20. Erphaan Alves
With writing credits for Kes the Band (“Precision Wine”) and Machel Montano (“Doh Fraid”) under his belt, it’s no surprise musical protégé Erphaan Alves has released material (see “On D Spot” and 2014’s “Bumpa Bounce”) of his own that has garnered comparisons to the very veterans that request his lyrical savvy. And at only 21 years old, Mr. Alves certainly has plenty of time to prove that the praise and hype is well deserved. —Marcha M. Johnson