Hailing from the DMV, more specifically Maryland, 22-year-old rapper Logic has been steadily cranking out music over the past couple of years that, at times, makes you feel like you’re back in ’96. The funny thing about it, though, is that’s precisely his goal. Never one to conform to “what’s hot” or “what’s buzzing,” Logic has been inspired by the Hip-Hop that helped redefine the genre and culture throughout the 1990s. Artists and groups like Nas, Wu-Tang, Jay-Z, and Gangstarr, are all influences of the young rapper, who has found a way to combine what he loved about each artist and give you something that is raw, lyrical, innovative, and fresh, while at the same time being 150% Logic.

“Eighteen-year-old Philly rapper Tayyib Ali made a name for himself last fall with his mixtape 18 and this month he’s set to drop his new one, Keystone State of Mind. Maybe it’s the catchy ’60s lounge sample, maybe it’s Ali’s smooth, friendly flow and honest message, but I can’t stop listening to the title track. “Rap is my life,” he says at the end of the track. “This is what I’m passionate as hell about.” You can tell.” -EC, NYLON MAGAZINE