B-Flip: “I’ve at all times been one to offer folks their flowers whereas they’re nonetheless right here.”
When native hip-hop artist Brandon “B-Flip” Turner created a high 100 listing of San Diego music artists to look at in 2023, he had no concept how wild the net trip he was about to take would get. Turner posted the listing in meme kind on Fb and Instagram, the place it shortly caught the eye of the native music group. “I’ve at all times been one to offer folks their flowers whereas they’re nonetheless right here,” says Turner, “and there’s a loopy quantity of expertise in San Diego.”
B-Flip’s Prime 100
The Instagram put up garnered over 400 likes and greater than 250 feedback, feedback that included reactions of gratitude, pleasure — and anger. One artist who didn’t make the listing commented, “Horseshit I bought unnoticed..fux coming for you within the feedback, I’m truly gonna come for you.” However regardless of the expressions of disappointment and the net threats towards him, B-Flip emphasizes that the listing displays solely his private evaluation. “I don’t know who wants to listen to this,” says Turner, “however nobody’s opinion issues aside from your personal. Don’t take it private. These lists will not be ‘factual,’ nor are they something aside from my opinion. There isn’t any proper or improper reply. I don’t even know each single artist from San Diego, so please do not forget that earlier than coming for my head.”
Not all reactions coursed with venom; some took the difficulty to defend Turner. “Most individuals upset about this in all probability couldn’t title 100 artists in San Diego, and even when they may, they wouldn’t have the drive to even make a listing,” one person mentioned. “Higher watch ya neck B-Flip. Individuals in they emotions,” one other remarked.
As Turner started placing the listing collectively three months earlier than the brand new 12 months hit, his concept was to curate a listing artists who stood out in a roundabout way, form, or kind — although many of the decisions had been based mostly on musical potential. B-Flip believes the put up blew up as a result of San Diego has a lot expertise, and since there’s a lot starvation within the metropolis. He additionally thinks that the listing triggered artists in the way in which it was supposed. “If it motivated you, it was meant to encourage you. If it upset you, then it was meant to upset you. Typically folks want to listen to anyone else’s reality to understand that it might not be in alignment with their very own. They will do no matter they need to do with that information.” (Hip-hop’s aggressive nature is one more reason that B-Flip thinks the listing earned a lot consideration, though it does embrace genres aside from hip-hop.)
Requested who amongst his decisions may take advantage of noise in 2023, B-Flip says “It’s laborious to slim the listing, however the artists I hearken to essentially the most and maintain within the heaviest rotation are Unwell Nicky, Jon Keith, and Tulengua. All of them have their very own degree of success, and I see all three of them going very far subsequent 12 months. One purpose: the standard of their music is interesting to the ears, and it’s the realness and uncooked emotion they put into their music. It’s the vitality they put into it.”
The listing was dismissed by some who felt that established mainstream performers comparable to Nick Cannon didn’t need to be there. However Turner stands by his choice to incorporate each the larger performers and himself on the listing. “I assume any artist making a high artist listing to look out for goes to place themselves on it. I’ll not put myself on a high ten listing or perhaps a high 25, however I’m rattling positive placing myself in a high 100 listing.”
The web mob observed one native performer who was notably absent from the listing, which led to extra strategies about who Turner ought to have included. “No person bought left off,” Turner says. “They had been anyone who didn’t stand out to me to make the listing. However since then, one particular person has come up, and on this second, if I remade the listing, they might be on it. And that’s Dane Amar. I didn’t actually know a lot of his music, however after checking him out, he’s in all probability one of the vital adopted artists in San Diego.”
As a result of the highest 100 decisions have drawn a lot response, constructive and demanding, B-Flip plans to make the listing an annual undertaking. He says he hopes it is going to maintain artists “motivated and hungry.”
