HIP-HOP AT SXSW (Clockwise from top) Festival performers N.E.R.D., Talib Kweli, and Ice Cube

HIP-HOP HIGHLIGHTS

The days when rap was a rarity at SXSW are long gone, and this year boasts a particularly impressive roster of rhyme-slingers. Hard as it sometimes is to remember, Austin is below the Mason-Dixon, so plenty of Dirty South vets will be on hand, including laid-back stoner Devin the Dude and UGK's Bun B, in what's sure to be an emotional appearance after the tragic accidental death of his partner Pimp C last December.

We're also looking forward to seeing some familiar faces from New York (Talib Kweli, Sean Price, Dead Prez's M-1, Percee P), Cali (Ice Cube, Del the Funky Homosapien), and Virginia (N.E.R.D., the Clipse). But we might be most excited to see a handful of red-hot newcomers from all over the map, including no-nonsense Detroit strongman Guilty Simpson, Washington, D.C.'s super-sharp Wale, and left-field Canadian experimentalists Ghislain Poirier and Cadence Weapon.

NEXT PAGE: SXSW's most-anticipated up-and-comers

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