Every year, BBC Radio 1Xtra DJs and production staff collaborate on a list of artists they predict who they will be big on the scene over the next 12 months with their ‘Hot For’ list. Previous additions on the list have been Wretch 32 [2011], Frank Ocean [2012], The Weeknd [2013] and Krept & Konan [2014] with the 2015 incarnation including the likes of Stormzy and Little Simz. With Stormzy having “Shut Up” reaching #8 in the UK charts and Little Simz impressing critics in the UK and beyond with ‘A Curious Tale of Trails + Persons‘, it’s clear that being part of the ‘Hot For’ list means that you are destined for great things, with support from BBC Radio 1Xtra throughout.
The ‘Hot For 2016’ list includes 15 acts from the world of black music and underground sounds; AKA, Bryson Tiller, Bugzy Malone, Izzy Bizu, J Hus, Kehlani, Kiko Bun, Kojey Radical, Mabel, Nao, Samm Henshaw, Section Boyz, Vershon, WSTRN and Yungen. The list is reflective of the ever expanding and diverse urban scene, including sounds of UK rap, US R&B, Grime and everything inbetween.
Talking on the list, 1Xtra DJ MistaJam said: “Since its inception, the BBC Radio 1Xtra ‘Hot For’ list has not only predicted those artists that would be big on the underground but also those scenes, trends and artists that will completely dominate popular culture over the next 12 months, making it THE barometer music fans need to tell them the artists that will own 2016!”
Find out more about all of the artists in this years’ ‘Hot For’ list here