Age: 17 Hometown: Memphis Influence: "A lot of Lil Wayne from the younger days. Around 8 or so I was listening to Lil Wayne. He stopped droppin', so now I listen to more like YoungBoy [Never Broke Again], Meek Mill [and] Lil Durk." Memphis teen rap sensation NLE Choppa has seen his circumstances change with the swiftness. He began freestyling with his friends at 14, started taking it seriously at age 15 and had millions of views and major-label interest shortly after his 16th birthday. He first got his buzz from "No Chorus Pt. 3," a song and video from his crew Shotta Fam on which Choppa kicks off the song off and steals the show. Since it's release in early January, NLE Choppa's "Shotta Flow" video has amassed more than 12 million views in nearly six weeks. The visual for his breakout record shows a precocious youth who is just as adept at dancing as he is at swinging choppas. His flows and stylistic choices recall his friend and fellow hometown rapper BlocBoy JB. Yet Choppa is unique. His intensity, voice and dark sense of humor set him apart from the fray. His follow-up record, "Shotta Flow 2," is approaching 2 million views in under a week. Always business-savvy, Choppa turned down a $3 million dollar deal and opted for a partnership with UnitedMasters, a company that distributes his music while allowing him to keep his masters. With an EP coming in the spring and more videos on the way, the young artist's name is everywhere, even catching the attention of legendary rap mogul Birdman, who he's been spotted sharing studio time with.
