Rae Sremmurd, Lil Yachty, Eearz, BoBo Swae, Impxct
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Any hip-hop lover searching for the freshest vibrations in the Southern youth movement should look no further than Mississippi’s Rae Sremmurd. The two brothers zapped into the national consciousness in 2014 with “No Flex Zone” and “No Type,” two ominously spaced-out radio jams that introduced the world to Slim Jxmmi and Swae Lee’s squeaky bravado and the subwoofer genius of a Mike Will Made It production. Since then, the duo’s cavalier youthfulness and energetic performances have continued resonating with a growing fanbase while agitating grumpy old-school purists. The same critics dismiss Atlanta’s Lil Yachty by glibly describing his music as “mumble rap.” But it’s hard not to love Yachty, from his laconic and infectious lyrics to his bright red braids. CHRIS SUTTON