Hip hop music singers have quickly become cultural icons over time. From Kool Herc to Juice WRLD and beyond, these cultural figures have established iconic personas, some of them portraying themself as cooler than life or tough while others take a more socially aware stance.
Lauryn Hill effortlessly blends Motown soul, boom bap and jazz on Fugees’ classic 1996 album The Score and 1998 follow-up Miseducation, inspiring generations of rappers with her melodic rapping and profound lyrics.
MC Lyte
MC Lyte, an award-winning rapper and actress first came into prominence during the late 80s. She made history as the first female solo rapper to release an entire LP with Lyte As A Rock released in 1988; subsequent full length releases include Eyes On This, Act Like You Know and Ain’t No Other further solidifying her as an influential pioneer of hip-hop culture.
MC Lyte has earned recognition beyond her musical career as both a motivational speaker and philanthropist, thanks to the Hip Hop Sisters foundation which provides scholarships to deserving students. Her television appearances include Moesha, Cousin Skeeter, In Living Color and Queen of the South as well as appearances in films like Girls Trip Bad Hair Patti Cakes Loved to Death.
MC Lyte continues to perform and release new music. She has collaborated with modern artists like Rod Wave, Saweetie and Lil Durk as well as her colleagues like Rod Wave, Saweetie and Lil Durk. When performing or announcing new releases MC Lyte still maintains the assertive feminism that gave her an edge against competitors back then – never looking a day over 30, still as vibrant onstage today as she was when first burst onto the scene; seeing her live is a must for fans of hip hop music as she remains one of its few remaining legends of genre!
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy, better known as Big Daddy Kane, is widely considered to be one of the greatest rappers in hip hop history. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Big Daddy Kane influenced numerous MCs over time with his style that enabled him to syncopate over faster hip hop beats while his streetwise persona led to today’s streetwise rappers.
Kane revolutionized live performance of hip-hop shows through his musical skill as well as stage presence. He used this platform to delight his audiences through a mix of theater, dance and tailor-made costumes that kept audiences enthralled for hours on end. Furthermore, Kane set trends within fashion industry such as high-top fade hairstyles and velvet suits – truly an icon from hip hop’s Golden Age!
Kane remains in high demand as an entertainer and recently headlined a Hip-Hop 50 event alongside artists such as KRS-One, Kool G Rap and Elzhi. His performances exhibit his ability to engage a crowd quickly while delivering lyrics with speed and precision.
Kane has also made notable cameo appearances on other popular rappers’ albums, including Alchemist-produced single “The Man, The Icon” and DJ Premier’s “Any Type of Way.” Additionally, he has collaborated with Morcheeba of Beat Junkies fame as well as making frequent festival and awards show appearances.
Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott stands out among Hip Hop artists as an iconic songwriter, producer, and rapper with her unique brand of humor and visual panache. As one of five Grammy winners for her genre-bending approach to songwriting/producing/rappng (she won five total), Missy earned numerous awards and accolades during her prolific career spanning five genres; among these awards and accolades was becoming the pioneer for female rap through collaborations such as TLC member Left Eye’s 1997 remix to “Not Tonight”, as well as writing hits for SWV (“That’s What Little Girls Are Made Of”; 1996), Kima Thompson (“Beep Me 911”; 1998) and Nicole Wray (“Make It Hot”; 1998).
Singing legend, 53-year-old singer/actress Kelly Clarkson recently made her return to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for a show that was thrillingly electrifying. With dancers on hand and her signature rapid-fire sequences being delivered via pyrotechnic bursts and flashy costume changes.
Though she has always maintained full creative control, she has engaged in collaborations with producers and artists from different genres in recent years. Pharrell-produced single “WTF (Where They From)” in 2015 propelled her back to prominence, leading to guest spots by Katy Perry, Little Mix and Eve as well as appearances on James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke show. Additionally in 2019 she was honored with being inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as receiving an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of Music as well as receiving their Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award from BET. Additionally she established clothing line and continued producing/writing songs for other artists while producing/writing songs herself for other artists as she also continues writing/producing/producing/writing songs herself for other artists as she writes/produce/writes for other artists as well as producing/writing songs herself!
KRS-One
KRS-One is widely recognized as one of the key figures in hip hop history. Renowned for his socially conscious political rap music and frequent lecture appearances at Harvard, Yale, Columbia and NYU about the development of rap music, KRS has written books on the genre as well as founded Stop the Violence Movement. Rolling Stone once called him the “Conscience of Hip Hop”, while Wall Street Journal called him their spokesperson and Zulu Nation even labeled him their Master Teacher!
Born Lawrence Parker in 1965, future MC-KRS-One frequently moved between Brooklyn and Bronx neighborhoods with his mother and older brother. While still young, he discovered rap music when he and Scott La Rock started spray painting graffiti messages such as: ‘Boys don’t touch our rhymes!” across local buildings. This would lead to him eventually discovering hip hop as an art form.
Soon, they moved into an apartment where they could afford records, and, by early 80s, formed hip-hop group Boogie Down Productions. KRS established himself as one of the pioneers of hip-hop public intellectualism through BDP, performing at colleges and universities across the United States. Additionally, he collaborated with artists outside hip-hop such as reggae legends Sly & Robbie as well as rock band Ziggy Marley. KRS One surprised many when he released his album I Got Next in 1997. The lead single, “Step into a World”, included an interpolation from a popular rock group Blondie song while another track featured an old-school rock cover version; these collaborations took fans and observers of this traditionally anti-mainstream KRS by surprise.
Baby Tate
Baby Tate, known for her self-described “sexy, freaky fun night,” is an Atlanta native with an innovative alternative aesthetic. Her music fuses hip hop with social commentary and personal experience – drawing in women and femme audiences through captivating beats and personal lyrics. Baby is poised to continue building her fan base and expanding her presence within hip hop culture.
Tate was inspired by artists such as Brandy, SWV and Missy Elliott; her family were very encouraging of her musical endeavors – specifically her mother and grandmother.
Baby Tate’s debut EP, ROYGBIV and follow-up project Girls demonstrated her versatility within hip hop music. Both projects proved immensely popular and earned her attention from outlets such as XXL. Once established as an artist, Tate set about perfecting her craft and began creating themed albums such as BOYS (flirtatious) and GIRLS (freedom-seeking). Her BOYS project demonstrated this musical growth and maturity as she demonstrated.
Baby Tate made her debut performance at the Teen Vogue Summit alongside influential figures and stars like Cruel Summer star Lexi Underwood, grown-ish actress Olivia Scribner and activist Olivia Julianna in 2022. Later that same year she opened for Leikeli47 in Boston; her performances are honest, hilarious and engaging with her fans, giving the stage plenty of energy and life. If you want to catch one of Baby Tate’s next shows be sure to use SeatGeek’s interactive maps to find your perfect seat; use filters to narrow your search and discover events based on date, location etc; select what tickets you want and proceed directly through SeatGeek’s fast checkout process for seamless service!
Doechii
Doechii burst onto Tampa’s vibrant music scene with her infectious blend of rap, R&B and pop. A self-assured yet self-aware young woman, Doechii exudes confidence while at the same time conveying an unshakeable sense of femininity and sensuality through her words. Doechii was an integral component of making 2024 BET Awards such a thrilling event.
“Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” rapper made her breakthrough after going viral on TikTok with her song. This earned her an appearance on its main stage. Since then, she’s released singles and EPs, including her 2021 project Bra-Less; drawing comparisons to artists like Nicki Minaj, Azealia Banks and SZA due to her distinct character work and ability to blend rap with R&B genres.
Doechii unleashes her limitless vision in Alligator Bites Never Heal, her debut TDE full-length release. Doechii takes control of proceedings with an iron grip of chaos and discipline – creating songs that range from smooth, tense or playful depending on her mood, her songs can swoop down easily in pace or swing back effortlessly with unyielding force; her unwavering swagger shines throughout this project, keeping things on point without ever losing focus is truly impressive.