Born and raised in Brooklyn, Josh Baze grew up in the shadow of BK rhyme kings Biggie and Jay-Z. As a teen he became obsessed with hip-hop and started producing and recording at a makeshift home studio. Fast-forward a few years, and he's on the cusp of stardom as he works with Hype Williams, who directed his first video (the celebratory anthem "We Made It"). Hi-Heels and Low-Lifes is Baze's debut album (following 2010's The EP), and it finds the new artist flexing skills and confidence that belie his relative rookie status. With a fluid flow that brings to mind both Kanye and a young 50 Cent—and backed by strong production not afraid to mix classic-minded sample-driven beats with modern pop stylings—he's definitely onto something good. Drake fans will dig the sensitive singing and the former male-model steez, while the lyrics-first heads will appreciate Baze's autobiographical storytelling and razor-sharp wordplay. Highlights include "She's Gold," "No Good," and the outrageously funky "Keep Rockin'."