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: 65K
- Most streamed song of all time by Tay Capone: Deep in with 802K streams
- 32Prince Dre
- Streams as a lead artist: 11.5M
- Streams as a featured artist: 84.6M
- Most streamed song of all time by Prince Dre: Back Again with 84.0M streams
- 31Tadoe
- Streams as a lead artist: 14.1M
- Streams as a featured artist: 20.5M
- Most streamed song of all time by Tadoe: Tuxedo with 7.8M streams
- 30Rondonumbanine
- Streams as a lead artist: 15.8M
- Streams as a featured artist: 746K
- Most streamed song of all time by Rondonumbanine: Play For Keeps with 6.6M streams
- 29Ballout
- Streams as a lead artist: 17.2M
- Streams as a featured artist: 19.1M
- Most streamed song of all time by Ballout: Been Ballin' with 10.5M streams
- 28Booka600
- Streams as a lead artist: 37.3M
- Streams as a featured artist: 91.0M
- Most streamed song of all time by Booka600: JUMP with 30.9M streams
- 27Canon
- Streams as a lead artist: 45.2M
- Most streamed song of all time by Canon: Motivation with 5.5M streams
- 26Lil Reese
- Streams as a lead artist: 46.9M
- Streams as a featured artist: 331.9M
- Most streamed song of all time by Lil Reese: I Don't Like with 302.3M streams
- 25Lil Bibby
- Streams as a lead artist: 53.0M
- Streams as a featured artist: 100.6M
- Most streamed song of all time by Lil Bibby: Kill Shit with 30.9M streams
- 24Fredo Santana
- Streams as a lead artist: 80.0M
- 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: 84.0M
- Streams as a featured artist: 736K
- Most streamed song of all time by FBG Duck: Exposing Me Remix with 18.3M streams
- 22Young Pappy
- Streams as a lead artist: 93.8M
- Streams as a featured artist: 1.2M
- Most streamed song of all time by Young Pappy: Killa with 26.7M streams
- 21Da Brat
- Streams as a lead artist: 104.9M
- Streams as a featured artist: 64.6M
- Most streamed song of all time by Da Brat: Funkdafied with 30.2M streams
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- 20Lil Zay Osama
- Streams as a lead artist: 120.7M
- Streams as a featured artist: 2.5M
- Most streamed song of all time by Lil Zay Osama: Changed Up with 20.7M streams
- 19BigKayBeezy
- Streams as a lead artist: 146.2M
- Streams as a featured artist: 2.2M
- Most streamed song of all time by BigKayBeezy: BookBag 2.0 with 99.9M streams
- 18Lud Foe
- Streams as a lead artist: 193.8M
- Most streamed song of all time by Lud Foe: In and Out with 25.2M streams
- 17Montana of 300
- Streams as a lead artist: 245.2M
- Most streamed song of all time by Montana of 300: Wifin' You with 54.8M streams
- 16Saba
- Streams as a lead artist: 389.8M
- Streams as a featured artist: 271.3M
- Most streamed song of all time by Saba: Angels with 178.4M streams
- 15Noname
- Streams as a lead artist: 446.6M
- Streams as a featured artist: 99.1M
- Most streamed song of all time by Noname: Finish Line / Drown with 74.3M streams
- 14Common
- Streams as a lead artist: 667.2M
- Streams as a featured artist: 532.2M
- Most streamed song of all time by Common: Make Her Say with 97.7M streams
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- 13VIC MENSA
- Streams as a lead artist: 690.6M
- Streams as a featured artist: 201.2M
- Most streamed song of all time by VIC MENSA: Cocoa Butter Kisses with 183.4M streams
- 12Calboy
- Streams as a lead artist: 736.8M
- Streams as a featured artist: 84.2M
- Most streamed song of all time by Calboy: Envy Me with 494.8M streams
- 11Only The Family
- Streams as a lead artist: 771.9M
- Streams as a featured artist: 106.4M
- Most streamed song of all time by Only The Family: Crazy Story with 269.3M streams
- 10Famous Dex
- Streams as a lead artist: 1.35B
- Streams as a featured artist: 105.8M
- Most streamed song of all time by Famous Dex: PICK IT UP with 580.4M streams
- 9G Herbo
- Streams as a lead artist: 1.41B
- Streams as a featured artist: 879.0M
- Most streamed song of all time by G Herbo: PTSD with 403.5M streams
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- 8Lupe Fiasco
- Streams as a lead artist: 1.75B
- Streams as a featured artist: 380.3M
- Most streamed song of all time by Lupe Fiasco: Battle Scars with 378.5M streams
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- 7King Von
- Streams as a lead artist: 2.86B
- Streams as a featured artist: 776.5M
- Most streamed song of all time by King Von: Took Her To The O with 515.4M streams
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- 6Chief Keef
- Streams as a lead artist: 3.13B
- Streams as a featured artist: 1.14B
- Most streamed song of all time by Chief Keef: Love Sosa with 772.9M streams
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- 5Chance the Rapper
- Streams as a lead artist: 3.80B
- Streams as a featured artist: 4.35B
- Most streamed song of all time by Chance the Rapper: I'm the One with 1.27B streams
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- 4Lil Durk
- Streams as a lead artist: 4.88B
- Streams as a featured artist: 6.65B
- Most streamed song of all time by Lil Durk: Laugh Now Cry Later with 971.9M streams
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- 3Polo G
- Streams as a lead artist: 8.66B
- Streams as a featured artist: 2.56B
- Most streamed song of all time by Polo G: RAPSTAR with 934.8M streams
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- 2Juice WRLD
- Streams as a lead artist: 29.03B
- Streams as a featured artist: 9.38B
- Most streamed song of all time by Juice WRLD: Lucid Dreams with 2.58B streams
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- 1Kanye West
- Streams as a lead artist: 36.53B
- Streams as a featured artist: 14.18B
- Most streamed song of all time by Kanye West: Ni**as In Paris with 1.46B streams
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