Nikki Lynette is an indie artist whose style is equal parts hip hop, alternative, and pop. Her self-produced tunes have been featured in popular shows on MTV, Fox, Hulu, and more and have garnered digital and print features for publications like Billboard, Bust, and Vibe. Her work has been featured in media ranging from Spike Lee’s hit Netflix series “She’s Gotta Have It” to Poo-Pourri’s viral commercial “Imagine,” which won Nikki her first American Music Producer Award. Nikki Lynette fuses activism into her songs and performances and has created a lane for her music that is uniquely her own. She is currently developing a series of shows centered around her “Get Out Alive” social movement that raises awareness for mental health and suicide prevention.

When you come from the middle of nowhere, it can sometimes seem like it’s going to be impossible to make it out alive. It was this feeling of helplessness that created the environment necessary for songwriter David Costa to craft his artform. Hailing from the Chicago suburbs of Northwest Indiana, Costa has built a reputation for delivering thoughtful hip-hop lyrics over a dynamic “genre free” soundtrack. In the process, creating an exciting live show unlike anything in music today and winning over diverse audiences every step of the way.

With inspirations ranging from Kanye West to Faith No More–from Eminem to The Used–from Michael Jackson to OutKast…the result is an aggressive verbal assault on modern day hip-hop. The lyrics are honest, the vocals have an original flow and delivery, and the music is a perfect blend of traditional hip-hop beats mixed with stylistic rock-n-roll melodies.

On His debut full length album ‘The Starving Artist’, Costa touches on a number of social, spirtual, and philosophical topics over the sound of 808 drums and an eclectic blend of live instrumentation. The result is a full-blown hip-hop concept album that tells the tale of an aspiring young songwriter, struggling to find his purpose in life and make a name for himself in the music industry. Complete with character development and plot twists, the songs read like a novel; and are in chronological chapter form. Additionally, ‘The Starving Artist’ is “Part II” of a trilogy of albums, leaving the listener anticipating the beginning of the story and also wondering how the story will end.

With a resume that includes the annual Bamboozle Festival in New Jersey, South by Southwest, Chicagos’ Q101 Jamboree, and The Vans Warped Tour; Costa has shared the stage with Artists ranging from industry favorites My Chemical Romance and Travie McCoy to independent Acts such as Reggie and The Full Effect and Chicago rap legend Twista. 2014 is looking to be a busy year for Costa as He continues to tour in support of His self-released debut, as well as write and record the follow up “prequel” to ‘The Starving Artist’. The future of hip-hop has arrived…and His name is David Costa !