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Chicago, besides known arsenic the Windy City oregon Chi-town, is location to immoderate of the astir influential artists successful the American rap scene. These hip-hop artists person adopted some the East Coast's lyricism and the West Coast's swagger. Some of the top Chicago rappers who person influenced the planetary drill country include Kanye West, Polo G, and Common.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Chicago is the astir populous metropolis successful the authorities of Illinois and the Midwestern United States.
- The apical rappers that person placed Chicago connected the planetary rap country see Chance the Rapper, Da Brat, Lupe Fiasco, and Twista.
- Chicago boasts an eclectic premix of artists with divers styles, rap flavours, and limitless talent.
Who are the apical Chicago rappers?
Compiling the database of the apical Chicago rappers who changed the crippled and influenced the planetary Hip-hop country is subjective and not exhaustive. It includes some precocious and surviving artists and is based connected a operation of factors specified arsenic illustration performance, captious acclaim, and societal influence. Below is an unordered database of Chi-Town legends who everlastingly changed the scenery of rap for their hometown.
| Name | Notable songs |
| Polo G | Rapstar, Pop Out, Martin & Gina |
| Chance the Rapper | No Problem, Juice, Blessings |
| Lupe Fiasco | Kick, Superstar, The Show Goes On |
| Twista | Champions, Cocoa Butter Kisses, Slow Jamz |
| Common | The Corner, I Used To Love HER, The Light |
| Famous Dex | Read About It, Pick It Up, JAPAN |
| Tink | Cut It Out, Songs About U, Million |
| CupcakKe | Squidward Nose, Backstage Passes, I Got It |
| Lil Eazzyy | Onna Come Up, Feeling Different, Up There |
| Kanye West | All Falls Down, Jesus Walks, Gold Digger |
| Saba | Life, Smile, Stoney |
| Da Brat | Give It 2 You, Loverboy, What'chu Like |
| Chief Keef | Love Sosa, Faneto, Hate Bein' Sober |
| Dreezy | Close to You, No Hard Feelings, Body |
| Vic Mensa | Reverse, Liquor Locker, U Mad |
| Rockie Fresh | Life Long, Driving 88, You a Lie |
| Fredo Santana | Dope Game, Chopper, Been Savage |
| Mick Jenkins | Value Village, Carefree, Martyrs |
| Joey Purp | Bad Boys 2, One Two, Elastic |
| Rhymefest | Bullet, Dirty Dirty, Brand New |
1. Polo G
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- Full name: Taurus Tremani Bartlett
- Date of birth: 6 January 1999
- Age: 26 years aged (as of 2025)
- Years active: 2017–present
Polo G is simply a salient American rapper calved and raised successful Chicago, Illinois. He roseate to fame with his deed singles Finer Things and Pop Out. Polo G released his debut album Die a Legend in 2019 and has since released 3 consequent albums.
2. Chance the Rapper
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- Full name: Chancelor Johnathan Bennett
- Date of birth: 16 April 1993
- Age: 32 years aged (as of 2025)
- Years active: 2011–present
Chance the Rapper is simply a rapper, singer, songwriter, and grounds shaper from the United States. He gained wide designation arsenic 1 of the underground Chicago rappers done his 2 mixtapes, Acid Rap and Coloring Book. His Coloring Book mixtape was the archetypal streaming-only medium to triumph a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
3. Lupe Fiasco
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- Full name: Wasalu Muhammad Jaco
- Date of birth: 16 February 1982
- Age: 43 years aged (as of 2025)
- Years active: 2000–present
Lupe Fiasco is simply a respected and intelligence American rapper from Chicago. He is champion known for his analyzable lyrics and thought-provoking music, which uses intricate wordplay and metaphors.
Lupe Fiasco was a impermanent prima connected Kanye West's azygous Touch the Sky successful 2006. He released his debut album Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor successful 2006, receiving wide captious acclaim.
4. Twista
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- Full name: Carl Terrell Mitchell
- Date of birth: 27 November 1973
- Age: 51 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Years active: 1989–present
Twista is simply a well-known rapper from Chicago, Illinois. He is wide recognized for his incredibly accelerated rapping, known arsenic the "chopper" benignant of rapping. Twista held the 1992 Guinness World Record holder for the fastest English-speaking rapper.
Twista debuted his vocation successful 1992 erstwhile helium released his archetypal album Runnin' Off astatine da Mouth nether the moniker Tung Twist. The rapper's 2004 medium Kamikaze hit fig 1 connected the Billboard 200 illustration acknowledgment to the azygous Slow Jamz featuring Jamie Foxx and Kanye West.
5. Common
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- Full name: Lonnie Rashid Lynn
- Date of birth: 13 March 1972
- Age: 53 years aged (as of 2025)
- Years active: 1991–present
Common, formerly known arsenic Common Sense is 1 of the astir respected figures successful American hip-hop. He is wide known for his thoughtful lyrics, versatile creator expression, and creaseless delivery.
Common has earned accolades, including Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and an Emmy Award, some successful euphony and film. Some of his albums see Can I Borrow a Dollar?, Finding Forever, Black America Again, and A Beautiful Revolution.
6. Famous Dex
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- Full name: Dexter Tiewon Gore Jr.
- Date of birth: 6 September 1993
- Age: 31 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Years active: 2012–present
Famous Dex is an American rapper champion known for his energetic benignant and beingness successful the rap scene. He gained wide designation with his mixtape Dexter's Laboratory.
The rapper is besides known for deed singles similar Pick It Up and Japan, which charted connected the Billboard Hot 100. He has collaborated with notable rappers similar A$AP Rocky, Lil Yachty, and Rich The Kid.
7. Tink
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- Full name: Trinity Laure'Ale Home
- Date of birth: 18 March 1995
- Age: 30 years aged (as of 2025)
- Years active: 2011–present
Tink is simply a versatile creator known for her quality to blend rap and R&B vocals. She has risen to go 1 of the apical pistillate Chicago rappers.
The singer-songwriter is known for her galore mixtapes and albums, including Winter's Diary, Dex Meets Dexter, Pillow Talk, and Think Tink. Tink has collaborated with notable artists including 2 Chainz, Muni Long, Fabolous, Russ and G Herbo.
8. CupcakKe
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- Full name: Elizabeth Eden Harris
- Date of birth: 31 May 1997
- Age: 27 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Years active: 2012–present
CupcakKe is simply a pistillate Chicago rapper known for her unsocial benignant and explicit lyrics. She gained wide attraction for her unapologetically humorous lyrics challenging societal norms, and pushing boundaries. The rapper has released galore albums including Audacious, Ephorize, and Dauntless Manifesto.
9. Lil Eazzyy
- Full name: Eric Darnell Wright
- Date of birth: 23 June 2002
- Age: 22 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Years active: 2003–present
Lil Eazzyy is simply a Chicago-based rapper and businessman. He gained traction with his azygous Onna Come Up, which was precise successful.
Eazzyy's aboriginal occurrence led him to motion a woody with Atlantic Records. He has released galore mixtapes and albums, including Rookie Of The Year, Too Eazzyy, and Underrated. Besides music, Lil Eazzyy is the president of Rich & Ruthless Records.
10. Kanye West
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- Full name: Kanye Omari West
- Date of birth: 8 June 1977
- Age: 47 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Years active: 1996–present
Kanye West, besides known arsenic Ye, is possibly the astir celebrated rapper and shaper from Chicago. He is simply a highly influential and arguable fig successful the euphony and fashion scenes.
Ye roseate to prominence arsenic an creator and shaper for Roc-A-Fella Records successful the aboriginal 2000s. His works include Late Registration, Graduation, 808s and Heartbreak, and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
11. Saba
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- Full name: Tahj Malik Chandler
- Date of birth: 17 July 1994
- Age: 30 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Years active: 2012–present
Saba is simply a renowned rapper and grounds shaper from the United States. He grew up successful the Austin West Side of Chicago rising to go 1 of the champion Chicago rappers.
In 2013, helium joined Chance the Rapper connected his mixtape Acid Rap, performing the opus Everybody's Something. Saba's albums see Bucket List Project, Care for Me, and Few Good Things.
12. Da Brat
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- Full name: Shawntae Harris-Dupart
- Date of birth: 14 April 1974
- Age: 51 years aged (as of 2025)
- Years active: 1992–present
Da Brat is 1 of the apical 90s rappers who was calved and raised successful Chicago. She debuted her euphony vocation successful 1992 aft signing with Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings successful 1994. Da Brat released her debut album, Funkdafied the aforesaid year. The medium made her the archetypal pistillate solo rap creator to person a platinum-selling debut album.
13. Chief Keef
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- Full name: Keith Farrelle Cozart
- Date of birth: 15 August 1995
- Age: 29 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Years active: 2008–present
Chief Keef is simply a highly influential and 1 of the caller Chicago rappers. He is wide recognised for popularizing the drill euphony subgenre. Chief Keef gained overmuch attraction successful the aboriginal 2010s with his mixtapes. He dropped his deed single I Don't Like in 2012 1 of the songs successful his debut album, Finally Rich.
14. Dreezy
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- Full name: Seandrea Sledge
- Date of birth: 28 March 1994
- Age: 31 years aged (as of 2025)
- Years active: 2012–present
Dreezy is 1 of the celebrated pistillate Chicago rappers. She gained traction with her rapping and singing capabilities, combining with R&B hooks and pop-trap.
Dreezy got signed with Interscope Records successful 2014, releasing her debut workplace medium No Hard Feelings in 2016. Three years aboriginal she dropped her 2nd medium Big Dreez in 2019 and a collaboration album Hitgirl in 2022 with Hit-Boy.
15. Vic Mensa
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- Full name: Victor Kwesi Mensah
- Date of birth: 6 June 1993
- Age: 31 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Years active: 2009–present
Vic Mensa is simply a rapper, actor, and activist. He began his vocation arsenic 1 of the members of the radical Kids These Days. Vic Mensa aboriginal went solo releasing his medium The Autobiography in 2017 and aboriginal successful 2023, helium released Victor. The rapper has collaborated with different rappers similar Kanye West and Jay-Z.
16. Rockie Fresh
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- Full name: Donald Howard Pullen
- Date of birth: 16 April 1991
- Age: 34 years aged (as of 2025)
- Years active: 2009–present
Rockie Fresh is simply a rapper who has made a sanction for himself successful the hip-hop scene. He began his euphony vocation successful 2009 aft releasing his archetypal mixtape Rockie's Modern Life.
Rockie was signed aboriginal connected by Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group (MMG). The rapper's lone workplace medium Destination was released successful 2019. He has aggregate mixtapes including The Otherside, Driving 88, and The Night I Went To.
17. Fredo Santana
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- Full name: Derrick Antonio Coleman
- Date of birth: 4 July 1990
- Age: 27 years aged (as of 19 January 2018)
- Years active: 2011–2018
Fredo Santana is an American rapper and older relative of chap rapper Chief Keef. He gained important fame successful aboriginal 2010 successful the Chicago drill scene.
Fredo Santana released his archetypal workplace album, Trappin' Ain't Dead successful 2013 and his 2nd album, Fredo Krueger 2 successful 2017. The rapper sadly passed distant on 19 January 2018, aft having a seizure.
18. Mick Jenkins
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- Full name: Jayson Andrew "Mick" Jenkins
- Date of birth: 16 April 1991
- Age: 34 years aged (as of 2025)
- Years active: 2011–present
The Chicago-based rapper is recognised for his socially conscious, and intelligent lyrics which are a premix of jazz, soul, and hip-hop. He was signed to Cinematic Music Group and began his vocation successful the mid-2010s.
Jenkins released his breakout mixtape, The Waters in 2014. The rapper followed the adjacent twelvemonth by releasing the Waves EP successful 2015.
19. Joey Purp
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- Full name: Joseph Davis
- Date of birth: 3 August 1993
- Age: 31 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Years active: 2012–present
Joseph Davis besides known arsenic Joey Purp, is simply a rapper from Chicago and one-half of Leather Corduroys. He gained overmuch attraction erstwhile helium released iiiDrops mixtape successful 2016 becoming 1 of the best rappers in the world. The rapper's latest merchandise is the album Heavy Heart, Vol. 1 successful 2023.
20. Rhymefest
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- Full name: Che Armond Smith
- Date of birth: 6 July 1977
- Age: 47 years aged (as of April 2025)
- Years active: 1996–present
Rhymefest is simply a rapper, songwriter, and activistic from Chicago, Illinois. He is wide recognised for his penning enactment with chap rapper Kanye West. Rhymefest wrote Kanye's deed songs Jesus Walks and New Slaves, with the erstwhile winning a Grammy Award.
The American songwriter besides co-wrote Glory with Common and John Legend for the American movie Selma, which won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award.
Is Kanye West a Chicago rapper?
Yes, Kanye West is simply a rapper from Chicago, Illinois. Although helium was calved successful Atlanta, Georgia, helium grew up successful Chicago's South Shore neighbourhood.
Who is the astir fashionable Chicago rapper?
Although choosing 1 rapper arsenic the astir fashionable is subjective, Kanye West is the astir fashionable and influential rapper from Chicago. He is known for his innovative dependable and power successful the rap industry.
What rappers are from O'Block?
Numerous rappers hail from O'Block which is an country successful the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. They see Lil Durk, King Von, Chopsquad DJ, Tay Keith, and Hitmaka.
Chicago is location to immoderate of the champion rappers successful the world. Chicago rappers similar Polo G, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and Common person been instrumental successful putting the metropolis connected the planetary map.
Legit.ng published an nonfiction astir the greatest Motown artists. Motown is an American grounds statement that produced immoderate of the top artists successful the world. These artists' voices and sounds person been influential crossed generations.
Motown is simply a Detroit, Michigan grounds statement founded by Berry Gordy Jr. successful 1959. It was instrumental successful the improvement of R&B, soul, and popular euphony successful the 1960s and 1970s. Learn much astir the top Motown artists.
Source: Legit.ng
