Ballerific Music: The New Generation Of Florida Artists Are Pushing The Sunshine State Wave

The Florida hip-hop scene is buzzing right now, and several key players are propelling the movement. For nearly a decade, a fresh generation of artists has blossomed in the rap game from the Sunshine State. Learning from Florida icons like Uncle Luke, Trick Daddy, Trina, Rick Ross, and Plies, many newcomers have blended regional sounds with mainstream appeal.

Kodak Black was one of the biggest acts to perfect this formula, making a splash in December 2013. That year, he introduced his first mixtape, “Project Baby,” but it was his July 2014 hit, “No Flockin,” that propelled him to superstardom. Around this time, another star from Florida began to blow up, the late XXXTentacion. He took off after releasing his first mixtape, “XXX,” in March 2014, and landed his breakout single, “Look at Me,” in December 2015.

Another talent quietly making his mark is the crooner and rapper Rod Wave. He released his inaugural 2015 mixtape, “Hunger Games Vol. 1,” and his rise to fame took a few more years, with his June 2019 hit, “Heart on Ice.”

Rod Wave