The Greatest Southern Rappers of All Time

If you were to determine which rap mecca was the epicenter of hip-hop during the genre’s rise, there’s no question that the throne was initially reserved for the East and West Coasts.

New York ran the rap game from the 1980s through the early 1990s, before Los Angeles became the capital of hip-hop on the strength of classic albums such as Dr. Dre’s 1992 LP The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s 1993 effort Doggystyle. By the late-1990s, New York reclaimed the throne with the arrival of Nas, the Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, and DMX, among others.

Meanwhile, down South, the 1990s saw the rise of Outkast and Goodie Mob in Atlanta, Houston’s Geto Boys and UGK, and Three 6 Mafia and 8Ball & MJG in Memphis. At the same time, No Limit and Cash Money were establishing Louisiana as a Southern rap mecca by way of future moguls like Master P and Birdman, both of which produced a stable of up-and-coming rappers such as Lil Wayne, Juvenile, B.G.. Mystikal, Soulja Slim, Silk The Shocker, Mia X, and C-Murder.

The most streamed Southern Hip Hop artist is Future with 27.97B streams, which includes 15.37B as lead artist and 12.61B from features, followed by Wiz Khalifa (10.34B) and Big Sean (7.85B).

A top list of Southern Hip Hop artists in order of streams as lead artist is as follows:

1 Future: Streams as a lead artist: 15.37B; Streams as a featured artist: 12.61B; Most streamed song of all time by Future: Mask Off with 1.58B streams; Most streamed song today Future: Like That with 3.4M daily streams
2 Wiz Khalifa: Streams as a lead artist: 5.76B; Streams as a featured artist: 4.58B; Most streamed song of all time by Wiz Khalifa: See You Again with 1.88B streams; Most streamed song today Wiz Khalifa: See You Again with 761K daily streams
3 Big Sean: Streams as a lead artist: 5.07B; Streams as a featured artist: 2.78B; Most streamed song of all time by Big Sean: I Don't Fuck With You with 778.1M streams; Most streamed song today Big Sean: I Don't Fuck With You with 214K daily streams
4 Meek Mill: Streams as a lead artist: 4.11B; Streams as a featured artist: 1.71B; Most streamed song of all time by Meek Mill: Going Bad with 1.18B streams; Most streamed song today Meek Mill: Going Bad with 462K daily streams
5 Tyga: Streams as a lead artist: 4.09B; Streams as a featured artist: 3.41B; Most streamed song of all time by Tyga: Taste with 1.35B streams; Most streamed song today Tyga: Taste with 366K daily streams
6 OutKast: Streams as a lead artist: 4.08B; Streams as a featured artist: 9.6M; Most streamed song of all time by OutKast: Hey Ya! with 1.32B streams; Most streamed song today OutKast: Hey Ya! with 1.0M daily streams
7 French Montana: Streams as a lead artist: 3.34B; Streams as a featured artist: 1.25B; Most streamed song of all time by French Montana: Unforgettable with 2.04B streams; Most streamed song today French Montana: Unforgettable with 1.6M daily streams
8 Gucci Mane: Streams as a lead artist: 2.86B; Streams as a featured artist: 3.36B; Most streamed song of all time by Gucci Mane: Wake Up in the Sky with 986.5M streams; Most streamed song today Gucci Mane: Black Beatles with 236K daily streams
9 A$AP Ferg: Streams as a lead artist: 2.80B; Streams as a featured artist: 490.4M; Most streamed song of all time by A$AP Ferg: Plain Jane with 731.4M streams; Most streamed song today A$AP Ferg: Dreams, Fairytales, Fantasies with 340K daily streams
10 Trey Songz: Streams as a lead artist: 2.55B; Streams as a featured artist: 1.02B; Most streamed song of all time by Trey Songz: It's A Vibe with 481.8M streams; Most streamed song today Trey Songz: Bottoms Up with 134K daily streams
11 The Game: Streams as a lead artist: 2.54B; Streams as a featured artist: 390.7M; Most streamed song of all time by The Game: Hate It Or Love It with 736.1M streams; Most streamed song today The Game: Hate It Or Love It with 620K daily streams
12 2 Chainz: Streams as a lead artist: 2.43B; Streams as a featured artist: 3.89B; Most streamed song of all time by 2 Chainz: F**kin' Problems with 797.1M streams; Most streamed song today 2 Chainz: F**kin' Problems with 285K daily streams
13 Schoolboy Q: Streams as a lead artist: 2.43B; Streams as a featured artist: 1.02B; Most streamed song of all time by Schoolboy Q: Collard Greens with 619.6M streams; Most streamed song today Schoolboy Q: Hands on the Wheel with 127K daily streams
14 YG: Streams as a lead artist: 2.39B; Streams as a featured artist: 1.11B; Most streamed song of all time by YG: BIG BANK with 370.0M streams; Most streamed song today YG: Who Do You Love? with 88K daily streams
15 Kevin Gates: Streams as a lead artist: 2.32B; Streams as a featured artist: 487.5M; Most streamed song of all time by Kevin Gates: 2 Phones with 383.6M streams; Most streamed song today Kevin Gates: Really Really with 120K daily streams
16 T.I.: Streams as a lead artist: 1.73B; Streams as a featured artist: 1.01B; Most streamed song of all time by T.I.: Live Your Life with 547.0M streams; Most streamed song today T.I.: Live Your Life with 232K daily streams
17 Wale: Streams as a lead artist: 1.52B; Streams as a featured artist: 859.8M; Most streamed song of all time by Wale: No Hands with 656.8M streams; Most streamed song today Wale: No Hands with 308K daily streams
18 Moneybagg Yo: Streams as a lead artist: 1.40B; Streams as a featured artist: 1.48B; Most streamed song of all time by Moneybagg Yo: Run It Up with 389.5M streams; Most streamed song today Moneybagg Yo: Run It Up with 185K daily streams
19 Jay Rock: Streams as a lead artist: 1.39B; Streams as a featured artist: 1.53B; Most streamed song of all time by Jay Rock: Money Trees with 1.45B streams; Most streamed song today Jay Rock: Money Trees with 1.5M daily streams
20 Rick Ross: Streams as a lead artist: 1.36B; Streams as a featured artist: 4.74B; Most streamed song of all time by Rick Ross: Money In The Grave with 960.8M streams; Most streamed song today Rick Ross: Devil In A New Dress with 362K daily streams
21 Lupe Fiasco: Streams as a lead artist: 1.35B; Streams as a featured artist: 350.6M; Most streamed song of all time by Lupe Fiasco: Battle Scars with 374.4M streams; Most streamed song today Lupe Fiasco: Touch The Sky with 234K daily streams
22 Nipsey Hussle: Streams as a lead artist: 1.33B; Streams as a featured artist: 234.7M; Most streamed song of all time by Nipsey Hussle: Grinding All My Life with 193.9M streams; Most streamed song today Nipsey Hussle: Grinding All My Life with 70K daily streams
23 Mike WiLL Made-It: Streams as a lead artist: 1.29B; Streams as a featured artist: 740.2M; Most streamed song of all time by Mike WiLL Made-It: Go Stupid with 412.3M streams; Most streamed song today Mike WiLL Made-It: Go Stupid with 246K daily streams
24 Ludacris: Streams as a lead artist: 1.20B; Streams as a featured artist: 2.81B; Most streamed song of all time by Ludacris: Yeah! with 1.29B streams; Most streamed song today Ludacris: Yeah! with 887K daily streams
25 Young Money: Streams as a lead artist: 1.11B; Most streamed song of all time by Young Money: Trophies with 465.0M streams; Most streamed song today Young Money: Trophies with 150K daily streams
26 Waka Flocka Flame: Streams as a lead artist: 1.09B; Streams as a featured artist: 84.6M; Most streamed song of all time by Waka Flocka Flame: No Hands with 656.8M streams; Most streamed song today Waka Flocka Flame: No Hands with 308K daily streams
27 Pusha T: Streams as a lead artist: 961.9M; Streams as a featured artist: 1.93B; Most streamed song of all time by Pusha T: Runaway with 703.1M streams; Most streamed song today Pusha T: Runaway with 710K daily streams
28 Rich Homie Quan: Streams as a lead artist: 661.8M; Streams as a featured artist: 618.4M; Most streamed song of all time by Rich Homie Quan: My Nigga with 329.7M streams; Most streamed song today Rich Homie Quan: Flex with 53K daily streams
29 Three 6 Mafia: Streams as a lead artist: 516.1M; Streams as a featured artist: 3.6M; Most streamed song of all time by Three 6 Mafia: Stay Fly with 166.0M streams; Most streamed song today Three 6 Mafia: Stay Fly with 98K daily streams
30 Jamie Foxx: Streams as a lead artist: 381.8M; Streams as a featured artist: 1.23B; Most streamed song of all time by Jamie Foxx: Gold Digger with 1.14B streams; Most streamed song today Jamie Foxx: Gold Digger with 614K daily streams
31 DJ Drama: Streams as a lead artist: 377.3M; Streams as a featured artist: 11.6M; Most streamed song of all time by DJ Drama: Wishing with 101.9M streams; Most streamed song today DJ Drama: My Moment with 10K daily streams
32 Lil' Kim: Streams as a lead artist: 324.4M; Streams as a featured artist: 280.7M; Most streamed song of all time by Lil' Kim: Quiet Storm with 69.5M streams; Most streamed song today Lil' Kim: Magic Stick with 27K daily streams
33 Birdman: Streams as a lead artist: 292.4M; Streams as a featured artist: 217.3M; Most streamed song of all time by Birdman: We'll Be Fine with 81.1M streams; Most streamed song today Birdman: Stuntin' Like My Daddy with 31K daily streams
34 Big K.R.I.T.: Streams as a lead artist: 240.4M; Streams as a featured artist: 173.7M; Most streamed song of all time by Big K.R.I.T.: 1Train with 129.8M streams; Most streamed song today Big K.R.I.T.: 1Train with 45K daily streams
35 Killer Mike: Streams as a lead artist: 91.3M; Streams as a featured artist: 813.8M; Most streamed song of all time by Killer Mike: Legend Has It with 97.3M streams; Most streamed song today Killer Mike: SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS with 41K daily streams
36 Tee Grizzley: Streams as a lead artist: 0.0; Streams as a featured artist: 73.1M; Most streamed song of all time by Tee Grizzley: Shit Real with 19.8M streams; Most streamed song today Tee Grizzley: Freak with 48K daily streams
37 GloRilla: Streams as a lead artist: 0.0; Streams as a featured artist: 30.0M; Most streamed song of all time by GloRilla: On Wat U On with 27.4M streams; Most streamed song today GloRilla: On Wat U On with 28K daily streams
38 Nardo Wick: Streams as a lead artist: 0.0; Streams as a featured artist: 119.6M; Most streamed song of all time by Nardo Wick: Pop Out with 57.9M streams