Nujabes　

NAS　

Beginning with his classic debut, Illmatic (1994), Nas stood tall for years as one of New York City’s leading rap voices, outspokenly expressing a righteous, self-empowered swagger that endeared ..more

Tyler the Creator　

The RZA and maybe even GZA of Odd Future, Tyler, The Creator is the alternative rap crew’s main rapper, producer, and source of inspiration. Tyler Okonma got his first taste of fame whe ..more

Kenichiro Nishihara　

De La Soul　

At the time of its 1989 release, De La Soul’s debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, was hailed as the future of hip-hop. With its colorful, neo-psychedelic collage of samples and styles, plus the ..more

Kendrick Lamar　

Platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated rapper Kendrick Lamar is one of the rare artists who has achieved critical and commercial success while earning the respect and support of those who inspired him. ..more

Kanye West　

In the span of three short years, Kanye West went from hip-hop beatmaker to worldwide hitmaker, as his stellar production work for Jay-Z led to a major-label recording contract and, ultimately, ..more

Ye (Kanye West)　

Travis Scott　

Big L　

A member of Fat Joe’s DITC crew, rapper Big L was born Lamont Coleman on May 30, 1974. He made his solo debut with 1995’s Lifestylez Ov Da Poor ＆ Dangerous, scoring a series of undergro ..more

A Tribe Called Quest　

Without question the most intelligent, artistic rap group during the 1990s, A Tribe Called Quest jump-started and perfected the hip-hop alternative to hardcore and gangsta rap. In essence, they aba ..more

Beastie Boys　

As the first white rap group of any importance, the Beastie Boys received the scorn of critics and strident hip-hop musicians, both of whom accused them of cultural pirating, especially since ..more

WU-TANG CLAN　

Emerging in 1993, when Dr. Dre’s G-funk had overtaken the hip-hop world, the Staten Island, New York-based Wu-Tang Clan proved to be the most revolutionary rap group of the mid-’90s -- and only ..more

Little Simz　

A tough-rhyming rapper whose approach is equally effective over jagged and smooth productions, Little Simz (originally Lil Simz) is also known as an actor for her recurring roles on the BBC’s ..more

A$AP Rocky　

2 Pac　

Easily the most controversial and influential figure in rap history, 2 Pac was truly an innovator. His influence in rap music is still strong that the catalog of his posthumous albums now continues t ..more

Kan Sano　

Guru　

Rapper/composer Guru (real name Keith Elam) first rose to prominence as the lyrical half of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, one of the first outfits that attempted to fuse jazz with {\rap ..more

21 Savage　

An Atlanta-based rapper who kicked off his career with the crew Slaughtergang, MC 21 Savage hit as a solo artist with his 2014 single Picky. Born Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph in Dominica, he f ..more