Being crowned as one of the best live performances in underground history, Jeleel! has not only burst onto the scene, he’s helped create it. From high energy, crowd-pleasing performances, that have turned him into viral sensation by performing backflips and screaming his own name JELEEL! has refined his melodic raps and infused them with elements of indie rock, trap, drill and afrobeats.

HOMIXIDE HOMIXIDE HOMIXIDE! The Carti-signed duo has found themselves right at home alongside Ken Carson and Destroy Lonely. They are two of the best live performers in the game currently and will continue to grow alongside their Opium label mates. 

Rising to popularity within the early months of 2021, now 16-year-old Tana, formerly known as “BabySantana” has had a choke hold on the underground with hit singles “14” and “Antisocial” which gained traction throughout TikTok and SoundCloud. His fresh sound and melodic music give the modern underground scene a lot to be excited about. 

One of my favorite artists on this list, Bankrol Hayden has been on my radar since dropping his EP “Pain Is Temporary”. Hayden has perfectly mastered the right mix of melodic hooks with soulful lyrics and catchy verses. If there’s any artist on this list to dive into ASAP, it’s him!

If anyone on this list is the “villain of the SoundCloud area”, it’s Lancey Foux. Now, who is Lancey Foux?! Lancey Foux is not one to be defined and in that medium is where he thrives. With bassy rage beats, a slight baby voice, and a style of music nearing American trap music, Lancey Foux has succeeded on all fronts and will have a MASSIVE 2023. 

Had to include at least ONE Pennsylvania-born artist on this list and there’s no one I’d rather include than Eem Tripplin. For the fans of $NOT, I’m sure you’ve already been put on, but if not let me formally introduce you. With a thunderous style of production, Eem possesses an innate ability to construct expansive, captivating soundscapes. He’s also set to tour with Lucki this spring so expect to start hearing his name more and more. 

It’s easy to say “I called it” when talking about Skaiwater, but I’ve been on the hype train from the beginning. Skaiwater’s impressive leap into success is nothing more than the UK artist finally getting his flowers. With tracks like “#miles” and “eyes” ranking him as one of the only artists with two songs in the top ten in the US at TikTok, this type of recognition is not just handed out. It takes a genre-fluid producer and creative with a finger on the pulse to catch this kind of fire, and Skaiwater has both the vision and the grit.

Slayworld member and internet sensation, KanKan has been quiet to start in 2023, but the work he put in over the last two years has been incredible. From getting his start producing for Smokepurrp (as well as my guy Lil Boom), he’s climbed the underground scene where he now reigns. 

Every time I see press or praise for Rot Ken, I can’t help but get excited. No one has been more consistent in the last year than Rot Ken and while he hasn’t gotten the mainstream press that others on this list have, he is still that dude. Fueled by a childhood watching music videos on his family television, the Georgia rapper has a widescreen, auteurist understanding of rap that’s stuck with him to this day.

One of my favorite artists under 50,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, wolfacejoeyy has cemented himself as one of the youngest artists to come on the scene in recent years. With hits such as “Shake It” and “Scars”, the Staten Island, New York artist has become one of the most notable and recognizable talents in the game.

A staple of the underground music scene, Nigo Channel has continued to build a core fanbase while introducing the genre to new sounds. He’s an artist who exemplifies the absolute best of what the Soundcloud scene represents.

Sgpwes burst on the scene along with Slump6s and OnlyBino! and while I might be crazy for saying this, he has the most potential and best sound out of the three. It’s been fun to watch his rise over the last two years and I expect him to finally exceed the 100,000 monthly listener threshold.

The Canadian-born pop star, Jayde might be the “smallest” artist on this list, but her music is MUST LISTEN. With only 10,000 monthly listeners, Jayde owns indie-pop as far as I’m concerned. Her 2021 single “f this” is still in my weekly rotation. I’m pumped to see what she continues to accomplish in 2023. 

One of my favorite artists of the last few months, Brooke Alexx is a Pop starlet who meets girl-next-door. Built on a foundation of heartfelt genuineness, Brooke crafts songs that feel like each one was written just for you; the topics are bold and specific, yet all too familiar in a bountiful display of coming-of-age concepts and magnetic melodies. With the charisma and contagious personality of someone born to grace the stage, Brooke is entering 2023 by doing crazy numbers on Spotify and TikTok. She’ll most likely be a household name before the year ends.

TyFontaine – Best known for his song “virtual world” which has racked up hundreds of thousands of plays on SoundCloud, TyFontaine, has become a staple of the underground rap scene after becoming a member of the record label Internet Money Records. For anyone who loves popular artists, such as Lil Tecca, Nick Mira, Taz Taylor, Iann Dior, and BigBabyGucci; TyFontaine will easily become one of your favorite artists.

Rebecca Black – Everyone on the planet is familiar with Rebecca Black through her iconic guilty pleasure song “Friday”, but few fans know about her resurgence in the hyperpop scene. Rebecca Black has released a steady catalog over the last year or so and is gearing up to reestablish herself in music.

Killbunk – Covering the Soundcloud rap scene without mentioning Killbunk would be ungodly. With his breakout song ‘Battle Scars’ he’s been steadily rising and showing off his unique style that is beloved by his fans. With awesome collabs with artists like Bankrol Hayden and Bernard Jabs, Killbunk will continue to dominate the Soundcloud scene as his sound develops and his cult fanbase grows.

Sid Shyne – With cosigns from artists like Trippie Redd and Lil Yachty, Sid Shyne has put his stamp on the underground scene. Best known for his tracks ‘Devil May Cry’, ‘Bitcoin Loadup’ and ‘Ryu’, Sid Shyne creates his own style off of the “Trippie Redd” sound that others try to mimic. 

Prentiss –  With co-signs from Justin Bieber, Skrillex, and Mark Hoppus (from prentiss’ favorite band, blink-182) the dream-pop singer and songwriter from Jackson, Mississippi waved hello to the hyperpop metaverse for the first time in 2020. Nearly 3 years later and the young star has only built his online community by releasing consistent singles that blend genres and allow him to flex his creativity to the masses. 

Joony – At his core, Joony is a pure creative. The 21-year-old artist first found his footing on SoundCloud from his bedroom in Silver Spring, MD before going on to develop his music for the better part of a decade. Constructing his sound by experimenting with rap and R&B-inspired melodies, production that borrows from anything that catches Joony’s ear, and his approach to writing – Joony has honed in on the world that his art exists in. 

TheHxliday – Welcome to The Hxliday Szn. TheHxliday isn’t just a singer, a songwriter, or a producer, he is alien with an out-of-this-world vibe seen in not only the synths in his sound but the swag in his style. TheHxliday’s energetic sounds transcends the standards heard in today’s music, making it impossible to categorize the supernova.

Belis – I’ve personally known Belis longer than anyone else on our list, so it only felt right to have her here. Charlotte, NC seems to be one of the biggest spots for upcoming talent (think BigBabyGucci) and while Belis’ sound is influenced by that NC style, she has made a lane for herself and continues to elevate while being her true authentic self. 

Metro Marrs – One of the latest voices hailing from Atlanta’s Southside, Metro Marrs is a self-proclaimed “popular loner,” who is no stranger to the music scene. Marrs’ music is the definition of a vibe and has one of my favorite artist marketing stories from the last few years where he gave away $10,000 in cash at his high school graduation, while nearly being arrested for it.