Chilee Powdah

If hip-hop’s all about the handle, the hooks, and the homies, then local wordsmith Chilee Powdah’s got the full package. His name (complete with a double “e” for easy rhymes) has thug appeal, and his album Code of Loyalty boasts a combination of thumping club beats, catchy choruses, genre-pimpin’ from reggae to R&B, and a slew of guest appearances, including collaborations with Akon, Baby Bash, C-Note, Black Mike, and NB Ridaz. He’s no limp lip on lyrical flows, either: “I’m like Nick at Nite/’Cause I’m in the bedroom with your chick at night/Wit yo’ ass over here ma, flick the light/I’m tryin’ ta get green like kryptonite” (“The Business”). As an original member of Master P’s T.R.U., Powdah was poised to become a breakout star on the No Limit roster, but left the label after a dispute over money. Now he’s trying to get bling with his own thing, and if Code of Loyalty doesn’t make him some money, it should at least earn him some respect.