Hip Hop in Indiana was once something to laugh at compared to the other states which had artists such as Snoop Dogg, Dre, and many other big name artists representing their scenes. But now, Indiana is making a strong impact on the world. The Indiana hip hop scene has been through its rough patches but talent from the state is rapidly growing with artists such as Liptak and Al Koleon leading the local scene. Both artists have already achieved a lot with Liptak having performed with Lil Wayne and Migos in December 2017, and Al Koleon receiving regular radio play on Hip Hop Nation Sirius XM Radio and has racked up a whopping 250k streams on Spotify for his record “Still Blazing.”
Al Koleon has also performed at “The Breaks” Hip Hop Festival with artists such as Tech N9ne, Immortal Technique, Method Man, and Redman. Currently, he has a project in the works called “Grindin’ Season” that is set to drop in late July. These artists are legends in the making! But let’s not forget about the smaller artists like Prince Kane, Justinaintgotnoheart, The Rap Kaiser, and Stori Kobane. These artists are steady at their grind, putting in work every day to become the best in the game.
Prince Kane is the founder of the record label Spook Mobb, created two years ago after the members of his previous label, BBG Blokk Boy Gang 227, were either killed or imprisoned. Prince Kane signed artists such as Justinaintgotnoheart (Justin), formerly known as J.T. the Spook Saint, and Stori Kobane, along with a few other artists. Under the label, Stori Kobane has slowly increased his popularity as he has now reached 43,300 streams on Soundcloud alone. Stori has been a part of a few shows in Indiana, and even a show in Tucson, AZ. Justin has been rapping for about six years, but lately has gotten a bit more serious about his craft. He recently founded the record label BrxkenHxartRxcordings, and is working on his mixtape “Roses at my Feet.”
The newest of the artists, The Rap Kaiser, has paved his own road. He has worked alone as an independent artist until recently when he signed on to BrxkenHxartRxcordings as an artist and a manager. Kaiser has been praised by local big names such as Anno Domini Beats and Shady Jeff, former members of Hollywood Undead. Rap has also helped Kaiser deal with issues in his personal life and relationships. Has stated that, for him, rap is not just a passion but a gateway to a better life. Not just a hobby, its also a lifestyle.
Making it in the Hip Hop scene is not an easy road, each and every artist goes through much more than the success everyone sees. Many who are visible on the local scene have undoubtedly gone through rough patches, and somehow made it out, using hip hop as their outlet. So the next time you see someone posting their music and trying to share it, give it a spin. Everyone has three minutes to spare to give back to the artist and the hard work they’ve put in.
Written by: Ashton Ray | Follow Ashton Ray on IG!
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