CLEVELAND -- The Agora theater, the House of Blues, the famed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame... Cleveland is surrounded by a rich musical history.
Producing some of music's heavy hitters like Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Kid Cudi, Machine Gun Kelly, Doe Boy and several others, many call Cleveland the music capital of the world that never got its big break.
But that hasn't stopped emerging artists from leaving their own mark on the music industry.
Before you read this list, let me just stay that narrowing it down to just five artists was extremely difficult.
Cleveland is heavily saturated with talented musicians. This list is not meant as a discredit to any artist or artists not featured.
Check out my list of top five local artists I believe you guys should know. Enjoy.
1. Alina Baraz
Jumping into the music world in 2015 with her EP Urban Flora, Alina has since made a name for herself. With the release of her latest EP The Color of You, Baraz is solidifying her place in the music industry.
Most recently Alina, touched the Coachella stage opening for the legendary Beyonce. Check out an interview with her backstage at the festival.
If you're interested in hearing more form Alina, she'll be live at the House of Blues Sept. 26. For ticket information, click here.
2. Q Money
The true essence of from nothing to something, Q Money rose to fame after a video of him dancing to his hit single, Neva Had S--t, went viral. Check out the video that started it all below.
A post shared by Qmoney Aint Shit Funny (@q_moneyyyy) on
Since Neva Had S--t's debut, Q has released a three-track single titled W.I.N and his debut album, Neva Had S--t has him in music rotations around the world. It was that national recognition that helped him to ink a deal with Warner Brothers Records.
3. Curly Chuck
If you're looking for a versatile artist, look no further. Curly Chuck combines several music styles to create his unique sound. His performances are an experience, filled with intensity, passion and high energy.
I caught up with Curly after a performance at Underground Music Showcase back in April. Check it out below.
His latest project Pitt Stop has piqued the interest of new listeners and excited loyal fans. If you're hoping to see Chuck live, you can catch him on any given week preforming at several venues around the city. He even has merchandise available for purchase. For information on his upcoming events, performances and more, click here.
Now, for those of you seeking a more soulful and smooth ballad, meet Riley Richard. Richard is a jazz saxophonist born and raised in Cleveland. Richard landed his first gig at the age of 14 and has been wowing audiences ever since.
His latest single L.I.T, has a smooth and slightly uptempo beat. The song peaked at #15 on Billboard list of top Jazz songs.
Check out this video of Richard preforming live at Tri C's Jazz Fest.
5. Nahzzy & Legend
When it comes to dancing, these two seem to be unmatched. It just so happens that they're pretty good at the music thing too. Both recent high school graduates, Nahzzy and Legend rose to fame with their Move Dat Challenge released in late 2016.
Since then, the duo has released singles, Energy, Swangin' and Shady.
In 2018, they brought dancing back to the forefront with their song, Woah and its accompanying challenge.
