Dave East

A strong lyricist adept at telling gritty street narratives, Harlem-based MC Dave East has a style heavily reminiscent of '90s New York hardcore rap while sounding fresh enough to compete with the contemporary hip-hop landscape. After building a buzz with several independent mixtapes during the early 2010s, East caught the attention of his favorite rapper, Nas, who signed him to Mass Appeal. Several Billboard-charting releases followed, including 2016's Kairi Chanel, 2017's Paranoia: A True Story, and 2020's Top 40 hit Karma 3. East also branched out into acting and portrayed Method Man on the Hulu series Wu-Tang Clan: An American Saga. The iconic rapper guested on East's 2022 release HDIGH. This was followed by Book of David, a collaboration with Buda & Grandz and DJ Drama. East's ambitious second studio album, Fortune Favors the Bold, arrived in 2023. He worked with producer Scram Jones on 2024's For the Love.

His biggest moment of the year came with the return of his acclaimed mixtape series, delivering Karma 4—a 26-track showcase of gritty
lyricism featuring appearances from Key Glock, Larry June, Wiz Khalifa, and a posthumous verse from Nipsey Hussle. East kept the momentum rolling into 2026, reconnecting with Scram Jones for the release of For the Love 2.