In March, in the face of mounting requests for MC-free versions of his tracks, he released Instrumental Mixtape, where the richly textured, poignant sound stood entirely on its own.

Who: Best known for the emotive, hypnotic, hard-hitting beats he’s whipped up for Soulja Boy (“All I Need”) and Berkeley oddball Lil B (“Motivation”), 24-year-old Clams Casino got his break when he contacted B on MySpace and sent him some instrumentals.