Hey y'all! It's been a minute and a half. I pray y'all have been doing well, staying hydrated and jamming some Twin Cities' Hip-Hop in my absence. On my side, I've been working on a tech and media start-up, called The Plugged App, so I had to take a little hiatus. BUT, WE BACK, and I'm excited to dig into the latest heat from some of my favorite local artists and some new ones as well.

For those that don't know how I do things at The Come-Up, the songs and projects I list aren't just recent releases, but new discoveries for me. I try to keep it fresh, but don't be surprised to hear a track from 2018 or 2019. With the pandemic spanning over two years and me taking a little break, I hope you don't mind.

Without further ado, let's get into it!

Katrine - "K"

I gotta start with my favorite discovery, Minneapolis artist Katrine. When I put a callout on Twitter asking for artists to check out, she came highly recommended. I went to Spotify to listen to her recent five-track EP, K, and it didn't disappoint. Katrine blends singing with rapping, over alternative R&B and trap-lite beats. She got soul! Definitely putting the EP on one of my playlists. My favorite track on the project is "Queen."

Kelvino - "Liiaaarrr"

A new discovery for me, Kelvino's 2019 single, "Liiaaar," caught my attention. Mans went down a rabbit hole and found out he has a new EP called Vino's Bizarre Adventure, a beautiful play on the legendary anime, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (If you know, you know). There's some trap, some tracks more lyrically driven, and some afrobeat influence, honoring his Kenyan and Nigerian roots. My favorite song off the album is "Sleep." Check it out wherever you stream your music.

Ameen Taahir - "10 inches of Snow"

Minnesota survived one long a** winter and has been living through an inferno the past few weeks. Lord knows the Cities could enjoy 10 inches of Snow, so long as it melts within a day. Jokes aside, Ameen Taahir is a force on the mic and an artist you should be acquainted with. His single, "10 inches of Snow," highlights his versatility and penmanship. If you like what you hear, check out his new album, Emerald Child.

Pete Stylez - "Quiero de ti"

Stylez has produced for Chief Keef, Laken Hill (Meech), Dug Hill, KenSoul and countless others. Looking for a new challenge, the West St. Paul producer turned rapper/singer has gone back to his Latin roots with one of his latest tracks, "Quiero de ti," a reggaeton/R&B fusion perfectly tailored for the summer.

Sole2dotz - "Motion"

I won't cap, Sole has been one of my favorite local artists for some time now. His recent album, Motion, shows his growing maturation as an artist, producer and overall human being. Always pushing us to be more attuned to the world around us and our true selves, Sole provides us another solid project to jam at the crib. My favorite track is "Everything," where he combines his native Chicago's juke sound with his patented lyricism.

Destiny Roberts - "Essential"

Easily one of the more recognizable local artists, Destiny Roberts is constantly working on her game and looking to level up. Not just in her penmanship and sound, but her creativity as a whole. Check out the St. Paul legend's recent single, "Essential." It's a must-listen.

Nur-D - "One Step Forward"

Sometime soon, I'm gonna do a feature on Nur-D and I'm really stoked about it. He's the sort of rapper I love the most — capable of blending the moment, the movement, into his penmanship, without coming off as corny or dull. More than anything, I've gotten tremendous respect and love for his leadership, as our cities continue to fight for justice for our slain Black brothers. Check out his single, "One Step Forward."

Lewiee Blaze - "Freedom Fighter"

Like Nur-D, Lewiee Blaze is on my shortlist of artists I would love to chop it up with. Additionally, I gotta give my mans his flowers for his commitment to the movement. His latest album, Freedom Fighter, is the sort of album I imagine civil rights and Black inspiration movies would use for movie soundtracks. His voice, his snippets, his ability to capture what it is like to be Black and young in the Twin Cities is real. Highly recommend "James Brown" and "Love Black Women."

Here's "Freedom Fighter":

Forgivemewavy - The Mill City Dream

If you're unfamiliar with Forgivemewavy, he's an up-and-coming artist from Minneapolis with a futuristic sound. He has this Travis $cott-esque flow and vibe. He's a great listen, especially as you're driving round late through the Cities. Check out his latest album, The Mill City Dream.

J'mere - "Never Fall"

I've always liked J'mere. On the mic, his flow is smoother than a Kyrie Irving finger-roll, and he exudes full control on a beat, like he's been there. It's not quite arrogance, but deep self-confidence that he can't do no wrong. To his part, thus far, he can't. His recent single, "Never Fall," highlights the best of these qualities. If you haven't heard of him, definitely peep!

Enzyrose - Voicemails

Of course I got to s/o a young artist with big potential. Meet Enzyrose. I learned about the young phenom last summer, when I was back in the Twin Cities. I was geeked after the first listen, and she recently dropped an album, Voicemails, that is worth a listen. More of a singer than a rapper, Enzyrose can do it all. She beautifully blends her gifted vocals with her natural ability to flow on any track. Check out her single, "Mixed Feelings" Feat. Eddie White!

That's it for the first Come-Up in a year! If you have new music to check out or up-and-coming artists or OG's that deserve some shine, DM me on Twitter (@thejeffbissoy) or email me, bissoymattisj@gmail.com. I'm also working hard to feature more women and LGBTQ+ artists as well, so if you know any that need the spotlight, send them my way!

Till then, be easy.

Jeffrey Bissoy is a former assistant producer at MPR News. Born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, raised in The Twin Cities and now based in Mexico City, Jeffrey has grown a passion for representation and identity, Hip-Hop, and the impact of sports on society. In addition to his work at The Current, Bissoy has also written for The Sahan Journal and other outlets, and he is the CEO and founder of The Plugged App.