Rappers Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Rappers
Kanye West (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)
Rappers
Rappers are some of the most prominent artists on the top 40 charts. Rap/ hip-hop is a musical style and genre featuring rhythmic and sometimes rhyming speech that is rapped over a musical backing. Rap originated in African American communities in New York City and started to become part of the mainstream music scene in the 1970s. Rap Trivia:
- "Rap" is said to stand for "rhythm and poetry."
- Jay-Z has the most Grammy Awards for any rapper, with 23 wins and 80 nominations over his career.
- Kendrick Lamar won Pulitzer Prize in Music for 2018 for his 2017 album Damn, the first time the award has gone to an artist outside the classical or jazz genres.
Genre Origin: New York City, 1970s Popular subgenres: Trap rap, gangsta rap, Boom-bap, Soundcloud rap, and Lo-fi hip-hop Notable Rappers: Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G., Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Eminem, Ghostface Killah, Lauryn Hill, Nas, Nicki Minaj, and Drake.
Read the latest articles about your favorite rappers
Entertainment
3 years ago
Faith Evans Reflects on Being Estranged From The Notorious B.I.G. at the Time of His Murder
Entertainment
3 years ago
Inside Eminem’s Feud With Ja Rule
Entertainment
3 years ago
Snoop Dogg Included Gang References In His Super Bowl Halftime Show Performance
Entertainment
1 year ago
Bad Bunny, Robin Thicke, and Rolling Stones: 5 of the Most Expensive Music Copyright Lawsuits of All Time
Entertainment
2 years ago
Dr. Dre Questioned Himself as an Artist When He Couldn’t Complete His ‘Detox’ Album

Kanye West

Music

Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign’s ‘Slide’ Review: Sloppy Production Continues West’s Slide From the Top

The most interesting thing about Kanye West’s “Slide” is that it features a curveball movie reference. The reference doesn’t fit with West’s public image.

by Matthew Trzcinski

Published on August 3, 2024

2 min read

Kanye West standing next to Taylor Swift

Music

Taylor Swift Wrote a Song About Kanye West After He Interrupted Her

Everyone remembers that Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Not everyone remembers that this controversy inspired Swift to pen a pop ballad.

by Matthew Trzcinski

Nicki Minaj and Kanye West talking to each other at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards.

Celebrity

Kanye West Once Felt It Was Necessary for Nicki Minaj to Outshine Him on ‘Monster’

Kanye West once reflected on the huge hit his ego took after Nicki Minaj outdid him on his own record.

by Antonio Stallings

Beyoncé Once Confronted an Actor Who Was Flirting With Jay-Z

Beyoncé has shown a couple of times how protective she was of Jay-Z and their marriage, as she’s been willing to confront anyone who might pose a threat to them.

by Antonio Stallings

Published on June 21, 2024

3 min read

Rosie Perez smiling in a black dress while at the 49th Chaplin Award Honoring Jeff Bridges.

Celebrity

Rosie Perez Once Lost a Lot of Respect for Jay-Z After His Feud With Nas

Why Rosie Perez was disappointed by Jay-Z during his feud with Nas in the 2000s.

by Antonio Stallings

Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake performing on stage together.

Celebrity

Why Justin Timberlake Turned Down Working With Jay-Z

It took a while before Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake were finally able to work together on a record.

by Antonio Stallings

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Memories of Tupac’s 1994 Shooting Are Different Than Tupac’s

Sean 'Diddy' Combs said he rushed to help Tupac Shakur after he was shot. This is not how Tupac remembered the day,

by Emma McKee

Published on October 6, 2024

2 min read

Tupac wears a brown vest and blue bandanna. He stands in front of a black brick wall. Diddy wears a white suit and stands on a red carpet.

Celebrity

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Wrote to Tupac to Clear the Air While He Was in Prison

In 1995, Tupac went to prison. Sean 'Diddy' Combs took this as an opportunity to write to the rapper.

by Emma McKee

Tupac wears a hat and a camo jacket. Diddy wears a tuxedo.

Celebrity

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Admitted He Was ‘Scared’ About Getting Implicated in Tupac’s Murder

Sean 'Diddy' Combs has long faced accusations of being involved in Tupac's death. He said he was worried about this when he first heard the news.

by Emma McKee

What Happened to the Man Suspected of Murdering Tupac Shakur?

Tupac Shakur's murder remains unsolved. Speculation that Orlando Anderson was the triggerman has been the case since Tupac's death but Anderson died two years after Tupac.

by Brenda Alexander

Music

How Many Times Has Diddy Changed His Name?

Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been a giant figure in the music industry for three decades. The rapper and record executive has made a name for himself under several different monikers. His latest, 'Love,' is in a long line of name changes over the years.

by Chris Malone

Music

Normani Learned Cardi B Was Pregnant After Wanting Her to Do Stunts in the ‘Wild Side’ Music Video

Normani and Cardi B showed their wild side in Normani's 'Wild Side' music video. Normani was in charge of complicated choreography, and she wanted Cardi to do stunts similar to hers. But she didn't know that Cardi was pregnant while filming

by Chris Malone

Celebrity

Where Is Eminem’s Brother Nathan Today?

Get all the details on Eminem's little brother, Nathan, and what's he's up to today.

by Michelle Kapusta

Music

The Iconic Song The Notorious B.I.G. Was Inspired By Mary J. Blige to Record

The Notorious B.I.G. a.k.a. Biggie Smalls was inspired by everything around him, including some of the people he worked with. He collaborated with Mary J. Blige before his mainstream breakout, and she eventually inspired him to record one of his beloved songs

by Chris Malone

Music

Tyler, the Creator Addresses DJ Khaled’s Shady Comments About His ‘Mysterious’ Music

Tyler, the Creator talks letting his music speak for itself when discussing DJ Khaled throwing shade at him.

by Kourtnee Jackson

Music

Jay-Z Inspired The Notorious B.I.G. to Stop Writing Down His Lyrics

Jay-Z and The Notorious B.I.G. are two of 'Brooklyn's Finest' rappers who rose to fame in the mid-1990s. Biggie debuted before Jay-Z, but he learned many things from Hova — and even admitted that he was a better rapper

by Chris Malone

Celebrity

What College Does Megan Thee Stallion Attend and What is She Studying?

Music isn't the only thing occupying Megan Thee Stallion's time nowadays. The rapper is currently enrolled at Texas Southern University with plans to graduate with her degree in health administration later this year.

by Bre Williams

Music

Eminem is Featured on Nas’ New Album, and Fans Can’t Get Enough

Eminem made a special guest appearance on Nas's new album, 'King's Disease.' His spitfire verses on "EPMD2" are creating quite the buzz on the Internet.

by Bernadette Giacomazzo

Music

The LOX vs. Dipset: Which ‘Verzuz’ Group Has More Grammy Awards?

The LOX and Dipset competed against each other in 'Verzuz.' During the battle, The LOX's Jadakiss claimed that the group had Grammys, while Dipset didn't. How many Grammys does each of the groups have?

by Chris Malone

Celebrity

Mother of Fetty Wap’s Late Daughter Pleads For Compassion For The Rapper

The mother of 'Trap Queen' rapper is asking the public for "compassion."

by Audrey Rock

Music

The Notorious B.I.G.’s Dream Job When He Was Young Was Very Different From Rapping

The Notorious B.I.G. has been a hip-hop icon for three decades. The Brooklyn-bred rapper was known for his unique take on rapping. But before he was a rapper, he had a different career path on his mind

by Chris Malone

Music

Inside The Notorious B.I.G. and Shaquille O’Neal’s Friendship

When most people think of rappers, Shaquille O'Neal often doesn't come to mind. But the former basketball star was also a prolific rapper in the 1990s, and even developed a good friendship with The Notorious B.I.G. before his death

by Chris Malone

Music

Why Rapper Da Brat Spent Three Years in Prison

Da Brat served a stint in prison after attacking a woman at a party. Brat previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and avoided prison time.

by Brenda Alexander

Music

The LOX’s Jadakiss vs. Dipset’s Cam’ron: Which ‘Verzuz’ Competitor Has a Higher Net Worth?

Jadakiss and Cam'ron rose to fame as part of The Lox and Dipset, two of New York's most iconic rap groups. Since then they've made names for themselves as solo artists. Which rapper has a higher net worth in 2021?

by Chris Malone

Music

Which Member of The LOX Has the Highest Net Worth?

The Lox is an iconic group of New York hip-hop, with Jadakiss, Styles P, and Sheek Louch being icons in their own right. They've each established themselves as solo artists outside of The Lox. Which rapper has the highest net worth in 2021?

by Chris Malone

Music

Which Dipset Member Has the Highest Net Worth?

Juelz Santana, Cam'ron, Jim Jones, and Freekey Zekey rose to fame as part of the rap group Dipset. Dipset became one of New York's most iconic rap groups in the 1990s and 2000s. Which group member has the highest net worth today?

by Chris Malone

Music

The LOX vs. Dipset: Which ‘Verzuz’ Group Has More Number 1 Hits?

The Lox and Dipset are two of New York's most iconic rap groups. They both released hit songs in the 1990s and 2000s. But which group has had more hits go number 1 on the charts?

by Chris Malone

Music

The Notorious B.I.G.’s ’10 Crack Commandments’ Originally Wasn’t Meant For Him

The Notorious B.I.G. a.k.a. Biggie Smalls was known for sampling many different songs throughout his career. One of his hits from his posthumous album 'Life After Death,' '10 Crack Commandments,' came from a local radio show

by Chris Malone

Music

The Notorious B.I.G. Song That Was Inspired By a Real Crack Dealer

The Notorious B.I.G. a.k.a. Biggie Smalls garnered a reputation in the 1990s for rapping about drugs, sex, and violence, as was common in hip-hop at the time. But one of his songs about dealing crack was inspired by a real-life crack dealer

by Chris Malone