The 31 Best Hip Hop Rappers of the 2020s (2023)

Since its birth in New York in the early 1970s, hip-hop culture has been the source of some of the best music in America.

Music continues to thrive and grow, and the rappers of the 2020s bring us a lot of great new music.

Here are the best hip-hop rappers of the 2020s so far.

1. Lil Uzi Verde

Since his debut song in 2016, Lil Uzi Vert has been a popular name in American rap and hip-hop.

Lil Uzi's first name is Symere Woods and they use she/they pronouns. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she started rapping in the tenth grade.

They changed their stage name from Sealab Vertical to Lil Uzi Vert after being told that his rapping style was as fast as a machine gun.

His 2020 album Eternal Atake had guest appearances from some of the best rappers of the 2020s, making the tracks huge hits.

Lil Uzi has released several singles since Eternal Atake came out, and his Pink Tape album is due out on an unspecified date.

2. Erpel

Drake, born Aubrey Drake Graham, is a Canadian rapper who has strong R&B overtones in his songs.

Drake has acting roots, having started his career in the early 2000s as a character on Degrassi. His first mixtape in 2006 flopped, but it turned his career around and he's been a fixture in rap and hip-hop ever since.

Drake remains relevant in the 2020s rap scene. He has collaborated with emerging hip-hop artists, debuted his third song on the Billboard Hot 100 at number one in 2020, and released another studio album in 2021.

3. little baby

Born in 1994 in Georgia, Lil Baby rose to fame in 2017 after the release of 'Perfect Timing'. The artist produces Hip Hop, Trap and Southern Hip Hop.

His 2020 album My Turn featured 12 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and featured performances by some of the biggest names in rap of the 2020s.

In 2021, Lil Baby performed at the Grammys, released a collaborative album with Lil Durk, and won Best Hip-Hop Artist of the Year at the BET Hip Hop Awards.

4. Polo G

Polo G rose to instant fame in 2019 with his debut studio album Die a Legend. Since then, his popularity has only increased. In 2020, Polo G released his second album The Goat, which had ten songs on the Hot 100s chart.

Polo G founded his own record label called Only Dreamers Achieve in 2020. In 2021 he released a third album, Hall of Fame.

While he hasn't won many awards yet, Polo G's consistent output of quality music entitles him to a place among the best hip-hop rappers of the 2020s.

5. Eminem

Eminem, also known as Slim Shady or his birth name Marshall Mathers, has been an influential part of the rap scene since the late 1990s.

Despite being in the business for over 20 years, Eminem shows no signs of losing steam or quality when it comes to his music.

In 2020 he released his eleventh album, Music To Be Murdered By, which features guest appearances by famous singers from all genres. It immediately shot to number one on the Billboard 200 chart, just like their last nine albums.

Eminem performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Academy Awards ceremony in 2021. The following year, he appeared at the Superbowl halftime show along with several other famous entertainers. Eminem starts the decade off strong, cementing his place as one of the greatest rappers of all time.

6. Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar is an influential hip hop rapper who found success as a solo artist and a member of Black Hippy.

Lamar has received countless awards since the release of his first album in 2011, including 14 Grammy Awards and was listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016.

While Lamar did take a few years out of the spotlight, his 2022 album Mr. Morals & the Big Steppers.” His latest album has been generally well received and proves that he is one of the best rappers of the 2020s.

7. J. Cole

Cole is a German-American rapper who grew up in North Carolina.

He started practicing at a very young age. Armed with a notebook full of lyrics and a synthetic drum machine, J. Cole spent his teenage years perfecting his art.

His breakthrough in the music industry came in 2009 and he has continued to release quality music ever since.

His 2021 album The Off Season peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards that year. While the album won neither the Grammy Awards nor the BET Hip Hop Awards, it did win Hip Hop Album of the Year at the iHeart Radio Music Awards.

8. Megan Tea Stallion

Megan Pete, also known as Megan Thee Stallion, is a Texan native who rose to popularity through rapping on social media.

He released several singles before releasing his debut studio album Good News in 2020.

Despite her relatively short career, Megan has been very successful. She has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Saturday Night Live. She is also the recipient of five BET Hip Hop Awards, three Grammy Awards, and won Best New Artist.

9. Doja-Katze

Doja Cat's first name is Amala Dlamini. She started her career as a teenager by posting music to SoundCloud.

Dlamini's work is very popular on platforms like TikTok. He's very experienced on the internet and has a humorous, funny presence, but that doesn't mean his music isn't significant.

Since his beginnings in the underground in 2012, Dlamini has made cheeky and satirical comments about the state of society. Her collaborative work "Best Friend" with Saweetie talks about toxic masculinity and the role of feminism today.

Her 2021 album Planet Her is about the freedom to express yourself.

10. Young thug

Young Thug was born Jeffery Williams in Georgia. He started rapping in 2010 and has been a big part of the hip hop scene since he became widely known in 2014.

In the late 2010s, Young Thug was featured on the songs of many well-known artists, including Arianna Grande and Pharrell Williams.

In 2020, he released a collaborative album with Chris Brown titled Slime & B. In 2021, he released his own album "Punk".

He received a nomination for three Grammy Awards between 2020 and 2022, but hasn't won one since winning Song of the Year in 2019.

With talent like him, it's only a matter of time before the next wave of awards rolls around!

11. Jack Harlow

Jack Harlow is a rapper and hip hop artist from Kentucky. Harlow started his career in 2015, but it wasn't until 2020 that he gained popularity with his song "What's Poppin."

The success of her single on TikTok allowed her to release her debut studio album That's What They All Say and she received three Grammy nominations in 2021 and 2022.

Although he has yet to win a Grammy, his songs "What's Poppin" and "Industry Baby" won Billboard Music Awards Top Rap Song for 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Harlow will next try his hand at acting, playing a role in White Men Can't Jump.

12. Lil Nas X

Born in Montero Hill, Lil Nas X mixes country, rap and hip hop in his repertoire in a way that appeals to everyone.

He gained popularity in 2019 and has since released his first studio album “Montero” in 2021.

Lil Nas X took a two-year hiatus, but recently announced that he would be releasing a second studio album in 2022.

In his career to date he has won five Billboard Music Awards, two Grammy Awards and two BET Hip Hop Awards.

In addition to his musical success, Lil Nas X wrote a children's book called C for Country and played June Bug in The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

13. Gunna

Gunna was born Sergio Kitchens in Georgia in 1993. The artist rose to fame after signing with Young Thug's record label.

Gunna's debut studio album came out in 2019 and he has been busy producing music ever since. In 2020 she released her next album "Wunna" and her third album "DS4Ever" was released in 2022.

Gunna is involved in both philanthropy and music. She mainly focuses on the famine in America. Gunna and Goodr teamed up in 2022 to open a free grocery store at her old high school.

14. Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj's birth name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty and she was born in Trinidad and Tobago.

Although Minaj started her career in 2004, she became popular in 2010 after releasing singles from her Pink Friday album.

In addition to her success as a rapper and hip-hop artist, Minaj has had a varied career. In the 2020s, she was a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race, she collaborated with some of the other biggest hip-hop artists, became a mother to her, and re-released her mixtape, Beam Me Up Scotty.

Minaj plans to release her fifth studio album soon and has already released several singles from the upcoming album.

15. Bias

Bia, born Bianca Landrau, is an American rapper from Massachusetts.

Bia started her career in 2014 on the Sisterhood of Hip Hop show. She released several singles, many of them very popular and with great collaborations with other artists, but she did not do well with her first label.

In 2020, armed with a new label, Bia released her album For Certain. She won Artist of the Year and Hip-Hop Artist of the Year at the 2020 Boston Music Awards.

In addition, it received a nomination for Song of the Year and Best Collaboration from the BET Hip Hop Awards in 2021. As of 2022, Bia is working on a new album with morevibrations

16. Coi Leray

Coi Leray is an American rapper who was born in Massachusetts in 1997 and grew up in New Jersey.

She started her career by releasing music on SoundCloud and her first mixtape was released in 2018. 1801 Records immediately signed her to a record deal and she released a second mixtape.

Leray released his debut studio album in 2022, which peaked at number 89 on the US chart.

In 2022, Leray collaborated with Nicki Minaj to create the song "Blick Blick", which peaked at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100s.

17. Pusha T

Pusha T was born in New York City in 1977 but grew up in Virginia. His first name is Terrance Thorton and he got his first record deal with his brother in 1997.

Pusha T had a successful solo career after he and his brother broke up in 2010.

His career has seen him collaborate with many other famous rappers and artists and he continues to produce influential music into the 2020s.

In 2022, Pusha T released his fourth album It's Almost Dry, which included his song Diet Coke.

Although he hasn't received many prestigious awards, his music continues to top the charts and is enjoyed by millions.

18. Fivio abroad

Fivio Foreign's first name is Maxie Ryles. She signed a multi-million dollar contract with Colombia Records in 2019, which ensured her success in the 2020s.

His 2022 album B.IBLE" was produced by Kanye West and was well received. The album featured several other famous hip hop artists.

Fivio Foreign's songs not only charted in the United States, but also topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands.

19. Lil Durk

Lil Durk was born Durk Banks in Chicago in 1992. The poverty of life south of the city had a strong impact on how Lil Durk grew up and the values ​​he shares in his music.

Durk's career began in 2011 and his music continues to thrive to this day. In 2020 Lil Durk released his fifth studio album Just Cuz Y'all Wanted 2 and in 2022 he released another album titled 7220.

He was nominated for three Grammy Awards in the 2020s for his collaborations with Drake and on the Kanye West album.

20. Tyga

Tyga's birth name is Michael Stevenson. He is from California and was raised by his Vietnamese mother and his Jamaican father.

Tyga began his career in 2007 when he released an independent album titled No Introduction.

Tyga has mostly collaborated with other artists in 2020, but his 2019 album Legendary remains relevant to 2020 hip-hop.

Along with their collaborations, Tyga has branched out into the culinary industry, starring in 2022's The Masked Singer.

21. Future

Future was born Nayvadius Dumun Wilburn in 1983 in Georgia, where he also spent his childhood.

Future began releasing mixtapes in 2010 and in 2011 signed to a major record company.

In the 2020s, Future have released two albums. The first album "High Off Life" was released in 2020 and featured Travis Scott as a guest appearance. The second album of 2020, I Never Liked You, topped the Billboard 200 chart.

22. A Herde

Kay Flock, known by his birth name Kevin Perez, didn't start his rapping career until 2020.

Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, he has rappers in his family along with his father.

Flock has released several singles and a mixtape called The DOA Tape, but has yet to release a studio album. However, Flock's music is very popular and his career is just beginning.

Kay Flock has a lot of potential and with talent like hers, her career is sure to continue to thrive for the rest of the 2020s.

23. Tyler the Creator

Tyler Okonama, known by his artistic name Tyler the Creator, is a California native of Nigerian ancestry.

Tyler taught himself to play the piano as a child and his interest in music grew from there. He began his hip hop career in 2007, but gained popularity and traction in 2011.

Tyler's fifth studio album Igor was released in 2019 but held in 2020 and topped the US Billboard 200 chart. In 2021 he released his sixth studio album Call Me If You Get Lost.

Famous artists like Billie Eilish and Juice Wrld have said that Tyler influenced their music and career.

24. DMX

DMX's birth name was Earl Simmons, but he chose Dark Man X, which he eventually shortened to DMX. DMX was an American rapper and hip hop artist who began his career in the early 1990s.

DMX lost his battle with addiction in 2021, dying from an overdose or from the stress of long-term drug use on his heart.

However, his posthumous album Exodus was a tribute to his work and career. Many famous artists and rappers have contributed to her works to show the best of her life.

25. Travis Scott

Travis Scott was born as Jacques Webster in Texas in 1991.

He released his first single on Myspace in 2008 and had a hard time getting his foot in the door. Scott dabbled in the New York and Los Angeles music scene, but couldn't make ends meet and had to return to Texas.

After enough hard work and dedication, Scott was able to pursue his dreams and produce mainstream music.

In the 2020s, Scott was featured on several songs by major rappers, including Baby Keem and Kanye West. The public is waiting for her next album "Utopia".

26. Migos (Quavo, Scroll and Start)

Migos is the name of a hip hop group made up of Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff. The members formed the group in 2008 and found success in 2013.

In 2021, after several delays caused by the pandemic, the group released their third studio album, titled Culture III.

Migos won Best Group at the BET Awards in 2017 and 2018.

27. Roddy Rico

Rodrick Moore, better known as Roddy Ricch, is originally from California and comes from a Christian family.

Roddy released his first mixtape in 2017 and found success with his single "Die Young" in 2018.

In 2021, Roddy released his second studio album, Live Life Fast, which reached number four on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2020, Roddy was named Breakthrough Artist of the Year by Variety.

28. Bebe Keem

Baby Keem is a rapper from Nevada born Hykeem Carter in 2000.

Baby Keem received recognition in 2019 after releasing his song "Orange Soda." His debut album The Melodic Blue was released in 2021 and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 chart.

He won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance with "Family Ties" in 2022 and won BETS Video of the Year for the same song.

29. Sierra

Saweetie was born Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper in 1993. She rose to popularity on the hip hop rap scene in 2018 with several popular singles.

While she has yet to release a studio album, her singles have featured many other artists, and her performances have won multiple awards.

Saweetie won a Best Friends award that he created with Doja Cat. He also won the BET Hip Hop Awards Hustler of the Year award in 2021.

30. Kanye West (Ye)

Kanye West, now known as Ye, has been an influential member of the hip hop community since the beginning of his career in the 1990s.

Ye is not afraid to change his musical style and has gained great popularity among many niche groups due to the wide scope of his works.

Since 2019, Ye's work has taken on a more Christian tone, and his 2021 album Donda reflects this.

Donda was followed by "Donda 2" in 2022, which kept the same themes and structure as Ye featured on Donda.

31. Post Malone

post maloneis an American rapper born in New York. His first name is Austin Post and he combines hip hop and R&B.

Malone started his serious career in 2011 but gained popularity in 2015.

He collaborated with many artists in 2020 and released a fourth studio album titled Twelve Carat Toothache in 2022.

Aside from music, Malone has ventured into winemaking and gaming.

The best hip hop rappers of 2020 final thoughts

Hip hop culture is alive and well in the popular rap music we hear today. Rappers of the 2020s produce music for us that is relatable and relevant.

Our list doesn't include every notable rapper of 2020, but it does include some of the best! If you liked this list, check out our listsad rap songs.

PS However, remember that nothing you've learned will matter if you don't know how to spread your music and make money from it. Would you like to learn how to do this? Then get our free5 Steps to a Profitable YouTube Music Career eBook.emailed directly to you!