Florida's Finest (Underground Top 4)
26 Coop (Broward County)
No one is better than 26 Coop in Broward County at the moment. In January, he dropped the video for his song “Early Birdz.” Shot by DemoRaww, the video takes viewers on a ride through Coop’s city in a vintage Chevy lowrider. The song is a reflection of Coop’s reality and his inspiration to earn money. He reckons with difficult choices in standing on the block and trying to stay safe. These descriptions of a street lifestyle are contrasted with bits of wisdom. He muses about the ironies of his fame in his neighborhood, rapping “Motivation to the youngins, I’m a youngin’ myself.” Although he’s young, he has an intelligent and sophisticated quality about him. His hard hitting songs have earned Coop lots of attention, even impressing the likes of Raven’s quarterback, and Broward native, Lamar Jackson.
Standout Bars
“Thuggin’ in the bricks, I’m that jit, know you heard of me/ slangin’ 26, make a n****a wanna murder me/ Mobb deep, cookie in the cut, call it surgery, posted on the block, I don’t wanna do no burglary”
La The Goat (Tampa)
La The Goat is unmatched in Tampa. Although it’s not his most well known song, his “K Wang Freestyle” is an unreal demonstratio of his rapping capabilities. The short song sees La unleash a fierce yet playful verse. He seems extremely confident in his rapping skills to the point that it just seems like he’s showing off. La’s swag on the track is reminiscent of a time when hip hop was competitive and lighthearted. In between complicated wordplay and hilarious boasts about his sexual conquests, La sneaks in menacing lines threatening undercover cops and clowning a missing person. This multifaceted lyrical ability gives La’s artistry real depth. His talent has not gone unnoticed in his city. In January he released “Breathe,” a song produced by DJ Swift and Mook, two legends who own NBA Youngboy and Quando Rondo production credits.
Standout Bars
“Put it in my face because it’s wetter than a mango/ In and out that pussy like a n****a playin’ Jenga”
Nito Peso (Miami)
Repping Miami, Nito Peso is as real of an artist as there ever was. He has a gravelly, melodic voice that adds a chilling and genuine element to his music. The stunning detail Nito raps with makes it becomes abundantly clear that he has lived through hellish experiences. He comes across as sharp, paranoid, and tough. It’s tough to pick a single standout Nito song as he has such a thorough and strong catalogue. “Chapters” is one of his many incredible records. The concept of the song is that Nito, although he’s only 21, has lived such a legendary, and difficult life that he can only give listeners a small glimpse, a chapter, of his story. Over a soulful sample, Nito raps about his daughter, life stresses, and dead friends. The music video, shot by Steven Giovanny takes viewers through Overtown in Miami and is well worth the watch.
Standout Bars
“Too much blood from the scars, I need way more than a napkin/ And my pain paint a picture I need way more than a caption”
“And the number one rule is don’t use the product that you’re selling/ And number two if it’s your dog, no hell nah you can’t be jealous/ Number three, never let a old head trick your ass off the street”
LBS Kee’vin (Pensacola)
LBS Kee’vin is the most well known rapper on this list. This is well deserved. During the past year, he’s released a number of high quality records and has still not gotten nearly the attention he deserves. In early 2019 he made waves with the release of “Drive Thru” and “Boston George.” These two songs attracted a healthy sized fanbase for him to build for the rest of the year. Recently, Kee’vin signed a hard earned deal with Columbia records. The last month, he’s been dropping new music with a vengeance. A week ago, he dropped a video for “Thug Cry” with Florida legend, DrewFilmedIt. Kee’vin croons about a man who finds out his brother was in a shootout. Although the man tries to correct his brother’s path, the song ends with his brother getting shot and killed after school. Although the story is told in the third person, when the brother gets shot, Kee’vin switches perspectives, and asks “How the fuck I let my brother die?” So it’s unclear whether it was Kee’vin’s brother who died. Maybe it’s up to the listener to decide. Either way, the song tells an incredible story and is sure to catapult Kee’vin to new heights.
Standout Bars
“Like a trainer they doing drills on his side of town/ Coupe black and yellow he keep a steel when a ride around/ Bought a Mello Yello, filled it with lean then it’s going down”
Written by Ben Sauberman