TALENT ROSTER

Christopher George Latore Wallace, known professionally as the Notorious B.I.G. or Biggie Smalls, was an American rapper and songwriter. Rooted in the East Coast hip-hop and gangsta rap traditions, he is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wallace became known for his distinctive, laidback lyrical delivery, offsetting his lyrics' often grim content. His music was semi-autobiographical, telling of hardship and criminality but also of debauchery and celebration.

Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. He was one of the most influential musical artists of the 20th century, and a prominent political activist for Black America. He is among the best-selling music artists, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Some of Shakur's music addressed social injustice, political issues, and the marginalization of African Americans, but he was also synonymous with gangsta rap and violent lyrics.

Andre Romell Young, known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, and actor. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and co-founder of Death Row Records. Dre began his career as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru in 1984, and later found fame with the gangsta rap group N.W.A, which he formed in 1987 with Eazy-E, Ice Cube and Arabian Prince. The group popularized explicit lyrics in hip-hop to detail the violence of street life. N.W.A's debut album Straight Outta Compton (1989) was one of the most successful a...

Lamont Coleman, known professionally as Big L, was an American rapper and record producer. Emerging from Harlem in New York City in 1992, Big L became known among underground hip-hop fans for his freestyling ability. He was eventually signed to Columbia Records, where, in 1995, he released his debut studio album, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous. He was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in Harlem in 1999.

Christopher Lee Rios, better known by his stage name Big Pun, was an American rapper. Emerging from the underground hip-hop scene in the Bronx, he came to prominence upon discovery by fellow Bronx rapper Fat Joe, alongside Cuban Link and Triple Seis, and thereafter guest appeared on his 1995 album Jealous One's Envy.

Dennis David Coles, better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success. Ghostface Killah debuted his solo career with Ironman, which was well received by music critics, in 1996. He has enjoyed continued success in the years that have followed, releasing critically acclaimed albums such as Supreme Clientele (2000) and Fishscale (2006). His stage name was taken from one of ...

Corey Woods, better known by his stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream success following the release of their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang , in 1993. Raekwon would subsequently pursue a solo career, releasing his first solo album, entitled Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., in 1995. The album received critical acclaim, and is regarded by many critics as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, as well as a staple of 1990s rap.

Gary Eldridge Grice, better known by his stage names GZA and the Genius, is an American rapper. A founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, GZA is the group's "spiritual head", being both the first member in the group to receive a record deal and being the oldest member. He has appeared on his fellow Wu-Tang members' solo projects, and has maintained a successful solo career starting with his second album Liquid Swords (1995).

Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, better known by his stage name RZA or the RZA, is an American rapper, record producer, composer, actor, and filmmaker. He is the de facto leader of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, having produced most of the group's albums and those of its members. Known for his signature use of soul samples, sparse beats, and cinematic elements, his production style has been widely influential in hip-hop. The Source and Vibe both ranked him among the greatest hip-hop producers of all time, while NME included him on its list of the 50 Greatest Producers Ever, spanning all genres.

Jason S. Hunter, better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck, is an American rapper and hip hop producer. He is a member of the groups Wu-Tang Clan and Czarface.

Jamel Irief, better known by his stage name Masta Killa, is an American rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He was only featured on one track on their 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang , but has been prolific on Clan group albums and solo projects since the mid-1990s. He released his debut album No Said Date in 2004 to positive reviews, and has since released four additional albums.

Lamont Jody Hawkins, known by his stage name U-God, is an American rapper and member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. He has been with the group since its inception, and is known for his deep voice and rhythmic flow that can alternate between gruff and smooth.

Trevor George Smith Jr., known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, and actor. He has received 12 Grammy Award nominations, making him one of the most-nominated artists without a win. Billboard and Vibe ranked him among the 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, while Forbes listed him among the greatest rappers on their list of the "50 Top Rappers of All Time". Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes.

Antonio Hardy, better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper, producer and actor who began his career in 1986 as a member of the Juice Crew. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and skilled MCs in hip-hop. Rolling Stone ranked his song "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" 25th on its list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, calling him "a master wordsmith of rap's ... golden age and a huge influence on a generation of MCs."

Lawrence Parker, known professionally as KRS-One and Teacha, is an American rapper and singer from the Bronx. He rose to prominence as part of the hip-hop group Boogie Down Productions, which he formed with DJ Scott La Rock in the mid-1980s. KRS-One is known for his songs "Sound of da Police", "Love's Gonna Get'cha ", and "My Philosophy". Boogie Down Productions received numerous awards and critical acclaim in their early years. Following the release of the group's debut album, Criminal Minded, fellow artist Scott La Rock was shot and killed, but KRS-One continued the group, effectively as a s...

Lonnie Rashid Lynn, known professionally as Common, is an American rapper, actor and activist. The recipient of three Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award, he signed with the independent label Relativity Records at the age of 20. The label released his first three studio albums: Can I Borrow a Dollar? (1992), Resurrection (1994) and One Day It'll All Make Sense (1997). He maintained an underground following into the late 1990s, and achieved mainstream success through his work with the Black music collective Soulquarians.

Dead Prez is an American hip hop duo composed of M-1 and stic.man, formed in 1996 in New York City. They are known for their confrontational style, combined with lyrics focused on both militant social justice, self-determination, and Pan-Africanism. The duo maintains an ethical stance against corporate control over the media, especially hip hop record labels.

Felipe Andres Coronel, better known by his stage name Immortal Technique, is a Peruvian-American rapper, songwriter, and activist. His lyrics largely feature commentary on issues such as politics, religion, institutional racism, and government conspiracies.

Aaron Dontez Yates, better known by his stage name Tech N9ne, is an American rapper, songwriter, and singer. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold over two million albums and his music has been featured in film, television, and interactive media. In 2009, he won the Left Field Woodie Award broadcast on mtvU.

Colson Baker, known professionally as MGK and formerly Machine Gun Kelly, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, and actor. His original stage name "Machine Gun Kelly" was derived from the nickname of Prohibition-era gangster George Kelly Barnes.

Bryson Tiller is an American R&B singer and rapper. He began his career in 2011 with his debut mixtape, Killer Instinct Vol. 1. He gained mainstream recognition following the release of his 2015 single "Don't", which peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received quintuple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Its success led to a recording contract with RCA Records, who issued "Don't" as the lead single for his debut studio album Trapsoul (2015), which entered the top ten of the Billboard 200.

Stokeley Clevon Goulbourne, known professionally as Ski Mask the Slump God, is an American rapper. He is best known for his association with XXXTentacion, with whom he formed the hip hop collective Members Only in 2014. He is notable for his nostalgic-themed musical production and public image, often clad with multi-colored durags. He signed with Victor Victor Worldwide, an imprint of Republic Records to release his debut commercial mixtape You Will Regret (2017), which entered the Billboard 200 and spawned the platinum-certified singles "BabyWipe", "Take a Step Back", and "Catch Me Outside".

Jamell Maurice Demons, known professionally by his stage name YNW Melly, is an American rapper and singer. He rose to fame in 2018 following the release of his single "Murder on My Mind", a trap song that explores homicidal ideation. His commercial breakthrough, its release garnered him further attention after he was charged with the double-murder of two fellow rappers in the "YNW" collective the following year, resulting in an ongoing legal battle and incarceration. Prior to this, "Murder on My Mind" peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and led him to sign with 300 Entertainment. The ...

Tyler-Justin Anthony Sharpe, known professionally as Lil Tecca, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Lil Tecca rose to mainstream prominence with the release of the 2019 single "Ransom", which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. The song preceded the release of his debut mixtape We Love You Tecca (2019), which peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and contained the follow-up singles "Love Me" and "Did It Again".

Bashar Barakah Jackson, known professionally as Pop Smoke, was an American rapper. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, he rose to fame with the release of his 2019 singles "Welcome to the Party" and "Dior". He frequently collaborated with UK drill artists and producers, who employed more minimal and aggressive instrumentation than American drill artists from Chicago, reintroducing the sound as Brooklyn drill.

Tione Jayden Merritt, known professionally as Lil Tjay, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence with his 2017 single "Resume", and signed with Columbia Records following the success of his 2018 single "Brothers", which received triple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His guest appearance on Polo G's 2019 single, "Pop Out" marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100—peaking at number 11—while his own single, "F.N", became his first to do so as a lead artist. Each preceded the release of his debut studio album, True 2 Myself (2019), which p...

Maxie Lee Ryles III, known by his stage name Fivio Foreign, is an American rapper from Brooklyn. He first gained recognition for his 2019 single "Big Drip", which received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and spawned a remix featuring Lil Baby and Quavo. That same year, he signed with fellow New York rapper Mase's RichFish Records, in a joint venture with Columbia Records.

Oakley Neil Caesar-Su, known professionally as Central Cee, is a British rapper from Shepherd's Bush, London. Regarded as a leading figure in UK rap, he rose to prominence in 2020 with the release of his drill singles "Day in the Life" and "Loading". His first mixtape, Wild West (2021), debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, while his second, 23 (2022), debuted atop the chart.

Hykeem Jamaal Carter Jr., known professionally as Baby Keem, is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Las Vegas, he gained recognition in the late 2010s with his contributions to Black Panther: The Album (2018) by his cousin Kendrick Lamar and The Lion King: The Gift (2019) by Beyoncé. As a lead artist, he gained initial recognition for his 2019 sleeper hit single "Orange Soda", which received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Tyron Kaymone Frampton, better known by his stage name Slowthai, is a British rapper. Raised in Northampton, he rose to popularity in 2019 for his gritty and rough instrumentals and raw, politically charged lyrics.

Denzel Rae Don Curry is an American rapper. Born and raised in the Carol City neighborhood of Miami Gardens, Florida, Curry started rapping while in the sixth grade and began working on his first mixtape, King Remembered Underground Tape 1991–1995, in 2011, which was influenced by underground Florida rapper SpaceGhostPurrp. The mixtape was later featured on SpaceGhostPurrp's social media, giving Curry attention in the local music scene and resulting in him joining the former's hip-hop collective Raider Klan.

Adolph Robert Thornton Jr., known professionally as Young Dolph, was an American rapper, songwriter, and record executive. He first garnered mainstream attention for his guest appearance on O.T. Genasis' 2015 single "Cut It", which peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. The following year, he released his debut studio album King of Memphis, which peaked at number 49 on the Billboard 200. His fifth album, Rich Slave (2020), peaked at number four on the chart.

Casada Aaron Sorrell, known professionally as Sada Baby, is an American rapper and singer. He initially gained recognition in 2018 when the music video for his song "Bloxk Party" went viral, leading to him signing to Asylum Records. A prominent figure of the emerging Detroit rap scene of the mid-to-late 2010s, Sada Baby has become one of the most prolific rappers of the generation. His debut studio album Skuba Sada 2 (2020), a sequel to his 2017 debut mixtape Skuba Sada, peaked at number 125 on the US Billboard 200. In 2020, his song "Whole Lotta Choppas" went viral on TikTok, later receiving ...

Leonard Eugene Hendricks III, known professionally as Larry June, is an American rapper from San Francisco, California. He is best known for his albums Orange Print (2021), Spaceships on the Blade (2022), and The Great Escape (2023), and has toured with fellow rappers including Cousin Stizz, Berner, Curren$y, and Post Malone. June has self-released 19 projects, and was briefly signed to Warner Records from 2015 to 2017.

Sean Joseph Pompey, better known by his stage name Smoke DZA, is an American rapper and songwriter.

Bryson LaShun Potts, known professionally as NLE Choppa, is an American rapper and YouTuber from Memphis, Tennessee. He gained recognition with the release of his 2019 single "Shotta Flow", which received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. The song preceded his debut extended play (EP), Cottonwood, in December of that year.

Markeyvius LaShun Cathey, known professionally as Key Glock, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. The cousin of late Memphis rapper Young Dolph, Cathey signed with his record label, Paper Route Empire, to release his commercial mixtape, Glock Season (2017). His debut studio album, Yellow Tape (2020), peaked at number 14 on the Billboard 200 and received gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His second album, Yellow Tape 2 (2021), peaked at number seven on the chart and spawned the multi-platinum-certified single "Ambition for Cash", as w

Nau'Jour Lazier Grainger, better known by his stage name Toosii, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and football player. Beginning his career in 2017, he rose to mainstream prominence following the release of his 2023 single "Favorite Song", which first gained virality on the social media platform TikTok. The song peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, earned double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and preceded the release of his second studio album, Naujour (2023). The album peaked at number 19 on the Billboard 200, although his deb

Destin Choice Route, better known by his stage name JID, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Atlanta, he signed with J. Cole's Dreamville Records, an imprint of Interscope Records in 2017. He formed the musical collective Spillage Village with EarthGang in 2010, and later formed the hip hop group Zoink Gang with Smino, Buddy, and Guapdad 4000. His fluent rapping style and usage of wordplay has been frequently acclaimed by music critics.

Benjamin Gerard Coyle-Larner, known professionally as Loyle Carner, is a British hip-hop musician. He released his debut album, Yesterday's Gone, in 2017, which was nominated for the 2017 Mercury Prize. He released his second album, Not Waving, but Drowning, in April 2019, and his third, hugo, in October 2022. His fourth studio album, Hopefully!, was released in June 2025. Carner has been nominated for three Brit Awards.

Ché Wolton Grant, known professionally as AJ Tracey, is a British rapper and record producer from Ladbroke Grove, London. Tracey rose to popularity in 2016 and was listed by The Guardian in a list of "best new acts to catch at festivals in 2016".

Irving Ampofo Adjei, known professionally as Headie One, is a British rapper and singer. In 2018, he released his second solo mixtape, titled The One, which included the single "Know Better" featuring rapper RV, which became an "underground hit".

Dexter Tiewon Gore Jr., better known by his stage name Famous Dex, is an American rapper. His debut studio album, Dex Meets Dexter (2018) peaked at number 12 on the Billboard 200 while its singles, "Pick It Up" and "Japan" peaked at numbers 54 and 28 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100.

Miles Parks McCollum, known professionally as Lil Yachty, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and professional wrestling manager. He is currently the manager of WWE Superstar Trick Williams. He first gained recognition in August 2015 for his viral hit "One Night", the lead single from his debut extended play (EP), Summer Songs. He released his debut mixtape Lil Boat in March 2016, and signed a joint venture record deal with Motown, Capitol Records, and Quality Control Music in June of that year.

Olubowale Victor Akintimehin, known professionally as Wale, is an American rapper. He first became known for his 2006 song "Dig Dug ", which became popular in his hometown of Germantown, Maryland and led Wale to gain further local recognition as he amassed a number of follow-up releases. He signed a recording contract with English DJ-producer Mark Ronson's Allido Records in 2007, which, after a three-label bidding war, entered a joint venture with Interscope Records for US$1.3 million the following year. During this time, Wale's mixtapes and singles saw numerous attention as he appeared on MTV

Donald McKinley Glover Jr., known professionally as Childish Gambino, is an American rapper, singer, writer, producer, and director. He gained worldwide critical acclaim for his groundbreaking musical career with albums like 'Because the Internet' and 'Awaken, My Love!', featuring the Grammy-winning smash 'Redbone', and his culture-shifting anthem 'This Is America'.

Ermias Joseph Asghedom, known professionally as Nipsey Hussle, was an American rapper, activist and entrepreneur. Emerging from the West Coast hip-hop scene in the mid-2000s, Hussle self-released his debut mixtape, Slauson Boy Volume 1, to moderate local success, leading him to sign with Cinematic Music Group and Epic Records.

Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, professionally known as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion gained a cult following among his young fan base during his short career with his depression and alienation-themed music. Critics and audiences often credit him for his musical versatility, with his music exploring emo, trap, trap metal, nu metal, indie rock, lo-fi, hip-hop, R&B, and punk rock. He was considered to be a leading figure in the establishment of the emo rap and Sou

Gustav Elijah Åhr, known professionally as Lil Peep, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He was a member of the hip-hop collective GothBoiClique, and is credited as being a leading figure of the emo rap sub-genre and an inspiration in alternative youth subcultures.

Bill Kahan Kapri, known professionally as Kodak Black, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Pompano Beach, Florida, he gained initial recognition following the release of his 2014 songs "No Flockin" and "Skrt", both of which led him to sign a recording contract with Atlantic Records. The former received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA), while the latter received platinum certification; "No Flockin" marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 two years later as a sleeper hit. He also received local recognition around this t