Rap originated in the Bronx in the 1970s and has grown into one of the most popular musical forms in the world. In 2017, R&B/Hip-Hop became the most listened to genre according to Nielsen Music. (The terms “rap” and “hip-hop” are often used interchangeably, but technically the former refers to the music while the latter is a broader cultural idiom encompassing music, dance, fashion, deejaying, and more.)
As rap has evolved and matured, both the sound and its stars have changed tremendously, but some older artists have managed to stay relevant. This year’s Super Bowl halftime show, for instance, featured rap icons like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Eminem, all still recording, performing, and influencing others – though they may hit the top of the charts less frequently than they once did. (Check out the birth names of 40 rap and hip-hop artists.)
To determine which rappers have had the most hits in the course of their careers, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data from Billboard’s Hot 100 charts. Rappers were ranked based on the total number of their songs appearing on the Hot 100, either as main artist or featured artist, through the week of Jan. 15, 2022. The biggest song for each artist, which does not include feature appearances, was determined by a custom scoring wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 100 points, a week at No. 2 worth 99 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 100 worth one point.
The majority of hit songs by rappers on this list were released in the past two decades. In 2012, Billboard changed the way it determines chart rankings and started incorporating digital download sales and streaming data in the ranking. This new method has opened the way for many younger rappers to chart hits through digital music consumption.
Many big names from earlier days, like Outkast, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, and Wu-Tang Clan, do not make the list despite critical acclaim and their endurance in pop culture because they were not among the top 35 in terms of charted hits. Certain rappers, though, like the one that tops this list, seem to have modern hitmaking down to a science, often finding a winning formula by combining rap with other musical genres – even country. (Rap and otherwise, these are the artists with the most No. 1 hits.)
Click here to see the rappers with the most hits.
Source: Ethan Miller / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
35. Nelly
> Hot 100 hits: 37
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 606 weeks
> Biggest song: Dilemma (feat. Kelly Rowland) (10 weeks at No. 1)
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Source: Ethan Miller / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
34. Cardi B
> Hot 100 hits: 39
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 570 weeks
> Biggest song: I Like It (feat. Bad Bunny, J Balvin) (1 week at No. 1)
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33. 2 Chainz
> Hot 100 hits: 40
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 503 weeks
> Biggest song: No Lie (feat. Drake) (1 week at No. 24)
Source: Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
32. 50 Cent
> Hot 100 hits: 41
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 548 weeks
> Biggest song: In Da Club (9 weeks at No. 1)
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Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images
31. Bad Bunny
> Hot 100 hits: 42
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 373 weeks
> Biggest song: Dakiti (feat. Jhay Cortez) (1 week at No. 5)
Source: Handout / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
30. Snoop Dogg
> Hot 100 hits: 43
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 551 weeks
> Biggest song: Drop It Like It’s Hot (feat. Pharrell) (3 weeks at No. 1)
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Source: Bennett Raglin / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
29. Migos
> Hot 100 hits: 43
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 351 weeks
> Biggest song: Bad And Boujee (feat. Lil Uzi Vert) (3 weeks at No. 1)
28. Pitbull
> Hot 100 hits: 44
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 694 weeks
> Biggest song: Give Me Everything (feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, Nayer) (1 week at No. 1)
Source: Jim Bennett / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
27. Polo G
> Hot 100 hits: 45
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 192 weeks
> Biggest song: Rapstar (2 weeks at No. 1)
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26. T-Pain
> Hot 100 hits: 48
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 716 weeks
> Biggest song: Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin’) (feat. Yung Joc) (1 week at No. 1)
Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
25. Kendrick Lamar
> Hot 100 hits: 50
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 518 weeks
> Biggest song: Humble. (1 week at No. 1)
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Source: Paras Griffin / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
24. Lil Durk
> Hot 100 hits: 52
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 241 weeks
> Biggest song: Still Trappin’ (feat. King Von) (1 week at No. 53)
Source: Christopher Polk / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
23. Rick Ross
> Hot 100 hits: 52
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 572 weeks
> Biggest song: The Boss (feat. T-Pain) (1 week at No. 17)
Source: Jeff Hahne / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
22. DaBaby
> Hot 100 hits: 52
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 537 weeks
> Biggest song: Rockstar (feat. Roddy Ricch) (7 weeks at No. 1)
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Source: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
21. Big Sean
> Hot 100 hits: 54
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 486 weeks
> Biggest song: I Don’t F**к With You (feat. E-40) (1 week at No. 11)
Source: Mark Thompson / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
20. Post Malone
> Hot 100 hits: 55
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 638 weeks
> Biggest song: Circles (3 weeks at No. 1)
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Source: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
19. Ludacris
> Hot 100 hits: 56
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 883 weeks
> Biggest song: Stand Up (feat. Shawnna) (1 week at No. 1)
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18. T.I.
> Hot 100 hits: 57
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 729 weeks
> Biggest song: Whatever You Like (7 weeks at No. 1)
Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images
17. 21 Savage
> Hot 100 hits: 60
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 339 weeks
> Biggest song: Bank Account (5 weeks at No. 12)
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Source: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
16. Gunna
> Hot 100 hits: 61
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 259 weeks
> Biggest song: Dollaz On My Head (feat. Young Thug) (1 week at No. 38)
Source: Jeff Hahne / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
15. J. Cole
> Hot 100 hits: 64
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 413 weeks
> Biggest song: Middle Child (1 week at No. 4)
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Source: Theo Wargo / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
14. Meek Mill
> Hot 100 hits: 64
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 272 weeks
> Biggest song: Going Bad (feat. Drake) (1 week at No. 6)
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Source: Bennett Raglin / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
13. Juice WRLD
> Hot 100 hits: 70
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 424 weeks
> Biggest song: Lucid Dreams (2 weeks at No. 2)
Source: Rachel Murray / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
12. Young Thug
> Hot 100 hits: 76
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 528 weeks
> Biggest song: Hot (feat. Gunna) (1 week at No. 11)
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Source: Courtesy of NBA YoungBoy via Facebook
11. YoungBoy Never Broke Again
> Hot 100 hits: 77
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 232 weeks
> Biggest song: Outside Today (1 week at No. 31)
Source: Matthew Eisman / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
10. Travis Scott
> Hot 100 hits: 78
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 531 weeks
> Biggest song: Sicko Mode (1 week at No. 1)
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Source: Bennett Raglin / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
9. Lil Uzi Vert
> Hot 100 hits: 82
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 382 weeks
> Biggest song: XO TOUR Llif3 (1 week at No. 7)
Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
8. Eminem
> Hot 100 hits: 93
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 735 weeks
> Biggest song: Love The Way You Lie (feat. Rihanna) (7 weeks at No. 1)
Source: Cindy Ord / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
7. Lil Baby
> Hot 100 hits: 97
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 648 weeks
> Biggest song: Drip Too Hard (feat. Gunna) (1 week at No. 4)
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Source: Ethan Miller / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
6. JAY-Z
> Hot 100 hits: 103
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 915 weeks
> Biggest song: Empire State Of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys) (5 weeks at No. 1)
Source: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
5. Nicki Minaj
> Hot 100 hits: 120
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 1,398 weeks
> Biggest song: Super Bass (2 weeks at No. 3)
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Source: Paras Griffin / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
4. Future
> Hot 100 hits: 130
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 916 weeks
> Biggest song: Life Is Good (feat. Drake) (8 weeks at No. 2)
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Source: Noel Vasquez / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
3. Kanye West
> Hot 100 hits: 134
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 1,052 weeks
> Biggest song: Gold Digger (feat. Jamie Foxx) (10 weeks at No. 1)
Source: Joe Scarnici / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
2. Lil Wayne
> Hot 100 hits: 179
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 1,866 weeks
> Biggest song: Lollipop (feat. Static Major) (5 weeks at No. 1)
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Source: Christopher Polk / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
1. Drake
> Hot 100 hits: 260
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 2,743 weeks
> Biggest song: God’s Plan (11 weeks at No. 1)
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