ÍøÆغÚÁÏ

Los Angeles-based producer and songwriter Blxst seamlessly blends rap and R&B, switching between harder rhyming and more melodic singing over smooth, intricate backing tracks. He became known for his emotive, relationship-themed songs such as 2019's "Hurt," as well as collaborations with artists like Bino Rideaux and Mozzy. A deal with Red Bull Records in 2020 first yielded No Love Lost, the deluxe edition of which featured "Chosen," a Billboard Hot 100 entry with Ty Dolla $ign and Tyga. Sixtape 2, his Def Jam-supported second release with Rideaux, landed on the Billboard 200 just after he was named to XXL magazine's 2021 Freshman Class. Blxst quickly returned to the charts in 2022 with Before You Go, his first solo full-length, then released the EPs Just for Clarity 2 and Sixtape 3 in 2023. Singles such as "Risk Taker" appeared in 2024.

Matthew Burdette began rapping and producing shortly after he finished high school, heavily influenced by Ryan Leslie as well as Pharrell Williams and Kanye West. His first song as Blxst, "Who Would've Thought," appeared in 2016, and he became more productive in 2018, with six singles appearing on his own Evgle label that year, including "Can I," a collaboration with Eric Bellinger. In 2019, he released the single "Hurt," which became his breakout solo hit, racking up millions of streams. He also produced Kalan.FrFr's "Right wit It," which caught the attention of Bino Rideaux. The two got in touch, and Blxst sent Rideaux several beats, which he used on his mixtape Sorry for tha Wait. The duo then collaborated on the EP Sixtape and performed several sold-out shows throughout the West Coast.

After signing with Red Bull Records, Blxst released the EP No Love Lost in 2020, as well as singles such as "My Emotions" and "Slip & Slide" (featuring 1TakeJay). A deluxe edition of No Love Lost contained his biggest song yet, "Chosen," which peaked at number 51 on the Hot 100. The next year brought the two-track single Just for Clarity, which featured collaborations with Drakeo the Ruler and Russ, and another album with Bino Rideaux, Sixtape 2, which was distributed by Def Jam and reached number 117 on the Billboard 200, mere weeks after he was selected for XXL's annual Freshman Class feature. Later in 2021, Blxst appeared on the song "Go to War" on Snoop Dogg Presents Algorithm.

Seizing the momentum, Blxst completed a full-length project with featured roles for Rick Ross, Zacari, and Arin Ray. He also delegated most of the production, working with ThaRealCStylez and ThaRealJFKBeatz (co-producers of "About You") and Jahaan Sweet and Sevn Thomas (on "Sometimes," another highlight), among others. Before You Go arrived in 2022 and entered the Billboard 200 at number 90. Around the same time, Blxst was featured on Kehlani's "Any Given Sunday" and Kendrick Lamar's "Die Hard." Later that year, he teamed up with fellow California rapper Larry June on the single "Keep Calling." The track appeared on Just for Clarity 2, a 2023 EP also featuring Terrace Martin, Mustard, and Roddy Ricch. Blxst was also featured on "West Coast Weekend" with Tyga and YG, and he released "child of GOD" with Remble. Sixtape 3 (with Rideaux) appeared before the end of the year. In 2024, Blxst released the singles "Heart Ain't Empty," "Rewind" (with Feid), and "Risk Taker" (with Offset). ~ Paul Simpson & Andy Kellman

One-third of rap outfit Migos, Offset is a rapper whose speedy triplet rhymes and love of interjections and clever wordplay made him a fan favorite as the trap trio ascended the hip-hop charts. After breaking through with Migos, he branched off as a solo artist, collaborating with multiple artists and reaching chart highs with Tyga ("Taste") and Kodak Black ("Zeze") in 2018. In early 2019, he issued his debut full-length, Father of 4, which hit number four on the Billboard 200 and spawned the Grammy-nominated single "Clout." Migos' Culture III arrived in 2021, and Offset spent the next two years focusing on singles and collaborations with IDK, Trippie Redd, Moneybagg Yo, Metro Boomin, and others. He returned to the Top Five of the Billboard 200 with his second studio album, 2023's Set It Off, before pairing with Gunna for 2024's "Style Rare" and "Prada Dem."

Born Kiari Kendrell Cephus in Lawrenceville, Georgia, he initially formed another collective called Polo Club in 2009. The following year, he formed Migos alongside Takeoff and his cousin Quavo. The trio broke out of the underground when their track "Versace," from the 2013 mixtape Young Rich N*ggas, became a widespread hit. Offset went on to release chart-topping studio albums with Migos, including 2017's Culture and its follow-up, 2018's Culture II. Without Warning, a collaboration with 21 Savage and Metro Boomin, appeared on Halloween 2017 and immediately hit the Top Five of the Billboard 200 album chart. The set featured his triple-platinum hit "Ric Flair Drip." Around the same time, Offset married Cardi B in a private ceremony, though the up-and-down relationship of these two famous rappers was the topic of frequent public gossip.

Following a slew of guest appearances -- including the multi-platinum Top Ten singles "Taste" with Tyga and "Zeze" with Kodak Black -- Offset issued the single "Red Room," which landed on his solo debut, Father of 4, in 2019. The album debuted at number four in the Top 200 Billboard charts and spent another week in the Top Ten. The following year, the Cardi B-featuring single "Clout" was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In 2021, Offset and Migos returned with Culture III, while the rapper teamed with Trippie Redd, Lil Durk, Kevin Gates, and King Von for the all-star single "Hit Em Hard" from the Fast & Furious 9 soundtrack. Offset hit the charts again with the 2022 singles "Big 14" (with Trippie Redd and Moneybagg Yo), "54321," and "Code" (with Moneybagg Yo). The following year, Offset released "2 Live," a collaboration with Hit-Boy, then he and JID guested on "Danger" from Metro Boomin's soundtrack to Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse.

In July 2023, a new single, "Jealousy," with his wife Cardi B, served as one of the first rumblings of his next studio album, Set It Off. A second single, "Fan," was released in September, and the entire album arrived in October. Set It Off was released through Motown, with Offset cutting ties with Quality Control Music over disputes about publishing. The album featured guest appearances from many other top-tier rappers and pop stars, including contributions from Travis Scott, Latto, Future, Young Nudy, Chlöe, and others, as well as production work from a host of different producers. It peaked at number five on the Billboard 200. In 2024, he joined forces with Gunna, bringing the rapper on board for his non-album single "Style Rare," and returning the favor by guesting on "Prada Dem." ~ Rob Wacey & Neil Z. Yeung