(November 17, 2019). The 2010s don’t officially end until December 31, 2019. But Billboard magazine – the industry’s authoritative trade publication – has already released several of its decade-end charts.
On Thursday (11/14), they released the all-genre Top 100 artists list from positions 100 to 11, with the official top-10 ranking to be revealed in various phases over the next five months, culminating with next April’s Billboard Music Awards telecast.
But it’s a worst-kept secret who the top-10 artists are, and DJROBBLOG has taken the top-10, plus the remaining 90 and distilled from that the biggest hip-hop artists among them. (Note: from the list of 100 artists, 25 of them are considered hip-hop.)
What follows then is a ranking of the top 25 hip-hop artists of the decade using combined Hot 100 songs data, Billboard 200 albums data, plus social media and touring boxscore info.
It should be no surprise who’s at the top, as Drake is not only the top hip-hip artist, but the biggest artist overall (despite his um, lukewarm reception at this month’s Camp Flog Gnaw Festival in Los Angeles). It sucks to be at the top.
Also, for the purposes of this list, we are including Post Malone, whose status as a rapper is questionable but whose music still qualifies as hip-hop.
And regardless of what readers might think about pop-oriented rappers like Flo Rida and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, they do still qualify as rappers and are thus eligible for this list.
Remember also that this is an all-decade list, so it takes into account an artist’s performance during the early years (2010-12) as well as the later ones (2017-19) and all the years in between (2013-2016). So some artists who aren’t so hot today are included because of their successes at the beginning of the decade.
So with no further delay, here they are – the top hip-hop artists of the decade, using Billboard’s Top Artists list as a basis:
1. Drake
2. Post Malone
3. Nicki Minaj
4. Eminem
5. Kendrick Lamar
6. Lil Wayne
7. Travis Scott
8. Cardi B
9. Future
10. Jay-Z
11. J. Cole
12. Pitbull
13. Flo Rida
14. Kanye West
15. Wiz Khalifa
16. Migos
17. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
18. XXXTentacion
19. Juice WRLD
20. Fetty Wap
21. Big Sean
22. Lil Uzi Vert
23. B.o.B
24. 21 Savage
25. Meek Mill
So, to recap, here’s the list without pics.
- Drake
- Post Malone
- Nicki Minaj
- Eminem
- Kendrick Lamar
- Lil Wayne
- Travis Scott
- Cardi B
- Future
- Jay-Z
- J. Cole
- Pitbull
- Flo Rida
- Kanye West
- Wiz Khalifa
- Migos
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
- XXXTentacion
- Juice WRLD
- Fetty Wap
- Big Sean
- Lil Uzi Vert
- B.o.B
- 21 Savage
- Meek Mill
Missing from the list: Childish Gambino, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Wale, G-Eazy, Jeezy, T.I., Gucci Mane, Logic, NF, Rae Sremmurd, Chance the Rapper, Mac Miller
So what do you think of this chart? Bogus? Dope? Hogwash? Lit?
A good representation of the hip-hop culture of the 2010s? Or not so much?
You be the judge. Use the comment section to provide your reaction.
DJRob
DJRob is a freelance blogger who covers R&B, hip-hop, pop and rock genres – plus lots of music news and current stuff! You can follow him on Twitter @djrobblog.
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List sucks pussy!
Well since most hip-hop after 2000 sucks ass anyway, and most of these young cats only talk about ass, pussy and shooting shit, that wasn’t a hard bar to reach.
wheres lildurk the goat
The list is based on Billboard charts data from 2010-2019, Lil Durk was hardly even thought about until after that.
get in tha bin
[…] dominate the rap world. Out of the top 25 rappers of the 2010s compiled from a Billboard Magazine decade summary, only 2 are women. Minaj herself tweeted in 2017 that “In any field, women must work TWICE as […]
Maybe things are already changing with the number of female rappers who’ve already Enjoyed success in 2020.
wheres lil durk?
In the garage where his shitty music belongs
WHY DO Y’ALL HAVE CARDI B BEFORE JAY Z THAT JUST SHOWS THAT YOUR LIST IS UNEDUCATED. DO YOUR RESEARCH CANT BE A RAPPER TOP 10 IF YOU DONT WRITE YOUR OWN LYRICS MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.
This list is based on chart success over the past ten years, NOT lifetime. Of COURSE, Jay-Z ranks higher than Cardi in a career list, but this was a DECADE list for 2010-2019.
This might be the worst list i’ve seen in my life
Though they’re missing but their music keeps inspiring new artists
#happy birthday late mozey radio /goodlyf music
I think cardi should be waaaaaaaay lower on that list she’s had one good album n
the list is fine as far as my queen cardi is in d top 10
It’s bogus! Replace Fetty Wap and B.O.B with Rick Ross and Chance The Rapper
Come on guys how can young thug, Rick Ross miss the list
Good question, especially Rick Ross
Why you do Jay like that…rae & thugga should be there….Florida mmmh nah.no complains about the top spot…rozay should be there but most of his action came in the first half of the decade…and why ain’t French Montana in the Convo, he’s had more hits that likes of fetty WAP and BoB
Haha. I didn’t “do” anyone like that. This is straight from Billboard’s list of the top artists of the decade. I just screened the hip-hop artists from the magazine’s rankings.
Explain why NF isn’t there
In terms of influence I can understand this list. But I’m terms of best albums, it’s near criminal to not have Danny Brown, Run the Jewels, Earl Sweatshirt or schoolboy q on here
T. I has also being an Instrumental Artist…..He deserves a spot on that list too.
Most of his success came last decade (the ‘00s), not this one.
Wia is Eminem,Ludachrish,marry J Blige,chris brown, neyon, birdman, dmx? The list is not complete without diz niggaz… .boom!!
It’s a list for THIS decade (2010-19), not LAST decade. Half of those names you mentioned haven’t had big hits in ten years!
Justin bieber
Lmao! Nah.
no T.i list fake
I agree, the list leaves a lot to be desired. But most of T.I.’s success was in the previous decade. The ‘00s.
Where is j. Cole
Check the list
I feel Lil Wayne & Kanye were supposed to be in the top 5. I mean, they changed the game. From start (IANAHB & Yeezus), mid-decade (The Life Of Pablo & Rebirth) and finish (Tha Carter V & Jesus Is King). Also Rozay & The Weeknd need a spot on that list ?
#word
The Weeknd would be ranked No. 3 if he was considered a rapper, but he’s a singer. And Rozay? Who’s that?
I was surprised Kanye was so low, but Billboard cut off the eligibility period in September, so Jesus is King didn’t count. And Lil Wayne had too long of a gap during the decade without charting, so that explains his low rank.
How can people like Chris brown ,usher ,Justine bieber and young thug etc be missing from the list when some of these others on the list jusy just recently started topping and havn’t been there all this while?
Since when did Usher, Chris Brown and Justin Bieber become hip-hop artists? This is a hip-hop list dude.
I think the list is bogus
Rappers like NF have made great leaps in the past 6 to 10 years
Why aren’t they there
Lil Wayne is a legend but y’all gotta admit in the past 5 years he hasn’t been on top of his game
Not sure why NF isn’t there. He only recently started having chart-topping albums, so maybe it was too late to catch up to the others who’ve been charting longer.
Honestly this is not fair for Rick Ross Rozay had made so much contributions in the mid decade his album God forgives was a hit, his rap style is quite unique and only typical to him but you out listed him, I think you consider the early rappers more than those who were making hits during the start of the decade
I agree that Rozay should have been higher, and you should know that I didn’t create this ranking…I’m basing it on where Billboard has them ranked in their overall artist of the decade list.
I think you’re right Ken on
Y’all gotta admit that NF and the Rae Shremmurds do deserve to be at least in the top twenty they have done so much
Fact!