From the gritty streets of the Windy City, Chicago’s rap scene has emerged as one of hip-hop’s most potent hotbeds of talent, innovation, and cultural influence. A metropolis of diverging sounds and stories, Chicago’s rap legacy encompasses the soulful rhythms of Kanye West’s samples, the poignant introspection of Common’s verses, and the drill-infused beats that young lions like Chief Keef brought to the forefront.
This city birthed the vivid poetic narratives of Saba, the conscious awakening of Lupe Fiasco, and the soulful resurgence by artists like Noname. Whether you’re talking about the legacy of pioneers like Twista or the innovative dynamism of Chance the Rapper, Chicago’s rap panorama offers a myriad of styles that reflect its complex urban tapestry. A city where jazz, blues, and hip-hop intertwine, Chicago has solidified its place as an indomitable force in the rap game, birthing legends and shaping the very fabric of hip-hop culture.
A countdown of most popular Chicago Rap artists in order of streams on Spotify as lead artist is as follows:
- 33Tay Capone
- Streams as a lead artist: 4.5M
- Streams as a featured artist: 64K
- Most streamed song of all time by Tay Capone: Deep in with 797K streams
- 32Prince Dre
- Streams as a lead artist: 11.2M
- Streams as a featured artist: 81.4M
- Most streamed song of all time by Prince Dre: Back Again with 81.4M streams
- 31Tadoe
- Streams as a lead artist: 13.9M
- Streams as a featured artist: 20.4M
- Most streamed song of all time by Tadoe: Tuxedo with 7.8M streams
- 30Rondonumbanine
- Streams as a lead artist: 15.0M
- Streams as a featured artist: 742K
- Most streamed song of all time by Rondonumbanine: Play For Keeps with 6.6M streams
- 29Ballout
- Streams as a lead artist: 16.9M
- Streams as a featured artist: 18.6M
- Most streamed song of all time by Ballout: Been Ballin' with 10.4M streams
- 28Booka600
- Streams as a lead artist: 36.5M
- Streams as a featured artist: 89.7M
- Most streamed song of all time by Booka600: JUMP with 30.5M streams
- 27Lil Reese
- Streams as a lead artist: 39.8M
- Streams as a featured artist: 325.9M
- Most streamed song of all time by Lil Reese: I Don't Like with 296.5M streams
- 26Canon
- Streams as a lead artist: 44.9M
- Most streamed song of all time by Canon: Motivation with 5.5M streams
- 25Lil Bibby
- Streams as a lead artist: 52.8M
- Streams as a featured artist: 100.2M
- Most streamed song of all time by Lil Bibby: Kill Shit with 30.6M streams
- 24Fredo Santana
- Streams as a lead artist: 79.6M
- Streams as a featured artist: 3.4M
- Most streamed song of all time by Fredo Santana: Jealous with 15.6M streams
- 23FBG Duck
- Streams as a lead artist: 82.8M
- Streams as a featured artist: 726K
- Most streamed song of all time by FBG Duck: Exposing Me Remix with 18.1M streams
- 22Young Pappy
- Streams as a lead artist: 92.9M
- Streams as a featured artist: 1.1M
- Most streamed song of all time by Young Pappy: Killa with 26.4M streams
- 21Da Brat
- Streams as a lead artist: 99.1M
- Streams as a featured artist: 64.1M
- Most streamed song of all time by Da Brat: Funkdafied with 29.9M streams
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- 20Lil Zay Osama
- Streams as a lead artist: 118.1M
- Streams as a featured artist: 2.5M
- Most streamed song of all time by Lil Zay Osama: Changed Up with 20.5M streams
- 19BigKayBeezy
- Streams as a lead artist: 144.3M
- Streams as a featured artist: 2.2M
- Most streamed song of all time by BigKayBeezy: BookBag 2.0 with 98.4M streams
- 18Lud Foe
- Streams as a lead artist: 192.3M
- Most streamed song of all time by Lud Foe: In and Out with 24.9M streams
- 17Montana of 300
- Streams as a lead artist: 244.0M
- Most streamed song of all time by Montana of 300: Wifin' You with 54.5M streams
- 16Saba
- Streams as a lead artist: 387.0M
- Streams as a featured artist: 270.5M
- Most streamed song of all time by Saba: Angels with 178.0M streams
- 15Noname
- Streams as a lead artist: 443.8M
- Streams as a featured artist: 98.7M
- Most streamed song of all time by Noname: Finish Line / Drown with 74.1M streams
- 14Common
- Streams as a lead artist: 660.8M
- Streams as a featured artist: 484.4M
- Most streamed song of all time by Common: Make Her Say with 97.0M streams
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- 13VIC MENSA
- Streams as a lead artist: 680.8M
- Streams as a featured artist: 198.9M
- Most streamed song of all time by VIC MENSA: Cocoa Butter Kisses with 181.3M streams
- 12Calboy
- Streams as a lead artist: 734.2M
- Streams as a featured artist: 83.9M
- Most streamed song of all time by Calboy: Envy Me with 493.4M streams
- 11Only The Family
- Streams as a lead artist: 757.9M
- Streams as a featured artist: 106.1M
- Most streamed song of all time by Only The Family: Crazy Story with 263.1M streams
- 10Famous Dex
- Streams as a lead artist: 1.35B
- Streams as a featured artist: 105.6M
- Most streamed song of all time by Famous Dex: PICK IT UP with 578.1M streams
- 9G Herbo
- Streams as a lead artist: 1.40B
- Streams as a featured artist: 866.8M
- Most streamed song of all time by G Herbo: PTSD with 400.4M streams
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- 8Lupe Fiasco
- Streams as a lead artist: 1.73B
- Streams as a featured artist: 379.0M
- Most streamed song of all time by Lupe Fiasco: Battle Scars with 376.4M streams
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- 7King Von
- Streams as a lead artist: 2.79B
- Streams as a featured artist: 763.3M
- Most streamed song of all time by King Von: Took Her To The O with 501.9M streams
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- 6Chief Keef
- Streams as a lead artist: 3.07B
- Streams as a featured artist: 1.12B
- Most streamed song of all time by Chief Keef: Love Sosa with 760.9M streams
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- 5Chance the Rapper
- Streams as a lead artist: 3.78B
- Streams as a featured artist: 4.32B
- Most streamed song of all time by Chance the Rapper: I'm the One with 1.26B streams
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- 4Lil Durk
- Streams as a lead artist: 4.80B
- Streams as a featured artist: 6.85B
- Most streamed song of all time by Lil Durk: Laugh Now Cry Later with 964.9M streams
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- 3Polo G
- Streams as a lead artist: 8.57B
- Streams as a featured artist: 2.54B
- Most streamed song of all time by Polo G: RAPSTAR with 926.1M streams
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- 2Juice WRLD
- Streams as a lead artist: 28.81B
- Streams as a featured artist: 9.29B
- Most streamed song of all time by Juice WRLD: Lucid Dreams with 2.55B streams
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- 1Kanye West
- Streams as a lead artist: 35.99B
- Streams as a featured artist: 13.73B
- Most streamed song of all time by Kanye West: Ni**as In Paris with 1.44B streams
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