Chiddy Bang's 'Breakfast'

Chiddy Bang -- the Philadelphia duo of Chidera Anamege and Noah Bersin -- shows how important "Breakfast" (Virgin/IRS) really is. While mainstream hip-hop gets boxed in by formulas, Chiddy Bang simply plays around with different styles. The inventive single "Ray Charles" bounces all over a '50s soul groove and feels more like '90s De La Soul than today's more dance-oriented rap. "Happening," featuring the lovely V.V. Brown, is a lighthearted slice of fizzy, OutKast-ish pop, while "Baby Roulette," with its video game sound effects, should cement Chiddy Bang as one of 2012's breakout stars.