Top 25 Favorite Hip Hop Artists/Groups
by theclarkone68 | created - 30 Jan 2017 | updated - 14 Feb 2017 | PublicGroups include solo endeavors In no particular order
1. Wu-Tang Clan
Soundtrack | Nerve
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affiliate Cappadonna later became an official member. Wu-Tang ...
Favorite songs: C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me), Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing Ta F' Wit, Can It Be All So Simple, Triumph, Cold World
2. Outkast
Soundtrack | Flight of the Phoenix
Outkast (sometimes written as OutKast) was an American hip hop duo formed in 1992 in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta-based rappers André "3000" Benjamin (formerly known as Dré) and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. Outkast is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential hip hop acts...
Favorite songs: SpottieOttieDopaliscious, Rosa Parks, ATLiens, B.O.B., Elevators (Me & You)
3. Beastie Boys
Soundtrack | Real Steel
Beastie Boys is known for Real Steel (2011), Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Beyond (2016).
Favorite songs: Pass the Mic, Sabotage, So What'cha Want, Intergalactic, Alive
4. The Notorious B.I.G.
Soundtrack | Fast X
Christopher Wallace, a.k.a. Biggie Smalls, was born on May 21, 1972 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the son of Jamaican parents, Voletta Wallace, a pre-school teacher, and Selwyn George Latore, a welder and small-time politician. He was raised in the poor Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant. ...
Favorite songs: Juicy, Big Poppa, Notorious Thugs, The What, Mo Money Mo Problems
5. Mobb Deep
Soundtrack | Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Prodigy (b. Albert Johnson) and Havoc (b. Kejuan Muchita) began making music together, after meeting as teenagers, while attending the Graphic Arts High School in Manhattan. In the early 1990s, they adopted the stage name Mobb Deep and released their debut album, "Juvenile Hell". The 1995 follow-up...
Favorite songs: Shook Ones Pt. II, Front Lines (Hell on Earth), Back at You, Quiet Storm, Survival of the Fittest
6. A Tribe Called Quest
Soundtrack | The Wackness
A Tribe Called Quest is known for The Wackness (2008), Tag (2018) and Dope (2015).
Favorite songs: Electric Relaxation, Award Tour, Check the Rhime, Scenario, Can I Kick It?
7. Eminem
Soundtrack | 8 Mile
Eminem was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III in St. Joseph, Missouri, to Deborah R. (Nelson) and Marshall Bruce Mathers, Jr., who were in a band together, Daddy Warbucks. He is of English, as well as some German, Scottish, and Swiss-German, ancestry. Marshall spent his early childhood being shoved ...
Favorite songs: Stan, Lose Yourself, My Name Is, Guilty Conscience, My Fault
8. Dr. Dre
Soundtrack | Training Day
Considered by many to be hip-hop's greatest producer, Dr. Dre (b. André Young, February 18, 1965) pioneered gangsta hip-hop and his own variation of the sound, dubbed G-Funk. His very early albums were violent but cautionary tales of the criminal mind, but Dre's records with NWA celebrated the ...
Favorite songs: Nuthin' But a G Thang, California Love, Still D.R.E., Forgot About Dre, Deep Cover
9. Tupac Shakur
Actor | Juice
Born in New York City, Tupac grew up primarily in Harlem. In 1984, his family moved to Baltimore, Maryland where he became good friends with Jada Pinkett Smith. His family moved again in 1988 to Oakland, California. His first breakthrough in music came in 1991 as a member of the group Digital ...
Favorite songs: Keep Ya Head Up, Thug Luv, California Love, Dear Mama, Hail Mary
10. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Soundtrack | Small Soldiers
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is known for Small Soldiers (1998), Pineapple Express (2008) and Lady Bird (2017).
Favorite songs: Thug Luv, Tha Crossroads, Shoot 'Em Up, 1st of tha Month, Thuggish Ruggish Bone
11. Nas
Soundtrack | Belly
Nas, born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones on September 14, 1973, is the son of Olu Dara, an unconventional jazz musician. At age nine he was a member of the Devastatin' Seven in the mid-1980s, the fruits of which can be heard on his 1994 debut, "Illmatic," which was released on Columbia/SME later that ...
Favorite songs: Nas Is Like, If I Ruled the World, Street Dreams, N.Y. State of Mind, Made You Look
12. Lost Boyz
Soundtrack | Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Lost Boyz is known for Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996), Woo (1998) and Caught Up (1998).
Favorite songs: Renee, Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz, Music Makes Me High, Lifestyles of the Rich & Shameless, Get Up
13. Redman
Soundtrack | How High
Reginald Noble better known by his stage name Redman, is an American rapper, DJ, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label. He is well known for his collaborations with his close friend Method Man, as one-half of the rap duo Method Man & Redman...
Favorite songs: How High, Tonight's Da Night, Da Rockwilder, Time 4 Sum Aksion, It's Like That (My Big Brother)
14. Public Enemy
Soundtrack | Do the Right Thing
Public Enemy is known for Do the Right Thing (1989), Star Trek Beyond (2016) and End of Watch (2012).
Favorite songs: Sophisticated Bitch, Fight the Power, By the Time I Get to Arizona, Bring tha Noize, Can't Truss It
15. Eric B. & Rakim
Soundtrack | Colors
Eric B. was born in 1965 in Elmhurst,New York and Rakim was born in 1968 in Wyandanch, New York.They first met at the radio station WBLS , and the two officially formed a partnership in 1985.The singles "I Ain't No Joke" and "I Know You Got Soul" sampled James Brown began to revolutionize the sound...
Favorite songs: Follow the Leader, Paid in Full, New York (Ya Out There), Eric B. Is President, I Know You Got Soul
16. Ice Cube
Soundtrack | Friday
Ice Cube was born in South Central Los Angeles, to Doris (Benjamin), a custodian and hospital clerk, and Hosea Jackson, a UCLA groundskeeper. He first came to public notice as a singer and songwriter with the controversial and influential band N.W.A. His compositions with that group included many ...
Favorite songs: It Was a Good Day, Straight Outta Compton, No Vaseline, Wicked, Express Yourself
17. Snoop Dogg
Actor | Training Day
Snoop Dogg is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, media personality, entrepreneur, and actor.
His music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre and featured on Dre's solo debut, "Deep Cover", and then on Dre's solo debut album, The Chronic. He has since sold over 23 ...
Favorite songs: Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang, Gin and Juice, Still D.R.E., What's My Name?, Doggy Dogg World
18. Busta Rhymes
Actor | Halloween: Resurrection
Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known by his stage name Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer, musician, record producer, record executive, and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes. He is best ...
Favorite songs: Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check, Gimme Some More, Turn It Up (remix)/Fire It Up, Everything Remains Raw, Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
19. Pharoahe Monch
Soundtrack | Training Day
Pharoahe Monch was born on October 31, 1972 in Queens, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Training Day (2001), Charlie's Angels (2000) and Fantastic Four (2005).
Organized Konfusion Favorite songs: Simon Says, The Light, The Truth, Releasing Hypnotical Gases, Black Sunday
20. Gang Starr
Soundtrack | Training Day
Gang Starr is known for Training Day (2001), The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) and Fish Tank (2009).
Favorite songs: Mass Appeal, Royalty, Moment of Truth, Just to Get a Rep, DWYCK
21. DMX
Soundtrack | Exit Wounds
Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 - April 9, 2021), known by his stage name DMX ("Dark Man X"), was an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot in 1998, to both critical acclaim and commercial success, selling 251,000 copies...
Favorite songs: Ruff Ryders' Anthem, Get At Me Dog, Party Up (Up in Here), What's My Name, X-Is Coming
22. Juvenile
Soundtrack | Money Train
Juvenile was born on March 25, 1975 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Money Train (1995), Bad Boys (1995) and The New Guy (2002). He has been married to Shadonna Jones since September 4, 2004.
Hot Boys Favorite songs: Back That Azz Up, Tha Block Is Hot, Rich *beep* Bling Bling, U.P.T.
23. Goodie Mob
Soundtrack | Any Given Sunday
Goodie Mob is known for Any Given Sunday (1999), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) and Moonlight (2016).
Favorite songs: Cell Therapy, Crazy, *beep* You, Soul Food, They Don't Dance No Mo'
24. The Pharcyde
Soundtrack | Street Fighter
The Pharcyde is known for Street Fighter (1994), The Gentlemen (2019) and Mid90s (2018).
Favorite songs: Runnin', Passin' Me By, Drop, On the DL, I'm That Type of *beep*
25. Cypress Hill
Soundtrack | Guns Akimbo
Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. They are a hip-hop group that has sold multi-platinum and platinum albums, having sold over 20 million albums worldwide. They are considered to be among the main progenitors of West Coast and 1990s hip hop. The group has been ...
Favorite songs: Illusions, Tequila Sunrise, Insane in the Brain, I Wanna Get High, I Ain't Goin' Out Like That
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