Compelling new artists pop up every day, and while some of them can attribute their popularity to years of grinding in their local scene or practically instant notoriety from going viral on TikTok, many of the Hip-Hop community’s favorite rappers really started making noise after getting a strong co-sign from a major artist within the music industry. From Jaz-O opening the doors for Jay-Z to Lil Wayne setting Drake and Nicki Minaj up for generational success, getting put on by a notable rapper is definitely not a new concept within Hip-Hop. For decades, fans have been able to trace the passing down of rap’s reigns from generation to generation, but due to the fast pace of social media and the evolution of the music industry, it can sometimes be difficult to trace current artists’ roots and see who actually helped propel them to the mainstream.
Paying it forward is integral to both the progression and continuation of Hip-Hop and the maintaining of intergenerational relationships within the genre, and that’s why it’s important to acknowledge and appreciate rap’s most consistent artist tastemakers.
The idea first arose as a continuation of HNHH’s recent BFM feature about which Hip-Hop artists could potentially reach Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Nicki Minaj-esque levels of superstardom in the coming years. When reflecting on how each highlighted artist achieved their breakthrough career moment, however, it was impossible to ignore how many big-name artists, from Drake to Kanye West, had significant impacts on the current Hip-Hop landscape. As a result, it felt necessary to also shine a spotlight on the artist tastemakers who have helped usher in a new generation of rap talent.
From rappers-turned-record executives to current chart-toppers, here are the ten most dominant artist tastemakers who have been integral in the rise of countless contemporary Hip-Hop artists and, more specifically, helped shape the current and future sound of rap through co-signs, collaborations, record deals, and more. Check out our list below the break and let us know in the comments who you think has been the most successful in ushering in a new generation of Hip-Hop artists.
Lil Bibby
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Lil Bibby may not have released a solo album since 2016, but his impact on the music industry has arguably increased tenfold since then. As a label executive, Bibby is largely responsible for breaking one of the biggest acts of the last five years: Juice WRLD. Thanks to projects like Goodbye & Good Riddance and Death Race For Love, the gifted Chicago-born artist was able to quickly become a commercial juggernaut, and although Juice WRLD’s tragic passing in 2019 left a major hole in Grade A Productions’ boutique roster, Bibby’s run as a tastemaker continued with Australian rapper The Kid LAROI. With the latter’s growing popularity and the recent signing of Stunna Gambino, Lil Bibby continues to find immense success in breaking new Hip-Hop artists.
Artists that he helped break:
Juice WRLD
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The Kid LAROI.
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Stunna Gambino
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Drake
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Throughout the 2010s, the mythical Drake co-sign — which Mac Miller famously boasted that he avoided on 2014’s “Here We Go” — was one of the most surefire ways to break into the music industry, and in addition to his relentless stream of hit songs and albums, Drake’s reputation as a tastemaker is part of the reason why he has remained at the forefront of Hip-Hop culture for so long. From A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, and Migos to his own artists like PARTYNEXTDOOR, Majid Jordan, and Roy Woods, Drake’s imprint was left on an entire generation of artists, and history already looks like it’s set to repeat itself in the 2020s. In the past few years alone, Drake has given highly coveted album placements to artists like Sosa Geek, Giveon, and Yebba, and although other soon-to-be-mentioned artists may have played a larger role in the rise of artists like Lil Baby, Fivio Foreign, and City Girls, Drake is still inextricably linked to their come-ups as well. What’s most impressive, however, is that the Drake feature is still a work of magic for up-and-coming artists, as evidenced by huge singles like Smiley’s “Over The Top” and Yung Bleu’s “You’re Mines Still.”
Artists that he helped break:
Smiley
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Giveon
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Yung Bleu
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Kanye West
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Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, is the oldest artist featured in this piece, but Ye’s youthful creativity is one of the characteristics that many fans and rising artists love about him. He has never been one to shy away from experimenting with new sounds, and over the course of his storied career, the Hip-Hop community has seen Ye work with everyone from Jay-Z, John Legend, and Pusha T to Playboi Carti, Xxxtentacion, and Lil Pump. His G.O.O.D. Music imprint put out some of the most impressive rap and R&B acts of the 2000s and 2010s, and the ongoing Donda era of his career has yielded even more opportunities for Ye to put on a new generation of game-changing artists. The decorated multihyphenate’s tenth studio album was loaded with scene-stealing performances from rising acts like Fivio Foreign, Baby Keem, Vory, Shenseea, Don Toliver, and KayCyy, and although some Hip-Hop fans were familiar with them prior to the release of Donda, there’s no debate that their inclusion came with a drastic increase in notoriety.
Artists that he helped break:
Vory
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Baby Keem
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Shenseea
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Fivio Foreign
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Lil Durk
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As a veteran artist who experienced a resurgence in popularity during the late 2010s, Lil Durk has utilized his increased celebrity to the fullest by bringing exposure to his OTF artists. While King Von has so far been the biggest artist to arise from Durk’s label, the Chicago native has also managed to completely alter a rising artist’s trajectory on multiple occasions over the past year. At the top of 2021, Lil Durk’s guest verse on Fredo Bang’s hit single “Top” boosted the record to over 58 million views on YouTube earned Fredo his first gold RIAA certification, and just a matter of weeks later, Durk’s feature on the “No More Parties” remix helped propel Coi Leray’s bubbling single even further. Over the past handful of years, the “AHHH HA” artist has repeatedly demonstrated that he’s one of Hip-Hop’s unsung tastemakers, and it will be interesting to see how long his streak continues.
Artists that he helped break:
King Von
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Slimelife Shawty
Coi Leray
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Fredo Bang
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Cardi B
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Regardless of how you feel about Cardi B’s limited output since her 2018 debut studio album Invasion of Privacy, there’s arguably no one else in the music industry who has opened as many doors for female rappers as she has during that four-year time period. After Drake briefly introduced the masses to City Girls on his Scorpion track “In My Feelings,” Cardi helped the Miami duo gain even more traction by hopping on “Twerk” and starring in its music video whilst JT was still in prison. One year later, the “Bodak Yellow” star then teamed up with Megan Thee Stallion for the highly talked-about sing “WAP” that, most importantly, showcased a litany of important women in the music industry.
In the music video for the sextuple-platinum-certified single, there were several cameos from up-and-coming femcees, including Latto, Rubi Rose, and Sukihana, and following its release, Cardi even linked up with the aforementioned artists in an Apple Music interview to shine more light on their work. Fast-forward to 2021, and Cardi B continued her streak of highlighting female rappers by collaborating with Halle Berry on the all-female soundtrack for Bruised. The project boasted contributions from City Girls, Saweetie, Latto, and other high-profile artists, but it also put artists like Baby Tate, Flo Milli, and Erica Banks in a position to shine.
Artists that she helped break:
City Girls
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Rubi Rose
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Sukihana
Baby Tate
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J. Cole
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Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and J. Cole are often regarded as the greatest rappers of their generation, but one achievement that J. Cole holds over his contemporaries is that he’s the only one to have so far established such a thoroughly talented Hip-Hop record label. While OVO is undoubtedly nothing to scoff at, Drake’s camp isn’t touching Dreamville rap-wise, and that’s due to Cole’s consistency as a rap tastemaker and label executive. Since Dreamville’s inception, J. Cole has helped break some of the music industry’s most impressive rappers over the past decade, including Bas, Cozz, Lute, JID, and EARTHGANG, and that’s not even mentioning his 1 for 1 foray into R&B with Ari Lennox. Then in 2019, J. Cole’s reputation as a great tastemaker was officially solidified with the Dreamville sessions that brought everyone from Big K.R.I.T. and Westside Gunn to Yung Nudy and Vince Staples to Atlanta for nearly two weeks of collaborative studio sessions. While everyone who was invited ultimately wasn’t featured on the final version of Revenge of the Dreamers III, the J. Cole-led project did result in huge standout moments for rising artists like Buddy, Guapdad 4000, Baby Rose, and Deante’ Hitchcock.
Artists that he helped break:
JID
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EarthGang
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Ari Lennox
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Deante’ Hitchcock
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YoungBoy Never Broke Again
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At just 22 years old, NBA YoungBoy is by far the youngest person featured in this list, but the roster of his burgeoning Never Broke Again label shows he has a penchant for identifying diamonds in the rough. NoCap, Quando Rondo, Meechy Baby, P. Yungin, and RoJay are just a handful of the artists who are aligned with YoungBoy, and despite the Baton Rouge native’s own legal troubles over the past few years, he has managed to set his artists up for success with a lucrative Motown partnership. YoungBoy Never Broke Again appears to know exactly what young rap fans want to see and hear, and his work as one of Hip-Hop’s most overlooked tastemakers and label founders proves that his chokehold over the youth extends well beyond his musical output.
Artists that he helped break:
NoCap
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Meechy Baby
Quando Rondo
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Gucci Mane
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Gucci Mane has long been one of Hip-Hop’s greatest artist tastemakers. Few artists can claim early involvement in the careers of artists as disparate as Nicki Minaj, Young Thug, Migos, Waka Flocka, Drake, and Chief Keef, but what’s insane is that’s only the tip of the iceberg for the original So Icey Boy. Following his release from prison in 2016, Gucci Mane has been steadily reinventing his record label into The New 1017 Records. After working with artists like Ralo and Asian Doll, Gucci has finally established a powerhouse record label featuring acts such as Pooh Shiesty, Foogiano, Big Scarr, BigWalkDog, and Enchanting. Even with some of his current artists facing serious legal troubles, Gucci Mane’s newly constructed label still boasts one of the most impressive rosters in the music industry.
Artists that he helped break:
Pooh Shiesty
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Foogiano
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Big Scarr
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Yo Gotti
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If Yo Gotti’s output over the past two decades somehow wasn’t enough to solidify him in Memphis Hip-Hop history, his work as the leader of CMG should certainly do the trick. The CM10 artist has been integral in bringing Memphis-bred stars like Blac Youngsta and Moneybagg Yo to the forefront of rap. Plus, with his recent CMG signings of Detroit’s 42 Dugg, Kentucky’s EST Gee, and California’s Mozzy, Yo Gotti has effectively expanded his reach well beyond Tennessee’s borders, so he will undoubtedly be one of the most important artist tastemakers to watch in the coming years.
Artists that he helped break:
MoneyBagg Yo
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42 Dugg
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EST Gee
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Young Thug
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Young Thug is one of the most influential artists of his generation, and while his sound noticeably inspired a myriad of rappers during the late 2010s, Thug’s crown achievement remains his passion for boosting up artists. In Atlanta alone, the Punk artist has either signed or collaborated with nearly all of the major rappers to come out of the city over the past several years, including Lil Baby, Gunna, Lil Nas X, Latto, Lil Keed, Playboi Carti, and many others. Yet with that said, Young Thug’s ability as a tastemaker was on full display in 2021 with the release of his record label’s compilation album Slime Language 2. The chart-topping project featured high-profile artists like Drake, Lil Baby, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, and Travis Scott, but its heart and soul came from hungry YSL artists such as YTB Trench, Karlae, Unfoonk, Lil Keed, Yung Kayo, T-Shyne, Strick, Lil Duke, and Yak Gotti. Plus, outside of his YSL camp and his hometown, Young Thug has consistently been one of the first artists to link up with sizzling upstarts, from YoungBoy Never Broke Again in 2018 to, most recently, Yeat.
Artists that he helped break:
Gunna
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Lil Keed
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Unfoonk
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Karlae
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Lil Baby
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Sound off in the comments with your thoughts on who else you think deserved a spot on this list, and let us know if you’d be interested in an in-depth look at the Hip-Hop tastemakers behind the scenes. Also, be sure to check out our other Black Future Month content, including “20 Rappers That Could Be The Future Of Hip-Hop,”“Mallory Bros. Imagine A World Where Kendrick Lamar’s ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’ Is Turned Into A Movie,” and “The Genius of Kanye West.”
