9. Paebak
Photo: Justin Pallack
Representing St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, aka Rock City, Paebak is the Caribbean’s best bet for international hip-hop success. The USVI MC delivered quality content throughout 2013, including his impressive History mixtape and a video for lead single “VI OGs,” which landed him on MTV Jams. The former is a 360-degree portrait of life in “America’s paradise,” with thought-provoking rhymes and feelgood vibes doled out in equal measure, and some great production from local Virgin Islands talent. A new EP, Small Island, Big Dreams is in the works for 2014, as are more shows in the U.S.; in the meantime, look out for our Paebak interview on LargeUp. —Jesse Serwer