Rich Boy

A swirl of speaker-rattling soundscapes and irresistible down-home cool, Rich Boy emerged during a veritable explosion for rap. Born Marece Benjamin Richards in 1983, the Mobile, Alabama, native had been studying engineering at Tuskegee University before deciding to pursue a rap career. His eponymous debut album, released in 2007, proved his penchant for hitmaking, with Polow Da Don's production framing his impenetrable Southern drawl in dreamy soul beats. "Throw Some D's" is an exhilarating anthem for parking-lot pimpin’, and "Good Things", featuring Polow and Keri Hilson, is a lover's anthem. In subsequent years, Rich Boy would fortify his catalogue with projects like Break the Pot (2013) and Featuring (2015) and one-off drops like "Real Rap", efforts that once again proved the value of good beat selection and natural charisma.