Kid Sister

In less than one year, Melisa Young, the fresh-faced rapper known as Kid Sister, has become the "it girl" of hipster rap. It probably didn't hurt that the Chicago native also happens to be the girlfriend of Canadian cross-fade master DJ A-Trak (Kanye West's official DJ), who produced her Pro Nails, a J. J. Fad-by-way-of-Houston club jam that effectively displays Kid Sister's old-school flow. Kanye has even "co-signed" for Kid Sister by kicking a verse on that synth-heavy track and including it in his Can't Tell Me Nothing mix-tape.

But the 27-year-old Young built her rep the hard way by promoting parties for hipsters and rapping alongside Flosstradamus (her little brother's DJ-slash-production team) with a spitfire attack that falls somewhere between Missy Elliot and Lil' Mama. With only six tracks – including Control, an electro-rap with an infectious call-and-response chorus – Kid Sister has already graced the cover of influential music magazine URB. Not bad for a twentysomething who not too long ago was working at a children's clothing store and babysitting to pay the rent.

Kid Sister, whose look is in line with the current taste for wildstyle colors and retro cuts, is currently putting the final touches to her debut album, Ko-Ko B. Ware (named after the beloved '80s WWE wrestler), to be released later this year. Until that happens, Young will be on tour with A-Trak and kid brother Flosstradamus. The family that jams together, stays together.

see: myspace.com/kidsister