Tic Tac Toe were a German girl group formed in 1995, performing pop-rap music. Their first two albums, Tic Tac Toe and Klappe die 2te, were million-selling commercial successes and spawned major hits "Ich find' dich scheiße", "Verpiss' dich" and "Warum?". The band found biggest popularity in German speaking countries, the Netherlands and Eastern Europe. Due to numerous scandals and personal issues between the group members, Tic Tac Toe split in 2001. The band had a successful but short-lived comeback in 2005 with the hit single "Spiegel", but ultimately disbanded in 2007.
Peter Elliot Rosenberg is an American radio disc jockey, television show host, and professional wrestling personality, who is signed to WWE where he is a one-time WWE 24/7 Champion. He is a co-host of two New York City radio programs: Ebro in the Morning, the weekday morning show at hip hop radio station WQHT ; and The Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio affiliate WHSQ, which is also simulcast on the YES Network.
Emo rap is a subgenre of hip hop with influence from emo. Originating in the SoundCloud rap scene in the mid-2010s, the genre fuses characteristics of hip hop music, such as trap-style beats with vocals that are usually sung. The most prominent artists in the genre were Lil Peep, XXXTentacion, and Juice Wrld.
Jordan Timothy Jenks, known professionally as Pi'erre Bourne, is an American record producer, rapper, songwriter, and audio engineer. He is known for producing the 2017 singles "Magnolia" for Playboi Carti and "Gummo" for 6ix9ine, both of which entered the top 30 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Hyperpop, sometimes referred to as bubblegum bass, is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of music within the experimental electronic music subculture. Predominantly originating in the United Kingdom during the early 2010s, it is characterized by an exaggerated, maximalist approach to popular music. The genre blends pop and avant-garde sensibilities, often incorporating elements from electronic, hip hop, and dance music. It is also considered a microgenre, reflecting its niche yet influential position within contemporary music.
Ash Blue Gutierrez, known professionally as Glaive, is an American singer-songwriter. After posting a string of hyperpop songs to SoundCloud during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that earned him a following, he signed a record deal with Interscope Records and released his debut extended play, Cypress Grove, in 2020. His debut album, I Care So Much That I Don't Care at All, was released in 2023. His second album, May It Never Falter, was released in 2024.
Plugg is a sub-genre of trap music that emerged in the mid-2010s via online distribution on the SoundCloud platform. It was popularized by melodic Southern hip hop artists, and is characterized by deep 808 basslines, sparkly melodies, and melodic vocals.
Edgar Nathaniel Sarratt III, known professionally as Midwxst, is an American rapper and singer. He is signed to Geffen Records. He released several extended plays between 2020 and 2022, and his debut album E3 released on September 1, 2023
Eric George Lopez, known professionally as ericdoa, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known as one of the main artists in the hyperpop/digicore genres of music.
Kenyatta Lee Frazier Jr., known professionally as Ken Carson, is an American rapper and record producer from Atlanta, Georgia. Carson initially gained attention for his SoundCloud releases and collaborations with fellow Atlanta rapper Playboi Carti. In 2019, Carson signed with the latter's record label Opium, an imprint of Interscope Records to release his debut studio album, Project X (2021).
Quinn Dupree is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer and DJ. Her second studio album, Quinn, was released on July 22, 2022. Quinn released on the independent record label deadAir Records which she is a co-founder of.
Steven Dale Lewis II, known professionally as Tana, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to popularity in early 2021 with the singles "14" and "Antisocial", which gained traction on TikTok and SoundCloud. He later signed with Galactic Records, a subsidiary of Republic Records, in late 2021.
Daijon Cotty Davis, known professionally as DC the Don, is an American rapper and singer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is recognized for mixing elements of hip-hop, rock, and melodic rap in his music. Prior to his rap career, Davis played high school basketball, alongside NBA star LaMelo Ball, as they both participated in the sports program at Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, California. Davis' musical journey and basketball past remain intertwined, both contributing to his position in the entertainment industry.
Bobby Wardell Sandimanie III, known professionally as Destroy Lonely, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. His debut studio album, If Looks Could Kill (2023), peaked at number 18 on the US Billboard 200. Prior, his fifth mixtape, No Stylist (2022) marked his first entry on the chart at number 91.
E3 is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Midwxst, released on September 1, 2023, by Geffen Records. The album consists of pop-trap, notably softer than Midwxst's previous work. It was preceded by two singles, "Pretty Girls" and "Warning".
All Dogs Go to Heaven is the second extended play (EP) by the American musician Glaive. It was released on August 6, 2021, via Interscope Records. After recording his debut EP Cypress Grove (2020) in his North Carolina bedroom, Glaive garnered critical acclaim and travelled to Los Angeles to record All Dogs Go to Heaven in a studio during a two week period. The EP pulls from many genres, as Glaive was focused on making music that he liked and wanted to move away from his previous hyperpop sound.
Then I'll Be Happy is a collaborative extended play (EP) by the American musicians Glaive and Ericdoa. It was released by Interscope Records and Listen to the Kids on October 6, 2021. After becoming leaders of both the hyperpop and digicore genres, the frequent collaborators recorded the EP at an Airbnb homestay in North Carolina and a studio. It experiments with sounds beyond the hyperpop genre, and contains lyrics that are written as angsty aphorisms. The EP was produced by Whethan with contributions from a variety of record producers including Ericdoa and Nick Mira. Then I'll Be Happy was promoted with two singles—"Cloak n Dagger" and "Fuck This Town"—and the Then I'll Be Happy Tour across North America. It received mixed reviews from critics, who cited the lack of chemistry between the duo.
"Cloak n Dagger" is a song by the American musicians Glaive and Ericdoa from their collaborative extended play (EP), Then I'll Be Happy (2021). It was released by Interscope Records and Listen to the Kids on January 21, 2021, as the EP's lead single. It was recorded in one day at an Airbnb homestay in North Carolina during January 2021. It was released alongside a music video created on the same day as the song, which contains cameo appearances from the song's producers, Glasear, Kimj, and Whethan. Glaive and Ericdoa wrote the song alongside the producers.
Afrikantis is the third instrumental album by the American rapper Lil B, released through Basedworld on December 22, 2022. A jazz album, it marks a stylistic departure for Lil B, who would usually release hip hop mixtapes. He had experimented with production in the past; he released the instrumental albums Choices and Flowers and Tears 4 God in 2012, and self-produced some of his later mixtapes. Compared to the lo-fi and ambient production of his previous instrumental releases, Afrikantis is less connected to musical concepts such as melody and harmony. The album was received poorly by critics, who mainly criticized its discordant instrumentation.
Keep It Goin Xav is the fifth solo mixtape by the American rapper Xaviersobased. Hosted by DJ Renessy, it was self-released on January 15, 2024, on SoundCloud before its release to other streaming services on January 21. Keep It Goin Xav is a New York hip-hop mixtape that also pulls from musical scenes such as Atlanta trap, Chicago drill, and jerk. Characterized by flowing instrumentals and smooth vocals, it blends the digital sound of Internet rap with Xaviersobased's Upper Manhattan roots. Production was handled by a variety of record producers including Xaviersobased himself, and the mixtape contains guest appearances from Jtxpo, Kuru, Yhapojj, and Nettspend. The track "On My Own" was released as a single on SoundCloud one week before the mixtape's release. Keep It Goin Xav was considered one of the best albums of the year by Pitchfork and The Fader; the former also deemed it the best rap album of the year.
