12 Artists to Watch in 2012 (Part 4)

As the final four takes shape, here's our final installment of the 12 Artists to Watch in 2012. Refresh your memory and get up to par with Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 before heading below.

Don't get the gist? Here's a crash course. These are the guys we believe are poised to make big breakthroughs in the coming months. Forget about XXL's list, everybody knows those dudes were selling spots. Forget about MTV's list, everybody knows they were smoking angel dust the entire time. Kids Wasting Time's got you. 

Hit the jump to see the final three artists to make our list, and who knows, maybe we included French Montana anyway...


Artist: Hassani Kwess
Hometown: Washington, DC
Follow: @hassanikwess
Essential Listening: Ruthless



Get Familiar: "Kick The Bass, Chuck" (prod. Chuck Inglish)

If you haven't heard of Hassani Kwess, you're late. If you don't appreciate his music after we introduced you, you're lame. Kwess is one of those rappers that people listen to and are automatically impressed with his talents. The dude sounds extremely natural both on the mic and on the beats, excelling in both as a rare producer/rapper.

Bursting onto the scene after standing out on Asher Roth's "Pabst & Jazz" track, the Washington, DC emcee recently released his fifth project Ruthless, premiering it exclusively right here at KWT. It's a multi-faceted project, boasting both tough, street rap tracks like "Lombardi" and smooth, jazz inspired ones like "B&M." With the exception of a few, the mixtape was produced almost entirely by Kwess, and his productions prove to be just as versatile as his rapping.

While dude is still a ways away from national stardom (we don't tend to cover artists who aren't), I fully expect Kwess to catch the ear of a huge underground following in the coming year, gaining the respect of the blogosphere, if he hasn't entirely done so already. His young age and lengthy yet quality discography is a testament to his awesome work ethic, which, paired with his natural talents, should pay off with a huge 2012 for Hassani Kwess.

Artist: Pac Div

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Follow: @itspacdiv; @LikePacDiv; @mibbspacdiv; @BeYounGPacDiv

Essential Listening: Church League Champions; Don't Mention It; Mania!; The Div

Get Familiar: "She" (feat. TiRon)

Since the inception of KWT, Pac Div has always been one of my top five favorite active hip hop acts, but until a few months ago, they were heavily slept on. Consisting of brothers Like and Mibbs and their longtime friend BeYoung, Pacific Division have stuck together since their high school basketball days, grinding out four incredibly dope mixtapes and, most recently, their debut album, The Div in November.

The newly independent (the broke free from their controlling deal with Universal just prior to the LP's release) trio are natives of Los Angeles, and it's very evident in their smooth sounds. They spit lyrics that everyday young adults can relate to on an everyday basis, from lines about being stuck living with parents to working minimum wage jobs, it's apparent that Like, Mibbs and BeYoung were normal dudes before their rapping careers took off.

As if that wasn't enough to get us hooked, The Div pride themselves on quality music, only working with the best producers and beats whether it be their in-house producer Swiff D, The Cool Kids' Chuck Inglish, the legendary No I.D., or the group's own Like, who recently got began producing.

Surely a unanimous Freshmen entry if XXL's "no groups" policy didn't exist, we view 2012 as the year Pac Div will solidify themselves as some of the best in the west. With their Sealed For Freshness 2 mixtape on the way as well as collaborations with The Neptunes, Dom Kennedy, and Kendrick Lamar in the vault, we expect that this year, Pac Div will finally move out of their parents' house and into yours.

Artist: Rockie Fresh

Hometown: Chicago, IL
Follow: @RockieFresh
Essential Listening: The Otherside

Get Familiar: "Duckin' N Dodgin'"

Although Chicago hip hop is still reaping the benefits of classic artists like Kanye, Common and Lupe Fiasco, The Windy City has been in the need of a young, up and coming emcee to ensure the city keeps ahold of the game as the aforementioned stars continue to age. As of late, Chi-City has been exploding with tons of new, promising acts from LEP Bogus Boys to Chief Keef, from King Louie to Kids These Days, and right in the thick of things is 20 year old South Side representer, Rockie Fresh. 

Dude started the year 2012 with a bang in his third mixtape, Driving 88, as well as a nomination for XXL's Freshmen roster. Although he didn't earn a spot on the cover (who cares, our list is better anyway), expect him to outrap and outlast many, if not most, of the artists on the list with his smart, witty analogies and punchlines and his ability to expand hip hop into other genres. 

Rockie reminds me of a more lyrical, more unique version of his "Duckin' N Dodgin'" counterpart Casey Veggies, and we've seen the buzz he's created at the ripe age of just 18. Often taking inspiration from differing genres of music, Fresh's sound is heavily and obviously influenced by alternative rock and electro music, making him likable to a multitude of music lovers, which is what I believe sets him apart from other artists from the Chi. While LEP Bogus Boys are strictly gangsta rap and Kids These Days are limited to their pop-like sounds, Rockie Fresh has always been and will continue to remain unclassifiable.

Previous: 12 Artists to Watch in 2012 (Part 1) | Part 2 | Part 3 | 

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