Every city has its own sound, and Tacoma is no exception. With a growing roster of artists putting out new music, collaborating with one another and building their own followings, there’s always something new to dig into. Sometimes it’s a solo release that catches your attention, and other times it’s a collaboration that introduces you to an artist you hadn’t heard before.
This time around, we’re highlighting 10 tracks from Tacoma’s music scene, featuring names like Yuccaman, Shoulderzdaloc, Twin Gloccs and Perry Porter. If you’re looking to expand your rotation and get familiar with some new artists, these releases are a good place to start
New Music from Rising Artists Repping Tacoma or The 253
Yuccaman — “Nothing Matters”
There’s something about a title like “Nothing Matters” that immediately gets your attention. It could be a statement of indifference, a little existential dread or a reminder not to take everything so seriously. Whatever direction Yuccaman takes with the title, it leaves plenty of room for interpretation.
The interesting thing about a phrase like this is how much its meaning can change depending on the music surrounding it. “Nothing Matters” could read as a shrug, a confession or a way of making peace with things that are out of your control.
It’s a title that invites you to press play and figure out which one it is.
Shoulderzdaloc — “Everything I Love”
“Everything I Love” takes a more personal approach right from the title. Love can mean a lot of things in music: relationships, family, friendships, ambitions or the people and places that make everything else worthwhile.
For an artist to put a phrase like that at the center of a track, there’s an expectation that something meaningful sits behind it. The title also leaves room for a more complicated interpretation. Loving something can be just as much about what you’re willing to protect as what you’re afraid of losing.
“Everything I Love” is a reminder that, even in a genre where confidence and independence often take center stage, there’s always room for something personal.
Twin Gloccs — “Cashier X and BR $had”
Twin Gloccs brings Cashier X and BR $had together for a collaboration that adds another set of names to this Tacoma roundup. Collaborations are an important part of regional rap. They create opportunities for artists to introduce their audiences to one another, test out different combinations and build connections beyond their individual catalogs. Sometimes a collaboration introduces listeners to someone new; other times, it gives them a reason to revisit an artist they already know.
With three names attached to “Cashier X and BR $had,” the track is one to check out for listeners looking to discover more of the artists moving within the region.
Real Motion Muzik — “zbandzz”
Real Motion Muzik’s “zbandzz” brings another release into the mix. Even without trying to turn every song title into a larger statement, it’s worth paying attention to the independent artists and collectives continuing to put music out and establish their own identities.
Regional scenes don’t grow from one breakout release alone. They develop through consistency, collaborations and artists finding ways to keep their names in circulation. Every new track becomes another part of that process.
“zbandzz” is another name to add to the list for anyone looking to explore what’s coming out of Tacoma and the surrounding area.
MENACE — dorksteezy, John Pullam, Dou and Barz
MENACE brings dorksteezy, John Pullam, Dou and Barz together for a multi-artist collaboration. With four artists attached, there’s plenty of room for different personalities and approaches to meet on one track.
One of the best things about collaborative rap is hearing how artists work alongside one another. A feature can introduce a new voice, shift the direction of a track or give a familiar artist a different setting to work in. And when multiple local artists come together, the result can also offer a snapshot of the connections forming within a scene.
For listeners who enjoy discovering artists through the people they work with, MENACE is a release worth checking out.
City of Destiny — Sharp Skills ft. Tara Chugh
Tacoma’s nickname, the City of Destiny, gives this release an especially fitting name. Sharp Skills teams up with Tara Chugh on “City of Destiny,” bringing two artists together under a title that carries a direct connection to the city itself.
Regional identity can be a powerful part of music. A city isn’t just a place where an artist happens to live; it can influence the people they meet, the experiences they draw from and the communities they represent. A title like “City of Destiny” puts that connection front and center.
It’s also a reminder that Tacoma has a cultural identity beyond its proximity to Seattle. The city’s artists have their own stories to tell, and there’s plenty of room for those stories to stand on their own.
Bench Press — “New Track City”
“New Track City” is a title that feels right at home in a roundup focused on new music. Bench Press adds another release to the conversation, and the name alone gives the track a playful connection to the idea of a city constantly producing something new.
There’s a certain charm in artists continuing to release music without making every single drop feel like a major announcement. Sometimes the best way to build a catalog is to keep creating, keep experimenting and let listeners decide what sticks.For anyone trying to keep up with the names coming out of Tacoma, Bench Press is another artist to have on the radar.
Pure Breed — “OG Mambo” ft. Kgodd
Pure Breed links up with Kgodd on “Mambo,” adding another collaboration to the list. With a title that immediately brings a sense of movement to mind, the track leaves an interesting first impression before listeners even get into the details.
Collaborations like this are also a useful way to explore the connections between artists working in the same region. Each artist brings their own background and perspective to a release, and those combinations can help introduce listeners to music they might not have found otherwise.
“Mambo” is another entry in Tacoma’s growing list of releases worth exploring, especially for listeners looking to get beyond the names they already know.
CBFW — “Lewie”
CBFW’s “Lewie” rounds out another part of the local lineup. Sometimes, discovering a regional music scene is as simple as following the names that keep appearing across releases and collaborations, then seeing where those connections lead.
That process is part of what makes local music worth following. There isn’t always one obvious entry point or a single artist who represents the entire scene. Instead, listeners piece things together through singles, features, shared audiences and the steady stream of music coming out of the community. “Lewie” gives listeners another place to start.
PerryPaints — “Cup of Tea: Honey”
We’re closing things out with Perry Porter’ “Cup of Tea: Honey,” a title that feels a little more understated than some of the others on this list.
There’s something inviting about the phrase “cup of tea,” which can suggest comfort, familiarity or simply something that suits your particular taste. Adding “Honey” gives the title an extra bit of personality, leaving plenty of room for listeners to decide what it means once the track is playing.
And that is part of the fun of finding new music. Not every song needs an elaborate introduction or a big explanation before you listen. Sometimes a title catches your attention, you press play and go from there.
Tacoma Has More to Offer
What stands out about a list like this isn’t necessarily one defining sound or a single artist carrying the whole scene. It’s the range of names, collaborations and releases that give listeners more ways to explore what’s happening around Tacoma.
From Yuccaman and Shoulderzdaloc to the collaborations connecting Twin Gloccs, MENACE and Pure Breed with other artists, these releases offer a starting point for digging deeper into the region’s music community.
Seattle will probably continue to dominate plenty of conversations about Washington music. But Tacoma doesn’t need to be treated as an extension of its neighbor. The 253 has its own artists, its own networks and its own stories to tell.
The more people take the time to look beyond the usual names, the more there is to discover.
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For more updates on Tacoma and the 253’s community of rising artists, follow the official RespectMyRegion.com Instagram @RespectMyRegion.365.
