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No Silver Spoon: Philadelphia's Unforgiving New Wave of Rap Music Embraces the City's Ethos

Meek Mill's rags-to-riches story is one that Philadelphians support, but the city's rap scene goes much deeper. From Lil Uzi Vert to Theodore Grams, we look at the current state of hip-hop in the City of Brotherly Love.

Lil Uzi Vert

After the Philadelphia 76ers traded Allen Iverson to the Denver Nuggets in the 06-07 NBA season, the star player remarked candidly to sports journalist Stephen A. Smith on the burdens of trying to succeed in a city like Philly: “I love my fans in Philadelphia, but this is the hardest place in the world to play in.” He continued, "And I think it's the hardest place to play in to be a superstar. Just to be the No. 1 guy. All eyes on you—because everybody wants you to be perfect, but not themselves." The four-time scoring champion and former NBA MVP was frustrated with his situation in Philly, but he followed his critical comments with an appreciation for the time he spent in Philadelphia: “It was just a great experience for me. Because of the ups and the downs I became a man in Philadelphia. Now, I don't know, if I'd a went someplace else, to some cupcake city, and I did anything I wanted to do, and it was nothing, I don't think I would be the man that I am now. So I'm glad…”

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In many ways Allen Iverson is the physical embodiment of the Philadelphia ethos: an impassioned drive, an outspoken attitude, no silver spoon, and a defiant underdog mentality. And the final takeaway from his first interview after being traded is something that any Philadelphian already knows: Philadelphia is not some cupcake city. From the street corners and stoops in South Philly back to Uptown to the many working class suburbs, Philly carries a tough, no nonsense image. Ask enough outsiders their opinion on the City of Brotherly Love, and you will inevitably be rewarded with reference to the infamous 1968 booing of Santa Claus when irritated Eagles fans pelted Jolly Old St. Nicholas with snowballs at halftime (a timeless tale in the annals of the Philadelphians are just so damn awful saga; for more see this summer’s Hitchbot murder).

Continued below.

For better or worse Philadelphia has an unforgiving image. And this hardened, pugnacious attitude goes beyond Philly sports and characterizes many other industries in the city, especially the street rap lane of its hip-hop scene. Historically the Philly hip-hop tradition is made up of varied sounds and styles from the neo-soul movement made popular in the 90s by the likes of The Roots to its grittier underbelly of street-centric rap music where thick-skinned battle rappers and urban storytellers dwell. Traditionally these street rappers who weave relatable stories of life on the block are those most likely to rise to prominence. In Philly urban realism is the predominant lyrical thread with the city arguably having birthed the first gangsta rapper in Schooly D. This gritty trend continued in the 2000s with the popularity of the rap group State Property headed by Philly legends Beanie Sigel and Freeway. The city’s rap DVD circuit that was immensely popular at the time pushed this aesthetic further with a focus on raw street rap battles and freestyles from spitters like Reed Dollaz, Joey Jihad, Cassidy, and Meek Mill. Then the DVD movement began to lose steam at the end of the 2000’s, and many of the battle rappers from that period who couldn’t produce a decent record if you locked them in a studio with Rick Rubin and Beethoven fell off. But it was Meek who was able to elevate his career past the local street battle arena by capitalizing on both his credibility from that scene and his ability to make legitimate songs.

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Fast forward to 2015 and for these reasons it’s no surprise Meek Mill is the current King of Philly Rap and more generally the King of Philly Pop Stardom (his ongoing high-profile relationship with Nicki Minaj certainly hasn’t hurt either). Meek’s rags-to-riches underdog story is one Philadelphians can get behind. He is intense. He is passionate. And like Iverson, he occasionally fucks up: I can’t pretend to know what the 28-year-old rapper thought he was getting himself into when he decided to pick a fight with the methodical megastar that is Drake, but the ensuing back-to-back losses certainly cost Meek some credibility especially in a city that expects perfection from its greats. The rapper’s feud with Drake then spilled over into a more seriously-toned inner-city beef with fellow Philly rapper AR-Ab. While Drake’s diss records towards Meek Mill were clever, smug and relatively pacifist as far as diss tracks go (not to mention Meek’s name wasn’t even directly mentioned in either of them), AR-Ab’s diss straight up threatens Meek by name with death by Mac 11. Damn. Well, as they say, Philly ain’t a cupcake city.

Theodore Grams

Meek’s tumultuous summer is the trending Philadelphia rap story of the moment, but his situation paints a vastly incomplete picture of the vibrant and eclectic hip-hop scene currently incubating in the city. Not only are there a bevy of young street rappers on the rise looking to take the crown as Philly’s next rap pariah, but there also exists a growing scene of alternative rappers who are embracing the city’s creative class as a means to achieving success. With little established hip-hop music industry in the city, these artists are turning to innovative collaborations with other millennial creatives in order to break out.

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First, let’s contextualize the complicated history of the music industry in the city. Like many other cities that are finding it difficult to elevate their homegrown artists to the next career level at consistent rates—Houston and Toronto to name others—Philadelphia is no different. In my limited experience organizing DIY hip-hop shows in Philly for the last three years, I’ve witnessed some serious raw talent fly far under the radar. Philadelphia is not an A1 music or hip-hop city. It’s not New York. It’s not Atlanta. Things simply don’t pop here as fast as they do in other more predominant hip-hop markets where embedded cultures exist entirely dedicated to scouting and developing new talent. Like AI said, Philly is not an easy place to play in.

Asaad

Because of the issues complicating Philly’s urban music industry, the new generation of Philly rappers are finding ways to make it straight from the muscle in true Philly underdog style whether that means via the grassroots community angle or through diverse creative partnerships. This method of being “in the streets” is the traditional avenue Philly rappers take to make it big. Before T.I. or Ross noticed him, Meek Mill was pushing tens of thousands of one dollar mixtapes out of the trunk of his car to get the whole city behind him (and if you didn’t have a dollar on you, he’d still give you one anyway). Alternatively, another side of the current Philly hip-hop scene are trying things in a slightly different way. Many of these artists would still consider themselves hip to the street, but they’re also pushing for new creative angles to move their careers forward. Yazz, the Greatest, a rapper first, has found success in acting portraying the rapper Hakeem Lyon on the hit show Empire. Other more underground artists are embracing the creative millennial generation around them: Philadelphia has the highest growing millennial population by percentage of total population, and the city’s inventive art and nightlife scenes are thriving. Collabs with lifestyle brands, electronic DJs and producers, art show curators, and fashion designers are the new norm for the alternative side of Philly hip-hop.

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Like that of an undersized star shooting guard, this determined “don’t count me out” underdog attitude is what it takes to compete in Philadelphia. The new Philly rap hunger is real, it’s palpable, and it is tantamount to what hip-hop is all about. Let’s have a look.

PnB Rock

Sometimes MCs hit the rap lottery. This isn’t to say their careers get catapulted off of luck, but every so often a solid single—or collection of singles in PNB Rock’s case—and a little serendipity can lead a rapper to a record deal fast. Just one year ago the 23-year-old self-declared “singer/rapper/hookmaster” dropped his breakout street hit “My City Needs Something” whose accompanying visual debuted soon after on MTV Jams while the rapper was serving a short stint in Chester County Prison (the artist says he was doing time for “a little mistake back in the day”). The “My City Needs Something” single struck a chord with Philly residents because of its timely messages against inner-city violence and the numerous recent high-profile black killings by police. Fast forward five months and Rock is Atlantic Records’ newest signee with a multi-album deal. The rising popularity of singing rappers like Drake and Fetty Wap may have made PnB Rock’s deal, the debut signing for new Atlantic A&R Representative Orlando Wharton, a well-calculated bet.

Kur

At first glance Kur (pronounced “CORE”) might seem like your standard Philly street rapper, but the young artist has already amassed a solid selection of fast-spitting trap bangers expected from an artist from the area and introspective lyrical tales. Kur’s pensive 2013 freestyle over Drake’s “Pound Cake” helped get his buzz up in Philly; on the track he talks about his past female relationships and missed connections with some known Philly jawns. Always forward, Kur mentions the many women by name which got the city’s rap networks talking. Jump to 2015 and the young rapper’s catalogue includes features from Meek, Quilly, Lil Uzi, and more. His ability to switch between rabidly aggressive verses a la Meek at his most hungry to thoughtful and self-critical narratives like “When I Lost It” position him near the top of the Philly rap game. It will be interesting to see where the outspoken rapper’s career will go from here; a recent feud between Kur and PnB Rock erupted at summer’s end after the artists’ camps got into an altercation at a Philly show they were scheduled to play together. The show was shut down during PnB Rock’s set when a fight between the rappers’ teams broke out. The next morning Kur dropped the diss record “See Thru” apparently aimed at Rock. The Philly beefs continue.

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Lil Uzi Vert

While other Philly rappers are busy assaulting listeners with 16’s that sound like they’ve been blasted out of an automatic or are trying to do the rapper/singer thing, Lil Uzi Vert is demonstrating what a young bol from the city can do with eclectic out-of-town influences. Combining his unique street fashion aesthetic with an appreciation for the catchy hooks of the leaned out south and the heavy hitting drill music of Chicago, Lil Uzi Vert is a persona all his own. His production is top notch too including collaborations with Metro Boomin, DJ Carnage, Maaly Raw and Charlie Heat. Recently, you might have seen the rising Philly artist on tour with DJ Drama opening up for the Wiz Khalifa/Fall Out Boy “Boys of Summer” Tour or you might have caught Uzi at the Philly stop of the Rocky and Tyler Tour where A$AP Rocky brought him out as a surprise guest.

Quilly

Quilly gets a mention here because he’s a staple in the Philly streets. He embodies the Philadelphia community spirit in his single “Letter to Haines Street”, on ode to his hometown block, and in the summer months you can catch him performing at big neighborhood block parties. He’s going to have to produce a knockout single if he wants to break out of the local Philly scene into mainstream rap world.

Chynna

West Philadelphia rapper/model Chynna’s talents are diverse. Not only can the 21-year-old spit that heat, but her modeling career recently took off. Her style first caught my attention when she modeled pieces for Philly-native fashion brands Anmlhse and Babylon Cartel. Then at last fall’s New York Fashion Week she walked for VFiles and DKNY and was featured in DKNY’s print campaign to boot. At a time when high fashion and streetwear are coalescing into a new wave of street-inspired haute styles, Chynna’s look and flair are timely and desirable for brands looking to push an image of cool and street-hip. But let’s not forget why we’re here: Chynna can rap. Her debut visual single “Glen Coco” received a cosign by Chris Brown, she was just the feature performer at breakout fashion brand Chromat’s NYFW afterparty, and the rapper can often be seen socializing with the A$AP MOB in New York, the city she now calls home.

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Tierra Whack

Tierra Whack is quite literally “whack.” The female emcee uses the “whack” term to describe herself and her fans. Flipping a word that traditionally means “corny” or “uncool” on its head, Tierra subverts expectations right from the rip. She’s weird. She’s goofy. She’s passionate. And she’s not afraid to speak her mind. With recent mentions by the likes of Ian Connor and Missy Elliott (one of her biggest self-professed influences), it is only a matter of time until this young Philly rapper makes waves on a larger scale. She’s already taken the Philly hipster scene by storm: By aligning herself with Stunt Loco curator DJ SYLO and having performed underground and eclectic events like What Scene’s Fourth of July Yacht Jaunt, the Quite Hype Three for 3 show series, and Swizzymack’s monthly “Booty Pop” superparty at Soundgarden Hall, Tierra Whack has a strong and growing grassroots following. Most recently, Tierra made the rounds at this past weekend’s annual A3C Hip Hop Conference & Music Festival in Atlanta where she had a string of successful performances including a slot at fellow Philly-native Distortedd’s Art Show.

Theodore Grams

Coming out of the Dogtown area of Germantown, Philadelphia, Theodore Grams and his Phraternity camp embody the cross-over between traditional street style and a more nuanced appreciation for artistic expression. When DJ Quite Hype first showed me his gritty and to-the-left “Dogtown” visual in 2013, I could feel Grams’s vision jumping off the screen. Two years later and the Philly native has secured features from the likes of Danny Brown, beats from famed producers like the HeatMakerz, and has hit the stage with Cam'ron and Curren$y. A suitable MC and exceptional beatmaker, Theodore Grams already has a long list of projects under his belt and is looking for that breakout single to carry him forward. He was recently on Sway in the Morning’s Friday Fire Cypher and, along with Tierra, Grams was a featured artist at the A3C festival.

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Asaad

My first experience with Asaad was when he lit up the now closed Abakus Takeout streetwear store in Philly’s Chinatown with an intense performance for local fashion brands The Decades and Najeeb Shiekh’s collaborative release event. His energy and soundscape beat selection pair up for a unique sound that is all Young Two Seven. His most recent 2014 project Flowers II goes hard and features verses from King Louie and Ab-soul. But aside from some modeling for the BBC, the elusive rapper has been relatively quiet as of late.

Grande Marshall

Grande Marshall’s stellar 2012 debut project 800 caught the attention of Fools Gold Recs, the label Grande now calls home. Mixing urban storytelling, a relaxed flow, and soulful beat selections, Grande has made a name for himself locally in the Philly underground scene and nationally through SXSW showcases and the annual Fool’s Gold Day Off concert in NYC. Grande’s follow up project Mugga Man might not have hit the same way 800 did, but that hasn’t stopped the Philly rapper from bouncing back with a slew of new bangers off of his next upcoming project entitled My Brother’s Keeper. Featuring production from Heaven in Stereo and Sam GreenS of the Rare MP3s collective based out of Philadelphia, My Brother’s Keeper is shaping up to be a hit for the GM.

Dizzy Santana

Repping the Great Outdoors group and Petty Boyz clique, Dizzy Santana dropped his debut project Judgement Day last December to solid online and local underground buzz. The project features sounds from producer F1LTHY with co-presentation by Gianni Lee of Babylon Cartel, a DJ hot on the circuit right now with recent performances at Givenchy’s NYFW show and the Summer Ends Festival headlined by Kanye West, and the Decades Hat Co, an apparel company from Philly known for its unique headwear and worldwide distribution through premier boutique retailers. Judgement Day bangs from start to finish and includes both heavy 808-laden street anthems and R&B singles with cross-over appeal. The larger-than-life rapper (we’re talking Biggie size and aesthetic here) has been working quietly as of late, but you will be able to catch features from him on the upcoming Working on Dying 2 project dropping soon presented by the Philly production duo F1LTHY and the Loosie Man.

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Ground Up

Formed during their time together at Temple University, Ground Up recently played their biggest performance to date at the annual Made in America Festival in Philadelphia this past Labor Day Weekend. The trio recently beefed up their live show with the addition of stage drummer Juice performing alongside the two emcees and in-house producer. Having generated buzz for themselves through numerous mixtapes and small tours, the hip hop collective caters to the college crowd with creative visuals, their affiliate clothing brand MDCCXI and party anthems like “Let’s Ride” though recently the group seems to be taking on a more serious direction with the promotion of their new single “Right Now” off of their recently released 1711 project. You can catch Ground Up currently on tour.

Miles Chancellor

Miles Chancellor is an underground rapper from West Philadelphia with a penchant for brooding verses and stellar production from his Crew Down/sub404 collective like something you’d expect straight out of Drizzy and 40’s playbook. Miles makes the list because the quality of his song composition is well beyond his young career, and anytime he’s guest featured on a song like fellow Philly artist Anyee Wright’s “R.W.A.G.L.M.”, you can be sure he’ll deliver a smooth verse solidifying the track as one you’ll want to run right back. Miles isn’t well known outside of some underground artistic scenes in the city, but if he keeps releasing dope records and collaborating with other young creatives, he stands to be a breakout star.

Joe Pitts is a writer based in Philadelphia and co-owner of Cult Classic. Follow him on Twitter.