10 August 24-30, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | AKA Mr. Worldwide, signed to Uncle Luke’s Luke Records in 2001 to jumpstart his rap ca- reer. He was featured on Uncle Luke’s 2001 album, Something Nasty, and in 2002, he scored a feature on Lil Jon’s Kings of Crunk LP. In 2004, he released his debut album, M.I.A.M.I, which featured his Lil Jon and Diaz Brothers-produced hit “Culo.” He also collaborated with the Ying Yang Twins on the “Shake” single, which climbed to number 12 on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart. Since re- leasing “Culo,” Pitbull has led Miami’s Latin hip-hop sound and become one of the most globally recognized artists from South Flor- ida. His versatile discography and influence expand beyond Miami, but the essence of his music makes him Mr. 305. Rick Ross and Maybach Music Raised in Carol City, Rick Ross came onto the local rap scene as “Teflon Da Don.” After signing to Suave House Records, he signed with Slip-N-Slide before releasing his 2006 debut album, Port of Miami, which peaked at number one on Billboard’s 200 album chart. The album’s second hit single, “Push It,” is one of his most popular songs to date. His 2008 and 2009 follow-ups, Trilla and Deeper Than Rap, respectively, enjoyed similar suc- cess. His most iconic records include “Hus- tlin’,” “Aston Martin Music” (featuring Drake and Chrisette Michelle), “Stay Schemin’,” “The Boss” (featuring T-Pain), and “Diced Pineapples” (with Wale and Drake). In 2008, he founded his Maybach Music label, whose current roster includes Wale, Meek Mill, Tee- dra Moses, and Gunplay. DJ Khaled and We the Best Born and reared in New Orleans, DJ Khaled got his start on pirate radio, an instrumental element of Miami’s hip-hop culture. He moved to Miami in 1998 to co-host The Luke Show on 99 JAMZ and by 2003 was hosting The Takeover, his weeknight show. His 2006 debut album, Listennn... the Album, debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number 12, while his massively popular single “We Ta- kin’ Over” from his sophomore release climbed to number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. His subsequent albums, We Global and Victory, which featured his triple plati- num anthem “All I Do Is Win,” were released under his We the Best Music Group label. Founded in 2008, We the Best’s current roster includes Mavado, Flipp Dinero, and Vado. The label helped catapult Deerfield Beach native Ace Hood to household-name status in 2008. We the Best released Hood’s debut, Gutta, which featured his smash hit “Cash Flow,” and his sophomore effort, Ruth- less, before the parties parted ways. Today, Khaled is a hip-hop titan. Whether sharing positive mantras on social media or recruit- ing artists for his collaborative albums, the Grammy winner has cemented his legacy as the rambunctious DJ who helped take South Florida’s rap scene to global heights. SoundCloud Transforms South Florida Rap 2013-2023 XXXTentacion Raised in Lauderhill, XXXTentacion was a leading figure in Florida’s mid- to late-2010s SoundCloud rap era. Born Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, the Jamaican American rap- per coalesced with fans online through his emotive, distorted, emo, and grunge songs. In 2014, he established the collective Members Only with Orlando rapper Danny Towers and Miami producer DJ Scheme before dropping his breakout single, “Look at Me,” in 2017. His vulnerable, angsty lyrics were relatable to younger fans. His debut album, 17, is certified Triple Platinum, and his second album, ?, de- buted in the top spot on Billboard’s 200 chart shortly before he was shot and killed outside a motorcycle dealership on June 18, 2018. Al- though his life was cut short when he was only 20, his music remains the blueprint for South Florida’s emo, punk, and alt-rap. On the opposite side of the party-inducing bass sound, XXXTentacion’s SoundCloud era helped open up a lane for artists challenging hip-hop’s sonic confines. Ski Mask the Slump God Born Stokeley Clevon Goulbourne in Fort Lauderdale to Jamaican parents, Ski Mask the Slump God was on top of the SoundCloud wave. A gifted lyricist, his cartoon-referenc- ing wordplay is clever, and his cadence and sometimes rapid-fire delivery is on par with predecessors like Busta Rhyme and Twista. He rose to prominence alongside XXXTenta- cion and their collective Members Only. In 2017, he released the singles “BabyWipe” and “Catch Me Outside,” which were featured on his RIAA gold-certified mixtape You Will Re- gret. His follow-up mixtape, Beware the Book of Eli, peaked at number 50 on the Billboard 200 chart, and his proper studio debut, Stoke- ley, topped out at number six on the Billboard 200 when it dropped in 2018. Kodak Black Born and raised in Pompano Beach, Kodak Black gained fame in 2014 for his “No Flockin’” single. His 2017 top-charting debut album, Painting Pictures, featured his first Top 10 single, “Tunnel Vision,” and in 2018, his second album, Dying to Live, and its lead single, “Zeze” (featuring Travis Scott and Off- set) debuted to top spots on Billboard’s Hot 200 and Hot 100 charts. Of Haitian descent, Kodak Black combines his Broward drawl and dialect into his syrupy inflections. De- spite countless controversies and jail stints, he has climbed the ladder to reach a near-un- touchable status in rap. Kodak Black’s appeal epitomizes the ongoing influence of the jook movement: He distilled a niche, cultural sound to global, top-charting status. City Girls Hailing from Liberty City and Opa-locka, re- spectively, the rap duo of Yung Miami (née Caresha Romeka Brownlee) and JT (née Jata- via Shakara Johnson) took the scene by storm with an uncredited guest appearance on Drake’s chart-topping 2018 single “In My Feelings.” City Girls immediately distin- guished themselves as voices out of the 305 and signed to Quality Control Music, releas- ing a debut mixtape, Period, before dropping studio albums Girl Code (2018) and City on Lock (2020). The former boasts Platinum- certified Top 40 singles “Twerk” with Cardi B and the braggadocious “Act Up.” The pair’s debut studio track, “Fuck Dat Nigga,” features a prominent sample of fellow Florida rapper Khia’s cult classic “My Neck, My Back (Lick It)” and racked up hundreds of thousands of plays. Released in January 2018, the official music video for the song features an appear- ance from Miami rap veteran Trina. To date, it has logged more than 80 million views. [email protected] 50 Years from p 9 Rick Ross and DJ Khaled talk backstage during the 2007 Hot 97 Summer Jam in East Rutherford, New Jersey. XXXTentacion Bryan Bedder/Getty Images Alex Markow
