Little Simz spent 2025 proving that independence can still scale. With Lotus, she rebuilt from one of the most turbulent periods of her career and turned that raw story into a focused, visually coherent rollout that carried seamlessly into The Lotus Tour. Here’s how she transformed personal upheaval into one of the year’s sharpest indie playbooks.

Chicago rapper Saba stayed fully independent in 2025 and ran a story‑first campaign that other indie artists can actually copy. He anchored the year with a full‑length collaboration with No I.D., then translated that narrative into tickets with The Big Picture Tour—a sequence that kept ownership, added partners only where they mattered, and turned every announcement into movement.

Chicago-born artist KeiyaA has always done things her own way. She built her reputation in the underground with a fearless DIY approach and in 2025 she raised the stakes again. Her upcoming album Hooke’s Law, due out October 31, is already being described by critics as one of the boldest and most emotionally charged projects of the year. And the most inspiring part? She is still steering the entire ship herself.

Connor Price is the proof that you don’t need a record deal to win in 2025. The Toronto-born rapper scaled from skits to stadium chants using a family-run operation, relentless content, and a collaboration engine that spotlights indie artists worldwide.

Chicago rapper Saba stayed fully independent in 2025 and ran a story‑first campaign that other indie artists can actually copy. He anchored the year with a full‑length collaboration with No I.D., then translated that narrative into tickets with The Big Picture Tour—a sequence that kept ownership, added partners only where they mattered, and turned every announcement into movement. Let’s see what we can learn from Saba’s takeover!

In October, two LA underground pillars team up for a collab LP slated for early October, with the single “Free” setting the tone—lyrical, soulful, and rooted in classic West Coast indie DNA. LA’s 16‑piece collective “The Urban Renewal Project,” bridges big‑band brass and rap on a full‑length dropping late October; expect horn‑heavy arrangements, thoughtful themes, and guest bars.

Independent rap stayed loud last month: Bay Area stages packed out, the UK underground delivered, and DIY Artists kept hustle and momentum up. Vallejo’s own LaRussell co-headlined the Mare Island Dock of Bay Festival on Saturday, Sept. 6, sharing the bill with E-40 and Baby Bash at the waterfront coal sheds.