A strong lyricist adept at telling gritty street narratives, Harlem-based MC Dave East has a style heavily reminiscent of ’90s New York hardcore rap while sounding fresh enough to compete with the contemporary hip-hop landscape. After building a buzz with several independent mixtapes during the early 2010s, East caught the attention of his favorite rapper, Nas, who signed him to Mass Appeal. Several Billboard-charting releases followed, including 2016’s Kairi Chanel, 2017’s Paranoia: A True Story, and 2020’s Top 40 hit Karma 3. East also branched out into acting and portrayed Method Man on the Hulu series Wu-Tang Clan: An American Saga. The iconic rapper guested on East’s 2022 release HDIGH. This was followed by Book of David, a collaboration with Buda & Grandz and DJ Drama. East’s ambitious second studio album, Fortune Favors the Bold, arrived in 2023.