Rap and hip hop music has gained wide appeal among young people. While historically most listeners were men, recent trends show a dramatic upsurge in female interest for this genre of music.
Cluster analysis allows us to examine how different groups of rap/hip hop fans differ in terms of consumption patterns and opinions, satisfaction and knowledge about this music genre.
1. Snoop Dogg
Forbes ranks rapper Snoop Dogg as the number-one buyer of rap music worldwide, having purchased over 35 million albums since 1992. Snoop is also an accomplished producer, actor, media personality, entrepreneur and media personality known for his laid-back rapping style – something many other rappers have drawn inspiration from and made him one of the pioneers of West Coast hip-hop culture.
Snoop’s music career got off the ground when he met Warren G and Dr. Dre through a mutual acquaintance and joined their group 213. Their debut album Doggystyle hit number one on Billboard due to singles like What’s My Name and Gin and Juice; shortly thereafter Snoop left Death Row following an altercation with label manager Suge Knight, signing instead with Master P’s No Limit Records under which his two albums Da Game Is to Be Sold Not Told and No Limit Top Dogg both reached number one hip-hop charts respectively.
Snoop Lion found great success throughout the 1990s as a rapper, appearing in several hit records and even being immortalized as an animated character in Paid in Full, which chronicled his life story.
Snoop became one of the best-selling albums of all time with his Get Rich or Die Tryin’ album in 2001.
Snoop is also well-known as an investor in the cannabis industry and has made notable investments. He is well-known for endorsing various brands and products such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Tostitos and Corona.
2. Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne was one of the most successful rap artists of his time, demonstrating how singular talent combined with hard work can result in a long and fruitful career in rap music. Furthermore, his legacy transcended music industry boundaries while helping build culture alongside him.
Wayne first rose to fame as part of Cash Money Records artists Juvenile, B.G. and Turk’s Hot Boys collective. Since then, Wayne has gone on to release solo albums and mixtapes during his solo career which explored his ever-evolving lyricism while broadening mainstream appeal. Tha Carter III was his signature release, selling over one million copies despite commercial music sales decline.
Wayne had occasionally threatened to retire, yet continued releasing music almost daily. He reissued his 2015 mixtape Free Weezy Album as FWA in 2021 to include songs never released before and new mixes of older tracks. Furthermore, Wayne launched Young Money Entertainment which helped launch Drake and Nicki Minaj among many other artists careers.
While serving his jail time, the rapper kept a journal and is planning on turning it into a book. He regularly updated fans, writing that he is feeling better and looking forward to releasing Tha Carter IV next year. In addition, he remained active online through social media by responding to people who criticized his prison behavior; remaining an influential force within rap even while locked up.
3. Kanye West
Kanye West (real name Ye) has long been seen as an innovator within mainstream hip hop culture, spearheading cultural changes through music production and fashion design. A quadruple threat with 10 critically and commercially successful studio albums to his credit and currently working on his 11th release.
Multi-platinum rapper Drake boasts an enormously devoted fan base who are happy to spend money on his albums. Over two decades ago, Drake first began releasing music, including classic albums such as The College Dropout, Late Registration and 808s and Heartbreak.
West began his career as a record producer, before transitioning into an emerging rap career during the early 2000s. Working alongside artists such as Jay Z, Q-Tip and the Roc-A-Fella crew before gaining wider fame through solo releases of his own material.
In 2004, his debut album The College Dropout quickly became an instant classic due to its soulful production, sampling, and heartfelt yet humorous lyrics. Late Registration also enjoyed great success, while 808s and Heartbreak stunned listeners by featuring autotune singing, extensive use of TR-808 drum machines, themes of love loss and loneliness, among other surprises.
West has long been a controversial musical figure. He often disrupted award shows with political speeches and was involved in an ongoing feud with Drake. Most recently, in 2022, West was widely condemned for sending anti-Semitic tweets which caused many business partners to leave him.
Since his peak album sales during the mid 2000s, West’s album sales have seen a decrease; yet he remains an immense presence in rap music, worth an estimated $6.6 billion today.
4. Drake
Drake (real name Aubrey Drake Graham), first rose to prominence through Degrassi: The Next Generation before transitioning into rap music. His trademark blend of braggadocio and raw vulnerability earned him widespread fan admiration, leading him to record several successful albums including Thank Me Later and Take Care (which became a massive bestseller on both American and Canadian charts, winning him both accolades). His most critically-acclaimed release to date, though, remains Take Care, for which he won an Academy Award as Best Rap Album in 2011.
Drake followed up the success of Views with another dancehall-influenced album in 2016 entitled Views, featuring hits like One Dance and Hotline Bling that both reached number one on US and Canadian charts respectively. Views was awarded a Juno award as rap album of the year.
Rapper Drake has amassed an incredible fortune through music alone, but also invested in other ventures. He established October’s Very Own (OVO) fashion line and appeared in several movies. Additionally, he endorses various products and is the global ambassador of NBA team Toronto Raptors.
Drake has long been known for his volatile personal life, yet that has not prevented him from dominating the rap game. He has engaged in verbal battles with artists such as Tyga and Meek Mill as well as being involved in lawsuits filed by Rappin 4-Tay, Ericka Lee and the estate of jazz musician Jimmy Smith; although most disputes have been settled out-of-court.
5. Lil Uzi Vert
Lil Uzi Vert, commonly referred to by his moniker Symere Woods, has emerged as an unpredictable force in hip-hop music. Emerging on the music scene via Migos’ “Bad and Boujee,” Uzi gained attention for their distinct rap style and use of they/them pronouns. While critics may question his unruly behavior or occasional stuttering, Uzi has made it clear they won’t conform to any stereotypes in their career path.
Uzi has accomplished more in 21 years than many artists will in a lifetime. Their debut album Luv Is Rage 2 debuted at number 10 on Billboard 200 chart. Additionally, their multiple Hot 100 hits with “XO Tour Llif3” and “Eternal Atake” hit #1 and scored multiple Hot 100 hits, respectively.
Uzi has also made waves through his advocacy for mental health. The rapper has spoken openly about their struggle with depression and addiction, helping to dispel any associated stigmas. Furthermore, they’ve advocated for family-centric lifestyles as they believe giving back can be the key to beating depression.
Uzi has consistently challenged narratives surrounding him for years, often subverting them and sometimes leaning in with wink and nod. By doing so, Uzi has cemented their status as a major player in hip-hop culture – yet could there be another step he could take towards expansion? According to Grimes – Elon Musk’s girlfriend singer – Uzi might soon become the first person ever to own an entire planet! According to reports out of WASP-127b (an exoplanet larger than Jupiter). Uzi recently completed purchase paperwork on WASP-127b and should take possession this year!