In my last article, I listed and detailed five of my favorite upcoming artists in the hip hop and R&B landscape who I believe everyone absolutely needs to listen to in 2023 (that is, if you'd like to stay in the loop). However, there are far too many artists who weren’t included on that list whom I believe deserve far more recognition, and most likely have incredible music coming out in the new year. It would be a shame not to add them to the list purely because no one has enough of an attention span to read a nine page article; so, with that being said, I give to you: Part 2 of My Top Underground Artists to Watch Out For in 2023.

6. Satya (@satsatmusic on Instagram)

Satya is an R&B fusion artist born and raised in Oakland, California, blurring the lines of genre as she utilizes influences from folk music, soul and classic R&B in her efforts to create a meaningful, personal sound. The singer has incredible control over her decadently rich vocal tone, and a dedication to creativity and quality which is apparent in every aspect of her career, whether that be her music, visual art, or performances. Satya began her journey in 2020 with the release of her first ever EP Flourish Against Fracture, a raw and emotional project which features prominent use of acoustic guitar to create a nostalgic, intimate setting. This release was just a first step forward, and in 2021, Satya gave us the single “Summertime”, utilizing the same acoustic guitar but this time adding more instruments and a bit more polish production-wise. The music video for “Summertime” is a beautifully directed ode to relationships, and features the aforementioned Wakai as a co-star throughout. All of this eventually led Satya to her most impressive release yet, 2022’s 5 track EP Deep Blue, which features singles like “Oakland”, “Ten” and “Checker Print Kitchen”. The EP is her official debut, and attempts to communicate a sense of identity to her listeners that she has worked hard to cultivate. “Oakland”, an uplifting homage to the city in which she was raised, landed her on some of the most listened to playlists on Spotify, including Colors Studios’ “COLORS’ Weekly Releases”. The track was also featured on Ebro Darden’s radio show through Apple Music, and is accompanied by a beautifully intimate music video on YouTube featuring her friends and family. The bottom line is, if you love R&B, Satya is someone you absolutely need to get to know, and she is perfectly willing to share.

7. Josh Simmons (@joshsimmons.cds on Instagram)

Coming in strong at number 7 is another prominent Baton Rouge rapper and member of the Col-Der-Sac collective, JoshSimmons. His charismatic delivery and expert wordplay are two of his strongest assets as an emcee, but that’s not all the young rapper brings to the table artistically. Josh is an expert in beat selection, carefully cultivating a dark and moody yet simultaneously bouncy style that compliments his flows in a way most comparable to artists like Isaiah Rashad. Though Josh hasn’t yet released a debut LP, or even an EP for that matter, he’s still managed to accumulate quite the following by strategically releasing multiple powerful singles over the past 3 years including “No Cap” and “Wood Grain”, all leading up to his highly anticipated debut project entitled [demo] which was originally slated for 2020 but is now scheduled to drop sometime very soon in 2023. Recently, Josh has been experiencing more and more recognition; he was named a SXSW official artist in February of this past year, and the aforementioned “Wood Grain” broke one hundred thousand streams on Spotify this past December. On top of that, Josh has expanded his reach by appearing on his friend and frequent collaborator Wakai’s new album Travel Team, Vol. 3, and just recently linked with southern emcee Neaux ID for their newest single release “Hypnotize.” Needless to say, I have high hopes for [demo] and can’t wait to hear what JoshSimmons has for us next.

8. Diz (@diz.47 on Instagram)

A student of alternative rap pioneers such as Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE, Diz is the epitome of the modern alternative hip hop artist, and the Boston, MA native has spent the last three years on an absolute tear, releasing four full albums since the pandemic took over in 2020. Each new project emphasizes Diz’s individuality and unique sound, both in his lyrical style and his beat selection, as the emcee flows with determination and conviction over unconventional production littered with classic jazz and soul samples, emboldened by brass horns and occasionally drenched in a moody ambience. Whether crooning over slowed down sample chops or spitting with a breathless desperation, Diz attempts to strike his audience deep in the emotional core, touching on themes of self worth and struggle in a way that is simultaneously inspiring, heartbreaking and relatable. The nineteen year old musician is currently in school studying the saxophone, and his musical literacy seems to shine through not only in his cadence and flow but also in his production. Diz’s choices of samples often evoke serious feelings of nostalgia as he flips classics such as The Impressions’ 1999 track “Man Oh Man”, which he chops up for “victory lap”, the closing track on his latest album the way forward is not the way home. For those who don’t know, “Man Oh Man” is a sample known primarily for being used in Jeezy’s 2005 hit track “Go Crazy”. With those kinds of daring production decisions paired with his unique style of rapping, there are very few artists who excite me the way Diz does.

9. Ovrkast. (@ovrkast on Instagram)

At number 9 on the list comes another Bay Area based artist, East Oakland’s own up-and-coming underground rapper/producer, Ovrkast. The wordplay-heavy emcee has a style influenced by the old Odd Future and Pro Era wordsmiths such as Earl Sweatshirt and Capital Steez, though with a flow and cadence that is decidedly more nonchalant and unbothered than many of his peers in the current alternative hip hop landscape. His production is sample based, soulful yet unimposing, and serves more as a backdrop for his verbose flows than a centerpiece of the music, complimenting his lyrical style perfectly rather than distracting from it. It seems that Ovrkast. seeks to explore the human condition through his lyrics, evaluating his position in this world and learning through his experiences, a sentiment that anyone and everyone can relate to. He runs with impressive company, working with many of the biggest names in alternative rap today, including Fly Anakin, Mavi, Navy Blue, Pink Siifu, Redveil, and more. As for his most recent releases, ‘Kast hasn’t released a full project since 2020, when he gave us his first ever full length LP Try Again. Since then, the artist released a deluxe version of Try Again in 2021, and most recently put out his newest single “MONTARA” in October of this past year. As we progress deeper and deeper into 2023, I can see Ovrkast. giving us another project before the year is out, although we’ll just have to wait and see.

10. _THESMOOTHCAT (@shredsum on Instagram)

Last but certainly not least, at number 10 is one of my personal favorite artists in the alternative rap category, _THESMOOTHCAT. Cat, as I refer to him, is an unbelievably talented emcee and producer based in New Orleans, and is an integral part of the underground hip hop scene throughout Louisiana. Placing an emphasis on feeling and emotion, Cat works to craft a sound that is totally unique, utilizing samples and lo-fi production coupled with a low, raspy, almost whispered flow through which he spits impressive wordplay and communicates abstract concepts with his listeners. Cat is undeniably himself, and his personalized sound is a reflection of his individuality and creativity as an artist, whether he’s rapping with strong conviction over a sample chop or softly whispering his ideas over a slow, relaxing, ambient instrumental. Working by himself or sometimes with the help of his band The 9th Life, Cat produces all of his own music, doing his best to create something new and interesting with each project. He has a prolific discography, with five full length albums already under his belt since he started releasing projects on major streaming platforms in 2018, including his latest LP Foundation, a collaborative effort from him and The 9th Life which was released in April of 2022. However, Cat doesn’t just release solo music. Most recently, the alt-rap artist linked with longtime friend and fellow New Orleans rapper Ju to form the duo NOFACESMOOV, which released its debut self-titled LP on all platforms this past December. If you love lo-fi, alternative rap and need someone to listen to who’s extremely consistent and unlike anyone else, look no further than _THESMOOTHCAT.

 

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