NF

Operating from outside of the system and against all odds, NF quietly and unassumingly ascended to the forefront of modern hip-hop on his own terms. His independently released “Perception” album shocked the industry by debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 and shone a light on a fervent fan-driven movement surrounding the artist. It also bowed at #1 on the Top Rap Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. It was the ultimate underdog story of 2017, as chronicled by The New York Times, Rolling Stone and Forbes, with the latter noting, “NF’s success speaks to what can be done these days outside of the traditional system.”