Not many 20-year olds can claim to be one of the best rappers in their city. Gio Dee (sound it out) on the other hand, is among the top emcee’s from our fine town. Rapping since age eleven, he sounds instantly comfortable on whatever beat he chooses. After dropping his debut mixtape, D-Day, in 2011, he hasn’t stopped dropping new material since. His #TOTB: This Is Only The Beginning… mixtape cemented his status at the top of Boston’s hip-hop scene, getting him featured on DatPiff, and leading to a sellout headlining gig at The Middle East.
Most recently, his Fashionably Late mixtape displays his similarities to Lil’ Wayne, but also shows his versatility. On one track he croaks clever punchlines, while on another, he can sample Gavin DeGraw and pull it off, speaking to his desires to be completely his own person. His beats vary from soothing and jazzy, to celebratory, brassy rap-alongs. As he grows older, I’m looking forward to seeing how his sound evolves. He’s near the top of the pack in the miniature rap scene here in Boston, but I’d like to see him gain some national attention. He’s almost there.