There aren’t too many artists like Ethos out there these days. While many artists focus on making catchy tunes, Ethos uses his artistry in a powerful way with a style that reminds us of Gil Scott Heron. When Ethos speaks, not a single word is wasted as his poignant, inspiring lyrics purse their way through the musical fabric directly into the listener’s ears. His latest track Ase was our original introduction to this revolutionary minded MC, but it’s hard not to hear that track and dive head first into the rest of his work. Songs like (We Got) Power and How Many More (Antonio’s Bloom) are great examples of the wordsmith’s abilities.

Certain styles just lend themselves to being ear catching and addicting. Insomnyakk Jimmy’s inflection and hazy voice make this the case with his music. Songs like #FakeAppleJuice and Bye Felicia highlight this effect and also feature production that fits with Jimmy’s aesthetic well. While his raps aren’t as politically minded as some other artists on this list, Jimmy does often spit about personal issues and makes them easily relatable. We’re looking forward to what he has to offer next.

Musa Reems is a classic MC with hard hitting, fast paced flows and no gimmicks. His latest EP Another Dos(e) is made up of two tracks that show just how precise Reems’ flow is, especially on the first track Eclipse. Just because he uses a lot of words doesn’t mean he’s using any filler. Most of his verses have an end goal and they’re not just there to show off Musa’s technical skills. He only has a few solo tracks out and has otherwise worked with the group Children of I.L.L.O.I.S. but we recommend giving both tracks on Another Dos(e) a listen in order to get a fuller understanding of Musa’s abilities.