Rapping is the primary vocal style in hip hop music and often encourages dance moves. Two early performers of this genre were DJ Kool Herc and Coke La Rock who created its initial break beat instrumental measures and encouraged dancing during them.
MCs and rappers established personae that could range from soft spoken or tough. Many became well known for their social activism.
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill stands out as one of the few rappers who has managed to master both singing and rapping equally. Hailing from South Orange, New Jersey, Hill first rose to prominence as part of the groundbreaking Fugees before releasing her iconic solo debut The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998 – which redefined genre expectations by giving female MCs equal status with male ones; breaking barriers by integrating hip hop and neo soul music into mainstream popular culture.
Hill was an accomplished singer-songwriter as well as writer/producer. She contributed lyrics for numerous albums and singles she produced herself as well as those produced by others, such as Nas’ timeless track, “If I Ruled the World”. Its memorable verses and near-flawless production made it one of hip-hop history’s most unforgettable tracks; its success led them both artists into collaboration resulting in several iconic duets between them that would come after.
Hill was also an accomplished performer, often drawing sold-out crowds to her performances. Her energetic live shows featured her singing and rapping simultaneously – as seen on numerous YouTube clips of her live shows. In 2010, she joined Rock the Bells hip-hop festival series where she presented The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in its entirety for the first time, adding more pace and urgency than its original recording for an incredible live experience.
Hill’s live performances included her powerful rendition of the timeless classic “Doo Wop (That Thing)” from The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. With powerful vocals and emotive lyrics that brought this track alive, Lauryn Hill delivered an emotionally charged rendition that perfectly captured parenthood’s joy – with Carlos Santana adding guitar work that enhanced its message of unity and love.
Phonte
Phonte is a Grammy nominated rapper, singer and producer known for his musical collaborations as part of The Foreign Exchange duo with Dutch producer Nicolay, as well as being part of Little Brother with Rapper Big Pooh & 9th Wonder from North Carolina. He is best known for sharing stories of working class life onstage through Little Brother as well as recording an R&B EP under his alter-ego Percy Miracles.
Phonte hails from Robeson County in Greensboro and finds peace and comfort there. He has collaborated with artists such as DJ Mitsu, Murs, Darien Brockington, 4hero as well as released humorous cover albums with musician Zo!.
After Little Brother disbanded, he began dating multi-instrumentalist Nicolay and formed The Foreign Exchange together. Since their debut album release – one nominated for a Grammy – in 2002, The Foreign Exchange have produced four studio albums; additionally in 2011 they released Charity Starts at Home under their FE music imprint.
He effortlessly bridges the gap between creating hip-hop music with Little Brother and The Foreign Exchange and R&B music for his solo records, without altering his signature voice and style despite genre shifts.
Phonte was initially intimidated by the thought of singing solo, but quickly found his niche. With an incredible soulful and silky smooth voice and masterful melodies to sing melodies with. Additionally, Phonte is also an accomplished songwriter having written some of his most beautiful and touching songs ever heard live and television performances including AMC Networks Sherman Showcase skits that showcase his talents.
Andre 3000
Andre 3000 is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor best known as half of Outkast with Big Boi. Together they pioneered an entirely new voice and style within hip hop music that continues to reverberate across cultures worldwide.
Outkast’s instrumentals and performances delighted audiences, unleashing rivers of dopamine from listeners’ auditory cortexes. No wonder their hit songs “Hey Ya!” and “Ms. Jackson” are considered pop masterpieces: these songs showcase music’s transformative powers.
Outkast was also known for creating music that challenged traditional hip hop conventions while reflecting universal human experiences. Their albums ATLiens, Aquemini, Stankonia and Speakerboxxx/The Love Below broadened the sonic palette of rap by including elements of trip hop, soul and jungle music; Andre’s lyrics transcended reductive assumptions of black male rappers at that time as being either “gangstas or pimps.”
As soon as their duo dissolved following the release of their sixth studio album, Andre released solo projects and contributed guest verses for many renowned artists like Beyonce, Drake, Kanye West, Frank Ocean and John Legend – even appearing in movies and hosting an HBO television show!
Andre took a brief respite from music, yet never lost faith in its ability to connect with people on an intimate level. According to VH1, his decision not to perform was due to wanting not to meet “anyone else’s or the world’s expectations of what relationships should look like.” Since returning to performing, Andre continues to push hip hop further forward every performance he gives.
Doja Cat
Doja Cat is a rapper and singer from Los Angeles who rose to prominence thanks to her debut EP, Purrrr!, and hit singles including Juicy (feat. Tyga) and Say So (which reached the top ten of US Billboard Hot 100 chart for over one year), earning multiple nominations including best new artist and song of summer at 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.
Doja Cat performed a medley of songs from her upcoming album Scarlet, set for release September 22. Starting her performance wearing a business suit and updo with glasses on, Doja Cat was soon joined onstage by backup dancers dressed all in red who appeared devilish. Her performance then transitioned into Paint the Town Red where she shed her jacket and unleashed her inner performer; and then finally to Demons where Doja performed an elaborate choreographed dance among papers flying around the stage – making her one of her best performances yet.
Doja Cat has established herself as one of the premier artists of her genre since debuting her solo career in 2020. In collaboration with Ariana Grande on Motive, which became Doja’s highest charting single to date. Additionally, Forbes Magazine honored Doja by listing her as an under-30 talent that year.
Doja Cat is known for her extravagant performances, and she didn’t disappoint at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in Newark, NJ. Wearing an ensemble inspired by teacher attire with red-toned bodysuit and devilish dancers surrounding her on stage, Doja performed songs including Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper Attention as well as new single “Demons”.
Lil Baby
Lil Baby has emerged as one of hip hop’s premier modern success stories. His meteoric rise was propelled by his collaborations with well-known artists like Drake and Offset. Alongside chart-topping albums, Lil Baby has used music to address social issues; “The Bigger Picture” highlights police brutality and racial disparity to demonstrate his dedication to raising awareness using musical means.
Lil’ Baby is an expressive rapper known for his commanding stage presence and range of styles. Since 2017 when he made his debut, his career has rapidly blossomed with hits on Billboard charts quickly growing his fan base. In 2018 he released his debut album Harder Than Ever which included collaborations with Drake and Gunna which received critical acclaim and established Lil Baby as an innovator within hip-hop culture.
Lil’s Baby continued his prolific output following the success of Harder Than Ever by releasing mixtapes and singles, including his most recent project It’s Only Me with hit tracks such as “Right On” and “In A Minute.” Additionally, this album boasts guest appearances by Pooh Shiesty, Nardo Wick, Future, EST Gee, Rylo Rodriguez, and Lil Durk among many others.
Lil’s Baby recently performed at Hot 107.9’s Birthday Bash concert in Atlanta and showcased both his talent and energy. Though his performance was interrupted due to technical issues, the audience still engaged fully – especially since Lil’s Baby shared the stage with Chief Keef, his longtime friend and collaborator on 4 Pockets Full (initialized as 4PF). Additionally, 42 Dugg and Rylo Rodriguez are currently among his roster of artists supported by Lil’s Baby through this record label.