There is no bringing New York back—at least not in the sense of the catchphrase that's staled over the past decade (and has never quite come to fruition). Thanks to the internet, hip-hop is more democratized than ever. Scenes these days tend to be more dictated by sonics than geography. But that doesn't mean that there's not heat emitting from the Big Apple.

While Nicki Minaj is still among rap royalty and French Montana is always good for a hit record, new stars like Cardi B and 6ix9ine have ambushed the Billboard pop charts. Meanwhile, promising talents like Sheck Wes and Jay Critch are beginning to gain more widespread recognition outside of the city. And like the subway system the courses throughout the city underground, there's a lot more happening in the hip-hop scene beneath the surface.

At a local level, New York rap is more exciting than it’s been in years. The wave set off by the Beast Coast movement five years ago created a new ecosystem of creativity within the city. Don’t get it twisted—New York has always been cooking up that fire. But in many cases, the city’s best artists aren’t heard outside of the five boroughs.

Many of these acts have taken inspiration from golden era lyricists while deviating from dusty boom-bap beats. New York has always been known as a place for cultural diffusion, so fittingly, some artists have incorporated sounds popularized by other cities while adding their own special New York sauce. And then there are the wholly unique ones bringing an original take on New York rap with no precedent in mind.

Here are 15 rappers that are showing exactly what New York City can do. Take a cue from the city that never sleeps. —Lei Takanashi