Your Ultimate Guide To The 2019 BET Experience Lineup
Still deciding who to catch on this year's BETX stage?
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A Boogie Wit da Hoodie - A Boogie wit da Hoodie is a rapper, singer and songwriter from Bronx, New York. Born Artist Julius Dubose, the Hoodie SZN star is well-known for his singles "Look Back At It," "Odee," "Baecation," "Timeless," and his 2017 effort "Drowning," which features fellow rapper Kodak Black. The track charted on Billboard 100 and peaked at number 38. Last year, A Boogie announced his upcoming project, International Artist, which has not yet received a public due date. (Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images)Must listens: “Drowning (feat. Kodak Black),” “My Sh**,” “Startender (feat. Offset and Tyga),” “Jungle,” “Still Think About You"
Photo By Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images
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Blueface - Busting down the millennial hip-hop scene with his “Thotiana” radio hit at the top of 2019, L.A. rapper Blueface (alternatively known as Blueface Bleedem) is no stranger to a center stage. The 22-year-old, who dons his rap moniker from a School Yard Crips street gang tie-in, gained steam at an astonishing rate after he first began rapping in January 2018, just one year prior to the now-Cardi B and YG-assisted “Thotiana” record. After releasing his first full-length project that summer Famous Cryp, the mixtape and its “Respect My Crypn’” World Star Hip Hop entry catapulted Blueface into the earshot of Birdman, who signed the rapper to Cash Money West thereafter. His artistry is now all the rage of a viral internet sensation, accessorized by his Benjamin Franklin face tattoo, “Bust Down Thotiana” pants-yanking dance groove, and unique, yet historic “off-beat” rap flow. BE...
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Bri Steves - Emerging into the prolific class of powerful female hip-hop forces, Bri Steves is a Philadelphia-bred rapper and R&B frequenter. The former Temple University student took the staircase to rap success, using her college years not only to study as a public relations major, but foster her songwriting, recording and producing skills. Such determination would soon pay off for Bri after her opening performance as an act for the Starr Island Music Group showcase in 2016 ushered in a world of new opportunities in the official business of the music industry. Nabbing a spot on FADER’s “5 Artists Ready to be Philadelphia’s Next Champion,” Bri is already championed for her slick lyrical savvy and boldfaced production sound, while often being noted as a premium talent on Atlantic Records’ freshest talents. From a talent showcase standout to a star guest pop-up at Made in Ameri...
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Cardi B - Before Cardi B became a hip-hop artist, she was just a "regular, degular, shmegular" girl from the Bronx. A social media star by day and stripper by night, she turned her growing internet presence into a stint on Love & Hip-Hop: New York, where she formally launched her rap career. At the 61st Grammy Awards, Cardi B made history and took home her first Grammy for Best Rap Album as the first female act to win as a solo artist with her chart-topping debut album, Invasion of Privacy. (Photo: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)Must listens: “Money,” “I Like It,” “Bodak Yellow,” “Back It Up,” “Bickenhead,” “Please Me (feat. Bruno Mars)"
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City Girls - All the way from Miami, Florida, middle school best friends Jatavia “JT” Johnson and Caresha “Yung Miami” Brownlee broke onto the rap scene with their debut single, F**k Dat N***a. While their breakneck rise in the industry has led to them being compared to hip-hop icons Salt-N-Pepa, it’s the rap duo’s unapologetically raunchy and bold lyrics separating them from the pack. A career-defining moment landed in their laps when Drake tapped City Girls to feature on his smash hit “In My Feelings” — putting to rest talk that the pair were just a fad. Periodt. (Photo: Prince Williams/ Getty Images)Must listens: “Act Up,” “Twerk,” “Broke Boy,” “F**k Dat N***a,” “Sweet Tooth”
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H.E.R. - Don’t let Gabriella Wilson’s young age fool you. Better known by the moniker H.E.R. (Having Everything Revealed), the 21-year-old R&B star has been on her grind since she was 14-years old. After some false starts, she found a home at RCA Records where she grew into her own as a bonafide singer-songwriter. In 2017, she released her highly acclaimed self-titled album, which went on to win two Grammys at the 61st annual Grammy Awards, including one for Best R&B Album. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella)Must listens: “Focus,” “Best Part (Daniel Caesar ft. H.E.R.),” “Could’ve Been (ft. Bryson Tiller),” “Still Down,” “As I Am”
Photo By Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella
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Lil Baby - Atlanta’s trap music stars come a dime a dozen in hip-hop’s current epoch, but not Dominique “Lil Baby” Jones. From the moment the 24-year-old released his Perfect Timing mixtape of 2017 after serving a two-year bid, the Quality Control Music signee has solidified his will to beat the odds. Lil Baby joined Atlanta trap wunderkind Young Thug to help lead the project, which set the precedent for the rest of his trap-leaning mixtape discography, such as Harder Than Hard, 2 The Hard Way with Marlo and Too Hard. “Yes Indeed,” the Drake-guested spotlight breakthrough of his Harder Than Ever debut album, peaked at No. 6 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and shifted his underground acclaim to mainstream prominence. Teaming with fellow Atlanta trapateer and Young Thug prodigy Gunna, Lil Baby furthered his success in the mixtape circuit with their collaborative Drip Harder mixtape. The...
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Lil Yachty - Lil Yachty is a rapper and songwriter from Mableton, Georgia who first gained musical recognition for his single "One Night” of his 2015 debut EP, Summer Songs. Born Miles Parks McCollum, the 21-year-old is sometimes recognized as a social media sensation for his web savvy and colorful, fan-friendly personality. Back in 2017, Yachty's Teenage Emotions album cover went viral for its inclusion and representation of young adults of various races, sizes, appearances and sexual orientations. The rapper is also known for his Lil Boat and Lil Boat 2 album efforts, inspired by his alternative rap alias of the same name. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Coachella)Must listens: “Yacht Club (feat. Juice WRLD),” “MICKEY,” “Shoot Out The Roof,” “Who Want The Smoke? (feat. Cardi B and Offset),” “Dirty Mouth”
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Mary J. Blige - As the undisputed Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige continues to reign as one of music's most supreme talents. Born in the Bronx, she got her start in music as a backup singer signed to Uptown Records. When her self-introductory album What’s the 411? dropped in 1992, it didn’t just mark her as a singer to watch—it cemented her as a star carving out her own lane in the industry. (Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The T.J. Martell Foundation)Must listens: "Just Fine,” “Be Without You,” “Not Gon' Cry,” “Everything,” “Family Affair”
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Meek Mill - Robert Rihmeek “Meek Mill” Williams first rose to fame as a battle rapper in the Philadelphia hip-hop scene. After meeting T.I., Meek inked his first deal with Grand Hustle Records before going on to join Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group, under which Meek’s debut album Dreams and Nightmares stamped the 32-year-old as a notable MC and recording artist. The LP’s lead single "Amen" featuring Drake debuted at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200. In October 2014, Meek launched his own label imprint Dream Chaser Records, releasing a series of mixtapes and two more studio albums, Dreams Worth More Than Money and Wins & Losses. His fourth studio album Championships dropped in November 2018 and almost immediately skyrocketed to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200. In November 2017, Meek was sentenced to two to four years in prison for violating parole and served five mo...
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