New Boyz

Last year, The New Boyz taught the world how to jerk. What was once a minor Southern California trend went international when Ben J and Legacy created “You’re A Jerk,” the song that did for jerkin’ what Chubby Checker did for the “Twist.” From the Fox Hills Mall to Paris, France, teenagers in skinny jeans and tropically-colored t-shirts began filming videos of themselves jerkin’: a dance craze that combined the best of break-dancing, krumping, and running man.
But, it’s 2011 and rather than rest on their laurels, Ben J and Legacy are back, with their sophomore album, Too Cool to Care, in stores now. The album reflects the groups continued evolution, as they harness different genres (elctro, alternative rock, and R&B) and blend them their hip hop roots and trade mark wit and confidence. As they said from the start: New Boyz do new things.
Their first album made their voices of their generation, but their second explains exactly who the New Boyz are. They’re children of the iPod age, able to switch style as easily as they switch their skinny jeans. The notions of traditional hip hop mean nothing to them. They’re dedicated to pushing past genre and aesthetic boundaries. They’re perennially on the quest for new. And if you don’t like it, that’s all good- they’re Too Cool To Care.

Hoodie Allen

Make every word count. This has long been the mantra of Hoodie Allen, the New York based rapper and songwriter. With a penchant for candid storytelling and witty punch lines, Hoodie has always been an emcee who understood the importance of connecting with the audience through his lyrics. A purveyor of summertime anthems, Hoodie Allen has gained notable buzz on the internet for his unique genre-blending style, unafraid to sample from the unconventional norms of hip hop.

His most recent work samples a diverse array of artists and sounds from UK pop singers (Marina & The Diamonds) to indie rock staples and upstarts (Death Cab for Cutie). The idiosyncrasy of the music is very fitting as Hoodie Allen is not your typical rapper. A self-described “college educated music nerd”, Hoodie Allen embraces his individuality and promotes it as the main message in his hype-machine breakout “You Are Not A Robot” (2010). The future is bright for Hoodie Allen. He plans to continue providing the masses with feel-good music for a long time.

The Rej3ctz

The REJ3CTZ - Mowii, Pee W33, and Bounc3 were born and raised in Los Angeles (Compton, Inglewood, and S.Central respectively) and are known as three crazy, unique characters with music that fuses different genres of hip-hop, pop/urban and dance. They are known as the underground force behind the new generation of music, style, and dance emerging out of the West Coast. They first hit the music scene in 2008 with their J-Hawk produced club single, “Rej3ct Stomp.” The song describes the “function” scene as well as the original “jerk” dance known as the REJECT which they created and then which spread like wildfire worldwide, spawning numerous YouTube videos, fresh music, and other talented artists, including viral phenom, The Ranger$, and the New Boyz with their hit “You’re a Jerk.” Their lyrical ability was showcased in the Pepsi & Yahoo Music’s “mic Pass” freestyle, and the group was honored at the 2010 E-World Music Awards for emerging digital artists.