49) Ohgeesy

Shoreline Mafia captain Ohgeesy is a regional sensation. The LA mainstay, alongside 03 Greedo and Stinc Team ringleader Drakeo the Ruler, has led the charge of SoCal’s new wave of lean-fueled underground heavyweights since late 2017. Now that the latter two are unfortunately behind bars for the foreseeable future, he’s representing an entire scene on his own. There’s a deep and admirable element of collaboration between these crews, with plenty of appearances on each other’s projects and some amazing results (“Spaceship”), but Ohgeesy doesn’t have much of an issue holding it down on his own. “Nun Major”s 40million+ viewcount isn’t a fluke — there’s plenty of Ohgeesy/Shoreline hits, and for fans of the codeine-laced, murmured drug talk on top of psychedelic West Coast bounce, every track is a hit.

I don’t sip no regular, the fuck is a clean Sprite?

You steady sippin’ ones, why the fuck is your lean light?

All it take is just one call, you get the green light

She steady on my call log, I hit her with the mean pipe — “Heavy”

50) OMB Peezy

Richmond, CA based but Mobile, AL rep OMB Peezy has been pushing his brand of struggle bars since 2016’s “Lay Down”, which soon granted him a Nef the Pharaoh cosign and E-40 label sign. Since then, he’s found hits alongside the likes of NBA Youngboy (“Doin Bad”) and very recently scored a track with vocal soundalike Boosie Badazz (“Pressure”), though the latter, among other recent tracks, hasn’t blown him up in the way his 2017 material did. But there’s a lot of substance and real effort in Peezy’s music that appeals to fans of a certain Southern-laced sound — especially that of artists like Badazz — that enables a loyal fanbase with room to grow, and seeing as his career hasn’t even hit the three year mark as of late, there’s a lot to look forward to.

Ay, riding round with fed cases

Murk a nigga for a couple dead faces

Fuck yo baby momma ain’t no sympathy

I hope she have a dead baby

Niggas wanna tell the police everything

Well tell em how that lead tasting — “Lay Down”

51) Pardison Fontaine

Secret weapon Pardison Fontaine has done a lot more than you’ve heard his name directly for. The NY rapper has been around since 2015, and since then has broken a million a few times — struggle rap joints like “In The Field” are great, and showcase an artist with lyrical chops and the ability to craft a well-executed track. Oh, right — “Backin It Up” with Cardi B is sitting at, like, 100million+ views on YouTube and was fucking everywhere for a bit. But this isn’t the primary hustle, though even his most recent material like “Rodman”is tight: Fontaine wrote part of 12 out of the 13 tracks on Cardi’s debut full-length, and is credited as a writer on Kanye’s Ye as well. I feel like already being this lauded of a songwriter sort of DQ’s you from a Freshman spot, but that’s not to say Fontaine isn’t an artist to avoid — frankly, he’s really good.

Let’s get it straight, girl, you don’t need a nigga for nothin’

Lookin’ better every day, you got that Benjamin Button

Claimin’ he don’t got a girl, you know niggas be frontin’

You don’t need no bitch comin’ up to you as a woman — “Backin It Up”

52) Polo G

Chicago newcomer and hot commodity Polo G exploded with last year’s “Finer Things”, netting nearly 50 million hits on YouTube, and decided to follow that up with this year’s “Pop Out”, netting another cool 50 million views. I’m seeing a pattern here. Polo belongs to the new guard of underground, extra-young melodic gangster rappers like collaborator Lil Tjay, with tracks like “Battle Cry” ebbing with a pain of incarcerated adolescence and an upbringing steeped in gangbanging. There’s a lot of heart in these songs, though some may not hear it with the frequent references to murder, drugs, and robbery — but it’s soulful, earnest, very real reflections of a ruthless environment. It’s also incredibly popular, with artists with this kind of sound (the YoungBoys, the Rondos) leading the pack in regards to YouTube hits: Polo G, despite the lack of mainstream attention and curated star power, might be one of the most popular artists on this list.

Booked a flight to Cali, racks and condoms in my suitcase

And every single dollar in these bands got a blue face

Diamonds in the Rollie, they in HD like it’s Blu-Ray

The way that I been ballin’ should make the cover of 2K — ”Pop Out”

53) Q Da Fool

DMV’s Q Da Fool, while a legitimate workhorse with a loyal fanbase, doesn’t often break more than a couple million hits. “For Real” is a good example: great song, infectious energy, would destroy a concert, but may never see some sort of viral success. But the Roc Nation signee is new and not one to stagnate, working with relevant producers like Kenny Beats (“Win”) and consistently pushing out new work. And the DMV is hot right now: it’s as good of a time as any for Q to find his hit and secure a higher rung on the ladder, and for his solid and lengthy body of work to garner more attention. He’s a rapper who raps like it’s his job, and cares about it too.

Put diamonds on all of my young niggas necks

Remix that nigga drink and finesse

The more money, feel like they love you less

Just bought a hundred rounds and I bought a vest — “Catch Up”

54) Q Money

I’m not entirely sure what the exact situation is right now, but Q Money was arrested mid April on murder charges. That may impact the Ohio emcee’s chances of Freshman status, though Keef notoriously attended his class from behind bars. In any case — Q Money makes braggadocious, wide-grinned trap with a vibe similar to the currently popping gangster goofball DaBaby. You can hear and see it in “Neat” and 2017’s “Work”, with plenty of tongue-in-cheek moments punctuating the otherwise cold style of hiphop. It gets grimier and more ruthless at times, exemplified by “Streetz Baby”, but often sounds like he’s doing this to have fun (and judging by the subject matter, doing so when the phone isn’t ringing).

Niggas been on some fuck shit lately

Remixing and wrapping and serving them babies

And moving them babies like it was the eighties

Really caught cases, niggas be faking

Hid my dope and my scale from the cops in the basement — “Work”

55) Quando Rondo

I’ve referenced the newer set of especially young, melodious gangbangers leading the hood section of YouTube’s rap catalog a few times now, and Quando Rondo may be my favorite from that set of artists. The Savannah rapper/singer found viral fame with a Lil Baby feature on “I Remember”, and hasn’t slowed his output much since — “ABG” overtook the former in viewcount and his linkup with NBA YoungBoy (“Forever” — YoungBoy really is everywhere) boosted his career and placed him at the forefront of the new school. Now, he really does sound like YoungBoy when he raps, but the raspy cadence, vocal range, and creative melodies make him a distinct emcee with a ton of potential. Listen to “Scarred From Love” and you’ll hopefully see what I mean.

You really touched me to my heart, permanent scars the day I found that you cheated

I kept it real with you girl, I guess you was tryna get even

I feel like Adam, you my Eve, we in the Garden of Eden

How the fuck you claim you love someone when you don’t know the real meaning — “Scarred From Love”

56) Queen Key

Chicago’s Queen Key is here for a good time. Just watch the embedded video for “My Way” and listen to her shrug off the demise of our generation and rap about her burnt pizza. What the fuck? She’s hilarious and a breath of fresh air — not quite in the Keef camp of Chicago nor in Chance’s (though he’s having a seemingly good time in the video for her “Slide Remix”), Queen Key’s just having fun in a scene that often speaks on the very real and serious. Her recent video for “Ratchett” is not only all jokes, but has the bass very purposefully pushed to 11, completely eating her vocals. Amazing. Those dimples don’t belong to someone who particularly cares how people feel about her.