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As 2022 came to a close, the hip-hop community was introduced to another class of fresh members who became prodigies within their respective cities and the industry. But now, we transition over to 2023 with a new group ready to take over. It is tough for many underground artists to gain mainstream recognition, yet every year, a select few make the leap to big names in the industry.

Last year, the music industry saw names like Nardo Wick, Babytron and Destroy Lonely send the world into a frenzy with their own one-of-a-kind rap styles through wordplay, production and overall song popularity. 2023 has already started producing talent that could see extreme success in their field, hailing from across the country in booming cities and smaller towns.

These are only a handful of artists out of hundreds that could make 2023 their year, but this group has already generated millions of streams, created collaborations with some of the industry’s top creative minds and have the unique abilities that set them apart from the pack. Here are five artists to keep an eye out for in 2023.

Real Boston Richey (Tallahassee, FL)

Blowing up towards the end of 2022, rapper Real Boston Richey calls North Florida— a booming region experiencing a recent growth in artist success— home. Despite being from Florida, he doesn’t have the melodic, trap sound that other Floridian rappers like Hotboii and Kodak Black have recently popularized. Rather, Real Boston Richey mixes in a bouncy, Detroit style that includes heavy bass and 808s, mixed with his southern melody.

Delivering his first singles near the conclusion of 2021, he didn’t start gaining traction in the industry until 2022, as tracks “Keep Dissing” and “Bullseye” drew attention to himself to be a viable member of the game.

Currently signed to Future’s label Freebandz, his collaboration with the Atlanta superstar on “Bullseye 2” attracted an immense amount of interest ahead of Richey’s debut album “Public Housing,” released in August 2022.

Future, Lil Durk and Kodak Black were among the artists that hopped on the project, assisting Real Boston Richey’s rise to fame.

Heading into 2023, his discography continues to grow, with the deluxe edition of “Public Housing,” titled “Public Housing Pt. 2” that was released on Jan 6. As the year progresses, expect him to join forces with other Freebandz label members, with the possibility of an XXL Freshman List appearance for the up and coming Tallahassee MC.

GloRilla (Memphis, TN)

Exploding in popularity through TikTok in late 2022, GloRilla’s numbers are now among the top for female rappers, with the ability to reach even bigger stream numbers in the new calendar year.

“F.N.F (Let’s Go)” and “Tomorrow 2” featuring Cardi B generated millions of streams for the Memphis artist, with both songs combining for over 90 million Spotify plays. The two chart toppers spawned instant popularity for the Memphis product, one of the first major female rappers to come out of the area since Three 6 Mafia’s Gangsta Boo.

GloRilla’s thumping bars over Memphis crunk beats, heavy on drums or synths, brings a fresh sound to the industry, and she is already starting to collaborate with other native artists Duke Deuce and Moneybagg Yo.

Her first EP “Anyways, Life’s Great…” released in Nov. 2022, showcasing what she has to offer heading into the new year. With 2022’s numbers being as high as they were, GloRilla could very well also be a popular XXL Freshman List pick once nominations are available.

Eem Triplin (Johnstown, PA)

First blowing up on TikTok and YouTube because of his empty Rolling Loud set last year, Eem Triplin has emerged as one of the most unique members of hip-hop simply because of his voice.

Triplin’s echoing, reverbed vocals allows him to stand out from the crowd, rarely straying from his original style that he introduced in 2018 when he dropped his debut song “Cut Ties.”

Growing up in the small town of Johnstown, PA, Triplin started posting beats and raps on his YouTube channel in 2015 when he was only 14. The rapper’s 2015 start was followed by years of gaining experience in making beats and perfecting his craft, all paying off after the boom of 2022 releases “LOUIE V” and “AWKWARD FREESTYLE,” which samples Tyler, The Creator’s 2013 track “Awkward.”

A handful of 2022 singles now set Triplin up for a possible EP or album in his come up as an artist. He went from performing in front of 13 people at Rolling Loud to amassing 2.1 million Spotify monthly listeners in a span of a few months.

Icewear Vezzo (Detroit, MI)

Detroit is now one of the biggest hubs for hip-hop, as its bouncy, bass heavy tracks have become a staple of the industry. Within the past year, we have already seen artists 42 Dugg, Babytron and Babyface Ray become mainstream products, but Icewear Vezzo is yet another up-and-coming member out of the Motor City.

Currently signed to both Motown and Quality Control, Vezzo has been creating music since 2013, spending a decade in the game, but it wasn’t until 2021 when he started to gain national attention.

Vezzo’s dark, intimidating lyrics and raspy voice attracted countless artists outside of Detroit to start working with the upcoming star. His 2021 single “Up The Scoe” with Lil Durk was the beginning of many collaborations, eventually spawning more tracks with Key Glock, Trippie Redd, 2 Chainz and Lil Baby.

Recently dropping his collaboration tape “Paint The City” with DJ Drama in December 2022, Vezzo is positioning himself towards a successful 2023 where he’ll continue to mold himself into another star out of Detroit.

21 Lil Harold (Atlanta, GA)

Growing up in Atlanta with 21 Savage, 21 Lil Harold could be the next big artist to come out of America’s trap capital. A founding member of the label Slaughter Gang, he came onto the scene in 2020 with his EP “Keep It 21” and his 2021 project “Larry.”

Coming into the rap picture having 21 Savage and Young Nudy by his side, he has been able to gain experience surrounded by seasoned veterans. His flow may not be as dark and menacing as Nudy and 21 Savage’s, but his up-beat higher pitch voice makes him another great addition to Atlanta’s music empire.

Between 2021 and 2022, he united with Offset, Latto and G Herbo for the original and deluxe editions of “Larry,” introducing him to many other fan bases. Then, on Jan. 6, he released his second album “After the Curse,” with the cover spinning off of The Notorious B.I.G’s “Life After Death.”

Rallying 21 Savage, Nardo Wick, G Herbo and Young Nudy for the project, 21 Lil Harold displays his versatile trap and melodic ability on each track, with ones such as “Black Mobb” and “Robbin Season” also diving into his solo skill.

In a competitive southern trap market, 21 Lil Harold is just getting his start on his way to be one of the next top MCs out of Atlanta.

Published on January 18, 2023 at 6:12 am