Rap is a genre with which most people have crossed paths at least one point in their lives, whether solely for entertainment or to bring light at the darkest of times. New rappers are coming in every day introducing new and unique elements and styles every day. Not just the established rappers, even the ones who have just emerged into the scene have been able to make a great impact in the industry with their exceptional talent. Here is the list of the 10 best rappers who have managed to maintain their dominance over the scene in 2022:
1. Drake
Drake emerged into the global hip-hop scene with his debut single, ‘Over’ in 2010. The song became a mega-hit and since then he has been climbing the ladder of success swiftly. After the release of his sixth studio album, ‘Certified Lover Boy’ in September of 2021, Drake proved to the world why he deserves to be in the same league of the all-time greatest rappers. The album became the most streamed album in just one day on Spotify and Apple Music. It seized the number 1 spot on the US Billboard 200 chart in both the first and second week of its release. Drake has received 192 awards for his music including 4 Grammys.
2. Jay Z
Jay-Z is considered one of the greatest rappers of all time and he continues to dominate the industry in 2022. He has been successfully ruling the scene for more than three decades. He has won 23 Grammy awards so far alongside hundreds of other awards. His biggest hit songs are ’99 Problems’, ‘Public Service Announcement’, ‘Where I’m From’, ‘Brooklyn's Finest’, and more. His latest single with Nipsey Hussle, ‘What It Feels Like’ from the album, ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ became a major hit. He collaborated with his wife and pop queen Beyoncé in many songs such as ‘Deja Vu’, ‘Crazy In Love’, ‘Drunk in Love’, ‘03’ Bonnie & Clyde’, ‘Hollywood’, and more.
3. Eminem
Eminem is one of the first rappers who broke many stereotypes in the hip-hop industry. He was one of the first white rappers who managed to dominate the hip-hop industry for decades. Eminem has a total of 15 Grammys so far. His latest album ‘Music to Be Murdered By’ released in January of 2020 debuted at the number one spot on US Billboard 200 chart. It sold over 270k album-equivalent units in the first week of its release. It was the 9th best-selling album in the US in 2020. It also reached the number one spot on UK Album Charts.
4. Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj is one of the most influential rappers in 2022. She has won the Best Female hip Hop Artist award at the BET Awards from 2010 to 2016, she has 10 Grammy nominations under her belt. Her 2010 debut album, ‘Pink Friday’ topped US Billboard 200. The fifth single from the album, ‘Super Bass’ became the highest-charting by female rapper solo song since 2002. Her 2014 single, ‘Anaconda’ became the first solo rap video by a female rapper to reach one billion views on YouTube. Her latest song, ‘Do We Have a Problem?’ featuring Lil Baby was released on February 4th, 2022.
5. Doja Cat
American singer, rapper, songwriter, and producer Doja Cat rose to fame after being discovered on SoundCloud by RCA Records and Kemosabe. She became viral after the release of her first album, ‘Amala’. Her second album, ‘Hot Pink’ reached the top 10 positions in the US Billboard 200. Her single, ‘Say So’ topped the Billboard Hot 100 list. Her music became immensely popular through TikTok. She has received eleven Grammy nominations so far. She has received three MTV Video Music Awards and five American Music Awards.
6. Kendrick Lamar
Debuting in 2012 in the mainstream music industry, Kendrick Lamar has become one of the biggest names in the global hip-hop industry. His debut album, ‘Good Kid, M.A.A.D City’ became certified triple platinum in the USA. His third album, ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ won the Pulitzer Prize becoming the first non-jazz and non-classical album to win it. He produced and wrote 14 songs on the hit Marvel film, ‘Black Panther’. Three of Lamar’s albums have been named in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020.
7. Juice Wrld
Juice Wrld is one of the leading forces in the emo-rap and SoundCloud rap genre. He entered the industry in 2015 as an independent artist. His single ‘Lucid Dreams’ reached the number two spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and gained him immense popularity. His debut album, ‘Goodbye & Good Riddance' has received diamond certification. He collaborated with American rapper Future on the mixtape, ‘Wrld on Drugs’. He has an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Awards, and an iHeartRadio Music Award so far.
8. Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne is one of the most creative and talented lyricists of all time. His rapping style is somewhat inspired by the mumble rap genre. He was signed as a rapper by Birdman for Cash Money Records at the age of only 12. His debut solo album, ‘The Block Is Hot’ released in 1999 was a breakthrough for his career. His sixth album, ‘The Carter III’ sold over one million copies in the US in the first week of its release. He has won five Grammys in his career.
9. BIA
Bianca Miquela Landrau, better known as BIA emerged into the spotlight by appearing on the show Sisterhood of Hip Hop. Her first EP, ‘Nice Girls Finish Last’ released in 2018 gained him massive recognition and fame. Her single, ‘Whole Lotta Money’ from the EP ‘For Certain’ featuring Nicki Minaj reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. She was signed by I Am Oth er Record in 2014. She has won the Hip Hop Artist of the Year and Artist of the Year award at the 2020 Boston Music Awards. The 30-year-old artist’s latest single, ‘Can’t Touch This’ has gained more than 3.1 million views on YouTube.
10. Iggy Azalea
Australian rapper Iggy Azalea is one of the most influential female rappers of her generation. She first gained recognition with her music video, ‘Pussy’ and ‘Two Times’ released on YouTube. Her debut studio album, ‘The New Classic’ reached the top five on various music charts all over the world. The single ‘Fancy’ from the album became her first chart-topping single as it reached the number one spot on Billboard Hot 100. It stayed on the top spot for seven consecutive weeks. Her single, ‘Black Widow’ also reached the top on Billboard Hot 100 chart. Her third studio album, ‘The End of an Era’ was released in September 2021.
The contemporary music industry can get overwhelming with so many rappers vying for the attention of the same group of audience. Trusted music marketing company Music Promotion Club helps budding artists gain their deserved audience engagement within a very short time.
