The Don knows his way around the rhymes. “Why We Trap” starts and comes off as a surprise. The face doesn’t match what we hear. I was expecting a youthful sound, instead came a man. After knowing we were not dealing with some young buck, at least vocally, it was easier to concentrate and that’s great because “3 Heat.” It sounds a little like what you’d hear from Gorillaz. Which was another unexpected thing, but only at certain parts. Moving on to “Music Made Me,” this is the song that almost every rapper has to do - that one about where they came from or how they came to be. It’s a hip hop necessity. As far as beats go and delivery, “Cradle to Grave” was one of the best. It had a beat that made you want to learn and sing along as soon as possible. Not so much in a pop way, but in a challenge yourself way - like when you want to learn an Outkast song, only The Don doesn’t come at you with those fast as heck Andre 3000 rhymes. Final one up is “World of Change.” Here you have a strong finish. This and “Cradle to Grave” are the money shots of The Don’s game. If you are ready, check him out fast. (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtDEsjo78KGC5jqkLuADtOQ/videos)

One thing people don’t know about radio is that you have to capture listeners within 2-3 seconds or they’ll change the station. That’s what makes Louie Bang a strong contender for airwave domination. What’s great about introducing yourself to the music world with a song like “Partition” is that you guarantee yourself a spot in the back of their head. It’s not catchy in the way a pop song is, but the beat allows you to at least hum along. “My Lady” though has a more old school, ‘90s hip hop feel like something you’d head on the west coast then. By now I can tell the best thing about Louie Bang is that he doesn’t waste your time with long intros that lead nowhere. He jumps right into things like with “Hip Hop (I Don’t Love You)” and the freestyle from “Elevators.” We get a little intimidation from “Let Me Fly.” Up until now it’s been more lighthearted but here he brings some aggression to shake things up. If you’re a fan of emcees who won’t waste your time, check out Louie Bang today. (https://soundcloud.com/jacob-vinson-jr)

A lot of artists intertwine hip hop and pop - Chris Brown is one and Nick Wise is another. We kick things off with a remix of “All She Wrote.” It starts off like a pop song and them the rhymes are laid down and it transforms the song as a whole. “Believe In Me” starts like last and grabs you with a great vocal and then the rhymes come in once again. This time they carry a sense of positivity in their spirit. Lastly, “For the First Time” begins unlike the previous ones. This time things begin with a monologue but is like the last in that it speaks volumes about this guys character as an artist. Nick Wise creates an uplifting atmosphere with his music that’s a grand mix of mature pop and hip hop. Check him out today and take him all in. (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNy0ZBsH9IUxqzKf7Ps7UA/videos)

Black Out’s “Throughell4wealth” is a healthy dose of rap, rap and more rap. “Sanctuary” starts out in an eerie way with a childlike intro but as soon as Black Out comes in, all that is pushed aside and his audacity takes over. It takes a second for “You Playing” to get underway but it’s worth the wait. It doesn’t go hard, but it has this very easygoing pace that has a chilled feel to it but it keeps the swag high. Smacks hops on for a double dose of hits on “All This Hell” and “Never Stop.” Things take an aggressive turn with “My Future” but it’s welcomed. It showcases that this is an artist who doesn’t mess around and won’t be pushed around. We close out with a great start on “The End.” That feminine touch at the start is way better than where this mixtape started with that horror movie like children chorus. “The End” is the perfect well, end to the record. If you like artists like Kendrick Lamar, check out Black Out’s “Throughell4wealth,” out now. (https://www.datpiff.com/-blackout-Throughell4wealth-mixtape.659132.html)

When you want to know where the next big thing in hip hop is, head to Richmond, Virginia and ask for Prince Canon. We kick off our trip with Canon’s music with “Inception.” It has this very ‘70s heading into “Sesame Street” feel to it. It sounds distant but then that classic, smooth hip hop beat drops in and that intro takes a tiny backseat. Smooth, it’s clear that’s what this emcee is all about as we trek on into “Benjamin.” We head a little more towards the beat with “Plot Twist.” That was ironic but moving on, “Into the Mind of Will” sounds like a music box opened at the start of a scary movie to build suspense. Then Canon comes in and takes over but not enough to ignore the spine tingling feel of the music in the background. Ending on a high note, “Versace” flows hard and comes out of the gate strong. It’s the icing on the cake and you should take a bite and check out Prince Canon today. (https://soundcloud.com/princecanon)

We got a rough start with Dillin Ickes, but he was able to turn it around and make us fans. With the help of J-Real, “The Risk” does very little at the start to get you interested with the tinkle of some keys and an inviting monologue. It has a very slow beat and could be picked up just a bit. He steps it up for “I Can’t Rap” and proves the title wrong. He spits it fast and this is what you want to hear from a young emcee. You want that fire under them in a blaze. That continues on with “East to West.” It’s great that he really stepped it up from where we began and showcased a drive to make it. What’s sick about Ickes and should also be highlighted are his beats as well. Like the ones found on “I Got Swag” and “My Way” featuring Young Frost.” If you’re in the mood for new music in your possession, check out Altoona’s Dillin Ickes. (https://soundcloud.com/icko187)

D.Holder is one part of I AM. Together they’re a force to be reckoned with, but they’re also highlights on their own. We kick this off with his “Hyyer.” It comes across vocally like Lil Wayne taking a R&B pill and giving us a dose of singing and losing the rap ways. With “My Soul” he has that singing thing going on a bit but it really has more of a hip hop feel thanks to the hook and beat. After his soul, we get into his tale with “My Story.” It was like a slow and steady race to get to this point, but here - this is the song where D.Holder goes full on hip hop and it was worth the wait. He’s on point from start to finish and truly embraces himself as an artist. Lastly, we end with “She Say She Love Me.” In this one we go back to the finish line a bit with that Lil Wayne like vibe. If you like that Cash Money flow check out D.Holder’s jams today. (https://soundcloud.com/independentartistmovement)

It’s not every day that you hear the types of subjects Wisdom puts to song but he takes them and brings a courageous take on music and spoken word. “Molestation” is pretty to the point and doesn’t sugarcoat anything for one second. It’s a tough one to get through as there’s no symbolism - just the basic, clear cut facts of what happened to a young boy. That was more a song, while “Single Mother” has more of that spoken word vibe that Wisdom does from time to time and just as well. A wonderful drum intro welcomes us to the powerful world of “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.” Lastly, “Son” really pulls at anyone and everyone’s heart strings with its honesty. Losing a loved one is never easy but to hear a father speak about it - that’s rough. If you’re a fan of passion and reality, then please - by all means, do yourself a favor and check out Wisdom’s music and spoken word today. (https://www.reverbnation.com/mauricewisdombishop)

It’s always something different from your main man Movie. “I Would Neva” has a dark feel to it. The music has a hood vibe and the delivery bursts with intimidation. A movie scene, very appropriate for this artists name, starts out “Mad Huh.” This one has more of a mainstream feel of the last thanks to the hook like part after the monologue. The energy is high with “Medicated,” ironic when you think about it but it works. This one really showcases a different side of Movie. We started out with a very intimidating artist but this one has his guards down and makes you want to get to know him more. Every track takes on a new persona and that continues on with “Rules.” With Smuve on deck we head more towards R&B with “Motion Picture.” This one goes into the pop realm a bit. If you want variety from an emcee, check out Movie now. (https://makeemmad.com/movie/)

In the sea of hopefuls KooZie the #SWEP_R rises above with well made R&B and hip hop fusions. “Killin’ Spree” has a very aggressive name but when it starts, that’s not the case at all. It’s more sensual and about a girl and not a street game. LND joins KooZie for “So Sincere” and this one isn’t as sweet at the last and has a more hip hop base but really has a chilled beat. With “Replay” you finally get the sense that KooZie is an artist bred on artists like Usher but with an edge. He can surely sing but can incorporate some street wise to it. That’s more apparent in the fun ways of “Hang Time.” This one shows off the energy that comes with a KooZie track. Then we slow it back down a bit with “Shadow.” Like Usher and Ne-Yo, KooZie the #SWEP_R has managed to find the balance between doing R&B and hip hop and doing them both well. If that’s what you like, that mix, check out Atlanta’s boy now. (https://www.reverbnation.com/koozietheswepr?profile_view_source=header_icon_nav)

Big does things big time. “Gift” is about the present and has this very old school, almost ODB feel to it. With “Wanna Get To Know Ya” the vocals have a very audible Biz Markie vibe. It’s like he took speech classes. I’m not entirely sure what “Slab” is about but it’s a great catchy treat. Then we roll onto “Ain’t No H*** in My Blood.” This one really changes things up and lightens things with the vocal sounds in the hook. Last up, “Lot of Pain” is where it’s at. This one has a really great feminine touch to its hook that makes it stand out against the other tracks that came before it. If you’re a fan of artists like Ice Cube and Dre, check out Big today. (https://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=1371499)

You don’t hear much about the hip hop scene up in Seattle. It’s a place known mostly for it’s grunge ways in the ‘90s and coffee soon after. That is until Money Making Prince. With IVtheGreatest on the helm, Money Making Prince goes to work on “Born to Die.” Sampling Lana Del Rey’s song of the same name, this remix is both invigorating, haunting and hype as hell. The energy the rap brings to it makes it a whole new experience. Stepping away from the dark pop, we head straight towards the hip hop with “On My Grizzle.” This may be the hardest he has up his sleeve. He keeps the hits coming with “My House of Pain.” What fans will love about this artist is that there’s never a dull moment. Another sample that really makes you smile is up next with “Poison.” Really though, what he does with the original is sick. Lastly, we finish strong with “Kiss My Sass.” If you’re in the need for hip hop that don’t stop - make sure you put checking out Money Making Prince on the top of your to do list. (https://www.reverbnation.com/princerespectroyalty)