Chicago, also known as the
Windy City or Chi-town , is home to some of the most influential artists in the American rap scene. These hip-hop artists have adopted both the East Coast's lyricism and the West Coast's swagger. Some of the top
Chicago rappers who have influenced the global drill scene include
Kanye West ,
Polo G , and
Common .
Key takeaways
Who are the top Chicago rappers?
Compiling the list of the top Chicago rappers who changed the game and influenced the global Hip-hop scene is subjective and not exhaustive. It includes both late and living artists and is based on a combination of factors such as chart performance, critical acclaim, and societal influence. Below is an unordered list of Chi-Town legends who forever changed the landscape of rap for their hometown.
1. Polo G
Polo G is a prominent American
rapper born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He rose to fame with his hit singles
Finer Things and
Pop Out . Polo G released his debut album
Die a Legend in 2019 and has since released three subsequent albums.
2. Chance the Rapper
Chance the Rapper is a rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer from the United States. He gained widespread recognition as one of the underground Chicago rappers through his two mixtapes,
Acid Rap and
Coloring Book . His
Coloring Book mixtape was the first streaming-only album to win a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
3. Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco is a respected and intellectual American rapper from Chicago. He is best known for his complex lyrics and thought-provoking
music , which uses intricate wordplay and metaphors. Lupe Fiasco was a guest star on Kanye West's single
Touch the Sky in 2006. He released his debut album
Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor in 2006, receiving widespread critical acclaim.
4. Twista
Twista is a well-known rapper from Chicago, Illinois. He is widely recognized for his incredibly fast rapping, known as the "chopper" style of rapping. Twista held the 1992
Guinness World Record holder for the fastest English-speaking rapper. Twista debuted his career in 1992 when he released his first album
Runnin' Off at da Mouth under the moniker Tung Twist. The rapper's 2004 album
Kamikaze hit number one on the Billboard 200 chart thanks to the single
Slow Jamz featuring Jamie Foxx and Kanye West.
5. Common
Common, formerly known as
Common Sense is one of the most respected figures in American hip-hop. He is widely known for his thoughtful lyrics, versatile artistic expression, and smooth delivery. Common has earned accolades, including Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and an Emmy Award, both in music and film. Some of his albums include
Can I Borrow a Dollar? ,
Finding Forever ,
Black America Again , and
A Beautiful Revolution .
6. Famous Dex
Famous Dex is an American rapper best known for his energetic style and presence in the rap scene. He gained widespread recognition with his mixtape
Dexter's Laboratory . The rapper is also known for hit singles like
Pick It Up and
Japan , which charted on the Billboard Hot 100. He has collaborated with notable rappers like A$AP Rocky, Lil Yachty, and Rich The Kid.
7. Tink
Tink is a versatile artist known for her ability to blend rap and R&B vocals. She has risen to become one of the top female Chicago rappers. The
singer-songwriter is known for her numerous mixtapes and albums, including
Winter's Diary ,
Dex Meets Dexter ,
Pillow Talk , and
Think Tink . Tink has collaborated with notable artists including 2 Chainz, Muni Long, Fabolous, Russ and G Herbo.
8. CupcakKe
CupcakKe is a female Chicago rapper known for her unique style and explicit lyrics. She gained widespread attention for her unapologetically humorous lyrics challenging social norms, and pushing boundaries. The rapper has released numerous albums including
Audacious ,
Ephorize , and
Dauntless Manifesto .
9. Lil Eazzyy
Lil Eazzyy is a Chicago-based rapper and businessman. He gained traction with his single
Onna Come Up , which was very successful. Eazzyy's early success led him to sign a deal with Atlantic Records. He has released numerous mixtapes and albums, including
Rookie Of The Year ,
Too Eazzyy , and
Underrated . Besides music, Lil Eazzyy is the president of Rich & Ruthless Records.
10. Kanye West
Kanye West, also known as Ye, is perhaps the most famous rapper and producer from Chicago. He is a highly influential and controversial figure in the music and
fashion scenes. Ye rose to prominence as an artist and producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s. His works include
Late Registration ,
Graduation ,
808s and Heartbreak , and
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy .
11. Saba
Saba is a renowned rapper and record producer from the United States. He grew up in the Austin West Side of Chicago rising to become one of the best Chicago rappers. In 2013, he joined Chance the Rapper on his mixtape
Acid Rap , performing the song
Everybody's Something . Saba's albums include
Bucket List Project ,
Care for Me ,
and Few Good Things .
12. Da Brat
Da Brat is one of the
top 90s rappers who was born and raised in Chicago. She debuted her music career in 1992 after signing with Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings in 1994. Da Brat released her debut album,
Funkdafied the same year. The album made her the first female solo rap artist to have a platinum-selling debut album.
13. Chief Keef
Chief Keef is a highly influential and one of the new Chicago rappers. He is widely recognised for popularizing the drill music subgenre.
Chief Keef gained much attention in the early 2010s with his mixtapes. He dropped his hit single
I Don't Like in 2012 one of the songs in his debut album,
Finally Rich. 14. Dreezy
Dreezy is one of the famous female Chicago rappers. She gained traction with her rapping and singing capabilities, combining with R&B hooks and pop-trap. Dreezy got signed with Interscope Records in 2014, releasing her debut studio album
No Hard Feelings in 2016. Three years later she dropped her second album
Big Dreez in 2019 and a collaboration album
Hitgirl in 2022 with Hit-Boy.
15. Vic Mensa
Vic Mensa is a rapper, actor, and activist. He began his career as one of the members of the group Kids These Days. Vic Mensa later went solo releasing his album
The Autobiography in 2017 and later in 2023, he released
Victor . The rapper has collaborated with other rappers like Kanye West and Jay-Z.
16. Rockie Fresh
Rockie Fresh is a rapper who has made a name for himself in the hip-hop scene. He began his music career in 2009 after releasing his first mixtape
Rockie's Modern Life .
Andrew Schulz's net worth following Kendrick Lamar's beef: is he affected? Rockie was signed early on by Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group (MMG). The rapper's only studio album
Destination was released in 2019. He has multiple mixtapes including
The Otherside ,
Driving 88 , and
The Night I Went To .
17. Fredo Santana
Fredo Santana is an American rapper and older cousin of fellow rapper Chief Keef. He gained significant fame in early 2010 in the Chicago drill scene. Fredo Santana released his first studio album,
Trappin' Ain't Dead in 2013 and his second album,
Fredo Krueger 2 in 2017. The rapper sadly
passed away on 19 January 2018, after having a seizure.
18. Mick Jenkins
The Chicago-based rapper is recognised for his socially conscious, and intelligent lyrics which are a mix of jazz, soul, and hip-hop. He was signed to Cinematic Music Group and began his career in the mid-2010s. Jenkins released his breakout mixtape,
The Waters in 2014. The rapper followed the next year by releasing the
Waves EP in 2015.
19. Joey Purp
Joseph Davis also known as Joey Purp, is a rapper from Chicago and one-half of Leather Corduroys. He gained much attention when he released
iiiDrops mixtape in 2016 becoming one of the
best rappers in the world. The rapper's latest release is the album
Heavy Heart, Vol. 1 in 2023.
20. Rhymefest
Rhymefest is a rapper, songwriter, and activist from Chicago, Illinois. He is widely recognised for his writing work with fellow rapper Kanye West. Rhymefest wrote Kanye's hit songs
Jesus Walks and
New Slaves , with the former winning a Grammy Award. The American songwriter also co-wrote
Glory with Common and John Legend for the American film
Selma , which won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award.
Is Kanye West a Chicago rapper?
Yes, Kanye West is a rapper from Chicago, Illinois. Although he was born in Atlanta, Georgia, he grew up in Chicago's South Shore neighbourhood.
Who is the most popular Chicago rapper?
Although choosing one rapper as the most popular is subjective, Kanye West is the most popular and influential rapper from Chicago. He is known for his innovative sound and influence in the rap industry.
What rappers are from O'Block?
Numerous rappers hail from O'Block which is an area in the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. They include Lil Durk, King Von, Chopsquad DJ, Tay Keith, and Hitmaka. Chicago is home to some of the best rappers in the world. Chicago rappers like Polo G, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and Common have been instrumental in putting the city on the global map. Legit.ng published an article about the
greatest Motown artists . Motown is an American record label that produced some of the greatest artists in the world. These artists' voices and sounds have been influential across generations. Motown is a Detroit, Michigan record label founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in 1959. It was instrumental in the evolution of R&B, soul, and pop music in the 1960s and 1970s. Learn more about the greatest Motown artists. Source: Legit.ng