

Minaj stays devoted to rap feminism and maintaining her cultural dominance. She has more Billboard Hot 100 hits than any female rapper ever. Minaj also judges American Idol and acted in films. Coming up with Young Money, she broke through with 2010’s Pink Friday.

Nicki Minaj is a chart-topping rapper known for quick flows, pop crossover hits, and a flashy persona. He runs the Freebandz label and constantly releases new music. Future remains hugely influential over today’s melodic trap. He scores radio smashes with his Auto-Tuned vocals and relatable songwriting. After breakthrough hit “Turn On the Lights”, Future perfected an addictive melodic flow. Despite a sensitive image, Drake reigns over hip hop and pop culture in the streaming era.įuture is an Atlanta trap innovator who flooded the late 2010s with mixtapes and hits. Drake broke numerous chart records, including having more Billboard Top 10s than The Beatles. He helped make Toronto hip hop mainstream. After acting, Drake arrived in 2009 with So Far Gone. Hip hop’s cultural impact is undeniable.ĭrake is one of the biggest rappers ever known for dominating the charts and blending singing with rap. Their music provides hope and both challenges and reflects society. The artists on this list connect people through shared experiences and turn struggle into beauty. While some dismiss it as escapism, hip hop shapes our social discourse. The best albums are like time capsules, capturing an artist’s vision and place in culture. Rappers explore race, violence, relationships, and life in honest, primal ways. Underground and alternative rappers like A Tribe Called Quest and Talib Kweli uplifted consciousness and spirituality. Pioneering women like MC Lyte, Lauryn Hill, and Missy Elliott broke down gender barriers. The artists on this list range from pioneers who created hip hop’s foundation to recent visionaries who continue expanding its future.Īny list of influential rappers must include giants like 2Pac, Jay-Z, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., and Kanye West -Mcs who altered the artform’s landscape and inspired generations of fans and artists worldwide. While often controversial, the best hip hop artists have produced profound bodies of work on par with any genre. Originating in New York City, hip hop gave a powerful voice to urban youth while also spreading its sound and style around the world.įueled by DJs, MCs, breakdancing, and graffiti art, it embodied the energy and frustration of life in marginalized communities. Female performers include Keiko Matsui, Joyce Cooling, Mindi Abair, Candy Dulfer, Sade, Brenda Russell, Pamela Williams, Regina Belle, and Anita Baker.Hip hop music and culture has tremendously influenced society since bursting onto the scene in the late 1970s. Groups include Fourplay, Pieces of a Dream, Acoustic Alchemy, Airborne and The Rippingtons. Some performers, such as Dave Koz, Bob James, and Nathan East are notable for their numerous collaborations with many of the genre's big names. guitarists George Benson, Earl Klugh, Marc Antoine, Peter White, Jonathan Butler, Ray Parker, Jr, Norman Brown, Ronny Jordan, and Yves Vincent pianists David Benoit, Bradley Joseph, and Joe Sample.

Smooth jazz groups or recording artists tend to play their instruments in a melodic fashion such that they are recognizable within just a few measures this category includes names such as saxophonists Kenny G, David Sanborn, George Howard, Najee, Boney James, and Art Porter, Jr.

Smooth jazz track is downtempo (the most widely played tracks are in the 90–105 BPM range), layering a lead, melody-playing instrument (saxophones – especially soprano and tenor – are the most popular, with guitars a close second) over a backdrop that typically consists of programmed rhythms and various synth pads and/or samples.
