OTR Just Put 10 MCs in a Room and the Culture Was Already Watching

On The Radar does not miss.

Gabe P just dropped the New Class Cypher Vol. 1. Ten MCs, one beat, no filler. The lineup included Marco Plus, Reuben Vincent, Ovrkast., Marlon Craft, Ben Reilly, Swavay, NASAAN, Lareazy, Ray Vaughn, and Chris Patrick. Ovrkast. built the instrumental himself.

The cipher immediately sparked conversation. And it confirmed something that Rob Markman had already been putting people on to.

On The Radar - Raps New Class Cypher Vol. 1

Give Rob His Flowers

Rob Markman is a Brooklyn native, VP of Music and Content at Genius, and one of the most respected voices in hip-hop journalism over the past two decades. He came up through XXL, MTV, The Source, Vibe, and Complex. He started out handing mixtapes to artists outside Hot 97 before he ever had a byline.

At the end of last year, Rob did a roundtable at Revolt, then followed it with a YouTube video and an IG cut, both focused on new artists he was personally excited about heading into 2026. His list included Reuben Vincent, Marco Plus, Ovrkast., Ben Reilly, Lareazy, Ray Vaughn, Chris Patrick, iAMLYRIC, AzChike, Marlon Craft, Samara Sin, and more.

Count them up. Most of the artists in that cipher were already on Rob Markman's radar before it dropped. That is not a coincidence. That is what it looks like when somebody is doing the actual work.

The Artists Playing the Long Game

These are not overnight stories. No algorithm shortcuts, no viral moments built to expire. These are MCs who have been building the right way, one verse, one show, one listener at a time.

Reuben Vincent brings the kind of pen that makes other rappers in the room pay attention. Marco Plus carries presence and substance without needing a hit record to prove it. Ovrkast. built the beat and then rapped on it, holding his own on both ends. Marlon Craft has a new album coming and a New York show this week. If you have been sleeping, now is the time to catch up. Ben Reilly is someone Rob has been consistently vocal about, and they have something coming together on the Genius channel soon. Lareazy and Ray Vaughn were both on Rob's Revolt list, part of the younger generation he was intentionally putting people on to. Chris Patrick closes the cipher with personal bars that land, and his name keeps coming up on credible watch lists heading into 2026. NASAAN is a Detroit rapper carrying real weight. The son of the late D12 legend Proof, building his own legacy one verse at a time.

So Here Is the Question

OTR built its name the same way the hosted mixtape did, putting the right people in front of that neon green studio and letting the talent speak before the industry catches up. Ice Spice was there before the world knew her name. Cash Cobain built momentum through OTR long before his moment came.

Looking at this class of artists, it is hard not to wonder.

What would a hosted mixtape with this class actually sound like?

Drop your answer on our Instagram. We are listening.