@Alexis Burns

Created with FreeYourMusic.com where you can transfer playlists to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others

Created with FreeYourMusic.com where you can transfer playlists to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others

Created with FreeYourMusic.com where you can transfer playlists to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others

Created with FreeYourMusic.com where you can transfer playlists to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others

Created with FreeYourMusic.com where you can transfer playlists to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others

Created with FreeYourMusic.com where you can transfer playlists to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others

Created with FreeYourMusic.com where you can transfer playlists to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others

Created with FreeYourMusic.com where you can transfer playlists to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others

Created with FreeYourMusic.com where you can transfer playlists to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others

Created with FreeYourMusic.com where you can transfer playlists to Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others

Here's one for the heads. From new drops by emerging voices to regional hits on their way up to just-released bangers from the game's biggest stars, this playlist collects hip-hop that's just inches from the spotlight: Not just what's good, but what's next. Our editors update these picks regularly, so if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

Grime's second act has accelerated a golden age for London hip-hop. Its uncompromising authenticity has been key: To survive and thrive in this scene means proudly repping your city and culture, not looking covetously across the Atlantic. The result is a hyperlocal and progressive movement that might have its roots in grime but is constantly spawning fertile subgenres. Road rap and UK drill offer unvarnished documentation of London life, Afro-swing adds the infectious, sunnier effervescence—and that's just for starters. It's a melting pot that has provided British music with some of its most inventive, compelling, and successful artists. Our editors regularly update this playlist—if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

Busta Rhymes is hip-hop's energy god. Originally part of Leaders of the New School, the Long Island-raised rapper was earmarked for solo success after his high-octane raps inevitably stole the show on group songs. His debut album, 1996's The Coming, reached platinum status and featured production from Q-Tip and J Dilla, while ensuing projects would be headed up by a series of undeniable club bangers. Beyond a body of work that includes a stint on Dr. Dre's Aftermath imprint, Bus also remains in demand whenever an R&B artist is looking for a hype guest verse.

Short in stature but long on influence, Eazy-E boasts a catalog that extends well past signature contributions to his first group, N.W.A. With a distinct, high-pitched rap style and no-nonsense lyrics, the Compton-born Godfather of Gangsta Rap was an undeniable, if unconventional, star. Early records like the Ice Cube-penned "Boyz-n-the-Hood" became gangster rap anthems. But don't ignore Eazy's '90s cuts; his evisceration of former partner Dr. Dre is an enduring diss that feels as scathing today as when it debuted.

Today’s rappers have inherited the spirit of B-boy pioneers who broke through cultural barriers while exhibiting the passionate verve needed to survive modern times. Fresh-faced rookies and crews from across Japan are continuously reinventing the genre, often with little more than a smartphone and a great hook. This playlist looks at the Reiwa era through the voices of a new hip-hop generation.

You can't tell the story of southern hip-hop without mentioning the Three 6 Mafia. Founded by Juicy J, Lord Infamous, and DJ Paul, the Memphis group became hometown heroes with their pioneering crunk sound. Their indie label, Hypnotized Minds, also brought through local artists like Gangsta Boo and Project Pat. After serving the underground scene with a stream of menacing music throughout the '90s, the group finally cracked the mainstream with a triumphant Oscar winning contribution to the Hustle and Flow soundtrack in 2006.

Long before skits on Chappelle's Show turned him into a household name, Lil Jon had been plotting his hip-hop takeover. After working as an A&R at Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings, he broke out on his own and began to sow the seeds for the crunk phenomenon that would rule the mainstream in the early '00s. With a talent for crafting brilliantly abrasive beats, Lil Jon brought southern staples like Ludacris, Mystikal, and Pitbull to life—of course, his own trademark ad libs didn't hurt either.

When it comes to the Fat Boys, it's important to look beyond the cartoonish image that accompanied their crossover hits in the '80s. Sure, they teamed up with The Beach Boys to record "Wipeout," and even hammed up their own hefty size on "All You Can Eat," but the trio of Prince Markie Dee, Kool Rock-Ski, and Buff Love can claim rock-solid hip-hop roots. Originally recording as the Disco 3, Buff made pioneering beatbox moves, while the group's self-titled debut album in '84 stands as a powerful fusion of stripped-down beats and fierce raps. This collection proves their real talent.