The emotional and narrative cement of the late MTV series Run's House came at the end of each episode, when New Jersey den-father Reverend Run texted and/or tweeted contemplative missives to his support system from his bathtub. Seems like Rev's bath texts were prescient, and Run the Younger has taken note. Second-youngest son, Diggy, is among a sizeable group of rappers who've been long-embraced twitter's substantially expanded audience.
Last night, XXL revealed its annual list of "next" rappers to the internet. The 2011 list includes Run's second-youngest son Diggy and a lot of other rappers who have already long been embraced by the sizable twitter audience that's substantially expanded since the Rev's pre-smart phone tub sessions. They include former FADER cover stars Lil B and Yelawolf, our favorite teen to love and hate YG (shout out Ty$!) plus Meek Mill, Big K.R.I.T., Cyhi Da Prynce, Lil Twist, Fred The Godson, Mac Miller and Kendrick Lamar. It's likely you already know about these dudes if you're a blog reader—they come from all parts of the country and are supported by both labels and their own internet savvy. But where are the ladies? At a moment when everyone in the country may have some Nicki-karaoke practice, are there no female MC's, young or old, quality enough to be deemed rap's "next," or perhaps, more appropriately, "now"?
One man who may know is Andrew Noz. His rundown of the list is worth briefing, with some standout gems like: Who's Lil B? "The princess that fucked your bitch… the most creative rapper breathing right now," and a man who has "already changed lives." Who can we thank for YG's "Toot It and Boot It"? His producer, TY$. Why is Mac Miller marketable? Because "he’s a white person." Fred The Godson is a harder sell because he looks, "like a giant baby." See an artfully revised take on the group, after the jump.
