The Five New Names to Know in Michigan Rap
The rap coming out of the Mitten State is among the most vital in the country: These five eclectic artists are the proof GMO Stax
Why You Should Pay
Attention: The Detroit teen has lifetimes of experience in his songs, each informed by a gripping narrative about what it takes to survive the streets, from ski masks in the back seat to avoiding snitches. “It’s just stuff
I’m going through and been through,” he says. “Everybody ain’t good with storytelling, but it’s something that was in me.”
Hear for Yourself: “By the Gun” has both an aggressive trap tempo and real talk about karma. RiskTaker D-Boy
Why You Should Pay
Attention: Specializing in high-key motivational music, RiskTaker D-Boy gives you a glimpse into his struggles, aspirations, and how he made it out of the mud. But he also has the humor of a seasoned stand-up: On “2am wit antt,” he sneers, “I been beatin’ on a brick so much this shit should be abuse/I been fuckin’ with them Blues, they will never have a Clue.” The 31-year-old has put in the dangerous work, too. “I used to be really wild,” he says. “I might have got on the road, driving somewhere with no license, plate expired. You feel me? It’s over if they stop me.”
“Switches” is a grind-tillyou-die anthem animated by hypnotic keys and a titanic 808 thud.
Kookei
Why You Should Pay
Attention: For a rapper with some of the hardest, most gore-fixated bars, Kookei has a laughably “soft” name. The Detroit native, whose sweetsinvoking nom de plume was inspired by a childhood stint as a bake-sale maven, raps in a hushed, almost-jokey tone, which makes his grim lyrics — about pissing on the opposition’s graves when not outright blowing their heads off — sound both seductive and scary. “A lot of stuff you can’t take serious. You gotta laugh at that shit,” says Kookei, who was inspired by the carnage-heavy oneliners of early Eminem. “That’s just me. And I be high as hell.”
“Straight Jacket Flow” is a bonkers bombardment of hush-toned swag and bleak bars — worthy of all the skull emojis. JaiFive
Why You Should Pay
Attention: JaiFive makes impeccably produced, lush songs with big, tasteful hooks that split the difference between bedroom-ready ballads and block-approved trap mantras. “If you can get a crowd to mess with your song, emotionally, then I feel like you got that person,” he says. “Because a lot of people relate through tone.”
“Tell Me You Get It” is a slow burner with a sweet, soaring chorus that’s all about Ecstasy.
Chalmaine the God
Why You Should Pay
Attention: Chalmaine the God is the epitome of a survivor. Raised in Detroit’s rough east side, the single mother of three sings about being sexually abused by a family member at age seven and losing her father and a cousin to murder on “Chalmaine.” To heal her trauma, she picked up the pen at 13. “A lot of people out there [are] like me, hiding behind molestation, abuse, peer pressure. I’m a open book,” she says.
Hear for Yourself: “Tap
In” is a confident two-step anthem about staying true. WILL DUKES