The 10 Most Influential Rappers Of The 21st Century: Drake, Ye, And More

Honorable Mentions

In no particular order…

OutKast’s Artistic Descendants: Childish Gambino, Kanye West, Anderson .Paak, Tyler The Creator, Janelle Monáe, Frank Ocean, Big K.R.I.T., etc.

Little Brother’s Artistic Descendants: J. Cole, Rapsody, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Mick Jenkins, Mac Miller, etc.

Kendrick Lamar’s Artistic Descendants: Denzel Curry, JID, Noname, Saba, Isaiah Rashad, Ray Vaughn, Cordae, etc.

Eminem’s Artistic Descendants: Joyner Lucas, Logic, B.o.B., Hopsin, Machine Gun Kelly, Nicki Minaj, Big Sean, Russ, etc.

XXXTentacion Artistic Descendants: Billie Eilish, Juice WRLD, Trippie Redd, Ski Mask the Slump God, The Kid LAROI, Post Malone, etc.

JAY-Z

Three decades into his career, and JAY-Z is still Hip-Hop’s “blueprint” for artist-to-mogul success, guiding how artists think about ownership, deals, and legacy. We see it everywhere from how Rihanna handles business to Yo Gotti’s methods in running his own label, Collective Music Group (CMG).

This is where his influence is most prominent beyond the early 2000s, but his artistic essence is still felt via MCs like Pusha T, The Game, and Rick Ross, as well as those who studied closely during their formative years, like J. Cole, Ab-Soul and Joey Bada$$.

Artistic Descendants: J. Cole, Ab‑Soul, Rick Ross, Nipsey Hussle, Meek Mill, Fabolous, Pusha T, Kanye West, Wale, ScHoolboy Q, The Game, Joey Bada$$, Griselda Records, etc.

Soulja Boy

Soulja Boy is responsible for the internet-first career model, taking advantage of the digital age before his peers or predecessors knew how. From dance crazes to meme-based marketing before TikTok even existed, the Atlanta rapper proved independence and self-promotion could make millionaires, with stars like Ice Spice, DDG and 6ix9ine still eating off the model he created two decades ago.

Artistic Descendants: DDG, 6ix9ine, Ice Spice, Lil Nas X, Lil Yachty, Chief Keef, Lil B, Blueface.

Chief Keef

1990s and early 2000s Chicago Hip-Hop was largely seen as a space for conscious lyricism (Common, Lupe Fiasco) or street realism (Twista, Do or Die). With the introduction of Chief Keef, the city gained an artist giving the streets melody and menace. He’s the father of modern Drill, spreading his style — aggressive hooks, deadpan vocals, fast hi-hats, pounding 808s over minimal production — beyond his own city and into New York and the UK, which adapted the Chicago genre via artists like Pop Smoke, Fivio Foreign, Headie One, and Central Cee.

While influenced by early 2000s Trap, Keef made it his own by injecting hustler music with the spirit of rebellion and adolescent rage, a precursor to the energy of artists like XXXTentacion, Playboi Carti, and Yeat. He was also influential to the DIY generation, refusing to wait for labels or gatekeepers and blowing up online from videos shot in his grandmother’s living room, something we’ve since seen from go-getters like GloRilla and 21 Savage before labels began beating down their doors. That anti-industry independence also took hold of artists like Lil Peep, Ski Mask the Slump God, and Juice WRLD.

Artistic Descendants: Lil Durk, G Herbo, King Von, Pop Smoke, Fivio Foreign, Ice Spice, Cash Cobain, GloRilla, 21 Savage, Sexyy Red, NLE Choppa, Dreezy, XXXTentacion, Asian Da Brat (Asian Doll), Lil Uzi Vert, Cuban Doll, Katie Got Bandz, the entire 2010s drill movement worldwide.

Gucci Mane

The Trap Trinity of T.I., Jeezy, and Gucci Mane has collectively influenced the entire sub-genre, with Tip coining the term with his 2003 album Trap Muzik while Jeezy made it anthemic, turning hustle into doctrine with 2005’s Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101. While these contributions are felt, recognized, and indisputable, Gucci’s influence surpasses his peers thanks to the ecosystems he created within southern Hip-Hop, and by extension, the entire culture. Artists who were either discovered, mentored, or put on by Gucci went on to become some of the most influential artists themselves, which is why we see traces of the legend not only in trap music, but within post-Three 6 Mafia Memphis rap and other regional genres like Chicago and New York Drill.

Gucci also cultivated the architects of modern trap, playing a heavy role in the early careers of producers like Metro Boomin, Mike WiLL Made-It, 808 Mafia, Southside, Lex Luger and Zaytoven, with his ear inadvertently shaping the sound of artists like Future and 21 Savage before they came to notoriety. His slurred precision, mumble-drawl, and unpredictable rhythm became the DNA of Atlanta’s next generation, and his mixtape hustle went on to inspire protégés not to chase a hit, but to flood the block with content, an approach that became standard for artists like YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Lil Baby, Moneybagg Yo, Key Glock and others.

Artistic Descendants: Migos, Young Dolph, Key Glock, Peewee Longway, Future, Young Thug, Waka Flocka Flame, 21 Savage, Chief Keef, Kodak Black, Moneybagg Yo, Latto, Lil Yachty, Pooh Shiesty, etc.

Young Thug

Young Thug‘s influence is largely realized in 90s-born millennials and Gen Z’s penchant for pushing vocal boundaries, experimenting with tone and cadence in a way that felt liberating to artists who preferred a little melodic chaos to straight bars over beats. While heavily criticized for it in his early years, Thug is largely the responsible for the “mumble rap” wave that hit the culture like a ton of bricks after his arrival. Over time, however, the style’s appeal has shown to be far greater than traditionalists care to admit, manifesting itself everywhere from trap’s biggest anthems to Top 40 radio.

Thug’s entry into the game dismantled every rule about how a rapper should sound, look, or act, reshaping modern Hip-Hop’s language, aesthetics, and identity, similar to his own predecessor, Lil Wayne. Thug, however, was able to balance street credibility with an androgynous presentation, embracing high-fashion silhouettes, nail polish, dresses, and the like unapologetically, essentially redefining “realness” as self-expression, not conformity.

Artistic Descendants: YNW Melly, Lil Baby, Baby Keem, Gunna, Lil Keed, Flo Milli, Rico Nasty, Yung Bleu, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, Lil Yachty, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Kodak Black, Roddy Ricch, Trippie Redd, etc.

Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj was the first female rapper to achieve global, stadium-level superstardom — and to maintain that position consistently for over a decade.

While pulling inspiration from icons like Foxy Brown, Lil Kim, Lauryn Hill, and Missy Elliott, Minaj’s specific influence is what birthed this 21st century wave of rappers embracing their femininity while refusing to compromise on bars. Even those that have owe Minaj a debt for her “pinkprint,” in terms of style, branding, sex appeal, fanbase cultivation and work ethic. The influence of her swag and attitude may be best demonstrated via her early embrace of theatrical rap personas, directly shaping the expressions, vocal inflections, and performance styles of artists like Doja Cat, Doechii and Rico Nasty.

Her international appeal allowed for her to crossover into pop without losing Hip-Hop credibility thanks to a healthy pen game, proving that being a woman with bars doesn’t necessarily mean a life underground. This includes punchlines and flows that have since been re-imagined to fit her disciples’ various styles while still maintaining strands of her artistic DNA.

She also changed how music execs market women rappers in general. No longer relegated to a novelty or just “the female in the crew,” Minaj’s success forced labels to see women as individually valuable and worthy of true investment, leading to a flood of women — many of whom grew up on the Queens rapper — hitting the scene in the late-2010s and 2020s. Her influence also isn’t relegated to women, as you can often hear her tone in artists like Lil Uzi Vert and her penchant for exploring different personas in Tyler The Creator, Lil Nas X, and others.

Minaj is the single most influential woman in modern Hip-Hop, setting the bar in terms of sales, fan-interest, and undeniable talent, all within one generational icon.

Artistic Descendants: Doja Cat, Doechii, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Nas X, Latto, Ice Spice, BIA, Flo Milli, Coi Leray, Cardi B, Ms Banks, Saweetie, City Girls, Shenseea, Lakeyah, Baby Tate, Asian Da Brat (Asian Doll), Maliibu Miitch, etc.

Future

If Gucci Mane birthed the trap ecosystem, Future is the artist who redefined its emotional range. While he embraced its tenants of street bravado, hustle, and ego-driven toxicity, he expanded it by highlighting these tropes as cleverly-disguised defense mechanisms addressing everything from addiction to unhealthy relationships, which echos in artists like Don Toliver, Gunna, and Travis Scott.

His sound is also one of the most cloned in Hip-Hop, with many artists imitating his cadences, tone, and vocal signatures so closely that they’re accused of taking it beyond influence into straight-up biting. He also has a way of making autotune feel somewhat human, manipulating it to convey everything from numbness to malice, allowing it to provide texture and give off a sort of soulful distortion that has since been replicated by artists like PARTYNEXTDOOR and Hunxho. This is supported by ethereal trap production from Metro Boomin, Wheezy, Southside, and others, influencing every melodic rapper of the last decade while inspiring countless artists to blend swagger, luxury, melody, and a ‘lil stick talk into a single mood.

Artistic Descendants: Gunna, Roddy Ricch, Don Toliver, Tory Lanez, Travis Scott, Rae Sremmurd, Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, Brent Faiyaz, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Lil Baby, Hunxho, Lil Durk, Desiigner, Migos, Baby Tate, Fetty Wap, Yeat, etc.

Drake

Drake‘s influence stands as one of the most transformative in music history — not just in Hip-Hop, but in global popular music.

His early tapes and albums brought melodic confession to Hip-Hop with a potency we hadn’t seen before his arrival. While not the first to do so, Drake’s particular execution of melody-laden bars has become thee standard, with that hybrid cadence becoming the template for artists like Bryson Tiller, Rod Wave, Toosii, and A Boogie. His emotional tone helped birth sub-genres like emo rap, alt-R&B, and trap soul, while Noah “40” Shebib’s production — muted drums, ambient pads & reverb, dreamy piano melodies — provide a warm, but distant vibe for the listener that feels almost irresistible to the ear, leading to its appeal and infinite replication as the sound of modern introspection, particularly after 2011’s Take Care.

Drizzy also brought the multiculturalism of his hometown to the mainstream, incorporating Afrobeat, UK grime, dancehall, and more into hits that redefined how rap was perceived globally. While often accused of being a “culture vulture” for it, artist including Vybz Kartel and Skepta have not only co-signed his embrace of their culture, but thanked him for bringing it to broader audiences, believing he did so respectfully, not exploitively.

His adaptability is studied by genre-fluid artists who see him weave between R&B crooner and MC without losing respect in either regard. He also influenced artists like The Weeknd, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran and the Biebs to occasionally lean into rap cadences while showcasing their vocals. He’s ultimately affected how modern artists sound, drop music, emotionally connect, and exist as superstars, with a Graham’s number of offspring to prove it.

Artistic Descendants: Tory Lanez, Bryson Tiller, Rod Wave, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Post Malone, Latto, Russ, Jack Harlow, 6LACK, The Weeknd, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, NAV, Yung Bleu, Jhené Aiko, Tee Grizzley, Cash Cobain, Brent Faiyaz, Dave, Giggs, Headie One, J Hus, etc.

Ye (FKA Kanye West)

Ye, FKA Kanye West, redefined rap through production, vulnerability, and fashion, touching on damn near all facets of culture within the last 25 years.

At a time when Hip-Hop was dominated by hard drums and street grit, Ye revived the art of using lush, soulful samples, with his production style making it feel symphonic and bringing underground GOATs like Common and Twista to the mainstream’s attention. Late Registration mixed Hip-Hop with film-score grandeur while 808s & Heartbreak turned autotune and emotional minimalism into a cultural mainstay, adapted and customized for an innumerable number of artists who have Ye to thank for taking those creative risks.

Beyond sound, he changed the look of the culture, with his minimalist aesthetic (muted tones, oversized silhouettes) affecting the global streetwear landscape. His work also helped solidify rap as high art, and while Hip-Hop heads have a soul connection that has elevated our culture for decades, Ye’s influence expanded that embrace to spaces ranging from museums and runways to Coachella main stages.

He influenced the influencers, with every modern artist chasing depth, beauty, or reinvention living inside the world he built.

Artistic Descendants: Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, Chance The Rapper, Tyler The Creator, Big Sean, A$AP Rocky, Childish Gambino, The Weeknd, Lupe Fiasco, J. Cole, Playboi Carti, Frank Ocean, Juice WRLD, Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, Drake, Noname, Rod Wave, Kid Laroi, etc.

Lil Wayne

New Orleans’ own Lil Wayne is the Godfather of 21st century flows, birthing an entire generation’s punchline structure, charisma-drenched wordplay, and overall aesthetic. His slang, fashion choices, vocal tone, eccentric delivery, use of auto-tune, masterful mixtape run, and exploration of rock were all absorbed by artists who went on to find fame from his blueprint, redefining modern Hip-Hop with more direct impact on the culture than any of his peers.

Artistic Descendants: Young Thug, Drake, Lil Baby, Lil Uzi Vert, Trippie Redd, NLE Choppa, Nicki Minaj, DaBaby, Kendrick Lamar, Monaleo, King Los, Future, KenTheMan, Vic Mensa, G-Eazy, Tyga, 2 Chainz, Cordae, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Yachty, Chance The Rapper, Juice WRLD, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Kodak Black, Young M.A, Migos, YG, Coi Leray, infinite “SoundCloud” rappers, etc.