly bridge the many "underground" circles in Atlanta with the listeners who enjoys mainstream radio and the Black Hollywood clubs.
Two-9
Twitter: @Two9
Pros: It's always good to see a rap group in 2012.
Cons: You can hardly tell who is who if you’re not listening hard enough.
Essential Listening: "DooRag"
It would be lazy to compare Two-9 to Odd Future because the only thing they really have in common is that they are both deep as hell. While they are all still very young and new in the game, Two-9 brings a youthful energy that hasn’t been seen in Atlanta since the Crime Mob/Lil’ Scrappy/Trillville era.
Will
Twitter: @WILL_THUMBSUP
Pros: Dude doesn’t waste any words when he raps.
Cons: He's still a work in progress.
Essential Listening: Stoned In A Stang
Will is one of the few rappers to come out of Atlanta who is truly "new." New, as in, he just started rapping a few years ago and dropped his first collection of recorded music in 2010. He affinity for weed puts him in a lane with a Devin the Dude, assuming that you know that Devin raps about more than just weed.
