Tunji Ige

Philadelphia rapper, songwriter, and producer Tunji Ige (born Olatunji Ige) began creating music while he was just a teenager with a laptop. 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. ~ Neil Z. Yeung