Skippa, Samara Cyn & Destin Conrad Take Home the Rising Star Crown

Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players 2026 just crowned its next wave. Skippa, Samara Cyn, and Destin Conrad all walked away with the Rising Star Award—a co-sign that matters in a space where momentum and validation move hand-in-hand.

The trio accepted the honor from Billboard's Kyle Denis, Michael Saponara, and Angel Diaz, three veterans who know talent when they see it. That these three separate artists shared the spotlight speaks to how wide the net is casting right now in R&B and hip-hop; there's room for different lanes, different sounds, different visions all breaking through at once.

Power Players has always been the industry's way of putting names on the map before the whole world catches up. This award doesn't make careers—but it sure doesn't hurt to get that kind of early recognition from the gatekeepers. For Skippa, Samara Cyn, and Destin Conrad, it's a stamp saying: we see you, the industry sees you, keep moving.

Read the full story at Billboard → https://www.billboard.com/video/skippa-samara-cyn-destin-conrad-accept-rising-star-award/