Tunji Ige

Philadelphia rapper, songwriter, and producer Tunji Ige (born Olatunji Ige) began creating music while he was just a teenager with a laptop "in a basement in Pennsylvania." Inspired by rappers like Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Common, DMX, and Jay-Z, Ige was also influenced by the electronic textures of Disclosure and James Blake, the soul of Donny Hathaway, and the Afro-beat of Fela Kuti, the latter a direct nod to his Nigerian parents. On his breakthrough 2014 single, "Day2Day," he wove these varied influences into a viral hit that transformed a trap-influenced rap track into a progressive house anthem. Released while he was still a student at West Chester University, the song appeared on his self-produced debut mixtape, The Love Project, a coming-of-age story that focused on topics like relationships, rebellion, and social pressure. In 2016, Ige issued Missed Calls, which was produced by Noah Breakfast (Chiddy Bang). A few months later he released another mixtape, Prince of July, to celebrate his 21st birthday. The next year, Ige released the single "Why Don't You?" ~ Neil Z. Yeung