El-P, Busdriver, Dizzee Rascal

El-P
El-P, aka El Producto, is one of hip-hop's most obstinate and adventurous pioneers, combining a lo-fi old-school aesthetic with a progressive rock musician's inclination to push boundaries.

Busdriver
Possessing a hyper-literate, intellectual style of rapping augmented with dizzying elocution that would tongue-tie even the fiercest auctioneer, Busdriver is eclectic and eccentric enough to cite vocalese jazz singer Jon Hendricks as a primary influence.

Dizzee Rascal
Dizzee Rascal was one of the U.K.'s most prominent music subjects during the latter half of 2003. Just a few months prior to winning his country's Mercury Prize -- for Boy in da Corner, his debut album -- his name was known only by his peers and devout followers of the garage scene.