North Carolina has never been short on talent. What’s different right now is the range. This week’s Who You Should Hear is all Tar Heel State: a country-boy trap star from Apex, a 9th Wonder-backed storyteller from Charlotte, and a Charlotte producer-rapper who’s become one of the underground’s busiest names.
Three artists, three totally different lanes. Here’s who they are and where to start.
sosocamo (Apex, NC)
Who he is: sosocamo is Cameron Sanders, a rapper from Apex, the area The FADER describes as about 30 minutes outside Raleigh. He grew up the youngest of four in what he calls “a real musical household,” sang in the church choir and started recording raps around 14.
The come-up: His breakout single “keep steady” has piled up close to 70 million Spotify plays, per The FADER. He told Clash he was fully independent when the song took off. His 13-track debut album, No Service, arrived in 2024, and his 2026 follow-up big country was led by the singles “200” and “say dat.” His girlfriend and executive producer, Grayto, has worked on most of his songs.
Why you should hear him: It’s moody, melodic trap with real Carolina roots. He leans into camo and Bass Pro Shop staples, and he told Clash that big country “isn’t necessarily a sound, more so a movement,” meaning you can make it from anywhere, including the woods outside Raleigh.
Start with: “keep steady”
Then run: “say dat” (Official Video)
Reuben Vincent (Charlotte, NC)
Who he is: Reuben Vincent was born and raised in Charlotte to Liberian parents. According to The Culture Crypt, he dropped his first mixtape at 13, a fan’s tweet got it in front of 9th Wonder, and in October 2017, at 16, he became the youngest artist signed to 9th Wonder’s Jamla Records.
The come-up: His collaborative album with 9th Wonder, Welcome Home, came out October 24, 2025, through Jamla Records and Roc Nation Distribution, per The Source. The guest list is serious: Wale, Ab-Soul, Raphael Saadiq, Raheem DeVaughn and Kelly Moonstone.
Why you should hear him: This is soulful, sample-rich storytelling, the North Carolina lineage of Little Brother and Jamla carried forward by a new generation. With Welcome Home turning one this week, it’s the perfect time to catch up. He isn’t shy about where he sees himself, either: “I’m one of the greatest in my generation,” he told The Culture Crypt.
Start with: “HOMECOMING,” produced by 9th Wonder. It closes with an airplane announcement welcoming listeners to Charlotte.
Then run: the full Welcome Home album on Spotify
prettifun (Charlotte, NC)
Who he is: prettifun is Michael-Raymond Taylor, a Charlotte rapper, singer and producer. He told The FADER he was a middle school theater kid, started making beats at 13 and only began rapping during quarantine, with a push from his friend ezcodylee.
The come-up: He came up in the online collective 4ersona alongside skaiwater, Rich Amiri and che, and his production on che’s “miley cyrus” helped put both of them on the map. Since then he’s been prolific: 2024’s Pretti and FunHouse, the 2025 FunHouse Deluxe, and the 12-track Pretti Loves U 2, which HotNewHipHop logged on August 21, 2026. He also played Rolling Loud Orlando this year, per Wikipedia.
Why you should hear him: Bright, synth-heavy, melodic sing-rap that sounds like a video game turned all the way up. He names Pi’erre Bourne as a major influence, and his goal is simple: “I wanted to overload the senses.” If you want to know what the underground sounds like in 2026, Charlotte is part of that answer.
Start with: “Moon and the Stars”
The Bottom Line
Apex, Charlotte and Charlotte again. Country trap, soulful boom-bap and neon underground rap, all from one state. For more of the bigger picture, NC Arts recently put together a solid primer on North Carolina rap. Go press play and tell us who we should hear next.
Sources
- The FADER: sosocamo makes smooth-toned trap on big country
- Clash: Southern Hospitality, sosocamo Interviewed
- Brick & Mortar: sosocamo Big Country Tour
- The Source: Reuben Vincent Announces Welcome Home
- The Culture Crypt: Reuben Vincent Interview
- The FADER: prettifun FunHouse Deluxe Interview
- HotNewHipHop: Pretti Loves U 2
- Wikipedia: Prettifun
- NC Arts: Genre Primer, North Carolina Rap
