Another artist sidelined because of his sexual orientation, Le1f is one of the most exciting rappers and producers of the past few years and has the swagger to show that he certainly knows it. Starting out as a producer for now-renowned hip-hop collective Das Racist, his incredible mixtape Dark York showed him to be an exceptional rapper in his own right. Lead single Wut garnered Le1f some attention, but it should have been huge. It's catchy as hell, and it features a great video. His two 2013 mixtapes, Fly Zone and Tree House, were even better - and weirder - explorations of contemporary New York hip-hop. While his mixtapes have included some production from elsewhere, it's usually his self-produced tracks that stand out most. This guy has a self-defined aesthetic that is mesmeric and bizarre. Yet he still remains marginalised. Hopefully things are starting to change. An EP on Terrible Records, Hey, and a 2014 appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman have exposed him to the mainstream. This could be the beginning of a more established career for one of the hottest rapper-producers currently lighting up the genre.