Y.G.

Though he would argue otherwise, Y.G. (aka "Young Gangsta") is widely considered part of L.A.'s teen-fueled "jerkin'" scene. If that's the case, then he might be its most thugged-out product yet. The heavily tattooed Compton rapper spent much of his teen years running the streets while serving up mixtapes and YouTube-ready party tracks. The first one to catch fire was "B*d Bitch"; other viral hits like "Swag Walk" and "Monica Lewinsky" followed. But it was "Toot It and Boot It" that drew the interest of Def Jam, the storied urban label. As "Toot It and Boot It" climbed the national pop charts, Y.G. worked on his national debut, tentatively titled Fresh on Campus.