Will WebsterX's debut album open the gates for Milwaukee's overlooked hip-hop scene?

WebsterX has enjoyed two years of national hype for standout singles and visceral live shows.

Now comes the real test.

The Milwaukee rapper's debut full-length album, "Daymares," arrives Friday. If it succeeds, it could be something of a watershed event for other local musicians. As a leader of a hungry local hip-hop scene that has long been overlooked nationally — and to some degree locally as well — WebsterX's potential popularity boost could lift the tide for Milwaukee artists orbiting around him.

In the 1980s, Prince’s breakthrough opened the door for a host of Minneapolis artists. A decade later, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana led the way for Seattle’s grunge scene. And we're seeing that kind of impact right now with Chance the Rapper's stardom exposing Chicago performers like Noname and Chance's brother Taylor Bennett.

WebsterX isn’t poised for that kind of meteoric ascent. But if “Daymares” lifts WebsterX’s profile, more awareness for Milwaukee’s hip-hop scene may arise.

The downside? If "Daymares" disappoints, the "one-to-watch" chatter could drop to a whisper and bigger opportunities for everyone may be harder to achieve.

"I am not fearing anything as far as the outcome," the 24-year-old artist – birth name Sam Ahmed – said in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel interview. "I'll keep trying to do what I can to really fuel this entire scene."

He hasn't been the only one.

Since the 1980s several hip-hop players have generated a good local following, from acts like the Rusty Ps to labels like UniFi. Since 2004, True Skool has offered hip-hop arts education to Milwaukee kids. And both the Rave and Summerfest offer plum opening slots to Milwaukee rappers.

But the scene's biggest claim to fame so far is Coo Coo Cal, who briefly had a No. 1 rap hit in 2001.

Fast forward to February 2015. WebsterX lit a fire with the song "Doomsday." From meditative chimes and chants, to WebsterX's distinct flow, "Doomsday" sounded different. Entertainment Weekly was among the major outlets praising its theme of defiance, and its accompanying gritty, sweeping music video. The song's been played 1.2 million times on the digital music service Spotify.

Steady press for WebsterX and other Milwaukee rappers followed. IshDARR and Mic Kellogg scored lucrative song and album premieres, and sites like Noisey and Uproxx published Milwaukee hip-hop scene reports.

Young Milwaukee rappers “took everything in their own hands and were good at blasting their music on social media (and to websites)," said Tyrone "DJ Bizzon" Miller, co-founder of Tap Milwaukee's "Those Hip Hop Guys" blog. "They were not taking the traditional route of waiting for anybody to do anything for them."

Leading the way is a Riverwest neighborhood-based collective of artists who perform under the name New Age Narcissism. WebsterX is part of the group.

"For people who are 25 and younger, the music scene is the utopian ideal for integration in an otherwise super-segregated city," said Kiran Vedula, a member of the collective who performs as Q the Sun. "These younger artists have a much bigger vision. It's not just, 'I am going to do this show,' or, 'Post this song on SoundCloud.' "

Last fall WebsterX signed a deal with Closed Sessions, home to Chance the Rapper collaborator Jamila Woods and other rising Chicago stars. The Chicago Tribune declared co-founders Alex Fruchter and Mike Kolar "Chicagoans of the Year" for 2016 for being "key players in helping build and maintain an infrastructure for Chicago hip-hop."

"Chicago has hundreds of people continuing every day to raise the bar and get their foot in the door," Q the Sun said. And not just artists, but managers, promoters, studios and music writers. Fruchter credits a decade of networking in the Chicago hip-hop scene for Closed Session's success; he was editor-in-chief of music site Ruby Hornet, while Kolar runs premier recording space SoundScape Studios.

WebsterX and his manager, Nick Edmonds, are picking up strategies from their growing Chicago contacts, and there's more behind-the-scenes collaboration in Milwaukee than ever before, Q the Sun suggests. But glaring shortcomings remain.

Local hip-hop is booked at Cactus Club and Company Brewing, but both venues are only open to people over age 21, and much of the local hip-hop fan base is underage.

Small all-ages venues Anodyne Coffee Roasting Company and the Back Room at Colectivo Coffee focus on other genres. Only two local all-ages venues frequently feature rap — the Rave and Miramar Theatre — and both are too large for most local artists.

WebsterX co-founded Freespace to help remedy the problem. The free, all-ages, monthly Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts series hosts beginners and established acts on the same bill. "The idea is to supply the next generation the tools to do what we're doing," WebsterX said.

All these efforts will get a boost if “Daymares” takes off. Works by New Age Narcissism members Lorde Fredd33, Lex Allen and Siren are already lined up to follow "Daymares," in the hope of creating a ripple effect.

"The further along (WebsterX) goes, the more impactful our work becomes," Q the Sun said. "But we need some champions in a position of power and influence to step up in helping us support and sustain what is happening here. The soil has to be more tended and fertilized, but (WebsterX) is going to bring a lot of sunlight to that soil."