DECEMBER 2017 FORBES ASIA | 57MUSIC
JUDGES
Skylar Grey,
singer-songwriter
(Under 30 Class of 2013)
Bob Moczydlowsky,
managing director,
Techstars Music
Kevin Olusola,
Grammy-winning
member of Pentatonix
(Under 30 Class of 2016)Playboi Carti, 21
MUSICIAN
There’s no bigger role model for Playboi
Carti than A$AP Rocky, the Harlem-born rapper
who earned $14.5 million last year (and graced
the cover of 2016’s 30 Under 30 issue). “He laid
out the platform, and I just went with it,” says
Carti, who joined Rocky’s A$AP Mob collec-
tive and landed a six-fi gure deal with Interscope
Records in late 2016.
His warbling fl ow and relentless trap beats
allowed his single “Magnolia” to clock 150 mil-
lion Spotify spins, and his self-titled debut LP
reached No. 12 on Billboard’s album charts.
Playboi Carti fans also delight in his fashion
sense: Eccentric, brightly colored outfi ts (ac-
cented by designer handbags) have become a
hallmark of his performances. His rising stardom
resulted in landing an Adidas video campaign
this summer that earned him an estimated six-
fi gure payout. So how long until his earnings
put him among the top hip-hop artists? “We’ll
see,” says Carti. “Hopefully tomorrow.”
—Zack O’Malley Greenburg and
Natalie Robehmed
Cardi B, 25
Musician, hip-hop
Playboi Carti, 22
Musician, hip-hop
Jovin Cronin-Wilesmith,
Tim Luckow, 27, 29
Cofounders, Stem
Lauren Daigle, 26
Musician, contemporary Christian
Will Dzombak, 29
Manager, Wiz Khalifa
Jackie Evancho, 17
Musician, classical
H.E.R., 20
Musician, R&B
Joe Jonas, 28
Musician, pop
Khalid, 19
Musician, R&B
JaQuel Knight, 28
Choreographer
Kesha Lee, 29
Recording-mix engineer
Lil Uzi Vert, 23
Musician, hip-hop
Lizzo, 29
Musician, hip-hop
Marshmello, 25
DJ-producer
Matt Meyer, 28
Agent, Paradigm
Maren Morris, 27
Musician, country
Off set, Quavo, Takeoff ,
26, 26, 23
Musicians, hip-hop, Migos
Mike Posner, 29
Musician, pop
Phil Quist, 29
Agent, Creative Artists Agency
Bebe Rexha, 28
Musician, pop
Thomas Rhett, 27
Musician, country
Travis Scott, 26
Musician, hip-hop
Drew Silverstein, 29
Cofounder, Amper Music
SZA, 28
Musician, R&B
Emily Warren, 25
Musician, pop
Hayley Williams, 29
Musician, rock, Paramore
WondaGurl, 21
Producer
Young M.A, 25
Musician, hip-hop
Young Thug, 26
Musician, hip-hop
Chris Zarou, 28
Manager, LogicPLAYBOI CARTI WEARS A POLYAMIDE SHIRT ($1,153) AND LEATHER AND COTTON SNEAKER ($703) BY
OFF-WHITE C/O VIRGIL ABLOH. PAINTER JEANS BY AMIRI ($825). DATEJUST WATCH BY ROLEX.