Wale

Washington, D.C., had yet to boast a rapper that made a national impact until now. Setting the Internet on fire, Wale has already gotten cosigns from Jay-Z, the Roots' Black Thought, Bun B and Mark Ronson (who signed him to his Allido Records label) with his contagious enthusiasm for rippin' mics. Rapping over everything from Go-Go's to Justice beats, Wale combines wit, sharp insight and thought-provoking lines to show a side of Chocolate City that has nothing to do with guns and drugs. After scoring a hit with "Nike Boots," which featured Lil Wayne on the remix, Wale brought a lot of exposure to the city's hip-hop scene. He followed up with a well-received debut in 2009, Attention Deficit.