I don't think there's anyone more deserving of this award than Xperience. During 2010 he was by far the most active hip-hop artist in the 360. From people begging him to play with them in Portland and Seattle to being flown out to the Midwest, Xperience has really helped establish a name for Olympia in the hip-hop community. As busy as he was in 2010 - playing shows practically every weekend - XP still managed to make enough time to drop his incredible sophomore album, William the VIII. 

"I use to just make gangster songs with homies back in the hood," he says, referring to his time growing up in East Chicago/Gary, Indiana.

"My dad lived in Olympia and my mom lived in the Midwest and I'd fly here every summer to stay with my dad. I made the final move out here when I was about 16 and it was crazy to hear the style of hip-hop that was being made out here compared to back home. I loved it," says XP. "I already knew how to rap, and I didn't really want to do the gangster music, so I kind of made an adjustment when I started rapping out here."

Indeed, XP made a huge change in style, transforming from a youthful gangster rapper into a soulful, gospel-singing, rugged hip-hop artist. 

"I love all types of music," says XP. "Not only do I rap and sing but a lot of people don't know I also play the drums and produce 75 percent of my music."

Xperience's rapping and singing abilities have landed him a lot of features on other well-known Northwest artists‘ albums, including a full-length album with Rhymesayers‘ recording artists Grayskul. Aside from his solo work, XP has also recorded a full-length album with one of the many side projects he works with, Sound Asylum, which consists of himself and fellow Olympians A.K.A. and Compost. While Sound Asylum has put out an album, the even better known Step Cousins (XP and Macklemore) have yet to, but fans have been buzzing about this collab for years. Macklemore and XP have many songs written and recorded together (including a few off Macklemore's first album), but both artists admit with Macklemore living in Seattle and XP staying in Olympia, it definitely makes it a little difficult - especially with the growing success of Macklemore's current work with Ryan Lewis.

Regardless, Xperience will remain a top Olympia hip-hop artist for the near future. But his time in Olympia may come to end at some point - his fan base keeps growing larger and he has massive potential for success in the bigger cities surrounding us.

The bottom line: Soak up as much Xperience as you can in Olympia before you have to take a long drive to see him live.