AMBJAAY (Saturday)
Who: A 19-year-old from Watts with a viral Spanglish hit.
Day N Vegas 2019
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- Rico Nasty leads a wave of strong women rappers into Day N Vegas
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- A lil listicle: Your guide to Day N Vegas’ 12 “Lil” rappers
Sound: Like the class clown running wild in the studio.
See because: He’s a throwback to when rap didn’t take itself so seriously.
Spin: The aforementioned Spanglish sensation, “Uno.”
COI LERAY (Saturday)
Who: A girly tomboy who can rap circles around any dude, including her father, Boston rap mogul Benzino.
Sound: East Coast aggression meets Atlanta bounce.
See because: She’s got such a playful swagger in her videos; it’s going to be fun to see live.
Spin: “Did It.”
DREEZY (Friday)
Who: Once dubbed the “Princess of Chicago rap,” she’s a double threat who entrances you with romantic R&B, then finishes you with a flurry of fierce rhymes.
Sound: A little bit of everything, from hot girl bangers (“Chanel Slides”) to conscious raps (“Spar”) to silky R&B (“Close to You”).
See because: Because she’s got more talent, views, spins and co-signs than most on the lineup.
Spin: Any of the above, plus “We Gon Ride” featuring Gucci Mane.
GUAPDAD 4000 (Friday)
Who: The over-the-top leader of the curious “scam rap” subgenre, who allegedly finessed Drake out of $100,000.
Sound: Think Mac Dre meets Riff Raff—slick and absurd, but multiplied by 4000.
See because: With recent collaborations with Chance the Rapper and J. Cole, the Ferragamo Falcon is on the fast track to the top.
Spin: “Scamboy.”
ELHAE (Friday)
Who: North Dakota-born, Georgia-bred crooner boasting collaborations with Kehlani, Ty Dolla Sign, Wale and more.
Sound: Groovy R&B with a touch of trap
See because: There’s so much rap at the festival; his set will be one of the few to chill out to.
Spin: “Hennessy.”
KATORI WALKER (Friday)
Who: A young rapper from Pasadena with a lot on his mind.
Sound: Powerful, visceral raps that will leave you speechless.
See because: He might be the second coming of Kendrick.
Spin: “Ormoni,” a short, gut-wrenching song about his brother’s murder.
KOTA THE FRIEND (Sunday)
Who: A down-to-earth DIYer from Brooklyn.
Sound:Like a deep conversation with a homie you haven’t seen in a while.
See because: You might not turn up, but you’ll leave his set a lot wiser.
Spin: “For Colored Boys.”
LUTE (Friday)
Who: Charlotte, North Carolina, emcee signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville camp.
Sound: Blue-collar bars with a soulful backdrop.
See because:He was a standout on Dreamville’s fabled Revenge of the Dreamers III compilation.
Spin: “Morning Shift.”
REASON (Sunday)
Who: A TDE signee and Kendrick Lamar understudy from Carson, California.
Sound: Sobering West Coast realness.
See because: He’s labelmates with titans Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q and SZA. No other endorsements needed.
Spin: “Better Dayz.”
SANTI (Sunday)
Who: Wildly creative rapper and singer bringing Nigeria’s alté youth culture to the U.S.
Sound: Afropop with indie rock and U.K. grime influences.
See because: He’s got a dark, moody and tribal aesthetic that’s unlike anything else on the lineup.
Spin: “Raw Dinner.”
DAY N VEGAS November 1-3, noon-1 a.m., $199/day, $429-$899 three-day. Las Vegas Festival Grounds, daynvegas2019.com.