Forbes Top 5 Hip-Hop Artists to Watch 2016 (Belly,Kodak Black,Meyhem Lauren,Rich The Kid,Vic Mensa)

[RajWatts]

5 Hip-Hop Artists To Watch In 2016

This year produced its share of emerging hip-hop talents, including Fetty Wap, Post Malone and Silentó. Time will tell whether or not these 2015 hitmakers can extend their good fortune further into great rap careers.

But 2016 is another year, of course, and with it naturally comes a new crop of contenders. While the next twelve months will no doubt deliver some fresh faces from out of the blue, here are a handful of names you’re likely to hear more from very soon.

Belly



Canadian rapper Ahmad Balshe already has his share of successes as a credited songwriter on The Weeknd’s multi-platinum hits “Earned It,” “The Hills” and “Often.” The R&B pop singer returned the favor by lending his voice to “Might Not,” a highlight of Belly’s underrated Up For Days mixtape from this past spring. Having signed with Roc Nation only last month, he saw the track released as a proper single in December. In a little more than a week, “Might Not” has already accumulated over 830,000 Spotify plays and 1.4 million YouTube views of its corresponding music video. With that single clearly on its way to the Billboard Hot 100, Belly will see his profile rise exponentially in the first quarter of 2016.

Kodak Black



Though not always hailed as a rap capital, South Florida has produced some the most significant artists in hip-hop history, not the least of which being The 2 Live Crew and Rick Ross. From this regularly underestimated region comes Kodak Black, a Broward County resident currently making waves on the mixtape front. Notably, his independent 2015 street single “No Flockin” recently crossed the 1 million plays mark on Spotify, while his earlier cut “SKRT” grew to over 1.6 million plays there after a Drake co-sign on Instagram. Kodak’s latest project Institution dropped on Christmas Day, and several of its tracks seem poised to match and even exceed his prior touchstones.

Meyhem Lauren



An outsized personality, Action Bronson’s grand come-up hasn’t left much room for his fellow Queens emcee and friend Meyhem Lauren. To his credit, the red-bearded Albanian regularly features Lauren on projects like this year’s Mr. Wonderful album, which has done good for the comparatively less-known yet evidently skilled lyricist’s prospects. Now signed to respected indie imprint Fool’s Gold Records, he’ll have his best chance at claiming the limelight when his own Piatto D’Oro album releases in 2016. Pre-release singles “Bonus Round” and “Money In My Pocket” finds Lauren safe in the New York City rap tradition, something that will likely endear him to those longing for an alternative to clubbier contemporary trap styles.

Rich The Kid



Bolstered by his affiliation with Atlanta trio Migos, Rich The Kid has been an ever-present background figure during their rise within and beyond the mixtape circuit. As such, he benefited from Quality Control Music’s arrangement with 300 Entertainment–to an extent. Apart from a minor single with labelmate Fetty Wap, Rich hasn’t had the breakout cut he needs to take his career to the next level. Following a strategy not unlike that of Migos, his 2015 mixtape output was prodigious and notable, including an EP with iLoveMakonnen of “Tuesday” fame. That leaves Rich in a promising position for 2016, which he’s due to kick off with a co-headlining January club tour alongside T-Wayne, the Texas rapper behind 2015′s viral Vine-fueled hit “Nasty Freestyle.”

Vic Mensa



With fashion and family as his focus, Kanye West kept a fairly low profile on the music front this year, sharing just a handful of new songs early in 2015 and appearing on a few more as a featured artist. Those paying attention surely noticed the presence of Vic Mensa as a co-writer and performer on the Grammy-nominated “All Day” and “Wolves,” respectively. Ye’s guest verse on Mensa’s Roc Nation single “U Mad” solidified their connection further, racking up more than 13 million Spotify plays since April. Back in July, he unveiled the Skrillex-produced “No Chill” as an Apple Music exclusive. Given the 2015 success of prior Kanye collaborator Travis Scott, there’s a lot of anticipation building for the young Chicagoan’s upcoming debut album Traffic, expected sometime in the new year.

 

[James Worthy]

Belly?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Yawn

 

[Rigamortus]

Damn I forgot about Belly Aint heard shyt from since Sleepless Nights.

 

[Still Benefited]

Outside of Rich The Kid don't watch none of these nikkas

How the hell this wack Kodak Black nikka outta florida getting looks over Woop anyway?

I'll be watching Rich,Woop,B Will in 2016,outside of that I'll stick to watching who I been watching....I didn't fall for these plants in the past,and I wont start now.

Woop having a Future like mixtape run and getting no respect,Rich last mixtape was crazy,but he'll probably stay being in the shadow of Migos unfortunately,even though I think he brings a different type energy...And his hook game I'd say been stronger than Migos this past year

That boy know what he doin over that west coast production

 

[Mandarin Duck]

Why is FORBES putting out a list of hip-hop artists to watch?

 

[STVNTMAN]

Everyone outside of Kodak aint got no real hype rn


I could see RTK getting on the radio this year tho

 

[T.H.E. Goat]

Rich The Kid can blow this year

 

[NotaPAWG]

Belly? Only reason that Belly Song is what it is because the weeknd. The weeknd only version has millions of more views

Kodak black though

 

[Dominic Decoco]

Kodak's "Institution" mixtape gets a 10/10 from me.

 

[Standing on business]

How the hell are all these new artist who never had a major album out so damn rich


R8's, phantoms, kilos of gold on them

 

[riddlerap]

Kodak Black gon blow! finally gonna have a fellow Floridian to rep proudly.

 

[45123]

Websites always make these lists and never does anybody get any of it right

 

[SirBiatch]

Why is FORBES putting out a list of hip-hop artists to watch?

I'm surprised no one asked this question sooner

Then these cowardly stans will turn around and act like Forbes are "respected" hip hop journalists when they dikkride some bullshyt release.

On another note, why the fukk does Meyhem Lauren sound like yet another Ghostface biter? Isn't he Action Cacson's man?

Song sounds like "Liquid Swords". I was half-way expecting the dude to say "when the emcees came..." I can't be the only one that notices this.

 

[Mowgli]

Lames gonna start mimmicking drakes mannerisms and dumb nikkas justs gonna continue being wack.

Forbes reportin whos hot in hiphop.