Nacho Picasso

After performing in the late 2000s as a member of the Cloud Nice trio BadAssYellowBoyz, innovative underground Seattle rapper Nacho Picasso found sudden mainstream recognition in 2011 when Pitchfork dubbed his second mixtape one of the best rap debuts of the year.

His first solo, 2010's Blunt Raps, went practically unnoticed, but after recording For the Glory with the help of producers Blue Sky Black Death, Eric G., and Raised by Wolves, critics started heralding Nacho's clever wordplay and his ability to spin everyday topics like reading comic books, wearing tattoos, watching TV, and smoking weed into something fresh. For the Glory landed on several "Best of 2011" lists, and by the year's end, the self-nicknamed Cocky Balboa (aka Tat in the Hat, aka Jesse James) was wrapping up his fifth video from the album and making plans to start a new group called Moor Gang. [Jason Lymangrover, Rovi]