HotNewHipHop's On The Come Up profiles emerging rappers and producers that show strong promise but haven't necessarily seen the shine they deserve, from those deep underground to artists on the cusp of the mainstream that you may have missed. You'll find analyses of their defining characteristics, examples of their best work and plenty of opportunities to dig deeper via hyperlinks. If there's a particular artist you'd like to see covered here in the future, feel free to let us know in the comment section below.
Our regular readers should be familiar with Nikko Lafre at this point. Since making his debut on the site back in April 2013, the Minneapolis, Minnesota representative has been releasing quality music consistently. Though only 19 years of age, his chances in the game are already looking quite good, his approach marked by a shrewd business sense, exhaustive perfectionism and unrelenting ambition (not to mention his support system, which includes producer Lee On The Beats, a We The Best signee responsible for DJ Khaled's "Hold You Down," French Montana's "Pop That" and several other hits).
Read on for a breakdown of Nikko's career path thus far, much of it from the man himself.