New Jersey Rappers That Are Taking Hip-Hop to a Whole New Level

The East Coast has been famous for producing some of the best and most popular rappers that hip-hop has ever seen. Although rap has transcended borders, New Jersey keeps providing talent that simply can't be beat.

Hip-hop continues to evolve in many ways but that wouldn't be so without the rappers themselves. Keep reading for five New Jersey natives that have taken hip-hop to a new level.

Topaz Jones is a dynamic rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was born in Montclair, New Jersey where he grew up until he attended college in New York. He is gradually making his mark on the world with several music releases and a highly acclaimed visual album, "Don't Go Tellin' Yo Mama."

At the end of the film, Jones shows his loyalty to his hometown. He raps, "07042, this is for you." The set of numbers refer to his former zip code, reminding his audience of his roots.

Lady London is a scientist turned rapper that took TikTok by storm at the beginning of 2023. The viral freestyle, "Pop Ya Shit", was not her first time being recognized for her talents. London began posting freestyles in 2018 and has been gaining traction ever since.

The budding rap star was born in The Bronx, however, she moved to Newark to live with her grandmother as a young child. It was then that she began writing poetry which ultimately led to her ability to rap. Don't let the pretty face fool you though! Lady London holds a bachelors and masters degree in science, obtained before her music career.

Mir Fontane is an up and coming rapper from Camden, NJ. The self proclaimed "Melody Monster" identifies as both a rapper and a singer adding flavor to his rhymes. The rapper has been making music for years now and has been noticed by music label, 300 Ent. He has also performed with the likes of Lil Dirk.

The Camden native takes pride in his city as he knows that not everyone from Camden has the opportunity to leave like he has. He pours this passion and determination into his lyrics as he personally writes all of his music. The rapper recently released a new project, Clowns Don't Cry, available everywhere.

The rapper was born in Secaucus, NJ but moved often due to his father's job. Although he is from New Jersey, his music is heavily influenced by Atlanta culture. He and his family settled in Atlanta when he was teenager, inspiring his artistry. Although relatively new to the industry, Russ has released 16 albums since 2011.

Drill music has taken the hip-hop genre to a new level and rappers like BandmanRill are the ones to be thanked. BandmanRill hails from Newark and has been able to blend Jersey club music with drill to give listeners something fresh.

He told okay player, "I really feel like I bought Jersey club to the whole world. I was the first one that had that TikTok s--t. With TikTok, you could blow anything up. Now all you see on TikTok is club music.”

The New Jersey rapper has been featured in Pitchfork and The New York Times as he continued to release music after his 2020 debut. He was signed to Warner Music Group and has released several projects.

His most recent project, "Who You Touch Pack," was released in September and features rappers Sha EK and Trippie Redd.

Who is your favorite up-and-coming Jersey rapper?