This weekend's Rolling Loud festival in Inglewood took a dramatic turn with the last-minute booking of Kanye West. The chart-topping rapper's new duo with Ty Dolla Sign has a No. 1 single (“Carnival”), a best-selling album (“Vultures 1”) and the dismay of local Jewish groups after years of rants West's anti-Semites.
Would it appear? Would he say something incendiary about Hitler? Would he do the most unexpected thing: put on a normal, uneventful show? Unfortunately, West's performance (or non-performance) during his headlining presentation to kick off the festival's 10th anniversary turned out to be a flop.
But if West's return left you cold, Rolling Loud remains an agenda-setting festival, and the rest of the lineup has plenty of worthy acts beyond a controversial booking. Nicki Minaj, Post Malone and Future featuring Metro Boomin are ready to headline (and Nicki is no slouch when it comes to surprising pranks). Here are nine of the most interesting acts on the bill:
sexy red
Sexyy Red became famous for her deliriously spicy bars on songs like “Pound Town.” But she stood out in two video performances with perfect comedic timing, in “Daddy” with Tokischa and a memorably pregnant one in “Rich Baby Daddy” with Drake and SZA. Her sudden and surprising stardom now seems long-lasting and multifaceted.
DD Osama
The New York drill is in a bleak situation after the death of Pop Smoke, both obsessed with violence and social media drama, but unable to produce new major stars. (Not a good sign when one of the genre's most visible new figures is the laughable troll Lil Mabu.) DD Osama, a 17-year-old New York rapper, overcame the murder of his brother to emerge as the city's most talked-about young star, with ambitions toward flashier, more brutally personal music.
luh tyler
The sound of young Florida is fully captured in this newcomer from Tallahassee, with a husky and preternaturally cold voice. Luh Tyler draws inspiration from the dank, funk-soaked aesthetic of her home state to tell witty, carefree stories about baking, chasing girls, and fully enjoying her newfound stardom.
Veeze
Veeze throws out one-liners with abandon; He tries not to laugh at “That drank everything in my belly like Winnie the Pooh.” On “Ganger,” his breakout LP, he navigates all sorts of production styles, from bossa nova to stoner loops to wild vocal treatments, but his laconic delivery hides a dense tangle of allusions.
2SDXRT3ALL
It's pronounced “Too Solid Dirtball” and you better get used to it, because this 18-year-old Atlanta native is the rising star in town who defines modern hip-hop. Inspired by the icy stares of 21 Savage and Young Nudy, but with a growling, punkish urgency that can't be identified with a mixtape titled, simply, “F- School.” “ADLIBGOD,” his major label debut, raises the stakes considerably.
03 Greed
Alongside the late Drakeo the Ruler, 03 Greedo defined a edgy era in Los Angeles rap, when some of its brightest local stars were targeted by law enforcement and nearly broken by incarceration. From that tense moment, an entire genre emerged, “nervous music,” but now 03 Greedo is free after five years in a Texas prison and making up for lost time.
Ruled Force
Rolling Loud came under some pressure from the founder of acclaimed Southern California Latin label Rancho Humilde, Jimmy Humilde, after two of its acts lost spots on the lineup (the festival blamed visa issues and radio clauses). But Fuerza Regida, San Bernardino's Mexican music superstars, are still high on the bill and leading the charge for Mexican music on the US pop charts.
That Mexican OT
One of rap's loudest young artists, Houston's new champion delivers gritty Texas tales with the sweaty panache of Bun B and Paul Wall. He's a hit on TikTok, and it's easy to see why: His shows have the joyful chaos of a backyard barbecue just as the mezcal arrives.
KXLLSWXTCH
The Zoomers have gone Nirvana preppy, but they've also created KXLLSWXTCH, an OC singer and rapper who loves the corroded sadness and dark appeal of grunge. His songs are guitar-based and rock-structured, but they fit perfectly into the harsh worldview of his trap-oriented peers.
