The 18-year-old Indiana native is the next generation’s ideal superstar, capturing all the chaos of a typical modern teen’s life with the artistic intuition of a seasoned veteran. Growing up in a small town, midwxst never felt like he really fit in. It wasn't until he met an online scene of like-minded kids on Soundcloud that he truly blossomed into the young artist he is today. Among the most standout names within the underground music scene, he is making his presence known as an elevated figure compared to his contemporaries. His singles and projects alike bring an untapped sense of maturity, passion, and pop prowess. He is more than a passing artist within a crowded landscape; he is a generational talent that is ready to burst into the limelight.   full artist bio — midwxst defies a lot of stereotypes. He’s a cutting edge artist from the oft-overlooked state of Indiana, a genre defier combining hyperpop and digicore with hip-hop, and just about the most gracious, thoughtful, and loquacious teenager you’ll ever encounter.    Born Edgar Sarratt III, he’s been making music as midwxst for about two years now, drawing on influences like Pi’erre Bourne, Kanye West, and Marvin Gaye. His recent projects, 2020’s Secrets and this year’s Summer03, are filled with frenetic, shapeshifting production, well-developed melodies, and candid, charismatic lyrics.   “A lot of people expected me to be a trapper, rapping about guns and all the generic mainstream stuff. When I talk about how your own mental health and emotions can be the most dangerous thing you possess, especially as a teenager or young adult...” midwxst says, revealing he personally defines his music as alternative,“...people get such a different vibe from me and that’s what I strive for.”   midwxst isn’t afraid to let his true feelings show in his songwriting. “thank you so much” is an exceptionally candid song about the challenge of even finding the motivation to make music some days. His breakthrough single “trying” racked up more than 3 million combined plays on Spotify and YouTube–it’s also the song that made his high school classmates notice the nascent star in their midst. Though its lyrics are plaintive, there’s a message of resiliency (“I done took so many L's, I think it's time for me to win”) that Midwest makes a throughline for all his work.    “I just try to write from the perspective that things will always get better,” he says.    The breadth of midwxst’s talent is on display with new single “Ruthless,” a return to his rap roots. “[It’s not about] having an ego, but knowing my worth as an artist and talking my shit, to an extent. I’m letting people know I’m here to stay, I’m not just gonna be a name you see for one moment. You’re gonna know the name midwxst,” he says.   midwxst has a passion for fashion that complements his musical talents, and says he wants to create not just songs, but immersive worlds a la Childish Gambino’s Because the Internet and The Weeknd’s After Hours. Videos for “trying,” “Trouble,” and “thank you so much.” are endearingly chaotic and distinctly post-modern, fitting companions for songs that showcase his creativity and wit.   “Fuck all emotional connection, I don’t want a lover / Wish that I could fucking fall off, I don’t wanna be discovered / Okay, maybe that last line was a lie / I kinda wanna blow up, but not at the same time,” he laments on the latter in an infectious singsong cadence.   In addition to continuing his ascendant artistic career, this fall midwxst will start his freshman year at Belmont University’s Audio Engineering Technology program. He’s approaching the experience with a characteristically open mind, but remains committed to making genre-defying records that are resonating deeply with young fans.    “’I’ve gotta keep doing this music stuff, because if I just stop, who are they gonna look to? Especially with me having such a specific demographic. I’m a Black 18-year-old kid who just graduated high school who is about to go to college who just signed to a major record label. And I made all my music over there,” he says, gesturing to a corner of his quaint bedroom where the myth of midwxst began.

Dro Kenji's rise is a testament to the power of the internet. Just a couple years ago, the 20-year-old artist was a senior in high school in South Carolina, releasing a string of captivating singles and mixtapes on his SoundCloud. Now that he's released his debut album on Mira Touch/ Internet Money Records/ 10K Projects, collaborating closely with the label's team of platinum-certified producers, he's hoping to earn some plaques of his own. A true child of the digital age, raised on video games and the lo-fi sounds of rap's online underground, he has a remarkable ability to capture both the apathy and aspiration of his generation in his songs and a spellbinding voice with which to tell these stories. Raised in Summerville, South Carolina, a town outside of Charleston, Dro Kenji mostly kept to himself. "There's not really a lot going on," he says of his hometown. "Up until I started making music at the end of 10th grade, I really didn't do shit but play video games and listen to music." His parents put him on to classic '90s-era hip-hop and R&B, but some of his earliest music fandom came from an unlikely combination of his two main hobbies: the video game Rock Band. While playing, he heard songs by Weezer, Radiohead, and Soundgarden, bands whose lead singers would go on to influence his own soaring melodies. In high school, inspired by the DIY recordings he found on SoundCloud from XXXTentacion among others, Dro Kenji decided to start making music of his own. "When I wanted to make a song, I didn't know how to do anything," he remembers. "I didn't have a mic; I just had a shitty laptop." At first, he downloaded an app that allowed him to use his iPhone 6 as a microphone plugged into his computer but, eventually, his process evolved and so too did the songs he was crafting, reflecting a sound that was more melodic and off-kilter like the music he had always been drawn to online. After graduating from high school and building a steadily growing SoundCloud fanbase with mixtapes like Introvert and standout tracks like the buoyant anthem "Finnished," Dro Kenji got a DM on Instagram an Internet Money A&R. A month later, he was in Los Angeles, recording at the Internet Money headquarters recording breakout tracks like "SAVE ME" and "HOUDINI" produced by Internet Money's resident hitmaker Nick Mira. Mira quickly saw the promise that Kenji carried as an artist, and made him the first signing to MiraTouch, his imprint via 10K Projects. Dro Kenji went on to release a string of successful projects including EAT YOUR HEART OUT and F*CK YOUR FEELINGS, which yielded seminal tracks like "KILL CUPID" ft. $NOT and "SUPERSTAR." These tapes led him to his first headlining tour with stops at some of the game's biggest festivals including Rolling Loud, Lyrical Lemonade's Summer Smash, and SXSW. Fast forward to 2022, and Dro Kenji is beginning to emerge as one of the most promising young voices in his genre, continuing his ascent to the highest echelons of the rap game. He established himself as a force with the release of his official debut album, WITH OR WITHOUT YOU in January, which featured hit singles like "VANISH" and "FINDERS KEEPERS" ft. Scorey and Internet Money, and netted over 25M global streams across streaming platforms. He's now putting the finishing touches on his second studio album, ANYWHERE BUT HERE, due out later this summer, which aims to build on the success of his debut and continue to push the boundaries of his creative process and musical potential.

Representing Chicago’s Southside, SONNY is leading a new wave of underground hip-hop from the city. Formerly known as HateSonny, he planted the seeds for his career as early as 2018 with a series of singles and EPs on SoundCloud which was later repackaged into a self-titled compilation in 2022. SONNY released his breakout mixtape with Golden Child in 2020, flexing his ability to effortlessly flow over bass-knocking bangers and silky smooth sample flips alike. The success of the project and the unexpected virality of single “Kill Bill” led to him being profiled by the Chicago Reader, and he was named one of 2021’s Best New Artists by Pigeons and Planes. SONNY’s latest project All Gas No Brakes (A.G.N.B.) captures the energy of his overall sound. The hype train for his career is moving faster and farther every day. If you aren’t on board now while it’s still early, you just might miss it when he speeds right past his way to the top.