If you haven't got too bored reading the first part of this little mini-series, then welcome back! To recap, I'm going through my favourite artists from A-Z, with my favourite song of theirs, and explaining why.
N - NAV
Song: Champion:
NAV's one of those artists with a very distinct voice that he makes work in the perfect way. He embraces his higher, autotuned style and is often accompanied with either a lower voice rapper on the verses, or another trap rapper so the two can bounce off one-another. NAV excels in his choruses, especially on his most well-known song 'Champion' with Travis Scott.
O - Octavian:
Song - Bet:
Octavian is single-handedly defining UK rap for the better. His use of simplistic beats with a flow that tends to steer away from the typical style of conforming to the beat makes him stand out from other grime artists. His hit single 'Bet' combines a very regimented beat with a flow that is not only easy to follow, but annoyingly catchy and a perfectly beautiful music video. One for the future.
P - Post Malone:
Song - Hollywood Dreams Come Down, Go Flex, Deja Vu, Never Understand, Fuck:
My favourite artist by a comfortable fucking mile. Post Malone has never put out a bad song and I doubt he ever will. I do not have enough words to describe the brilliance of Posty. His rural country style, combining his raspy yet beautiful voice with typically hard rap beats stears away from genre conventions like no one else. Post Malone is so distinct in his style, yet every song is so beautifully crafted that they all are hits. He will forever be my favourite artist with my favourite song - Hollywood Dreams.
Q - Queen:
Song: Radio GaGa:
I'm pretty sure everyone and their dog knows of Queen, and even if you don't know the band themselves, you'd have heard of one of their songs before. They never failed to put out an incredible song, with so many classics under their belt and shaping the genre of UK music like no others before them. They were so inventive and original in their production, it was a welcomed change to music.
R - Rae Sremmurd:
Song - Guatemala:
My love for Rae Sremmurd typically comes from the vocals of Swae Lee, because that kid can hit a high note like no one else in the music industry, but Slim Jxmmi provides a great change with his more typical flow. The pair have shaped their albums to match the times, and their songs combine the beauty of Swae's vocals such as with 'Swang' with the flow of Jxmmi like on 'No Type'.
S - Swae Lee:
Song - Borrowed Love:
A slight cheat on this one, but it cannot be argued that 2018 was Swae Lee's year. He finally got the recognition he deserved, collaborating with some of the biggest names in the industry such as Post Malone, Drake, Young Thug and Travis Scott. Lee just has such a range of vocals, nailing every high note but effortlessly switching to a flow rappers envy. Swae Lee has outgrown Rae Sremmurd and is destined for bigger and better things.
T - Tyler, The Creator:
Song - Bastard:
Tyler has probably the most incredible story in the entire music industry. His debut album, Bastard, introduced us to the artist right in at the deep end - brash, homophobic and controversial lyrics ending up in bans from New Zealand and the UK. His metamorphosis from edgy teen through to a beautiful composer of melodic beats, scenic videos and 5 albums of genre-bending style is nothing short of incredible. However, nothing for me will beat the shocking nature of Bastard and the captivating story Tyler told throughout.
U - Unknown T:
Song - Meat:
U was a tough one for me, because I didn't really have any artists I liked with the letter. But I recently got into drill music, and Unknown T is taking the scene by storm. The African tinge in his voice makes him stand out, but his traditional drill flow and heavy trap beats make for easy listening.
V - Vince Staples:
Song - FUN!:
I first found out about Vince Staples through his tour with Tyler, and I haven't looked back since. The Compton based rapper seems relatively underrated, but his relatively high voice combined with unique beats and choppy flow give him a different feel to most rappers. The music video for FUN! is so beautifully crafted as well.
W - WORRYWORRY:
Song - Fool:
WORRYWORRY is what happens if Post Malone decided one day he was going to darken his style. Worry has such a beautiful hook on all his songs, all opening with a 4-beat trifecta and feeling slightly unfinished, but at the same time perfectly crafted. He remains relatively unknown at the time of writing, with only 40,000 streams a month on Spotify, but expect that to balloon in the next few months.
X - XXXTentacion:
Song - I don't even speak Spanish lol:
X will always be a staple of the music industry following his tragic passing last year - because there is a song for everyone with his music. His first big hit, Look at Me, was brash and edgy, but he diversified with softer songs such as 'Looking for a star' and 'Fuck Love'. X had so much untapped potential, and I pray his songs are released constantly throughout the future because he still had so much space to grow as an artist.
Y - Young Thug:
Song - Power:
Young Thug is an artist that constantly divides the music industry. Some people, such as myself, love his slurred, autotuned style inspired by Lil Wayne - it helps him stand out and makes him one of the most distinctive artists out there. Some people however don't like the fact you can't really understand him, but that's their problem. Thugga has remained at the top of the game for years, and despite artists biting his style, has put out hit after hit, most recently 'The London' with J Cole and Travis Scott.
Z - Zayn:
Song - Me, Myself and I:
After he left One Direction, Zayn floated around the music industry with no real direction or style. His first album, Mind of Mine, did not do too well, but there is no denying his talent. Zayn has a range of notes the other members envy, and his latest album, Icarus Falls, compliments this perfectly. However, my favourite song is a cover of Beyonce, where he overlays this high voice with a deeper tone to create a perfect melody of style.
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