If you’ve been around the hip-hop world lately, ATL has been one of the newest breeding grounds for music as of now. Sure, there’s been some dope artists to come out of the West Coast, the last three years have been a murder spree for the senior members of TDE. But when you look deeply into ATL’s music scene, and the viral impact it’s had on the internet, there’s much more than what meets the eye. Not only has Atlanta prospered in it’s southern sound, but the city’s artists have taken a next step to actually change the sound of music. The ATL artists on this list are doing that now in their own ways, and finally getting the attention that they deserve. Now, some artists on this list are obviously noticed on the mainstream level, but there’s something that makes them a special. That’s for you to find out. Here are the top ATLiens on the Next Level Come U.
Migos
Ok, so we all know that 2014 has been a good year for this energetic down-south trio. Migos has been featured with the biggest stars in hip-hop now ever since Drake appeared on Versace with his own Migos-flow. However, what makes Migos a solid candidate for this list is the diverse moves that you might not know about. Earlier this year, Migos teamed up with Los Angeles EDM producer Carnage for the track
“Bricks”. That’s not enough? How about working with Travi$ Scott (a weird but brilliant Houston rapper) for “Sloppy Toppy”? Migos might have prospered as trap-rappers, however, their unique decisions to team up with artists outside of the normal grain is phenomenal. Maybe Migos might be better than The Beatles. Now, that was a bold statement.
Peewee Longway
Speaking of mentioning “Sloppy Toppy”, there’s no way we can forget Peewee Longway , who was featured on the same track as Migos. This 1017 Brick Squad rapper has appeared on some really good tracks , and even made his to solidify his sound in ATL’s scene. Servin’ Lean was poppin throughout the summer, and he even earned an appearance by ASAP Rocky for the remix, not to mention teaming up with Migos’ offset for “Know About Me”. Longway’s aggressive style of rhyming only adds more toughness to the songs he makes or is featured, and it makes you want to listen to more.
Raury
If you’ve just so happened to have check out The Odd Side (which you need to….ASAP), then you know about the many time’s that Raury’s been mentioned. This young dude has to be one of the most creative artists in of Atlanta right now, hands down (notice how I’ve said artist instead of rapper). Raury’s project Indigo Child is not just hip hop, but a blend of different music genres that create a next-level peace of art. This year alone, Raury has appeared on Sway In The Morning (and murdered “Elevators”), featured with dope producers and bands, and has alledgedly played music for Kanye West, KANYE WEST. If these credentials don’t impress you, what more do you want?
OG Maco
OG Maco isn’t who you think he is. His song “U Guessed It” is a viral hit, and he even teamed up with Migos for what might be one of the most aggressive tracks I’ve came across. However, don’t put Maco in a such a small box, because this young rapper has created a new sound that is fit for only him. Maco’s brash yelling within his rhymes is energized when put together with banging beats, but he’s not afraid to tone it down when the time comes. Many might think that OG Maco’s recent viral acclaim may be the only thing that makes him famous, but when you listen to his music, you might just think twice.
Rome Fortune
If OG Maco is going to end up on this list, it wouldn’t be fair to not include Rome Fortune. This rapper has came a long way, creating a new spectrum of sound to summarize his catalogue. This year alone, Rome Fortune dropped three projects, each of them sounding almost nothing like the other. Mind you, this is right after his previous project Beautiful Pimp was considered one of the best albums of the year by numerous publications. Not to mention his collaborations with producers like SuicideYear, Cubby, and Childish Major is brilliant to say the least. When it comes to Atlanta’s rap scene getting weirder, Rome Fortune has to be the poster child of the evolution of the sound. Hate if you want, but Fortune is only one internet song away from blowing up, but he’s already popping now.
Key!
Key! is quickly making his way to the forefront of ATL’s hip hop scene. While Key! gained success as the co-founder of the local trio Two 9, he started to make his own path as a solo artist. This is both a good and bad thing, because we won’t hear any more verses with Two 9, like his opening verse on“Work Pt. 2”. On the other hand, Key! alone has made some pretty dope verses on two of Atlanta’s most popular tracks in the local scene: “U Guessed It” and “Look At Wrist”, and he’s also was a standout on the Give Em Hell EP.
Father
Ever since I heard Father’s viral hit “Look At Wrist”, I’ve been on a binge listening to his music. This young leader of Awful Records has a weird style of music and a weird style of showing it, but he will only make you more curious to find out what Father is about. Father’s cool voice may creep behind his own odd production, but don’t let the chill demeanor fool you, his concerts get crazy. With all of being said, Father is another young name that’s making some big moves.
ForteBowie
Forte Bowie has been an underrated artist for a while, he even earned a spot on our list for 5 Underrated Artists On Soundcloud. However, as time goes on, Bowie is only getting better as the world continues to sleep on his talent. But give it a few more features and a full project, and a lot more people will bangs with Forte Bowie. What makes this rapper so special is the fact that he can produce a song, sing the chorus, and rap a verse. His style of music mixes the 808s and hi-hats in southern hip hop, with the smoothness of R&B. ForteBowie’s versatility has been showcased all over his soundcloud, making remixes for popular songs like Pharrell’s “Happy” or Usher “Good Kisser”, or creating his own version of PARTYNEXTDOOR’s “Recognize” (which kind of sounds a bit better than the original to be honest). Trust and believe, Bowie’s gonna get his soon.
ILoveMakonnen
Whether you’ve heard “Tuesday” on the radio, seen a meme using the chorus for the song, heard his holy verse on “Look at Wrist”, you’ve heard about ILoveMakonnen. He just started getting big this year, and this is only the beginning. The new OVO signed rapper got Drake to remix “Tuesday”, he’s been working with big producers like Metro Boomin and MikeWillMadeIt, and his single “I Don’t Sell Molly No More” is now getting as big as Tuesday. Also, Makonnen has worked with at least three artists on this list. My man’s hustle is real.
Young Thug
C’mon son, why would Young Thug not be on this list. Ever since Drake and Kanye been banging “Danny Glover” on social media, the world soon started to hear more about this often misunderstood rapper throughout 2014. He’s been featured on a ton of songs, and continues to be talked about for his moves in and out of the studio. His style of music has been heavily criticized, but still recognized as the most prospective rapper in ATL’s music scene. If all of the artists on this list made a big come-up in Atlanta this year, Thugga made the true next level come-up.