If there is one thing Ye, aka Kanye West, loves as much as himself, it is lifting up artists he believes have potential. For years, the rapper has acted as the plug connecting fresh talent to a new wave of rap fans. And interestingly, despite the seismic shifts in his life, career, and—some might argue—his very persona, his commitment to giving rising artists their shot at success has remained constant. Most recently, he backed yet another rising force — Coast Contra.

Here is everything you need to know about this dynamic rap crew Ye just spotlighted on his Instagram story.

Coast Contra is an up-and-coming hip-hop collective that came together in 2015. They have been catching attention for their unique blend of classic and modern styles for a decade. Though they are still relatively fresh to the music world, they have already carved out their own space and are even being noticed by top players in the industry- Ye and his Instagram story being the biggest example. The group was formed by Rio Loz, Eric Jamal, and twin brothers Taj Austin and Ras Austin, and they dropped their debut single 'Queen & Slim' in 2019.

In 2022, they made their TV debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. It was also the same year they built a strong following with their YouTube freestyle videos, and their single ‘Never Freestyle’ especially took off over the waves. Now, with Ye's shout-out, they are only going to get more eyes on them. But what is awesome about the ‘Donda’ rapper is that he knows exactly how to strike a balance. On one hand, he has been dedicated to putting smaller artists on the map. 

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On the other, he has also had his fair share of critics calling him out for promoting nepotism. In fact, ever since North West’s The Lion King stint, both Ye and his ex-wife have had to deal with some pretty harsh public backlash. 

Last year, Kim Kardashian and Ye’s oldest, North West, dipped her toes into the music world — a bit earlier than most. And, as expected, the critics took issues with it. Not long after, Ye enlisted his other daughter, Chicago, to join North for his ‘Bomb’ music video too. While some applauded the ex-couple for giving their daughters creative freedom, others could not help but call it the very definition of ‘nepotism.’

The viral sensation of North belting out ‘I Just Can’t Wait to Be King’ at the 30th anniversary of The Lion King was also mocked by fans. Despite the mixed reactions, Ye is pushing ahead with yet another album featuring North, even crediting his 11-year-old daughter with reigniting his creative spark. And as long as Ye continues to keep the scales balanced, fans really have little to complain about.

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What do you think about Ye uplifting lesser-known artists? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!