For the past few years, Los Angeles has been experiencing a renaissance. Previously ignored parts of the city are suddenly desirable addresses for both residences and retail shops. Once known mostly for diners and donut shops, the culinary scene is now flush with experimental chefs. Galleries have sprouted everywhere, and The Broad, a massive modern art museum, opened downtown, attracting droves with its free admission and famous collection.
But L.A.’s musicians were ahead of this curve: For almost a decade, homegrown groups like Odd Future and labels like Top Dawg Entertainment, boasting soon-to-be-stars Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q, have stormed the city, making L.A. a hotbed of musical talent once again.
Los Angeles is a movie town, but from N.W.A. and the Pharcyde to YG and Syd tha Kyd, musicians have long flourished in Los Angeles—maybe it’s because when you look up, you see the sky, not skyscrapers, and nothing is better for dreaming. Plenty of artists have already burst out of the city and onto the national stage. Below, check out five of the best and most exciting artists riding the next wave.