Take a Listen: My Top 5 Favorite Artists

Music is amazing. It’s an incredible form of art that has the power to achieve amazing things. Whether it be the simple, yet oftentimes complex task of bringing people together, or changing someone’s life for the better. It’s incredible what an instrumental and some vocals can do in our society. But besides all that, music is just downright fun. It’s fun to listen to, bop your head to, and dance to. It just creates these joyful moments where you can just escape and feel free. Whether it be pop, reggaeton, or country music, everyone has their guilty pleasure that they lean towards when they’re looking to let loose of all their energy.

For me, that’d be Hip-Hop and R&B. Since my middle school days when I was blasting Eminem in my headphones, I’ve been in love with the intricate lyricism and mind blowing flows Hip-Hop had to offer. It’s shaped my taste for artists and fueled my love for songwriting as I’ve grown older.

Then over the span of years, R&B has been the source of so many amazing singing vocals and delicately crafted beats that would hold me in a trance. Whether they sang a song that spoke to my heart or belted lyrics that I had to sing along to, R&B artists started to become a go-to genre for me alongside Hip-Hop. And that’s what we’ll be talking about today as I run you through some of my favorite artists that I listen to almost on a daily basis.

I’ll briefly discuss the characteristics of each artist and list my 3 favorite tracks of theirs that I highly recommend. So I hope you have your headphones ready cause it’s time to vibe out to some music.

1) Hopsin

Hopsin, an artist heavily influenced by the rap god Eminem and Hip-Hop pioneer Dr. Dre, is one of the most talented rappers you’ll ever hear. From detailed lyrics to jaw dropping flows, he brings a lot to the table for those interested in hearing either a song packed with meaning that tells a well crafted story, or a head banging, flow switch crazy, bass pounding track that’ll make you feel like you can beat the Hulk up with one finger. As the founder of former label Funk Volume, he made his claim as the king of underground artists in the early 2010s.

With his well written lyrical and later visually stimulating Ill Mind of Hopsin series, along with his anger laced albums Raw and Knock Madness, he showcased his talent in a way that drew many to him and helped form the cult-like following he has today. He also founded amazing talented artists such as Dizzy Wright and Jarren Benton, two lyrical and high energy rappers that embodied the vision Hopsin wished to cultivate for the label.

Beyond his skills as a rapper, Hopsin also put his skills as both a director and music producer on display. He has always had creative input when orchestrating the iconic music videos fans have grown to love. And all of the tracks that he’s ever released have been produced, mixed, and mastered by himself. A truly self reliant artist who took his own career by the reigns and wears his passion for music on his sleeve. Hopsin is a must listen for any Hip-Hop fan.

1. Sag My Pants (RAW)

2. Ill Mind of Hopsin 7

3. Kumbaya

2) J. Cole

I think it’s safe to say that this man here needs no introductions. But I’ll give him one anyway. A North Carolina bred rapper who was inspired by New York legends Nas and Jay-Z, J. Cole is a certified legend in the arena of Hip-Hop.

It doesn’t take much to realize why J. Cole is argued as one of the GOATs in the genre. He’s a master at story telling when he gets on the mic, able to take us through his thoughts as he reminisces on events in his life. Then there’s the profound messages he’s able to compact on the verses he writes, sometimes educating his fans by sharing his bits of knowledge as they just enjoy the fresh sonic sound he brings.

His impact on the game is nothing to scoff at either. Starting his own label, Dreamville, and putting his seal of approval on multiple talented acts such as JID, Ari Lennox, Bas, and so much more. Then when looking at the production side of things where we see he’s also able to produce an entire album, with no features I might add, with a unique creative sound that shall stand the test of time. With multiple platinum albums under his belt like 2014 Forest Hills Drive and KOD, it’s easy to see why a fan of Hip-Hop like me has J. Cole songs that are constantly embedded in their playlist.

1. A Tale of 2 Citiez (2014 Forest Hills Drive)

2. Rich Niggaz (Born Sinner)

3. Immortal (4 Your Eyez Only)

3) Kendrick Lamar

Another man who needs no introductions. But as I showed with J. Cole, that won’t stop me from doing so. Kendrick Lamar is another indisputable legend in the Hip-Hop game. With heavy influences from rap legends Tupac Shakur and Eminem, Kendrick is a lyrical genius that is beloved in the Hip-Hop community.

The one thing that I find the most impressive about Kendrick is his sound. It is ever-evolving. It is constantly on the change to provide a new experience for all of his fans.

With good kid, m.A.A.d city we got a Hip Hop heavy album that had listeners enthralled. Then with To Pimp A Butterfly Kendrick took a different approach, making the project have a more jazz centric feel to it that caught many off guard in a pleasant way. And then with his last album DAMN., we got a Hip-Pop heavy sound with Lamar leaning more into his pop side with radio catchy beats and heavenly vocals from features like Rihanna and Zacari. Kendrick’s chameleon effect of choosing to make a project centered on a sound and being able to make it work for him is truly impressive.

Beyond that, his ability to evoke such strong, visceral feelings from listeners when they listen to his songs is an incredible gift that sets him apart from many artists. If he wants you to feel the fury that’s been building up inside of him, he knows the instrumental to hop on, the flow to use, and even the tone to have when creating a song. And not just anger but also joy, sorrow, hope, relief, anxiety, whatever you think, he can make you feel it.

He’s truly a once in a generation talent meant to be debated as the GOAT.

1. The Blacker The Berry (To Pimp A Butterfly)

2. Hol’ Up (Section .80)

3. Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst (good kid, m.A.A.d city)

4) Che Ecru

Now I know what you’re thinking. For a guy who claims to like R&B there sure aren’t a lot of singers he listens to. That more so has to do with the fact that when it comes to R&B I never really stuck to one artist. I’ve always hopped around to different artists and listened to whatever albums or singles they provided. But I didn’t have a go to artist to play. Until I found Che Ecru.

If you don’t know him, you need to. Che Ecru is a young talented artist with multiple bangers under his belt. You want a slow sultry song to vibe to when you’re with that special someone? He’s got that. You want to get amped up and dance your heart out? Che’s got a song for that too. Or, how about a catchy song you'll know will be on repeat for days, if not weeks. Che’s got a whole catalog for you to choose from.

Not only does he have a brilliant voice that cascades on all of the instrumentals he sings on, but he also is a talented producer. A number of the tracks you’ll come across of his are either produced solely by him or in collaboration with another gifted producer.

He has multiple projects out where he’s managed to amass large quantity of streams, in spite of not engaging in the traditional marketing practice that comes with being an artist, such as producing music videos, radio interviews, and even live performances. It goes to show you that he’s truly an amazing artist if he’s been able to achieve this sort of success without those types of marketing tools. But don’t just take my word for it, give his music a try and see for yourself.

1. Lonely (buries)

2. Satisfied (CHE GOT WINGS)

3. CRUSH (Still Single)

5) Russ

This next artist may come as a shock for many as Russ is known for being quite...abrasive. That’s by no part something he’s ashamed of or claims not to be. Russ is an outgoing, say what’s on his mind, type of person. A few of his opinions can be strong and have some scowling at his responses. Say what you will about his character, which I often find to be misunderstood, but his artistry is magnificent.

A rapper who achieved his success via the streaming app SoundCloud, Russ was truly the first big named SoundCloud rapper the Hip-Hop industry had ever seen. Through his dedicated practice and hard work, he managed to craft a plan of success for him that has catapulted him to where he is today.

Through understanding the SoundCloud algorithm and identifying listening patterns of fans, he came up with the plan of releasing a song a day that allowed him to steadily reap the benefits over years. And all of this was achieved by himself as he managed to not just rap, but also produce, mix, and master the hit songs he’s known for today.

What makes Russ even more outstanding as an artist is his range. He has a mountain load of songs for people to sift through, and in doing so they’ll find that he dabbles in a wide variety of sounds. He can play into his R&B side and provide us with a more melodic track, or he can tap into his Hip-Hop roots and go for a gritty, lyrically heightened song. If someone were to go through his entire discography, they’d be bound to find a song to their liking due to his multigenre skillset.

All in all, Russ is definitely a talented artist worthy of people’s attention. Don’t let social media trick you into believing he doesn’t have skill. Just see for yourself.

1. GUESS WHAT ft. Rick Ross (SHAKE THE SNOW GLOBE)

2. Who Wants What ft. Ab-Soul (CHOMP)

3. Last Forever ft. Rick Ross & Snoop Dogg (ZOO)