25) Flipp Dinero

New York’s Flipp Dinero exploded with the above-embedded “Leave Me Alone”, which went viral late 2018 thanks to an OBJ Instagram feature. Sitting in the intersection of trap and pop rap, Dinero’s music features a distinctively husky flowing cadence moving between rapid-fire delivery and somber, melodic hooks. Though his recent brand of party anthems hasn’t reached the same level as “Leave Me Alone”, this year’s “Feelin Like” garnered a cool million in a relatively short period. And while the music isn’t pulling in superstar numbers, a Google search brings up his name in a ton of new published content, and a recent Tay Keith collab (“If I Tell You”) suggests a hopeful upward trend.

I wanna look wild when I flex it, get diamonds all up in my necklace

Got foreign all on me like Tetris, get mama the crib she requested

Niggas hatin that’s their occupation, they can’t stand to see another nigga make it

This shit here like history in the makin, this a fuckin shot so I’ma fuckin take it — “Time Goes Down Remix” ft. G Herbo

26) Gunna

Young Thug protege and YSL affiliate Gunna isn’t a carbon copy of his mentor anymore. Though plenty of similarities drawn between himself, Lil Baby, and Thugger still ring true — especially in regards to their syrup-drowned flows, melodious cadences, and luxury-related lyricism — Gunna’s name can be mentioned by itself in 2019 (though it’s often said along with Lil Baby’s). I feel as if it’s more pertinent to note his consistently excellent features on songs like Travis Scott’s “YOSEMITE” and 21 Savage’s “can’t leave without it” than to speak on his individual releases, given how much more appreciative I am of him when utilized sparingly rather than on a 16-track tape. Thanks to a hugely successful year of collaborations on solo releases, his Freshman status seems inevitable — though I don’t really know if he even needs it anymore.

‘Nother backend, I’m back on the road, flooded Patek, paid off a show

Drippin’ is rare, more this Vlone, hoes by the pair, I’m never alone

Sleep on the Lear, Comme des Garçons, drop eight in a two and let it dissolve

Balmain my denim, yung Gun wanna ball, rock the whole concert & hopped in a frog — “Sold Out Dates”

27) Icy Narco

Look, I thought Lil Pump had flunked out of last year’s class when I saw Icy Narco’s thumbnail in the list. Listen to the above-embedded “Link” and tell me it doesn’t sound like an old Pump cut. Icy Narco is from Miami, so how he looks and sounds isn’t necessarily surprising, but how closely he resembles Dr. Pump is…uncanny. He’s signed to 10k (formerly home to 6ix9ine and Trippie Redd), or used to be, at least, and No Jumper put him on around this time last year (“#RONNYJKILLEDTHIS”). The Florida influence he wears is palpable, with an assortment of screams, muttered flows, and [AyYYYY]s punctuating most tracks. In any case — if you like Lil Pump, there’s a chance you might enjoy Icy Narco.

Ducking the bullets, they fly and you might be the goose

Jimmy Choo all in my shoes, I got some blood on my shoes

Icy is frozen can’t move, helipad heli and went on the roof

My snipers freeze up the roof, shoot at the Uber, we shoot at your coupe — “Link”

28) JayDaYoungan

JayDaYoungan is 20, but his incredibly punctual and consistent output of popular Louisiana-laced trap has been in continuous rotation since he was 17. A frequent collaborator with the South’s youthful underbelly powerhouses (such as NBA YoungBoy, Quando Rondo, and Yungeen Ace), Jay follows their model of high visual saturation and releases music videos nearly every single month. It’s an incredibly admirable work ethic that secures a fanbase and addresses an always-watching market, with some videos garnering millions in weeks (“Repo”) and some hitting the tens-of-millions in month (“Thot Thot”). Again, his domain seems to reside under the more mainstream channels of hip-hop, especially on an international scale, so his popularity may not translate to XXL status — but he likely doesn’t need it to begin with.

Streets talk, a lot of shit got me in deep thought

Full of meds, eyes red and I sleepwalk

Sleep talk, eleven doses got the heat out

Gang shit, this bitch’ll knock a nigga knees out — “Purge”

29) Jordan Hollywood

As is the case for many who are eager to enter the running and lack a national following, Jordan Hollywood’s XXL video got wrecked. I was surprised: though a majority of his YouTube releases haven’t quite broken a million (“Leave Me”, “Finally”), the video for “Let Me Find Out” (above) features Lil Baby on the track, Offset hanging in the back, and a lot of ass — all things that typically guarantee success. While his apparent lack of notoriety (despite being a QC signee) may keep his status submerged for now, I wouldn’t doubt his ability to appeal to the masses. There’s some mixture of sullen Post Malone and Miami-born luxury flows present that I’m confident plenty could get behind.

I wish you would but you laminate, we know you fakers are mimickin’

I wore a presidential rollie, bitches think that I’m a candidate

When it comes to all my cups, it’s double or nothin’, no gamblin’

You a mumble rapper ramblin’, no quarterback but that chopper have you scramblin’ — “Let Me Find Out”

30) Juice WRLD

There he is. Juice WRLD is going to be a Freshman (if he takes it, or even wants it). The Chicago-born emo/rap crooner is currently in his prime, with every song hitting millions of views and every video acquiring viral status. Think what you will about his music: he’s hitting a niche like many haven’t been able to, and he’s doing so in a masterful fashion, exemplified in the above-embedded “Robbery” — I don’t know who else could have made this song and receive such positive reception. His ability to craft earworm melodies is apparent in “All Girls Are the Same”, and a peek at his freestyles like this or this are solid proof of his lyrical chops, even if they aren’t often the focus of his music. There really isn’t much to say here in regards to his popularity: whether you like him or not, you’ve definitely heard of him.

Chopper make your brains turn to eggs, Sam-I-Am

I had a feelin’ they was gon’ switch up, ​will.i.am

Two pints of Wockhardt, sealed up, in my hand

Clean nigga, but I’m sippin’ ’til I do the muddy dance— “Out My Way”

31) Kid Buu

Possibly the most despised person this candidate list, New Jersey’s Kid Buu still manages to net millions of hits on his songs. Why is he overwhelmingly disliked? Here’s a video I wouldn’t watch too much of. That aside, his music, imagery, and persona revolves around clout culture taken to near-parody levels of extremity. If you identify with graphic tees with guitars on it that read ‘ROCK’ or ‘MUSIC’, then you will thoroughly enjoy how Kid Buu, in a similar fashion, reads ‘SOUNDCLOUD’.

Talk about diamonds, my wrist full

You are a rat, Stuart Little

Fuck on that bitch like a Shih Tzu

Give her bomb dick like a missile — “Poppa”

32) Kid Trunks

Members Only affiliate, Broward County resident, and 18 year old trap monster Kid Trunks really sounds like all of those things. That isn’t a slight — his imagery, sound, and lyricism are the purest strain of distorted, youth-driven Florida trap, exemplified in dissonant flex anthems like “IDK”. While the MO crew hasn’t dissolved completely in regards to mainstream appeal, there’s a definite sense of his sound receiving more attention two or three years ago. That being said, an undeniably loyal fanbase could find him a spot, given Wifisfuneral (another MO affiliate of similar popularity) appearance last year.