"Kid Cudi is a Brooklyn-based rapper from Cleveland whose debut single, "Day 'n' Nite," became an online favorite in 2008. Born Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi in suburban Cleveland, his career took off after he moved to Brooklyn and became affiliated with Fool's Gold, the label of DJs A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs. The label released the Day 'n' Nite EP in February 2008 and circulated a Crookers remix around the blogosphere, drumming up a good deal of buzz in the process. It didn't hurt that Kid Cudi began to receive increasing press attention, including a nod from Rolling Stone (which touted him among the magazine's Top Five best indie hip-hop artists of 2008). Not long after the release of "Day 'n' Nite," Kid Cudi began touring with the Fool's Gold collective, which performed at a South by Southwest showcase and subsequently joined forces with Steve Aoki and his Dim Mak collective for a North American tour. After the remixed version of "Day 'n' Nite" climbed the U.K. singles charts, Kid Cudi released his conceptual debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day in the summer of 2009. A year later he returned with a sequel, Man on the Moon, Vol. 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager." - Jason Birchmeier, AllMusicGuide

Tupelo, Mississippi. It's the home of Elvis Presley, but even for those clued in on that fun fact, it's safe to say that few, if any, know much more about the city than that. Nestled in the northeast corner of the Magnolia State, and with a population of just over 35,000, indeed, Tupelo, like most small metropolises, is easy to overlook. Rae Sremmurd - pronounced "Ray-Shrim-er," consisting of real life brothers Slim Jimmy and Swae Lee, and newly signed to multi-platinum producer Mike WiLL Made-It's Eardruma Records - is out to change that.

Slim Jimmy, 20, and Swae Lee, 19, were born in California, but moved to Tupelo at an early age, where they were raised in the notorious Ida Street housing projects, some of the worst, most crime-ridden in the state. Making matters worse, Sremmurd's parents split while the brothers were still young, a devastating turn of events that found the brothers multiple stretches, seeking shelter in abandoned homes scattered throughout the area. For a city with little history outside of its musical heritage, and in a state where two young kids short on role models could look up to the growing star power of in-state hero David Banner, music, from a young age, became a way for Slim and Swae to escape the desperation of their surroundings. "When we were growing up, it was just about perseverance," says Slim Jimmy, before flipping a quote made famous by Stark Trek character Richard Wakinyan. "Regardless of the situation, we couldn't let the haters win."

The movement started locally, with the brothers throwing parties and shows around town, often in the same abandoned buildings where they once stayed. The pair always had larger ambitions, though, and so the brothers, natural performers since elementary school, taught themselves how to record, make beats, and DJ, building enough buzz to earn an appearance on the popular "Wild Out Wednesdays" segment during BET's music video countdown show, 106th & Park. Back home, Swae and Slim earned the attention of fellow Tupelo native P-Nasty, who also happens to be a producer signed to super producer Mike WiLL Made-It's Eardruma production team. P-Nasty introduced Rae Sremmurd to Mike WiLL, and the multi-platinum producer (Rihanna, Jay Z, Kanye West, 2 Chainz, Future, Juicy J) was instantly impressed by the brothers' energy and the quality of their music, signing the duo as one of the first acts to his new, Interscope-backed label, Eardruma Records. "When I met them," recalls WiLL, "they just had a real young dope energy about them. So me and the Eardruma team locked in the studio like we normally do, had a lot of fun, and cooked up some amazing music. This is just the beginning of our working relationship, and they've got a bright future. I believe in them."

Hip-hop could certainly use a real bona fide rockstar. That's where Lil Uzi Vert comes in. The Philadelphia rapper flaunts a vision and fashion sense just as loud as his "futuristic trap" sound and dynamic voice. He doesn't simply stand out in a crowd; he draws everyone right to him.
"I try to create a world," the 20-year-old declares. "It's rap, but I get a lot of influence from rock music. When you see me or hear me, I want the experience to be dark and crazy with a lot of moshing."

Now, signed to Generation Now – founded by DJ Drama, Don Cannon and Leighton Morrison, alongside Atlantic Records, Lil Uzi Vert stands poised to ignite hip-hop with his own fire. "I take modern rap and put more musical influence to it under the trap," he leaves off. "I want to show people the future and what's possible with the sound. This is who I am. This is my world."

An open-minded and loyal supporter of all music philosophies, esta maintains zero barriers in his meticulous method of danceable, yet sexy music production and arrangement. Based in Southern California and part of the Los Angeles-based Soulection imprint, esta is a rising star within the future music ecosystem, with a loyal, globally recognized support base.

In 2006, esta was introduced to the Fruity Loops music production software program by a close friend and says "my first beat took eight hours with no break in between and I've been hooked ever since". Seven years and many Fruity Loops beats later, esta joined the Soulection family, moved to Los Angeles from his hometown of San Diego and subsequently began performing as a DJ/Producer around the world. In less than two years, esta reached the east coast of the U.S., Canada, Asia, Europe and remains a staple in the Southern California music scene.

2013 marked esta's first appearances at both Coachella and the historic LOW END THEORY. Having played alongside acts like Gaslamp Killer, Sango, SOSUPERSAM, Mr. Carmack and Penthouse Penthouse, while pulling Inspiration from artists like Hudson Mohawke, Dilla, Cory Henry, 9th Wonder, Taylor McFerrin, M-Phases, D'Angelo, and Just Blaze, esta seamlessly fuses multi-dimensional genres into an atmospheric swing.

In 2015, esta released his etc. remix EP and continued his grueling touring schedule, with notable appearances at Circo, Applesap, Decibel and HARD Fest.

2016 marks the year of esta's first official album release.

Boston's own Cousin Stizz has seen a tremendous amount of success in the past year. After he dropped his debut project Suffolk County in June, the music industry has been paying very close attention. Being recognized as one of hip-hop's rising stars, Stizz is sure to make an even bigger impact on music in the new year.

Larry June who you may know as the Bay Area faction of OG Maco's OGG collective. His #GoodJobLarry project is still only about 4 months old, but it hasn't stopped the rapper from coming through with Sock It To Me, a full-length collab with the always impressive Sledgren.

August ends, the rest of the year begins, and somewhere in the middle we see the start of something very new. A fresh career gains light in the hip-hop horizon as SubTRAP explodes with creativity and experimentation, giving us album guests in character-form with sounds ranging from ominous to eclectic.

Jay IDK (Ignorantly Delivering Knowledge) takes us on a deeply rooted lyrical journey through his stomping grounds and delivers a conceptually compelling approach by introducing 5 distinct personas: Chris, Jon Jon, Matt, Ed, and Jay's alter ego, the felonious King Trappy III. The DMV native illustrates these characters through a layered narrative — incorporating their conflicted testimonies of illicit drugs, immoral temptations and the urban survival mentality. The different personas of Jay IDK showcase his perceptive lyricism and transformative style.

His debut LP, SubTRAP, is more than just the glorified inner city struggle. The first track, Sexy Bartender Pt.1, symbolizes his hunger for hip-hop prestige and his motivation for trapping. Each character on this LP is a vivid reflection stemming from his past struggles, people he's met and his potent imagination. Through lucid anecdotes and daring rhymes, SubTRAP revives what we've been longing for since hip-hop virtuosos like Nas and Talib Kweli penetrated the industry. With his unique take on seamless storytelling, Jay IDK is nothing short of killin' the game.


Since the release, Jay IDK has racked up over two million plays on Soundcloud, sending him off on tour dates with G-Eazy, Post Malone and A$AP Ferg. A rising talent with passion and an eye for detail, Jay IDK reflects on the struggle of a young MC, freestyling about life's struggles and dreams.

MASH IT UP

Born in the Bronx, New York, Mane Squeeze is a D.C. based DJ and creative. Her interests include education, visual arts, and digital design, with a major focus on music and entertainment.  When she decided to begin her DJ-ing career five years ago, she had no idea she would be a forerunner in innovating the local DJ-ing and party scene.  Being part Jamaican and part Puerto Rican, Mane Squeeze has an authentic spice and zest to her music tastes, creating an almost universally appealing sound.
As a self-taught artist, she finds joy in creating avant-garde atmospheres for party attendees, and introducing them to new sounds and artists they are sure to love. Mane Squeeze's lengthy resume of accomplishments includes hosting major acts like Iggy Azalea, Nina Sky, and Nipsy Hussle for their first shows in D.C. area.  She has thrown and DJ-ed at more than 200 events along the east coast. Now that she has made a name for herself, she spends the majority of her time focusing on releasing her much anticipated mixtapes and original songs.
Mane Squeeze continues to gain notoriety through her ability to merge almost all genres of music into an electrifying and enticing blend of sounds you just can't help but dance to!

i'm just glad we co-exist.

DC to BC/Trillectro Co-Founder