Artist: Die Antwoord

Hails From: Cape Town, South Africa

Musical Style: Rap, Dance, Hip Hop

For Fans of: Basement Jaxx, Dizzee Rascal, Eminem

Wat Pomp

Why you should check them out:

Whether you believe them to be the future of Hip Hop or nothing more than a viral flash-in-the-pan, It is hard to deny that Die Antwoord have positioned themselves well to make a big splash in the music industry in 2010. With tens of millions of hits on their website without officially releasing their first album, the so-called “zef” (Afrikaans slang for “redneck”) trio from Cape Town have become a full-fledged phenomenon. And during the breakdown in their first single, “Enter the Ninja”, when lead rapper, Ninja, states “This is, like, the coolest song I ever heard in my whole life.”, it is difficult to disagree.

Background Check:

An oddball veteran of the South African hip hop scene, Ninja joined with female rapper, Yo-Landi Vi$$er and DJ Hi-Tek to form Die Antwoord in 2009. Their debut album, $O$, was made available as a free download on their website, but did not garner much attention until months later, when the video for “Enter the Ninja” made its rounds on the internet. The video, a sort of meth-induced visual nightmare, became a huge hit due to its oddly sexual, freakshow-esque vibe and the potent lyrical ability of Ninja. With their video approaching 4 million Youtube views, and their streaming album getting over 15 million hits in February, they arrived in the States. After a couple of sets at smaller venues, the trio had their break-out moment when they played a show-stopping set at Coachella in April. Capitalizing on their unexpected success, the trio has just recently inked a deal with Interscope Records, who will release the full version of $O$ later this year. In addition, director Neil Blomkamp of District 9 fame plans on directing their next video and a documentary is in the works.

Where you can find them in cyberspace:

Dieantwoord.com

MySpace

Wikipedia

On tour:

JamBase

Artist: Rye Rye

Hails From: Baltimore, MD

Musical Style: Rap, Dance, Hip-Hop

For Fans of: M.I.A., Santigold, DJ Blaqstarr

Why you should check her out:
 

Ryeisha “Rye Rye” Berrain is the next big thing to happen to music. Though she has yet to release her debut LP, this Baltimore based rapper is already receiving momentous praise right out of the gates. Maybe it’s her association to current dance queen M.I.A., or her partnership with über respected producer and musician Blaqstarr, or the amazing and aggressive chops already on display. Whatever the case, the world just can’t seem to wait for Rye Rye.

Background check:
 
Only a year ago, few people knew of a young female rapper trying to make her presence known in the underground dance scene of Baltimore. The up and coming performer first gained attention with a strategically placed song on Blaqstarr’s answering machine. Reportedly, the message was so fresh that he called her right back, beginning a partnership that would soon prove mutually beneficial for both parties. A meeting a year later began the collaboration that introduced Rye Rye to the world, specifically M.I.A., who happened upon a demo in Blaqstarr’s studio and was sold straight up, putting Rye Rye on her new label N.E.E.T. and directing the video for her upcoming release “Bang”. Pretty high praise for an 18 year old, but nothing Rye Rye couldn’t handle.

Not long after introductions Rye Rye found herself opening for M.I.A., lending her talents to remix’s, showing up on soundtracks, and selling her single “Shake It To The Ground” successfully on iTunes. Her high energy songs are happening in the clubs and hitting the streets with an unrelenting independent style. Rye Rye isn’t some timid, wide-eyed kid from the sticks. This girl is already in her own, ready to take what comes her way and light a fire under the respective ends of the music world.  

Where you can find her in Cyberspace:

MySpace    

Wikipedia

On Tour:

JamBase

Artist:  Aesop Rock

Hails From:  San Francisco, CA

Musical Style:  Underground Hip Hop, Rap, Indie

For Fans of:  EL-P, People Under the Stairs, Gorillaz, Atmosphere

Why you should check them out: 

Aesop Rock has been putting out innovative, genre blending Hip Hop albums since 1998.  Through numerous collaborations and countless breakout successes, Aesop Rock has survived as a central figure and unique presence in the independant Hip Hop genre he has helped to create.

Background Check:

I love hip hop that combines the necessary amount of bass with a killer beat and adds in intellegent lyrics.  It’s the perfect hip hop combination and a feat that Aesop Rock accomplishes in spades.  While appealing to those with Indie Rock sensibilities through collaborations with The Mountain Goats and Tokyo Police Club, Aesop Rock pays homage to many of the early rap inventors through his distinct lyrical style and lack of commercialized choruses.  Through two self-released albums, and one album on Mush records, the man behind the moniker, Ian Bavitz, soon found himself on Difinitive Jux records based out of his home state of New York.  In 2001, Bavitz and collaborator Blockhead released Labor Days, an album that propelled Aesop Rock’s career to the forefront of underground Hip Hop, gaining high critical marks across the board.

Following the success of Labor Days,  Aesop Rock has continually reinvented his sound, releasing four albums between 2001 and 2007, all garnering high praise and considerable fanfare.  Often defined as a staple of the New York Hip Hop scene, Bavitz relocated to San Francsico in 2005 settling in as an influential force amongst both west coast and east coast hip hoppers alike.  From his first self release back in 1998 to his 2007 success None Shall Pass, Aesop Rock has acquired a long list of collaborators and musical influences, all securing him as one of the most influential hip hop artists the underground scene has to offer.  While Aesop Rock might not currently be quite as underground as he once was, Ian Bavitz and crew continue to maintain the independant sound and innovation that makes non-mainstream hip hop so attractive.

Where you can find them in cyberspace:

Myspace

Definitive Jux

Wikipedia

On Tour:

Jambase