Though often lumped in with the throngs of hit-minded "Lil" rappers that emerged in the early '00s, Boosie Badazz (née Lil Boosie) has just as much in common with the gangsta rappers of decades prior. His rasp is the shrillest since Eazy-E and he shares E's penchant for unapologetic vulgarity, though his spirit falls closer to the conflicted and politically charged work of Scarface and UGK. When not rocking parties with the uptempo bounce of his native Baton Rouge, he's fending off demons with his own menacing brand of funk.