XV

As hip-hop continues to grow from a fringe culture to a global movement, the young genre has become notably fractured. Distinct subgenres have come to both define and divide the rap soundscape, and artists throughout the industry are scrambling to find the right label, the right sound, and the right style. The hipsters can’t be hard, the thugs can’t be conscious, and there’s almost no tolerance for ambiguity. MCs have been forced to choose between what they should be and what they are—one could say the culture has undergone a bit of an identity crisis.

Standing firmly in opposition of rap’s schizophrenia is XV. Born Donavan Johnson, the 24 year old Kansas native has effortlessly purged the imaginary borders that the hip-hop world has drawn. Obsessed with comic books, action figures, web surfing and RPGs, XV isn’t your average thugged out MC or even a skinny-jeaned hipster. Rather, he’s an anomaly—the self-proclaimed “kid with the green backpack” who’s simply loved to make music since he was 15 years old.

XV’s on the outside of the game looking in, and this isolation has given him an enlightened perspective, outlined perfectly on his breakthrough mixtape “Everybody’s Nobody.” Hosted by Hot 97’s DJ Enuff (a longtime supporter and fan), “Everybody’s Nobody” showcased XV’s keen wordplay, infectious hooks, and above all, the sharp lens through which he views the world around him: “Home is where the heart is so I never have to search, but now that everybody’s fly, nobody’s down to earth,” he raps on the mixtape’s introductory title track, a précis of his outlook. The critically acclaimed project was featured on over 100 music blogs and websites, and was praised by several major hip-hop publications, including The Source and XXL. XV’s peers recognized his skill quickly and eagerly lent their talents to “Everybody’s Nobody,” with established producers Boi-1da and Omen contributing beats and Ne-Yo, Wiz Khalifa, Colin Munroe, and Big Sean all showing up for quality features. The mixtape premiered on MySpace Music and garnered over 20,000 downloads on the day of its release.

Since the success of “Everybody’s Nobody,” XV has established a broad and loyal fanbase, with regular placement on hip-hop’s most popular blogs, including 2DopeBoys, NahRight, and AllHipHop, and sold-out shows around the globe alongside the genre’s biggest acts, such as Kid Cudi, The Clipse, Curren$y and Pac Div. His “40 Days, 40 Nights” series had XV releasing a brand new song every morning and every evening for 40 days straight, and the steady stream of new material satisfied his core audience and expanded his reach with each new leak. His momentum reached new heights with the release of his latest project, “Vizzy Zone,” the highly anticipated follow-up presented by LRG Clothing and hosted by DJ Ill-Will and DJ Rockstar.

XV’s many successes culminated this past July when he announced his deal with major record label Warner Bros. He’s taken no time off to celebrate, though, currently hard at work touring and simultaneously crafting his debut album. All eyes are squarely focused on XV, and it’s only a matter of time before he shows the world just what he has tucked away inside that green backpack.