-Nicki Minaj is one of the biggest pop rappers in the game...
-Rocky has a legitimate classic mixtape one of if not the greatest ever. His debut was well-received and went Gold. Dude is making fashion and movie money one of the ten biggest artists in the game. Ferg's debut had two hits in Work Remix and Shabba intended to be a tape it did solid numbers for an artist of his stature. Twelvy and Nast can spit and need more shine.
-Fabolous been on a run with all these tapes he's put out, The S.O.U.L. Tapes series is classic IMO. Dude is the biggest NY artist culturally and in terms of local support.
-French Montana has released so much heat over the last five years, all his shyt with Max, to the Mac & Cheese and Coke Boyz series dude is always good for a banger.
-Joey BADA$$ 1999 is one of the best mixtapes of this era. His debut was solid and outsold a lot of these guys who actually get radio play. He has that blipster boom bap shyt on lock and has a fanbase. R.I.P. Steez dude was a monster. Joey diversifying adding reggae influence and rapping over Metro Boomin' beats with Lil Herb he still young.
-Vynilz and Harry Fraud are two of the best producers in hip hop right now.
-Dave East is the up and comer making the most noise and best chance to blow in the next year or so.
-Troy Ave say what you want about him makes good music. The New York City Album was one of the best of 2013, All About The Money was a hit record.
-Milly Rock was lit last summer
-GS9 had the streets lit for a good year and a half. Shmurda was the one that blew but Rowdy really had that it factor too.
