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Writer's pictureEnrique Ortiz

TALK OF THE TOWN OFFICIAL FRESHMAN CLASS OF 2022



 


Rising to fame in 2020 and 2021 alongside longtime friends and fellow Bronx Drill rappers, Kay Flock and Dougie B, 2022 is poised to be the year that B-Lovee breaks even further into the mainstream. Since first gracing our speakers with his raspy voice and punchy lines, B-Lovee has managed to work with artists like G Herbo, A Boogie, and Coi Leray. After dropping his second album, “Misunderstood,” back in April of 2022, B-Lovee has made sure that we hear his name almost everywhere we go. Having helped put The Bronx back on the map, B-Lovee has rightfully earned his spot on this year’s list, and we can’t wait to see what the rest of this year and next hold for the young superstar-to-be.

Part of the 41 crew, Kyle Richh has been on an absolute tear this past year, which is exactly why y’all voted to have him on this year’s list. Working tirelessly to become the new face of Brooklyn Drill, Kyle has continued to drop visual after visual, flooding TikTok and YouTube with his presence. Stand-out tracks like “ Freestyle,” and “Beam,” have helped catapult his ascent to viral fame. Kyle brings a youthful energy to the Brooklyn Drill scene, reminiscent of what the Bronx did for Drill in 2021. Although Kyle has only given us a taste of what he’s capable of, we eagerly await his next moves in 2022.

The legend of Dougie B began when his childhood friends, Kay Flock and B-Lovee began shouting him out in some of their early tracks. Later in 2020, Dougie B is back home and dropping hit after hit with his boys. The undeniable energy that Dougie B brought to the Bronx Drill sound helped catapult him to viral stardom as his friends began to do the same. Bringing the same kind of frenetic energy from his dances to his rhymes, Dougie B has managed to strike a chord with the youth who blast his music all over New York CIty as well as the country. Having recently assisted Kay Flock, Bory300, and Cardi B on the viral track “Shake It,” Dougie B has proven that he is most certainly here to stay..

Although Kenzo B may have just recently appeared on the scene, it’s hard to tell based on her raps. Though her debut track, “Bump It,” only dropped in April 2022, Kenzo has already proven that she’s among the best rappers in the Bronx, if not the entire City of New York. Hailing from RPT, the home of fellow Bronx Drill rappers Bando and DThang, Kenzo has established herself among the emerging field of Female Drill Rappers with only 4 songs to her name. Though we are still awaiting a full-length project, we’ve no doubt that Kenzo has a variety of hits in the tuck.

The only rapper form Philly on the list, and having produced a myriad of viral hits on Tik Tok, 2 Rare has absolutely earned his spot here. With “Cupid Remix,” as his most popular track (with over 13 million views on YouTube). On TikTok, the sound for the unreleased snippet of “Cupid Remix” has garnered over 241K individual videos that use it, These numbers may be regular for 2Rare, but are astounding compared to other rappers. As part of a new wave of rappers who have used TikTok as a funnel for their success, 2Rare is out here putting on a clinic as to how it’s done. With infectious dance-inspired beats, sometimes coupled alongside crooning bars, 2Rare is nothing short of a standout act, which is exactly why he was voted onto this year’s Freshman List.

In the crowded field of talent that has come from the recent Bronx Drill movement, Sha EK has established himself as one with longevity. Thanks to his consistency, dropping multiple videos and tracks a month, Sha has managed to keep his prominence on people’s timelines as well as on their playlists. Dropping his debut project “Get Jiggy or Die Tryin’,” in 2021, Sha showed us why he’s in contention for the title of King of The Bronx. With a work ethic some rappers could only wish for, Sha continues to shine like a diamond in the rough. Sha has managed to drop several times a month, as well as complete a small tour of the tri-state area with live performances. Given his recent string of success, collaborations, and beefs, Sha EK’s 2022 is going to be one for the books.

Coming from the Sugar Hill area of Harlem, Sugarhill Keem has been on an absolute tear as of late, which is exactly why y’all voted for him as part of this year’s Talk of The Town 2022 Freshman List. Tapping into a sound that’s the perfect mix of Drill and the Jersey Club sound, Keem has seen a flurry of viral successes over the past year, with almost all of his track hitting well over 500k views, if they aren’t already over a million. Although he’s still technically “underground” his music has gone viral multiple times on TikTok, and the power of his name alone can help boost the numbers of any song he’s featured on. With tracks like “What ya on” and “Sexy and I Know It,” making the rounds on YouTube and social media, Sugarhill Keem is poised for 2022 that will blow you away.

Coming up in 2021 with Dougie B, Kay Flock, and B-Lovee, Set Da Trend has helped carry the torch for the Bronx Drill scene into 2022. Although he burst onto the scene through a feature run on his friend's tracks, Setty has slowly come into his own as an artist, stacking viral hits as the year has gone on. His highly popular “No Ozone,” collaborations with fellow Bronx MC C Blu helped introduce Setty to the world, while his viral track “Get Home,” has solidified his presence in the genre of New York Drill. Dropping four tracks/visuals in the last two months, Setty’s work ethic is also worth applauding, although his fans are still awaiting a debut, full-length project. If Setty’s track record as of late is indicative of anything, though, it’s that we’re only just beginning to see what Setty can really do.

Another member of Brooklyn’s 41 crew who has made the list, Miah Kenzo is yet another female Drill Rapper who has a penchant for showing up the Boys. Some of Miah’s shining moments have arrived on 41 Crew tracks’s “41 Bop,” and “41 Cypher,” which are group cuts that feature the entire 41 Crew. Her flow is distinct, with a perfect mix of aggression and swiftness. On her own, though, she’s managed to enlist Asian Doll as a feature on her track “Shake Dat (ft. DJ Swill B),” and rack up well over 350K views across the three solo songs she has outside of any 41 cuts. With fellow 41 member Kyle Richh on this list too, the future of 41 and Brooklyn Drill is quite bright.

Making sure that Jersey was represented as well, Bandmanrill rounds out the list, showing that the Jersey sound is alive and well in 2022. Having recently made headlines for linking with fellow listmate Sha EK on the track “Jiggy in Jersey,” where the two traded bars over an energetic, Jersey Club-influenced beat, Bandmanrill has slowly become the new face of New Jersey. With a sound he’s categorized as “Club Drill,” Bandmanrill has flooded the airwaves with this new Drill iteration. A refined mix of the best parts of Jersey Club Music, and Drill Music, Bandmanrill pioneered the genre and has found success in doing so. Although we are still awaiting a full-length project from him as well, there’s no doubt that Bandmanrill will pull through with a Jersey Classic, showing exactly why he belongs on this year’s list.

As a producer and an artist, Cash Cobain has utilized his talents to help put himself and his homies on the radar.As the “Sample God,” Cash has the unique ability to flip practically any track into a beat that he or his boys could spit over. In 2022’s “Slizzy Timing.” he put that skill on display once again, to much acclaim from fans and critics alike. Producing for the likes of Shawny Binladen and Lil Yachty, Cash has come a very long way in order to reach his current position. If his most recent project is just a taste of what he’s got on the way, then Cash may very well be the closest thing this generation has to a Kanye West, who can cook up beats as hard as he can spit.


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