While predictions are being made for the XXL Freshman 2014 class and voting is underway, it would be appropriate to compile a list that notes some artists that did not make the ballot and are also unsigned. Those listed for the 7 Most Promising Unsigned Artists of 2014 have, over the past year, created a buzz and a fan-base for themselves and have been mentioned on numerous discussion boards around the net. All of the artists display unique personalities that are easily distinguishable from the masses and are well deserving of some shine.

YC The Cynic

YC The Cynic is a golden nugget that should definitely be mentioned here. The Bronx, NY emcee has a few projects under his belt, but released his debut album, GNK, in 2013. He’s noted for being socially conscious and on GNK he thoroughly focuses on religion, race and power. His lyrical content will leave listeners pondering for days over various topics and may even strike up debates. It would be very interesting to see him collaborate with TDE’s Ab-Soul on a track or two just to see what the lyrical conversation would sound like.

Luckie Eck$

In recent years, Chicago’s new wave of talent has been steadily rising. There have been artists who have experimented with trap music as well as those who have followed in the footsteps of Kanye West and Common. Luckie Eck$ is a new artist from Chicago that is in his own lane. His Alternative Trap mixtape, released in 2013, displays his unique sound and lyricism. He recently released a song and an accompanying video entitled “Boomin.” Cloud Sessions directed a mini-documentary entitled, Still Stuck In These Troubles,  that shows the making of  “Boomin” and delves a little more into the personality of Luckie. He describes the production that is orchestrated by Plu2o Nash, as “ versatile with the best of trap and the best of alternative.”  We’re keeping our ear to the Chi and looking for great things from Luckie Eck$ this year.

Rochelle Jordan

We had to throw a curveball onto the list. Even though she isn’t a rapper, it wouldn’t be right to not include her in the mix. Rochelle Jordan, a Toronto native, has been around since 2011, releasing her first mixtape entitled ROJO and has since released P R E S S U R E in 2012 and the single “Follow Me” in 2013.  She embodies true R&B and has proven that she has what it takes to lead the genre. Billboard even placed her #1 on their Next Big Sound list earlier this year and hopefully we will soon get a new project too.

Marc Goone

With an album entitled, “I Am Not A Lobster OK” who wouldn’t want to listen?  The St. Louis rapper released his LP in 2013 and serves up some pretty down to earth lyrical content that is comical and entertaining. “Hunger,” “25 Bills” and “Chasing Rainbows” featuring Gloria Kim are all stellar tracks that standout. “I  Am Not A Lobster OK” is available for purchase and download via iTunes.

Denzel Curry

Denzel Curry’s name has been thrown around a lot in the blogosphere and most would have been willing to bet money that he was going to be on the XXL Freshman list this year. The Miami rapper, heated things up with the release of his Nostalgic 64 mixtape and he can only get hotter from here on. The SpaceGhostPurp affiliate was featured on the Get In The Game segment of MTV’s Rap Fix where he showcased his video, “Threatz,” which has over a million views on Youtube.  Nostalgic 64 features Lil Ugly Mane, Robb Bank$ and more. Denzel’s album is available for purchase and download via iTunes.

Michael Christmas

Boston’s Michael Christmas released his Is This Art? mixtape early this year, which generally received positive reviews. His sense of humor, meshed with old school bebop production, adds to the uniqueness of his sound and lyrical ability.  He’s one of the few rappers that comes across as funny while delivering clever punchlines at the same time. Michael Christmas pulls it off in a cool way.

Macon Hamilton

Macon Hamilton’s sound may remind you of Outkast’s pre-Stankonia days. Some of the production on his mixtape, Macon Going Ham, is reminiscent of Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik even though his flow doesn’t sound like a typical southern artist. The 19-year-old Georgia rapper is multi-talented, being that he writes, produces and engineers most of his own work.  He frequently freestyles over sampled beats with one of his hardest to date being over Kendrick Lamar’s “Rigamortis”.  Even though he’s already being compared to a young K.Dot, we’ll see what this year will bring for Macon. His upcoming project Rich By 19, Wealthy By 21 is scheduled to be released June 15, 2014.

Who did we miss? Tell us in the comment section below.

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As the folks at XXL prepare for the unveiling of their 2014 Freshman class with pitch videos from some of this year’s candidates, the anticipation builds, and fans begin to pull for their favorite artists to get the coveted spot. Here at RESPECT., we figured it was time to toss in our votes. Knowing that a spot on the Freshman cover is a nod reserved for artists with star power and promise of full, fruitful careers, we’ve selected ten stellar freshmen.

Chance The Rapper

Photo by Julia Schur

It’s best to start with the obvious. No “rookie” in the last year has made as distinct of a mark, as good of a project (#3 on or year-end list) or ascended as drastically as Chance. The Chicago representer (a theme here) has hip-hop heads, hipsters, and pop fans flocking to his brand of stylized, substantial sing-rap that stays both goofy and grounded. With a mind for the minimal and the maximal, it’s clear that Chance‘s and his polished, speed-ball execution have heaps of projects just waiting to recalibrate the hip-hop world.

Young Thug

Via Hiphop N More

Portland’s breakout star of the moment is the other most distinctive act on this list. Twisting auto-tune into a squeaking, mumble-prone balloon animal, Young Thug has made an undeniable imprint on hip-hop, musically and culturally. The unabashed weirdo looks to be an innovator in his craft as well, pushing the sad/drunk robot brand of R&B to abstract new heights. This man is a serious hit maker, and the second he gets a big collab under his belt (beyond Nicki‘s adoption of “Danny Glover”), he’s going to skyrocket.

Rich Homie Quan

Via MTV

He’s the man who’s out-Futuring Future. Quan‘s distinct, brash approach and crackling voice have him absolutely dominating the hook game. For 2013, Quan could have been radio rap’s MVP, let alone Rookie of the Year. “Type of Way” deserves every bit of its inescapable status–the Atlanta, Georgia native packed the song full of slick reasons to remember it. The chorus is bold and, of course, catchy, but it’s the bridge that deceptively grabs, if only for it being the best display of Quan‘s range on the track, as he starts choppy (“Sh!t,” anyone?) and finishes like velvet. Combine that with his show-stealing appearance on YG‘s “My Nigga” and you have a man who’s sliding off with the game. That’s a smooth operator.

Isaiah Rashad

Via Break On A Cloud

How could the latest kid that TDE put their chips on not be a star? It’s a serious testament to Isaiah Rashad‘s immense talent and heart that he seems to be exceeding expectations. Though Rashad hasn’t had his breakout hit yet,  the pre-Cilvia “Shot Me Down” coming closest, he has still proven himself as a formidable new voice. Rashad boasts dense though accessible songwriting, a cold flow from somewhere between Kendrick, Pac, and the South, an ear and voice for hooks, and refined taste for beats and aesthetic. He not only has a story worth telling, but he tells it with measured grace, letting his audience in with well-timed tugs at the curtain. Assuming he grows into the kind of performer that demands to be heard as much as his music deserves, Isaiah Rashad has a long career ahead of him.

Lil Herb

Via Complex

The most emotive of this year’s Drill scene crop, Lil Herb sounds frighteningly grown in addition to being just plain frightening. More lyrically dextrous than most of his adjacent peers, while still every bit as authentic and immediate, Lil Herb stands above the somewhat monotonous though entirely compelling scene from which he rises. Last month’s Welcome To Fazoland finds Lil Herb beating dramatic, monstrous beats over the head with a baseball bat, but also displays some of his thematic range, as he gets a bit more upbeat on “Fight Or Flight.” Elsewhere, his distinctive growl comes off as an invigorating battle cry, and if Lil Herb continues his trajectory, the squad behind him is only going to keep growing

Rapsody

Via Ambrosia For Heads

To get it out of the way: yes, Rapsody has transcended the categorization of being a mere “female MC,” both via her abilities and opting out of a sexual aesthetic. To be, perhaps, redundant: she transcends that transcendence. Rapsody put out one of the best tapes of the last year in She Got Game, a showcase for her profoundly satisfying tightrope walk between the sentimental and inspiring, the revivalist and the classicist, the head and the heart. Choosing foundation over flash, Rapsody‘s built a winning formula, now all she has to do is roar louder.

Vince Staples

Via The Upturn

Vince is a slow burner. He gained a lot of exposure in 2013 from show-stopping spots on Earl‘s Doris (most admit he won “Hive,” but for our money, “Centurion” was even better) and from linking with Mac Miller for the cold, harrowing Stolen Youth. Now, having established a base and presence, he’s poised to step it up to the next level. The Long Beach rapper’s stinging, drooly flow takes a few listens to get used to, but once you cross the threshold, Vince is one of the most promising, developed acts there is. Take the brilliant “Nate,”–his next tape’s first single–for example. “As a kid, all I wanted was to kill a man” is only the song’s first line, and from there, the statements only get more pained, brash, and, most of all, captivating.

Vic Mensa

Via Vibe

Even in Chance‘s considerable shadow, Vic creates a sunlight all his own. With a flow so bursting with ideas that he has to fly off of the margin to deliver them all, Vic has left his print on hip-hop’s current climate. A listen to “Time Is Money” will show that Vic is both a born entertainer–innovating his own sound so quickly that even his mouth can barely keep up–and a thinker, letting off stellar, heartfelt line after line in dedication to his shredded home city, Chicago. “It’s like a solar eclipse in my city in the middle of a gunfight / Stray shots hit kids in the dark / That’s the way it is like Walter Cronkite,” he raps, his life seemingly depending on it. Vic has all the tools to be a force in our culture.

Troy Ave

Via The Home of Hip Hop

Sporting a slick flow and quintessential NY bravado, Troy Ave has made it his personal mission to put his aesthetic on the map. Troy is a purist to the bone–the kind of guy who calls Kendrick and Kanye weirdos and puts Raekwon and N.O.R.E. on a track called “New York City,” because that’s just how gritty he wants hip-hop to be. As Troy‘s hero B.I.G. once said, “We can’t change the world unless we change ourselves.” Troy certainly practices what he preaches: his latest LP, New York City is tough as hell and demands that the competition live up to its standard. Troy Ave is going to be a mainstay for the ’90s heads for a while.

A$AP Ferg

Via Sneakermob

The A$AP goofball/bridge troll surprised all (well, most) with the solid Trap Lord. Ferg has a knack for comedy and sticky hooks, and he fits snugly into the second-in-command role for the A$AP crew. With such a solid reputation building for hilarious hit-making, Ferg‘s paws are prime to hold the 2Chainz torch once Tity Boi hangs it up.

Close Calls:

Migos

Mr. mFn eXquire

Ty Dolla $ign

Lil Durk

Lil Bibby

YC The Cynic

Alex Wiley

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Interestingly at the 3:40 mark, the video detours to catch up to the title; we find a lonely Otis mourning his relationship with “Fiona.” The best part? Somehow the hyper beat that so perfectly fit the back-n-forth setting of moments before has been transformed, but not entirely swapped, to fit the change in mood. Check out “Fiona” below.

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YC The Cynic lives up to his cynicism, but he also gives us clear reasons for its necessity. Highlighting the troubling and multifaceted connections between gentrification, inflated tuition and social disadvantage, YC paints a grim picture of deep urban tensions. This song didn’t make it to his album GNK, but that shows you just how high his standards are. Sure, the instrumental doesn’t quite match the intensity of YC‘s delivery or the vitriol of his lyrics, but it’s not a disposable song by any means. The way he puns on “bounce” is simply masterful. But that’s besides the point. Today it lives on. Embrace your inner cynic below.

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YC the Cynic is an underground rapper from the Bronx. Just 22 years old, he has already released three projects: You’re Welcome (2010), Fall FWD (2011) and this year’s GNK, which has served so far as his breakthrough album. On October 28^th, YC performed at a Red Bull Sound Select at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. The event showcased three artists newly signed to the Sound Select: YC, Kiah Victoria and CharlieRed. YC showed off his skills as a wordsmith by merging a few of his hit songs such as “Hello Newman” and “Molotovs at Poseidon” and even a few dizzying acapellas. From his choice to spit so many acapellas, to his use of call-and-response hooks, to his physical presentation (his signature orange-lit, retro mic), YC’s set left the crowd in awe. Speaking on how he approaches live perfomances, YC told us, “When I do shows, I just like to perform the best songs from over the span of my career that translate well to the stage, participation and energy.”

We first spotted YC in front of the venue surrounded by a few of his close friends. He was sporting new eyeglasses changing his look from that in the picture below to the one above.

Photograph by Julia Schur

When we asked him to tell us about this style change, he laughed, saying, “You know I like to try new things. I always wanted to rock some Lennons. I like to change it up a little bit.” Even though the young MC likes the Lennon look, he is not a die-hard Beatles fan: “I respect the Beatles. I wouldn’t say that I’m a fan, but I love the music that I have heard. I just haven’t dug deep into their catalog. They are undoubtedly one of the best in history,” he said.

Otis Clapp & YC during the concert.
Photograph by Julia Schur

Earlier this year we went to YC’s album release party for GNK. Peter Rosenberg was there, Rebel Diaz was there, ScienZe, Otis Clapp, Dao Jones, Final Outlaw, Soul Khan, Frank Drake (who produced the album) and many more. At the Red Bull event, a few familiar faces were seen: Otis, Frank Drake, and Final Outlaw (who went by “James” for the night, calling it “more humble.”) Speaking on how all these friendships came about, YC told us, “It’s a pretty small scene, the open mic scene that existed in late 2000 early 2010. I met [Soul Khan] at an open mic, he was doing shows called Brown Bag Thursdays with The Brown Bag All Stars and they picked me for one of the shows. It’s just a cool friendship. Then I met ScienZe and Sene and we kind of formed a ‘crew’ called The Holy Order. We put out one song!” he told us enthusiastically, adding, “It’s called ‘The Holy Order.‘”

GNK has been highly acclaimed by critics and fans. “I expected it to be a step that would open me up to a new fan base, just like a new world of people. and it’s done that. It definitely feels like the defining step. This feels like the beginning of my career again. Not in terms of what I have put out, but in terms of finding out what kind of artist I am and want to be.” Since his album dropped, YC has had more and more people hitting him up via social media websites, he said, adding that whether it’s someone quoting his lyrics, or changing their profile picture to GNK‘s cover, “It’s a really good feeling I have never experienced before.” YC feels such a connection to those that have shown love, in fact, that he made a point of saying that he doesn’t like using the term “fan.” He would rather call his faithful listeners “supporters.” Even though the feedback he received for GNK was great, the Bronx native is not completely satisfied. “Well, I’m never satisfied,” he explains, “I read all the reviews, at least I tried to…”

For the past few weeks, YC has been on tour. “Touring is amazing,” he told us, excited again. “It’s always fun to play music for people who have never seen you or even never heard you before.” This was made all the more possible by the fact that YC did not headline the tour. Organized by a company who brought together 25 artists and musicians from 16 different countries, the tour gave the Bronx native a number of new experiences. “We stayed in Florida for two weeks and created music from scrap. It was crazy! I saw instruments I had never seen or heard before,” he said. YC was unable to even give a name the wildest instrument he saw: “My friend Jiha Park from South Korea had this crazy instrument. It looked like a gun from Men In Black or something. It was a crazy experience!” YC went on to say that he considers his new found group of international friends to be a “family.” The tour ended two weeks ago, so it’s hard for him to tell whether his new friendships will last with time, but he certainly hopes so.

In November, YC will leave again to go to the Midwest: Chicago, Milwakee, and Detroit. Chicago has been the city to look for in the hip-hop-sphere with artists such as Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa, and Chief Keef blowing up. “I’m super excited–my friends Rebel Diaz are from Chicago. I’m just looking forward to seeing how they blow up, and to getting a feel of the scene.”

Towards the end of the interview. YC pointed at Frank Drake–“Yo Frank, do this interview with me dog!” They explained that two met via email: “When I was in college I had a Hip Hop blog,” explained Drake. “[The blog was] trying to do what all the other hip-hop blogs are doing, and I was following YC around. He was probably 19 years old at the time. I kept him in mind, and I finally decided to send him my beats.” When asked about the origin of GNK‘s powerful subject matte, they quickly admitted that the the concept of the tape was entirely created by YC. “[Frank] didn’t know anything [about the album]… I’m glad and thankful he kind of just grew with it. It was all kind of my brainchild,” YC said. The project was born after Frank sent YC about four or five beats, each of them making it to the final album. “We made this album in two years. It was gradually, song after song, changing.”

GNK (which stands for “Gods, Niggas, Kings”) is appropriately full of references to the two crown jewels of hip-hop royalty–2Pac and Biggie. YC elaborates: “Biggie was a big inspiration for this record. I can’t say I’m the biggest fan, but his music…for some reason…the music that I got from Frank and the stuff that I have heard from Biggie both inspired me and kind of like fused together. Tupac as well…” Smiling, Frank Drake, added, “Yeah, Tupac was definitely there in spirit–the executive producer,” before worrying that such a comment will get the duo in trouble if people don’t realize he’s kidding.

Frank Drake and YC have similar humor, but very different influences. “I’m really influenced by a lot of artists not really one more than anyone else,” YC explained, adding, “it’s definitely changed over the years but I feel like Cee-Lo is probably my biggest influence and I think after that it’s a free for all. Whatever I like.” Frank Drake, on the other hand loves “for producers–Dilla, Dj Premier, 9th Wonder, Black Milk. Rappers–like, Andre 3000 is the best rapper alive.” The dynamic duo exchanged joking looks. “I can’t argue that,” YC admitted, smiling.

You can catch YC in concert in New York City at the Gramercy Theatre (127 E, 23^rd Street) on January 18^th, 2014, alongside Homeboy Sandman, I Am Many, Open Mike Eagle and Tone Tank.

You should cop GNK: here

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