When you’re thinking about music from the US, a couple of markets come to mind, LA, NY, CHI and ATL. These cities have produced music acts that consistently dominate the national spotlight, but many artists still find it hard to break out of their region.
Chicago artists have long dominated the Midwest’s eclectic music scene, birthing notable acts such as Kanye, Chief Keef and Chance The Rapper. Alongside Chicago lies Detroit, another blue-collar city that also produces national acts semi-regularly, such as Tee Grizzley, Dej Loaf, and Big Sean among others.
However, just a shy 90 miles north of Chicago lies Milwaukee, an active music scene underrepresented in the national spotlight. Many of the region’s acts participate in the art of sing-rap, a rapping style that was was popularized in the early 2010s. As everyone’s eyes focus on the Detroit and Chicago drill scene, many don’t know these Milwaukee artists who are pushing their city into the national conversation.
Jay Cash – Get Down Or Lay Down
Jay Cash casually flexes on all the haters on this fast-paced bass-boosted record. Cash nonchalantly invites people to test him on “Get Down Or Lay Down.” His unique flow and use of auto-tune paired with gritty lyrics provide the perfect contrast to the songs upbeat melody.
Mari Boy Mula Mar & Mari Boy KP – Wise
The Mari Boy Mula Mar and Mari Boy KP collab is a slow-paced banger. Although the vibe is a little bit more on the softer side, the message, “Don’t think broke, think wise,” definitely sticks. The subtle flaunting of name brands keeps you pulled in especially if you can relate. Alongside the catchy ad-libs, autotuned harmonies and occasional switch up of flows, you definitely don’t want to miss out on the wave.
FBE Savage ft. Solowke & LBM Oneway – 1st to the 3rd
Any collab from this dynamic trio is bound to slap. In “1st to the 3rd” we witness LBM Oneway, Solowke, and FBE Savage trading straight bars. The track is produced by Milwaukee native Mech and definitely will have your phone trembling courtesy of the 808 slapping way too hard.
Cap Drive Montana – Old Kobe Pt 2
Cap Drive Montana also known as “Big Homie Montana” delivers once again with a part two to his original song “Old Kobe.” This time around Montana draws us in with a soft hook while exercising his use of playful metaphors and similes that show us how truly creative the Milwaukee music scene is. In his Detroit-style drill banger, the artist references the 2006 movie featuring Keke Palmer, “I can spell it out for ya, Akeelah and the Bee.”
Solowke ft. LBM Oneway, LBM Lil Joe & Jay Ballin – Federal
Solowke, LBM Oneway, LBM Lil Joe and Jay Ballin flip back and forth between bars delivering us straight fire. The three borrow a Detroit style of conversation-rap to show us what a day in the life looks like. Although this is a common storyline/message in many rap songs, their Milwaukee slang helps differentiate it from others making it a truly unique listening experience.