In the year 2000, when I was first getting into underground hip hop, I came across this rapper from Minneapolis who blew my mind.
Edit 12.12: Eyedea was from St. Paul
Eyedea was a musical prodigy, beginning to tour at just 16 years old, and already starting to develop his signature style of fast paced delivery with mind-bending lyrics. He released his first work of genius at age 20.