In an era when Soundcloud rappers are finding internet fame everyday, it seems like personality has become the differentiator for new artists all throughout the music industry. Back when Drake released his single “Started From the Bottom”, rap was a whole different game. As Soundcloud launches artists like Lil Pump, Post Malone, and Dom Marcell to fame, fans are deciding which direction the music industry will go in next. Today’s newest artists may not have made it in Nothing Was the Same’s day, but they’re blowing up today’s scene nonetheless.

Seventeen year old Soundcloud rapper Lil Pump is the perfect example of online infamy turned into full celeb-status. When listening to breakout hits like “D Rose” and “Gucci Gang”, it may be hard to believe this Xaned out womanizer was born in the year 2000. What Lil Pump lacks in years, he makes up for in his rhymes. Hailing from the south of Florida, Lil Pump recently moved to LA with Gucci Gang partner Smokepurpp. Their favorite part of living in LA? Being able to smoke weed anywhere. Rather than referring to themselves as Soundcloud rappers, the duo prefer the term “ignorant”. Before starting to record with Smokepurpp, Lil Pump explained that he “never wanted to be a rapper, it just happened. It’s fire though”. Despite being expelled in the ninth grade for explicit threats to his school’s principal Lil Pump has come a long way!

“Rockstar” Post Malone first gained recognition for his 2015 debut “White Iverson”, and recently solidified his place in the industry with his album Stoney. Hailing from Grapevine Texas, Post Malone recorded his first mixtape at age 16 and became a hit in his high school after showing it to his friends; today, at the age of 21, he’s one of the most streamed rappers worldwide. Although he first gained popularity from releasing music on Soundcloud, Post is not your stereotypical Soundcloud rapper. Growing up playing guitar and listening to rock, country, and hip-hop, covering Nirvana, and expressing his desire to work with Metallica’s lead singer, Post Malone stays true to his idea that music shouldn’t be boxed in. Today his music has influences from hip hop, grunge, country, and R&B.

Dom Marcell is an up-and-coming Soundcloud artist (who could not be further from Lil Pump). Dom Marcell is a Wall Street businessman turned R&B artist who found his talent for singing at the age of three. After attending the University of Southern California and then getting his JD and MBA degrees from Northwestern University, Dom realized that his true passion lied in music. After releasing his breakout songs “D.T.K.” and “That’s Whats Up” on Soundcloud, Dom found himself quickly gaining internet attention. To Dom, success is like building a home. After building a solid foundation, he believes that “starting at zero builds tenacity, determination, humility, and perseverance. Once success comes, you can truly appreciate and recognize your blessings because you know what it took to get there”.

As Soundcloud continues to catapult talented new artists to fame, fans have never had more of a say in the next big thing. Labels no longer decide who will get the next big break- today, internet fans choose who will go viral. Thanks to Chance the Rapper stepping up and saving Soundcloud when it was about to shut down due to lack of funding, we can all look forward to the next online sensation.