This list presents the year’s leading rappers and hip-hop artists.
These artists hail from different backgrounds, but all are aiming for the top slots on the Billboard. Here are the young, seasoned, and of course, the most famous rappers of hip hop.
Check out the count-down of the best rappers of 2021.
Table of Contents
1. Kendrick Lamar
These days Kendrick’s name is on every hip hop lover’s lips. The candid presentation of Southern California in his songs has won him many awards, as well as hearts.
He holds 13 Grammy Awards, and is the only non-classical artist to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. With his tracks Hair Down and Momma I Hit a Lick, Lamar is rightly branded as the New King of Hip Hop.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Kendrick Lamar.
2. J. Cole
J. Cole is known as a realist rapper in the hip hop circle. This talented artist is a self-taught piano artist, and record producer.
His chart-topping albums include 2014 Forest Hills Drive, 4 Your Eyez Only, and KOD.
KOD is his fifth number one album. He also runs a charitable organization Dreamville Foundation.
Here are some of the most popular songs by J. Cole.
3. Juice Wrld
Juice Wrld passed away in December 2019, leaving behind a vacuum in the hip hop world. His freestyle rap songs had inspired many young contemporary artists.
His second album, Death Race for Love will be his only number-one album on the BillBoard 200.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Juice WRLD.
4. Travis Scott
Coming from Houston, Travis has lent a raw psychedelic style to the contemporary rap culture. He was first featured on the album Cruel Summer in 2012.
Since then, he has released highly acclaimed mix-tapes and albums. He has been nominated for the Grammy Awards four times in a row.
His latest hits are Atroworld and Sicko Mode.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Travis Scott.
5. DaBaby
Earlier known as Baby Jesus, DaBaby surged to fame with his singles Suge and Bop. DaBaby’s solo albums Baby on Baby and Kirk both hit among the top albums on Billboard.
His hit numbers include Intro and Under the Sun.
In 2019, DaBaby emerged as the king of rap with 22 entries on the Billboard!
Here are some of the most popular songs by DaBaby.
6. Drake
After an acting stint in the TV show Degrassi, Aubrey Drake Graham took a detour to the music industry for good.
His debut solo album Thank Me Later burst the chart at the top slot. His very next release Take Care was awarded Best Rap Album at Grammy Award.
He is now recognized as one of the world’s top-selling music artists.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Drake.
7. Pusha T
Pusha surfaced the rap world as a part of the duo Clise along with his brother. He made appearances with Kanye and Linkin Park.
He is an international sensation, well regarded for intelligent lyrics. His album Daytona was a huge success and was nominated for the Grammy Award.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Pusha T.
8. Logic
Logic has a long list of hit tracks and albums, including the number-one album Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
The album also contains the hit track Homicide featuring Eminem. Logic has also released a novel titled Supermarket, which became a New York Times Best Seller.
He also released a soundtrack by the same name.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Logic.
9. Joyner Lucas
Joyner Lucas is a rapper, singer, lyricist, actor and producer from Massachusetts.
His music video I’m Not Racist was a phenomenal hit on YouTube. It also got nominated in the 2019 Grammy Award.
Devil’s Work and 10 Bands are his freshest singles.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Joyner Lucas.
10. Tory Lanez
The Canadian rapper got famous with his debut mixtape Conflicts of My Soul. His hit singles Say It and Luv, from the album I Told You, were on the Billboard 100.
He recently released a studio album Love Me Now?. Although being surrounded with controversies over feuds with other rappers, Lanez has amassed a huge fan following.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Tory Lanez.
11. Post Malone
Post Malone’s lyrics strike as direct but profound. He has emerged with first-hand versions of hip hop, country and rock.
His debut album Stoney was on the charts for 77 weeks! His latest hits include Circles and Take What You Want.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Post Malone.
12. A Boogie Wit da Hoodie
Boogie released his first single Temporary on Soundcloud, which was criticized for the lack of flow.
Now, with systemic professional training and studio recordings, Boogie has been recognized as one of the up-and-coming rappers.
His latest hits are Reply and Mood Swings.
Here are some of the most popular songs by A Boogie Wit da Hoodie.
13. Ski Mask The Slump God
This Florida-based hip hop artist is known for his edgy and spontaneous style. His top hits include Catch Me and Babywipe
He is regarded as one of the best new-school rappers in the industry. His mix-tape Beware the Book of Eli has also received a huge fan following.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Ski Mask The Slump God.
14. Eminem
Named among the Guardian’s ‘The Best of 21st Century’, Eminem is one of the best-selling music artists worldwide.
He has won 15 Grammy Awards, 8 American Music Awards, and 17 Billboard Music Awards. He scored ten consecutive number-one albums on the Billboard 200.
His latest single is Remember the Name with Ed Sheeran and 50 Cent.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Eminem.
15. YBN Cordae
At the age of 16, Cordae entered the rap scene with the stage name Entendre. Later, he became a part of the YBN Collective and gained fame for the remixes like My Name Is and Eminem.
His latest album The Lost Boy was nominated in the category of Best Rap Album at the 2020 Grammy Award.
Here are some of the most popular songs by YBN Cordae.
16. Lil Wayne
One of the most celebrated rap artists of our time, Lil Wayne joined a record label at the tender age of only 13.
Over the fifteen years of his career, he has amassed many platinum certifications, released plenty of hit albums, and won five Grammy Awards.
His latest tracks are Be Like Me and I Don’t Even Like You Anymore.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Lil Wayne.
17. J.I.D
J.I.D has distinguished his rap music with an original lyrical style. His independent projects include the critically acclaimed titles, The Never Story, Route of Evil, and Para Tu.
He is also a part of the popular music collective Spillage Village.
His newest album is titled Di Caprio 2.
Here are some of the most popular songs by J.I.D.
18. Snoop Dogg
The world knows Snoop Dogg for his debut album Doggystyle, which sold one million copies within a week of its release.
Since then, Snoop Dogg has emerged as a media personality, record producer, and also a youth football coach.
He has recently launched his seventeenth solo album titled I Wanna Thank Me.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Snoop Dogg.
19. NF
Nathan Feuerstein is better known by his initials NF. Two of his studio albums Perception and The Search have debuted at number one positions.
Let You Down is his biggest hit, which fetched him the triple-platinum certificate. Fans claim that he is an Eminem’s soundalike.
Here are some of the most popular songs by NF.
20. Lil Baby
Mentored by Young Thug, Lil Baby is another highly acclaimed rapper from Atlanta. His early mix-tapes left much impact in the underground rap world.
He rose to fame with the singles My Dawg and Freestyle. Baby is his latest single.
Here are some of the most popular songs by Lil Baby.
21. Meek Mill
The Billboard 200 received Meek Mill’s debut album Dreams and Nightmares at number two position.
Throughout his career, Mill has collaborated with leading hip hop artists and record labels.
He is recognized for battle rap and freestyle music. Recently, Amazon Prime Video released a documentary on his life, titled Free Meek.
22. Roddy Ricch
Ruling the hip hop mainstream with his catchy single The Box, Roddy Rich is the winner of the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance.
His album Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial is also among the leading albums on the Billboard 200.
At the age of 21, he is a star!
23. NLE Choppa
NLE Choppa’s hit single Shotta Flow received a huge following soon after the launch.
Just at the beginning of his career, Choppa’s act seems highly promising.
This talented young rapper recently turned 17!
24. YoungBoy Never Broke Again
YoungBoy is an internet phenomenon at just the age of 20.
He has already released eight solo mix-tapes. His songs reverberate with emotions and depth.
His latest album AI YoungBoy 2, was at the top of the Billboard 100.
Valuable Pain and Slime Belief are among his most popular tracks.
25. Denzel Curry
At the age of 16 in 2011, Denzel released his first mix-tape while he was a part of the Florida-based underground rap group SpaceGhostPurrp.
After this support for the initial years, he eventually ventured on a solo career with four hit albums.
His recent studio album Zuu has received much praise.
26. Childish Gambino
Gambino has rocked the stage as a rapper, as a DJ and also as a comedian.
You may have noticed his appearance in The Martian and Spider-Man: Homecoming, or his voiceover for Simba in The Lion King.
His song This is America fetched him the top slot on the Billboard Hot 100. The song won 4 titles at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
28. French Montana
Hailing from Morocco, French Montana made his mark in the hip hop music industry with the breakthrough single Choppa Choppa Down.
He owns the company Coke Boys Records and is well known for the song Unforgettable featuring Swae Lee.
Montana is his latest solo album with the hit single No Stylist featuring Drake.
29. Young Thug
Jeffery Lamar Williams, a.k.a Young Thug is regarded as the most influential rapper of the 21st century.
There was a period when he held 11 slots on the Billboard Hot 100. He is noted for sculpting an unconventional class in rap music. He won the 2019 Grammy Award for This is America.
His new album So Much Fun is also among the top albums of Billboard 200.
30. Kanye West
With approximately 100 million records sold, Kanye West has built his career experimenting with genres and electronic music.
He was twice noted among the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time magazine.
Kanye has also designed merchandise for Nike and LV. His recent album is titled Jesus is King.
31. Lil Skies
Lil Skies supposedly got hip hop running in his blood.
His father Michael Burton Jr. and mother Shelby are both hip hop artists. He is known for the mix-tape Life of a Dark Rose.
Rumor has it that Lil Skies started writing songs when he was only 4! His latest tracks are Going Off and Magic.
32. Chance The Rapper
Chance the Rapper attained recognition for his mix-tapes Acid Rap and Coloring Book.
At the age of 26, he has already won three Grammy Awards. He is a member of the Chicago-based music collective SaveMoney, and also a member of the band Social Experiment.
There are high expectations from his latest track Groceries.
34. YNW Melly
YNW Melly is most known for his single Murder on My Mind.
Ironically, in real life, he is also charged for the double murder of fellow rappers, and the trial is still pending. There are millions of views on his popular music videos on YouTube.
The latest Billboard 200, features his numbers Melly vs. Melvin and I am You.
35. Trippie Redd
Trippie Red rose to fame with the singles Dark Knight Dummo and Topanga.
His debut album Life’s a Trip was number four on 2018 Billboard 200. The following year, his second album A Love Letter to You 4 made it to the first position.
36. Playboi Carti
Playboi Carti hails from Atlanta’s underground rap background.
When he debuted in 2017, his album was among the top ranks on the Billboard 200. Currently, he is in contract with Interscope Records.
Carti has recently released his second album Whole Lotta Red.
37. Tyler, the Creator
Tyler gained much fame as a part of the former hip hop collective Odd Future.
His surreal composition in Igor has won him the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album this year.
Earlier, he had won the Music Innovator of the Year award at the 2019 Wall Street Journal Innovator Awards.
38. Jay-Z
Jay-Z has made his mark not only as a rapper but also as a producer and entrepreneur.
Since his debut with Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z has become the first billionaire hip hop artist. Rolling Stone magazine has recognized him as the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Winner of 22 Grammy Awards, he recently released the track Mood 4 Eva with Beyonce and Childish Gambino.
39. Future
This seasoned rapper has five releases that debuted at the top slot on the U.S. Billboard 200.
Many have criticized, and few have praised his rap-style and extensive use of auto-tune.
Nonetheless, he is a crowd-pleaser. King’s Dead earned him the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance.
40. Kodak Black
Kodak Black started his rap career in his early teens. His rebellious lyrics and youthful music style have gained much attention worldwide in a matter of a few years.
At the age of only 22, his career is right on track with the latest song Zombie.
41. 2 Chainz
2 Chainz, formerly known as Tity Boi, now has four hits that have ruled the top spot on Billboard. Rap or Go to the League is his newest chart-topping single.
His number No Problem won the Best Rap Performance at the Grammy Award 2017. He is also working for the third season of the TV show Most Expensivest.
42. Nicki Minaj
Besides being the Queen of Rap, Nicki Minaj is also an actor, a model, and a former American Idol judge.
Among the female artists, Nicki has set records by most frequently topping the Billboard charts. Her latest hits are Megatron and Tusa.
43. Blueface
Blueface became an internet sensation with his viral YouTube music video Respect My Crippin’ and Franklin-tattooed face.
He has also garnered universal praise for the latest chart-topping remix, Thotiana ft. Cardi B and YG.
Dirt Bag EP and Find the Beat are his latest song tracks.
44. Quavo
Quavo has garnered attention from the hip hop community not only as a member of the music trio Migos but also as an independent songwriter and rapper.
His super hit singles include I’m the One (2018) with D.J. Khalid. Quavo’s debut solo album Quavo Huncho hit number two position on the Billboard.
His latest single is Too Much Shaft.
46. Rich the Kid
Dimitri Roger a.k.a. Rich the Kid owns a record label that has signed top-rated artists like Jay Critch and Airi.
He has released two albums The World is Yours 1 (2018), and The Word is Yours 2 (2019).
48. YBN Nahmir
This famed 20-year-old rapper is also the founder of the Young Boss Nigga (YBN) Collective. Rubbin’ Off the Paint and Bounce Out with That are Nahmir’s most successful singles.
His latest singles are Baby 8 and F**ck It Up.
50. YG
The California born rapper was named in the Billboard Hot 100 with his debut single Toot It and Boot It in 2009. In a decade, YG released many albums, including the chart-topping single Big Bank. In 2014, YG produced and starred in the short film and soundtrack album Blame It On the Streets. His newest release is 4Real 4Real.
