WHAT IT IS: By the time he was old enough to drive, the rising rapper from Compton, Cal., had already been thrust into hip-hop’s fast lane. He was discovered by Scott Vener, signed by Pharrell and tapped for collaborations with Chance the Rapper and Kendrick Lamar. Born Simmie Sims III, Buddy grew up in churches, where his father—a preacher, choir director and a recovering addict—introduced him to the uplifting power of gospel and soul. In 2016, after years of industry groundwork, he summoned the courage to go his own way. The following summer, he released Ocean & Montana, a joint EP with Kaytranada, named after the Santa Monica intersection. Follow-up Magnolia—released that August—offered earnest reflections on coming of age in Compton, with guest turns from Wiz Khalifa and Boogie. Energized and on a roll, he moved across town once more and got to work on his first official full-length. Harlan & Alondra is both a declaration of independence and a vivid reintroduction. It’s Buddy invigorated, in his element and on his own terms.
ALBUM: Harlan & Alondra
RELEASE DATE: 7/20
SINGLE: “Hey Up There”
LIVE: On U.S. tour with Amine Nov.-Dec.
INTERNET: 3.6m Spotify streams; 2.8m YouTube views; 93.7k Instagram followers
RADIO: Impacting UM on 10/1
PRESS: New York Times, Billboard, Pitchfork, Fader, Vibe, more
BOOKING: Peter Schwartz
MANAGEMENT: David Waltzer