Though not traditionally known for hip-hop, North Carolina is nowhere short of talented rappers. From veterans like J. Cole to rappers who have blow up more recently like DaBaby, to many hip-hop groups like Little Brother and Justus League, North Carolina has it all. There must be something in that humid subtropical air.
Check out our list of “10 North Carolina Rappers You Should Be Supporting in 2021” to discover some of the hottest talent coming out of this state.
10 North Carolina Rappers You Should Be Supporting in 2021
Morray
Fayetteville
Morray proves that quality is more important than quantity. While he doesn’t have the biggest or deepest discography, every one of his songs presents quality further than most. His blend of rapping and singing shows his abilities as an artist, and creates a unique soulful trap sound. Expressing his real life struggles growing up in and out of trouble, you can hear the emotions in each verse.
His song “Quicksand” gained traction quick after being released late last year, reaching over 34 million views on the music video. This is partially thanks to a lucky phone call he received by Shalizi Group’s founder Moe Shalizi, pretty much saying how much he believes in him and wants to help explode his career. Morray’s talent and hard work has been paying off and it’s exciting to see him progress so consistently.
G Yamazawa
Durham
G Yamazawa is one of the most exciting rappers on this list. Mixing old school hip-hop influences with aspects of rock and roll and beyond, his music always brings us something new. On top of the intricate beats, G Yamazawa lays out perfectly crafted, intricate verses that not many rappers can execute. But that’s no surprise as an award winning rapper and spoken word poet.
You can hear strong rock influences in his track, “Drumma Some” and old school hip-hop influences in his track, “1990 (Interlude).” G Yamazawa is paving the way for Asian American rappers all over the country, and world.
Deniro Farrar
Charlotte
Making music for well over a decade, Deniro Farrar has perfected his craft. His raspy deep vocals preach wisdom only someone with experience could speak on. He proves this on his track “Sin” which uses a similar sample to Future’s “Mask Off.” He raps over a beat best known for its drug references, but gives it a message of introspection and transformation.
Each track of his sends a powerful message on top of a well played out beat. Deniro Farrar is one of the most compelling rappers coming out of North Carolina’s underground hip-hop scene.
Jalen Santoy
Charlotte
Though Jalen Santoy has been making music for long before, his 2020 track “Foreplay” truly put him on the map with well over 100 million streams. Jalen seems to impressively take influence from one of the best rappers to come out of NC, J Cole. Well thought out lyricism with a steady flow that holds the track and enhances the beat. And beats with influences from all over, from jazz to drill.
While his most popular track may be on the softer end, Jalen proves his energy and power in track, “Killa Season.” Jalen Santoy is the type of rapper that can hold himself, not needing features on his tracks to tie it all together.
Kooley High
Raleigh
Formed in 2007 and still together to this day, Kooley High is a 5-person hip-hop group based in Raleigh, NC. Originally including Grammy nominated Rapsody, the group now contains Charlie Smarts, Tab-One, Sinopsis, Foolery, and ill Digitz. Taking inspiration from other North Carolina rappers like Little Brother, Kooley High has the traditional rhyme-y and groovy sound of the area.
While the beats are well crafted, the lyrics are the focus for this hip-hop group. Their lyrical strengths shine bright and keep listeners engaged throughout each and every song. Their discography runs deep, so if you want to dive into the North Carolina hip-hop culture, this is the group to start with.
WELL$
Charlotte
Rapper Well$ is focused on building a unity in North Carolina’s diverse hip-hop scene. He aims to connect the sounds between other fellow NC based rappers and give the state a sound and identity of its own. He wants people to hear these rappers and know what state they’re repping without them saying it.
His hard-hitting bars make an impact on anyone who listens, proving this in track, “98′ Juvie.” As if his real talk doesn’t build enough trust, Metro Boomin backs up this emerging North Carolina rapper in track, “Heaven’s Door.” Well$ is no-doubt leading North Carolina’s emerging hip-hop scene.
Mez
Raleigh
At first glance, Mez may seem like a pretty small rapper by the length of his discography and with no big hits. Once you dig just a tad deeper, you discover that Mez has been apart of huge things, and not just as a rapper. His most recent big collaboration being with Dreamville’s “Revenge of the Dreamers III.” Working with J Cole and Dreamville sounds huge, and it is, but it wasn’t his most impressive collaboration.
Mez has worked closely with Dr. Dre on many occasions, and actually wrote on 14 out of the 16 songs on Dr. Dre’s 2015 album, “Compton.” He also featured as a rapper in multiple of those songs, including “Darkside/Gone.” But he’s not just a rapper and a songwriter. He also produces, directs music videos, and has his own creative agency, Heirs.
83 Babies
Durham
There seems to be a lot of hip-hop groups coming out of North Carolina, and 83 Babies are one of them. Containing 3 members, Lil Tony, Setitoff83, and Young Boss Tevo, they set out to be as successful as their inspiration who also co-signed them, Migos. Although they’re from Durham, they pride themselves on their Atlanta inspired trap sound. No wonder Atlanta native Rich The Kid picked them up quick and signed the group to his label, Rich Forever Music.
This launched them into a successful debut self-titled album, with no features. While that gained solid traction, it wasn’t until Rich The Kid hopped on their track “No Cap” causing it to blow up. Now that 83 Babies’ talent has been exposed, their fanbase has been building quicker than ever, with over 110k followers on Instagram.
704chop
Charlotte
Though one of the smaller names on this list, 704chop keeps up with the rest and has created a name for himself in the city of Charlotte. While he takes obvious inspiration from fellow Charlotte native rapper DaBaby, he still manages to create his own completely different style. His most popular track “Loyalty Means Everything” showcases a similar flow to DaBaby’s, but much more laid back and mellow. This is a sound we haven’t quite heard replicated in this way, and 704chop executes it well.
Growing up facing hardship after hardship, 704chop had to make his own way out and now dedicates his life to music. He truly proves that authenticity and hard work goes far.
Toosii
Raleigh
Though not originally from North Carolina, Toosii relocated to Raleigh when he began taking his music seriously in 2017. Now he dedicates himself to the NC hip-hop scene, and has been signed under Charlotte based label known for blowing up DaBaby, South Coast Music Group. Toosii pours his emotions into his music, presenting vulnerable storytelling delivered with a melodic flow.
Toosii released 3 whole projects in 2020 proving his drive and natural ability. He goes anywhere from high energy tracks like, “Right Now” to deeply emotional tracks like, “Love Cycle.” Check out the music video for his track “Poetic Pain” which effortlessly captivates the emotions of each listener.
Though North Carolina may not have a sound of its own, there’s no doubt these North Carolina rappers are making a name for themselves in America’s hip-hop scene. The differences ranging between each artist proves the diversity coming out of this state, and makes me excited to see what new sounds will come out of North Carolina next.
Check out the playlist!
If you know of any other North Carolina 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).
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