Washington DC is overflowing with culture and hip-hop talent. Though there’s countless talented rappers in the whole DMV area, I wanted to dive into the heart of it all. Two notable rappers, Shy Glizzy and Wale, rose up and put DC on the map for hip-hop. Their success helped pave the way for emerging artists making a name for themselves right now.
In this article we cover 7 of the hottest emerging rappers coming out of DC.
7 Emerging Washington DC Rappers
Oddisee
Oddisee is a DC native and claims the DMV as home. Growing up in such a political city, his bars and rhymes are inspired by the controversy around him. It’s not often you find a rapper that also produces their own diverse beats.
Oddiesee crafts hip-hop beats infused with jazz and funk, overlaid with effortless poetic vocals. He’s a true DIY musician that does everything from the production to the marketing and even running his own tour. This takes a lot of hard work and dedication.
KAMAUU
KAMAUU is just dope all around. Although he left his native town of DC to pursue bigger opportunities in the Big Apple, he still claims DC as home. This Atlantic Records artist is more than just a rapper. He’s also a poet and singer/songwriter. His roomy hall production, soulful vocals, and clever bars creates an intoxicating sound that leaves listeners in awe. His most intriguing track may well be his cover of Outkast’s “Hey Ya!“. But his original music is just as attractive. Check out his track “Far Rockaway.”
No Savage
No Savage is equipped to be the next rapper to go national out of Washington DC. His aggressive delivery creates strong rap anthems and shows he isn’t playing any games. This go-hard attitude has gotten him signed with fellow DC native Shy Glizzy. This move is taking No Savage to the next level so he’s bound to blow up in no time. With this business collaboration also came a musical collaboration on their track, “Forever Tre 7.” While No Savage kills all of his features, he can still hop on a track alone and carry the weight.
Audra The Rapper
Audra The Rapper describes herself as “soulfully ratchet.” While her music may not have the melodic soul sound of R&B, she spits bars straight from the soul with passion and aggression. You may recognize Audra from the third season of Oxygen Network’s series “Sisterhood of HipHop.” She’s been writing music since she was 6 years old, with her first mixtape out by age 16. She’s known from a young age she wanted a career as a musician, and her hustle has found ways to make that possible. While she hasn’t released any music in a few years, there may be some projects in the works!
Noochie
It’s impossible to put Noochie in just one box. His music ranges across all sub-genres and styles of hip-hop. Each song is a new experience with influences from all around, tied together with consistent major label quality production. Which is no surprise with him being a certified audio engineer. Noochie’s playful delivery creates a sound that pulls you in and just makes you feel good. This is especially prominent in his 2018 song, “Confessions.” Noochie proves that you never know what a DC rapper will bring to the table.
I Am Northeast
Northeast is following closely behind No Savage. Northeast is a true lyricist, painting vivid images of what living in the northeast quadrant of DC is like. He speaks for the people, and the people ride for him. Don’t mistake Northeast for your typical trap rapper. His level of awareness spawns lyrics that you don’t commonly hear in trap. His song “Intro” proves his level of consciousness. With 6 projects released in 2020 alone, it’s the perfect time to become a Northeast fan.
WillThaRapper
While WillThaRapper may be living in Maryland now, his roots lie in Washington D.C. He’s been releasing music since 2014, but it wasn’t until 2017 that his song “Pull Up Hop Out” gave him the recognition he deserves as well as him being signed with Republic Records. From there, his career has continued to progress with multiple albums being released every year. WillThaRapper’s bouncy hard-hitting rhymes lay atop ominous trap beats. This appealing style has brought collaborations with Gucci Mane, 3ohBlack, and more.
Washington D.C is an area crafting rappers that don’t quite fit in any boxes. With touches of influence from southern rap to more urban sounds, you never know what a DC rapper will ultimately bring to the table. With countless emerging rappers coming out of this city, you won’t want to sleep on other DC rappers following closely behind.
If you know of any other D.C rappers who should be on a list like this, please comment below with your recommendations and/or reach out directly with music via email (info@respectmyregion.com).
Artists who want to be featured can reach out using the submission tab at RespectMyRegion.com/marketing.
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