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.
Shante Scott Franklin, better known by his stage name Currensy, is an American rapper. Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, he signed with the regionally-based labels Cash Money Records and Young Money Entertainment in the mid-2000s, although he released no albums for both. He signed with DD172 to release four albums before signing with Warner Records to release his fifth album and major label debut, Weekend at Burnie's (2011). In February of that year, he founded the record label Jet Life Recordings.
Malachi-Phree Jasiah Pate, known professionally as Jasiah, is an American rapper, songwriter and record producer from Dayton, Ohio who is currently signed to Atlantic Records. He is known for his usage of screaming in vocals and sinister lyrics.
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.
The Voice is the sixth studio album by American rapper Lil Durk. It was released on December 24, 2020, by Only the Family, Alamo Records and Geffen Records. The album contains guest appearances from late rapper King Von, 6lack, Young Thug, YNW Melly, and Booka600. A deluxe edition was released on January 29, 2021, with twelve additional tracks. It features additional guest appearances from Lil Baby, Pooh Shiesty, and Sydny August.
Hyperpop is a loosely defined electronic music movement and microgenre that predominantly originated in the United Kingdom during the early 2010s. It is characterised by an exaggerated or maximalist take on popular music, and typically integrates pop and avant-garde sensibilities while drawing on elements commonly found in electronic, hip hop, and dance 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.
David Wallace III, known professionally as Kashdami, is an American rapper from Prince George County, Maryland. He is known for his distinct melodic flow, melding distorted 808s with catchy hooks, and clever wordplay. He initially rose to popularity in 2020 with his song "Kappin Up", which later received a music video from WorldStar. In 2021 he regained popularity on video platform TikTok with his songs "Reparations", "Look N The Mirror", and "14" which featured rapper tana. These songs lead to heavy amounts of traction and growth on Wallace's SoundCloud and TikTok accounts and helped pushed the Plugg sound to the mainstream. He released his first major label mixtape epiphany in June 2021
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
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.
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.
"Magic I Want U" is a song by the American musician Jane Remover. It was released by DeadAir Records on September 4, 2024, along with its B-side "How to Teleport". It was written, performed, and mixed by Remover. Following two tracks released in July 2024, it was released while she was touring with JPEGMafia. It is a pop, emo, and R&B track that draws from a variety of other genres. It is characterized by a mixture of instruments and sounds including fuzzy guitars, skittering breakbeats, synthesizers, drums, trap chants, and air horns. Its lyrics discuss a crush that she has on another musician, as well as sexual desire. "How to Teleport" is a hyperpop song that is also reminiscent of footwork, and is about feeling lost and hopeless. "Magic I Want U" was met with positive reviews from critics; it was considered one of the best songs of the year by Pitchfork and Anthony Fantano, while Paste included it in their mid-decade list.
Afrikantis is an album by American rapper Lil B, released on December 22, 2022. An instrumental avant-garde and electro jazz album, it was entirely self-produced. While Lil B would usually release hip hop mixtapes, he also experimented with instrumental albums, releasing Choices and Flowers and Tears 4 God in 2012. 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 unanimously 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. After releasing his previous mixtape, Install, in 2022, he became a prominent figure in the post-hyperpop and digicore in 2023. 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.
