AMP’s ‘The Come Up’ Highlights Hip-Hop And Atlanta’s Emerging Talent

Amp’s ‘The Come Up’ hosts Su Solo, Kenny Burns, Paige Shari, Big Bank (Not Pictured DJ Kash)

By Okla Jones ·Updated August 4, 2023

As hip hop celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, there has been a countless amount of programming throughout various channels paying homage to the world’s most popular music genre. In order to probably tell the story of hip hop, one would need to include the impact that the Southern region has had on this still young artform; especially the artists and entrepreneurs based in Atlanta. Creators such as Jermaine Dupri, Outkast, and T.I. are some of the names that come to mind in regard to who laid the groundwork for this city’s success, but year after year there continues to be a wealth of talent born and bred from Georgia’s capital, which is the core of what The Come Up embodies.

The Come Up – which launched in June – is a program that connects communities on Amp, and highlights the emerging hip-hop artists coming out of Atlanta. Amazon’s live radio app collaborated with veteran industry executive Kenny Burns to curate an influential group of tastemakers in music and culture to help ignite conversation digitally. Show hosts included Burns, as well as multimedia personalities Big Bank, Paige Shari, and Su Solo; and artist and producer DJ Kash.

Photo Credit: Cam Kirk

As part of this program, three promising rising rappers – Pote Baby, CEO Trayle, and Ken Carson – will be featured in a docuseries directed by photographer and creative legend Cam Kirk, along with receiving promotion across Amp and Amazon Music to help connect them to more fans across the globe. In conjunction with today’s announcement, Paige and Su spoke with ESSENCE about The Come Up, the state of hip-hop in Atlanta, and what factors contribute to the city’s continued success in the music industry.

“We don’t care what other people are doing,” Solo says of Atlanta’s influence. “We stay true to what moves us, and I think that people are drawn to that to be honest with you.” The individuality that Su speaks of exists in many of the aspiring musicians in Atlanta, but unfortunately, cream doesn’t always rise to the top. At times, a person’s talent needs to be matched with the correct marketing campaign, among other things that can help increase visibility; which is what this program hopes to achieve.

“Being that I work in radio, I get to see a lot of really dope talent, they just don’t have the resources,” she explains. “And sometimes the resource is really just exposure in the right way. There are tons of amazingly talented, beautiful people that have a hard time being seen and recognized. So, I think it’s amazing that this service allows you to really come on and introduce people to a new world. Not everyone is really good at finding new music if it’s not on something that’s like a mainstream platform for them. But this really allows us to kind of bridge that gap.”

Photo Credit: Cam Kirk

Almost 30 years ago, André 3000 of Outkast uttered the famous phrase “the South got something to say,” after his group’s historic win at the 1995 Source Awards. Since then, artists from the third coast have delivered some amazing music, solidifying the once-overlooked region’s place in hip-hop. Cities such as New Orleans, Houston, and Miami, among others, led the charge of this new, Southern movement. Atlanta, which produced iconic musicians across multiple genres, rose to the forefront during the 2000s. “We’re on a renaissance of our own,” Paige says about what makes her city so exceptional.

“We have so many different genres. We have so many different layers of what makes Atlanta, Atlanta,” she continues. “You can get somebody that sings, or raps and has a story that so many other people can relate to – and that’s what I love about it. There’s not just one thing. We’re so multilayered and we’re so multidimensional and that’s what I love about the Atlanta sound and what we provide.”

Fans can continue to join discussions live on Amp by dropping into The Come Up shows, or creating their own content using the tag #TheComeUp to debate their favorite artist on the rise. Additionally, until August 6, fans on the app can navigate to the “Hip-Hop and R&B All Day” channel to check out a 24-hour stream of replayed The Come Up shows together in celebration of the artform that changed popular culture.