Music Metrics Vault

Old school hip hop

Most popular artists in Old school hip hop

This chart is based on the monthly listeners metric for all artists tagged with the genre old school hip hop by Spotify. It may contain some errors or some data may not be up to date. You can check the artist profile to update data if necessary.

# Artist Monthly Listeners Followers
1
38,799,263
18,017,910
2
29,504,614
15,066,991
3
24,642,579
12,317,259
4
24,395,205
21,827,358
5
23,876,202
14,536,153
6
16,841,693
10,661,627
7
10,017,863
5,796,456
8
9,259,346
4,201,234
9
7,687,259
3,096,754
10
6,030,136
2,321,222
11
5,926,141
3,605,259
12
5,495,064
1,001,142
13
5,469,247
3,255,454
14
5,435,811
6,514,928
15
5,315,451
1,466,441
16
5,213,984
2,339,310
17
4,871,683
2,355,264
18
4,646,647
2,653,290
19
4,596,173
445,473
20
4,513,381
1,588,270
21
4,315,541
1,795,163
22
4,243,199
6,910,606
23
3,689,230
940,139
24
3,609,566
1,855,139
25
3,480,540
1,265,055
26
3,148,489
2,318,982
27
3,042,875
1,054,651
28
2,658,026
839,296
29
2,571,726
1,650,972
30
2,379,811
1,017,501
31
2,357,853
1,320,867
32
2,231,548
1,163,776
33
2,144,643
1,603,282
34
2,097,169
3,353,804
35
2,051,973
367,131
36
1,975,997
1,147,339
37
1,927,306
418,967
38
1,914,580
2,203,083
39
1,789,049
1,632,707
40
Slick Rick
1,484,938
768,300
41
1,423,022
395,380
42
1,398,083
618,518
43
1,287,853
992,196
44
1,273,429
841,356
45
KRS-One
1,249,402
717,198
46
Pharoahe Monch
1,163,325
261,657
47
RBX
1,107,622
47,338
48
1,088,972
720,709
49
Scarface
1,082,012
990,694
50
1,042,068
236,305
51
M.O.P.
993,689
383,065
52
Digital Underground
977,541
581,131
53
Funkdoobiest
973,630
138,355
54
Puff Daddy & The Family
895,928
10,663
55
Biz Markie
878,680
429,648
56
Raekwon
833,867
649,213
57
DJ Quik
833,523
914,418
58
Heavy D & The Boyz
814,681
494,635
59
Kurupt
812,811
764,727
60
802,281
192,208
61
Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock
785,985
225,219
62
Onyx
782,473
564,713
63
Craig Mack
726,717
275,806
64
712,912
1,133,374
65
Lord Finesse
707,776
136,261
66
Junior M.A.F.I.A.
706,646
421,628
67
N2DEEP
669,500
58,977
68
AZ
668,508
396,171
69
EPMD
627,617
433,742
70
Grand Puba
621,528
180,511
71
Black Star
609,002
454,751
72
Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth
600,848
303,877
73
Tha Dogg Pound
592,375
719,472
74
Mack 10
591,458
761,793
75
Master P
589,985
1,090,619
76
Afrika Bambaataa
545,146
165,209
77
Smif-N-Wessun
495,406
224,107
78
Compton's Most Wanted
493,987
425,647
79
DJ Kool
493,052
41,545
80
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
486,440
140,006
81
The LOX
466,408
584,330
82
Jeru The Damaja
443,153
250,503
83
Daz
427,907
19,722
84
Black Sheep
410,188
247,332
85
Big Daddy Kane
408,110
570,849
86
The Soulsonic Force
402,923
5,723
87
Das EFX
398,480
408,212
88
Capone-N-Noreaga
394,879
358,871
89
Grandmaster Flash
393,287
334,446
90
Lords Of The Underground
381,463
261,829
91
Camp Lo
373,476
170,455
92
2 LIVE CREW
370,212
546,484
93
Marley Marl
361,866
66,113
94
ICE-T
361,146
1,462,998
95
MC Lyte
332,700
434,819
96
WC
320,321
499,453
97
Artifacts
320,210
96,957
98
Spice 1
316,850
374,921
99
Jungle Brothers
305,827
190,907
100
The D.O.C.
291,371
438,775
101
Black Moon
287,631
205,651
102
Goodie Mob
285,088
291,648
103
Lost Boyz
282,207
329,272
104
Brand Nubian
275,574
243,715
105
Kool G Rap
265,590
295,031
106
Rappin' 4-Tay
257,526
162,942
107
J.J. Fad
256,651
66,732
108
King Tee
248,107
102,700
109
Group Home
234,263
122,752
110
Dru Down
231,320
191,827
111
Whodini
229,750
273,519
112
Noreaga
216,503
39,787
113
Newcleus
202,285
76,820
114
Chubb Rock
192,147
155,590
115
Boogie Down Productions
190,846
340,907
116
Kool Moe Dee
186,481
267,296
117
Big Kap
178,183
4,768
118
Kurtis Blow
177,926
232,702
119
MC Breed
177,439
167,552
120
Keith Murray
175,446
224,705
121
Ahmad Lewis
175,051
14,970
122
2nd II None
168,487
141,054
123
MC Ren
164,872
482,638
124
The Lady Of Rage
157,276
57,811
125
Las4Calientes
155,698
204
126
Grandmaster Melle Mel
154,699
74,373
127
RBL Posse
151,371
147,843
128
Biggie Smalls
149,962
77,896
129
Domino
148,576
12,845
130
Above The Law
146,303
216,486
131
Nature
137,415
12,225
132
Masta Ace Incorporated
134,184
49,929
133
Heltah Skeltah
126,175
151,975
134
Gucci Crew II
125,206
38,290
135
Nice & Smooth
122,326
146,555
136
Showbiz & A.G.
120,145
81,039
137
The Egyptian Lover
107,643
69,262
138
Poor Righteous Teachers
105,940
117,456
139
Mantronix
102,977
50,064
140
Tha Alkaholiks
98,875
143,271
141
Blahzay Blahzay
98,857
60,639
142
DFC
97,983
4,605
143
Kid 'N Play
92,284
305,539
144
Doug E. Fresh
88,936
286,384
145
Special Ed
85,610
162,325
146
Stetsasonic
84,142
69,315
147
Fat Boys
83,200
251,745
148
Positive K
83,095
17,022
149
Rodney O
80,463
12,413
150
3rd Bass
76,718
143,077
151
FU-Schnickens
73,554
130,267
152
Main Source
65,102
81,596
153
D-Nice
61,446
99,026
154
Ultramagnetic MC's
59,804
71,093
155
Channel Live
56,751
53,742
156
Joe Cooley
54,917
2,369
157
AMG
51,227
19,853
158
Audio Two
51,050
44,188
159
Apache
50,118
17,737
160
Leaders of the New School
44,832
108,910
161
Whistle
43,293
24,194
162
Lord Finesse,
42,667
691
163
M.C. Shy-D
38,684
28,293
164
Twilight 22
37,854
11,243
165
A.G.
36,784
838
166
Def Jef
36,766
17,038
167
O.C
35,192
804
168
Body And Soul
34,892
1,686
169
Mista Grimm
33,489
8,571
170
Chuck D
31,078
26,426
171
Silke Plattenspieler
30,881
182
172
Schoolly D
30,243
89,445
173
Ed O.G. & Da Bulldogs
29,481
21,395
174
L.A. Dream Team
27,691
24,007
175
Mc Shan
27,656
54,892
176
X-Clan
26,156
81,729
177
Utfo
25,281
62,501
178
Rob Base
24,862
36,216
179
MC Serch
23,830
38,292
180
Redhead Kingpin
22,401
5,029
181
The FBI
21,987
415
182
Dana Dane
21,807
105,500
183
Spoonie Gee
21,804
22,343
184
World Class Wreckin' Cru
21,168
39,180
185
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde
21,052
8,611
186
Three Times Dope
20,091
42,728
187
Funky 4 + 1
19,927
15,248
188
Joy Rivera
18,026
939
189
West Street Mob
17,979
14,254
190
Just-Ice
17,561
38,609
191
Roxanne Shante
16,147
107,384
192
Tuff Crew
13,687
18,506
193
Rock Master Scott & The Dynamic Three
13,369
1,886
194
Kwame
12,919
15,934
195
Agnes Rose
11,526
84
196
Kwame And A New Beginning
11,332
3,695
197
Boogie Boys
10,933
6,804
198
Craig G
10,912
9,641
199
T La Rock
10,515
28,061
200
Davy DMX
10,209
3,839
201
Beat Street
9,447
4,068
202
Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force
9,429
10,378
203
Cool C
7,893
10,784
204
Frankie Cutlass
7,873
7,708
205
K-Solo
7,275
12,472
206
Old School Players
7,119
9,384
207
JVC Force
6,979
9,040
208
Fila Fresh Crew
6,835
1,075
209
Steady B
6,522
35,096
210
Super Lover Cee
6,078
6,692
211
Casanova Rud
5,973
789
212
Maggotron
5,600
9,910
213
Rock Master Scott
5,066
1,060
214
Grandmaster Caz
5,016
26,290
215
Arabian Prince
4,884
9,826
216
Stezo
4,881
9,245
217
Spyder D
4,412
2,271
218
Treacherous Three
4,360
2,492
219
Busy Bee
4,246
14,115
220
Grand Wizard Theodore
4,167
5,367
221
Fab 5 Freddy
4,157
14,302
222
Disco Four
4,038
2,096
223
Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew
3,800
75,003
224
Cash Money & Marvelous
3,711
8,713
225
Cold Crush Brothers
3,482
34,332
226
The Real Roxanne
3,310
62,084
227
Lovebug Starski
3,248
6,617
228
Jimmy Spicer
2,853
4,694
229
Chi-Ali
2,839
5,159
230
Captain Rock
2,693
4,058
231
The Treacherous Three
2,599
35,836
232
X CLAN feat. Brother J
2,565
1,507
233
Jazzy Joyce
2,500
295
234
432 Hz
2,499
63
235
Crash Crew
2,223
12,543
236
Original Concept
1,778
5,650
237
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five feat. Melle Mel & Duke Bootee
1,665
785
238
The Furious 5
1,591
317
239
Sparky D
1,556
2,896
240
The 7A3
1,554
2,727
241
K Solo
1,262
51
242
JARAMILLO GANG
1,242
53
243
Harlem World Crew
1,030
2,173
244
Melle Mel & Duke Bootee
761
112
245
The Younger Generation
435
265
246
Ultimate Force
87
186
247
John-E-Raps
62
67
248
Existence The International Beatmaker
53
39
249
Timmie Tatt
37
111
250
Yzzle
33
89
251
Plot
27
69
252
R.A.P
20
4
253
Koz B
18
89
254
Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde
15
1,671
255
Cool C
2
3,840
256
Mauvais Vagabonds
1
37

Some info about old school hip hop

Old school hip hop, an iconic genre born in the late 1970s, is much more than just a style of music; it's a cultural movement that laid the foundation for a global phenomenon. Emerging in the boroughs of New York City, specifically the Bronx, this genre was forged amidst block parties, rebellious street expression, and an urgent need for a voice among the marginalized communities. Unlike its successors, old school hip hop is characterized by its simpler rapping techniques and focus on fun and social issues, rather than the complex lyricism and aggressive themes often found in later forms.

During its inception around the late 1970s and early 1980s, old school hip hop was marked by its raw simplicity and energy. DJs and emcees played a crucial role in its communal vibes, with DJs like Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash innovating techniques such as breakbeat DJing, where breaks in funk and soul songs were isolated and looped to create continuous rhythm tracks for parties. This would not only energize the crowd but also provide an instrumental backdrop for emcees to rap over.

Key artists who were instrumental in defining the old school era include groups and rappers like Run-D.M.C., Sugarhill Gang, and Afrika Bambaataa. The latter’s "Planet Rock" is often heralded as a pioneering work for incorporating synthesizer sounds with traditional hip hop beats, pushing the genre into new sonic territories. Meanwhile, Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" was among the first tracks to introduce hip hop to a global audience, marking a pivotal moment in the genre’s history as it moved from street corners to the international stage.

The lyrical content of old school hip hop often revolved around party scenes, everyday life, and sometimes a commentary on social issues, albeit less politically charged than in the genre's golden age phase that followed. Its rhymes and chants were more about creating a lively atmosphere and less about the deeper narrative content that would characterize later hip hop. This can be seen in the works of artists like Kurtis Blow and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, whose track "The Message" provided a stark portrayal of life in urban America, making it one of the earliest examples of socially conscious hip hop.

Old school hip hop's beat-driven music heavily influenced the performing arts, particularly breakdancing and graffiti, creating a synergistic cultural movement known as "hip hop culture". This genre not only served as an expressive outlet but also as a significant community builder, knitting tight bonds among youths across different boroughs of New York.

Globally, old school hip hop's influence can be seen across continents from Europe to Asia, where it gave rise to local movements and styles, attesting to its universal appeal. Countries such as the UK, Germany, and Japan, among others, embraced the genre, adapting its elements to their cultural contexts.

In conclusion, old school hip hop remains a vital root of the broader hip hop tree. Its emphasis on beats, party vibes, and community continues to inspire a wide range of artists and genres. Whether echoed in modern rap battles or sampled in contemporary electronic music, the spirit of old school hip hop lives on, a testament to its pioneering artists and enduring legacy.