Many think of 50 Cent and Notorious B.I.G when it comes to notable East Coast rappers, but many new hip-hop artists are gaining fame and climbing the charts. Talented rappers such as Rod Wave, Toosii, and Sheff G, among others, continue to grab listeners’ attention, gaining their spot on our list of emerging East Coast rappers.
10 Emerging East Coast Rappers / Hip-Hop Artists
BIGBABYGUCCI
BIGBABYGUCCI is a heavily underrated rapper out of North Carolina. His songs “Blood on the Asphalt” and “Summer in 06” are so fire, yet only have around a million plays on Spotify. He started gaining traction with Art Hoe Collection in 2016, but the release of his 10 Minutes to Live EP with the well-known producer Bobby Johnson put him on the map. He is currently on tour with his next performance in Tampa on the 28th.
Toosii
Toosii was discovered by South Coast Music Group and signed with the record label in 2019. His debut studio album, Poetic Pain, peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200. His most recent tracks have included the likes of HotBoii, DaBaby, and Fivio Foreign. Toosii’s newest mixtape, Thank You for Believing, dropped under SCMG and Capitol Records.
Sheff G
Born in New York, Sheff G gained a lot of his inspiration from the likes of 50 Cent, Notorious B.I.G, and Chief Keef. His single “No Suburban” went viral in 2017, launching his career as one of the pioneers of the Brooklyn drill music movement. Last year he released many singles and performed at Rolling Loud in New York. Currently, his most popular songs include, “Molly,” “No Suburban, Pt.2,” and “Weight On Me,” with over 50 million plays on Spotify.
Lil Tjay
After Lil Tjay signed to Columbia Records, he released his debut studio album, True 2 Myself, in 2019. The album reached number 5 on the Billboard 200. This was his first charted release, but he didn’t stop there. Last year, he released the song “Calling My Phone” with 6lack. It is his highest-charting song yet, peaking at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Rich the Kid
Another rapper from New York is Rich the Kid. You may have heard about him from his most famous song “Plug Walk,” from his 2018 album, The World Is Yours. He has created several albums since then with big names in rap such as Lil Wayne and Kendrick Lamar. Last year, he signed a multi-million dollar deal with Rostrum Records.
Hotboii
Hotboii is arguably one of the most popular emerging hip-hop artists in Florida right now. His music offers a streets-eye-view into the complex emotions of hood life and many fans reach out to share their experiences with him. We covered his latest studio album, Life Of A Hotboii, back in 2021. It features artists like Moneybagg Yo, Lil Tjay, Future, and most notably Kodak Black, one of the best rappers out of Florida.
22Gz
22Gz is a New York rapper who gained a following after releasing the singles “Blixky” and “Suburban” on YouTube in 2016. After signing to Atlantic Records in 2018, he released his first major mixtape, The Blixky Tape, in 2019. Also in 2019, he was one of a couple of rappers removed from Rolling Loud because of “a higher risk of violence.” Since then, he’s released “Suburban, Pt.2,” which has over 61 million listens on Spotify, along with “Retaliation” and “Twirlanta,” with over 10 million listens.
Kota the Friend
Kota the Friend, the last New York rapper on our list, gives off high do-it-yourself energy. He’s turned down three major record labels in his career and instead created his own label and apparel store FLTBYS. Additionally, he films his own music videos, records within a home setup, and produces most of his discography. He’s worked with Joey Bada$$, Saba, KYLE, and other amazing artists on his third and fourth studio albums.
Lil Keed
Lil Keed is an Atlanta-born rapper that is signed to YSL Records and 300 Entertainment. His song “Nameless” peaked on the Billboard Hip Hop/R&B Songs Airplay chart at number 42. Since then, Lil Keed has worked with artists like Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, YNW Melly, and Gunna. His most recent albums came out in 2020 so we’re hoping he drops some heat this year.
Rod Wave
Rod Wave, a Floridian rapper, has been recognized as a trailblazer of soul-trap. He rose to fame in 2019 with the release of “Heart on Ice,” which went viral on YouTube and TikTok. Additionally, the song peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his most popular song. Last year he collaborated with Polo G on “Heart of a Giant,” on the album, Hall of Fame.
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