It seems every conversation with an up-and-coming hip-hop artist begins and ends with, “I have a plan to go viral.” But cracking the algorithm is more elusive than it appears.
This week, I had the opportunity to sit down over lunch with Rhasun of Dominion Hill Records at a popular rooftop venue in Philadelphia, famous for its cheesesteak egg rolls, to discuss the state of hip hop, regional music scenes, and the role of social media in artist development.
I asked the question: Has regional hip hop evolved?
“Evolved? Yes and no,” says Rhasun. “Hip hop started at a party in the Bronx with DJ Kool Herc in the early ‘70s. That’s debatable, but that’s where history says hip hop was birthed. It started as a local or regional culture that evolved into a genre of music, and then evolved into an international culture. There’s nothin’ new under the sun. It’s 2026, and artists are breaking the same way.”
Fifty years after the birth of hip hop, Rhasun believes the blueprint for success hasn’t changed.
“Artists like Chief Keef and his camp from O’ Block were local to one section of Chicago, and their single ‘I Don’t Like,’ filmed in an apartment, started a movement. I remember the first time I seen the video—it had maybe 13,000 streams. I said, ‘They gonna blow.’ I’m from the Midwest. I know grimy and organic. They wasn’t just talking it—I know killers when I see ‘em. I don’t care what nobody says, they were the founders of drill rap. All these artists owe Chief Keef a check. The answer is, I feel you still need that organic local foundation and don’t need to rely strictly on overnight viral success, but social media is a necessity in this era.”
With deep roots in Ohio, I asked Rhasun which artists are making the most noise in the Buckeye State.
“Ohio has a lot of talent, but what I always loved about the Ohio market is it’s not oversaturated with rappers and producers. Rappers rap, and everyone else is a potential fan. Plus, Ohio has so many colleges, like Ohio State and Cincinnati. You can pop there just on a college run alone.”
“But right now, let’s just talk about the Ohio Valley. You have The Council 2432, Hoffa, Donuts, and across the bridge in Pennsylvania, Messiah of Madness and producer Man Man, who produced a joint for me featuring Bizz and Freeway that charted on iTunes. If you don’t already know, look ‘em up. Brothers are talented and all have influenced Ohio hip hop.”
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