TOP 10 ARTIST IN OHIO TO LOOK OUT IN 2010 by Soulstar

Alright so you've seen my list of movers & shakers in Ohio for 2009... Now the question is who are we gonna be talking about, hearing about & watching in 2010... There's no real science to this this list, and I could be completely wrong... this is just a prediction based on trends of the last few months... ENJOY, HATE, DEBATE, Whatever...

#10 ~ Dylan Ross ~ Attica ~ I'm sure you're asking who and where right now, but this unlikely Hip-Hop hero from a small town is starting to make major moves in the indie circuit... already connected to underground mainstays like Canada's Moka Only, this kid has the skills & drive ( and earlobes lol... look him up ) to make some nice waves in 2010

#9 ~ Johnnie Mae ~ Toledo ~ This female rapper from the 419 was buzzing hard with "Im Paid" in late 2008/early 2009, but an untimely one year jail sentence had her silenced for most of the year... From what I hear she's out ( or getting out soon ) and gonna be working on new material soon... we hope so... the game needs her

#8 ~ Banna Mane ~ Cleveland ~ This young cat's been floating around the Cleveland cicuit for awhile now, and is slowly starting to get his music heard outside the city with his hot new single "Trendsetta"... I have a feeling this kid is gonna make alot more noise in 2010

#7 ~ Infamiss ~ Toledo ~ another female rapper from the 419 who missed a big portion of 2009, but it was for totally different reasons... Infamiss gave birth to a brand new baby in 09, but is already back at it... She's set to release a new mixtape with DJ Smarts soon, while her new joint "Swagg Like Me" is already beginning to pick up

#6 ~ Yung King ~ Cleveland ~ He was awarded Best Male Street MC at the Rebel Army Radio Awards this year, and I can understand why... Every time I was in Cleveland his name was one of two names that always came up in conversation... need more proof? peep his "Unsigned & Untamed" mixtape and get back at me... 2010 should be a great year for this cat

#5 ~ Mz. Crazy Tee ~ Cleveland ~ I started hearing her name in late 2008, but never got the chance to see her rock the stage til I was at the Sea Level Lounge in Cleveland with Chevy Blue... all I gotta say is she's a beast haha!!! And back to what I said in #6... Mz. Crazy Tee was the other name I heard constantly in Cleveland... most visible member of LOL besides Chevy Blue, Winner of Rebel Army Radio Awards Jam Of The Year with "Rockin My Nerd Glasses", and a killer stage presence makes Tee a must on this list!!!

#4 ~ C. Jay Dinero ~ Cincinnati/Findlay ~ I don't think there's one single artist in Ohio with C. Jay Dinero's hustle... if my numbers are right, he's dropped at least 10 mixtapes in the last 2 or 3 years and been featured on a dozen more working with DJs all over the states including "So Cinematic" with That Dude Jasper & Slip N Slide DJ ~ DJ Rickie Huge (easily a contender for best mixtape in the 419 in 2009) His new single "In Da Car" ft. Midwest Tone & Spade is beginning to pick up, and with a new mixtape coming this spring and new album dropping this summer I'm sure his hustle has just begun

#3 ~ That Dude Jasper ~ Tiffin ~ just like Dylan Ross, you're probably thinking who and where... well, you won't be thinking that for very long.... Just recently interviewed in national magazine FANGORIA, his "That Dude - The Album" has pushed over 1,200 copies to date, and was the other half of one the 419's best mixtapes this year "So Cinematic" with C. Jay Dinero & Slip N Slide DJ ~ DJ Rickie Huge... He bodied fellow 419 rapper Praufisea in a very short lived diss exchange this summer, and with a new mixtape in the works Im sure you'll be hearing ALOT more from That Dude Jasper

#2 ~ Jola ~ Vandalia ~ Im telling you there's something about these smaller town's people are overlooking... Based outta Vandalia, a suburb of Dayton, Jola has really begun to make a name for himself in the last few months. His mixtape "I Went To Private School" with DJ Smarts has over 500 downloads on datpiff.com since its release on October 12, and had well over 1,000 people in attendance for his mixtape release party... very few in Ohio can say they've done those kinda numbers and that's why Jola HAS to be mentioned on this list...

#1 ~ Machine Gun Kelly ~ Cleveland ~ Some may argue that MGK shoulda been placed on my Top 10 Of 2009 but I feel the Winner of Best Live Performer at the Ohio Hip-Hop Awards, Machine Gun Kelly is just getting started... After the win, he performed at the historical Apollo Theatre in New York City, dropped one of the hottest mixtape joints of the year "Cleveland State Of Mind" and that was just the last quarter of the year... That's why Machine Gun Kelly topped the 2010 Ohio Hip-Hop Watch List!!!

Like I mentioned, these are the artists to watch in Ohio for 2010... Keep supporting Ohio Hip-Hop!!! Thanx!!! ~ Soulstar