Rap icons Krept & Konan and DJ Target are once again on the hunt for the next big MC to win a £20k cash prize and boost their music career.

For the first time, the series will be filmed in Manchester as the MCs battle it out in various challenges to prove they can make a splash in the industry. 

Kay Rico, 25, Manchester 

After watching previous series, Rico thinks he has what it takes to excel in the competition. 

Born and raised in Manchester, Ricco lives and breathes music and thinks the key to being a versatile artist is listening to all genres of music. 

Ricco is already well known in the Manchester scene having toured with Wiley and made music with Aitch, but he is ready to hit the mainstream and go global. 

Describing himself as a perfectionist, Ricco lists Ghetts, Chip and Wretch 32 as major inspirations. 

Having spent such a long time working in the industry, Ricco isn’t worried about the competition and is ready to work for the victory. 

Pocaa, 23, Hackney 

Pocaa hopes her passion shines through when she performs and creates music.

She sees her style as very versatile, but enjoys surprising people when she does drill, due to the expectation that it’s mainly for men. 

For Pocaa, music is a dream and a getaway and she is ready to use this opportunity to show playtime is over and it’s go time. 

Old school rappers are Pocaa’s favourites, she cites Skrapz, Missy Elliot, Lil Kim and Hus as some of her major influences. 

Saidu, 19, Bermondsey 

Saidu is ready to learn all he can from Krept & Konan and DJ Target to better his craft and perform his work in front of a wider audience.

The focus for Saidu is grime but he is ready to adapt to other genres as he loves listening to R&B and pop as well as rap. 

Saidu got into rap after seeing people do it on the TV, and now everything he does relates to music, from dancing to rapping.

He is ready for people to know who he is and witness his talent.

Saidu’s favourite rappers include Skepta, JME, Kano and Double E and he strives to become as successful as them, with the goal being to have platinum albums and perform in front of the whole world. 

Oakzy B, 24, Glasgow

Oakzy B sees himself as a free soul when it comes to music but has a soft spot for hip hop and grime. 

For him, music helped take him off the streets, away from crime and put money in his pocket and he wants to use the competition to learn more about how the music scene works and gain a larger following outside of Scotland. 

Oakzy’s B mum was a big rap fan and has grown up listening to Tupac, Biggie and Snoop Dogg.

His goal is to be a household name in the UK and the biggest musician to come out of Scotland. 

BrynBP, 21 Croydon 

BrynBP is excited to showcase her talent through The Rap Game and spread the message that no matter who you are or what you look like, you can always do what you want to do.

As a white female rapper, BrynBP has had a lot of people discouraging her from pursuing music but puts her emotion into the mic.

At the age of five her brother introduced her to the music of Tupac and Biggie and from there her love for rap grew.

Eventually, BrynBP wants to sell out arenas and travel the world to get her music and message out there, and after working so hard in music industry she is ready to win and make it big. 

KayDizzy, 19 Stoke 

KayDizzy sees The Rap Game as the biggest platform young, underground artists like himself can use to showcase their talent and prove what they can do.

With very few opportunities in Stoke, KayDizzy uses music as a way to express himself and move away from negative activities he saw growing up. 

KayDizzy knows he has put in the work to win the competition and wants to make his mum proud.

In five years' time, KayDizzy wants to be doing what he loves and grow his confidence and self-belief. 

For him, artists like Chip, Yungen, Aitch and Bugzy Malone have influenced him and his music and he is ready to put in the work to become as big as them.