From selling drugs and getting arrested in his teens to becoming one of the world’s best-selling rappers, Curtis James Jackson III’s journey has been an interesting one. Better known by his stage name 50 Cent, his albums have sold in millions. However, despite being one of the richest celebrities, he filed for bankruptcy protection in 2015 due to financial troubles.
Much appreciated for his introspective songwriting, singer-songwriter, Post Malone ,is the first-ever solo artist to top both the Billboard Rap Airplay and Adult Contemporary charts as a lead artist. His music covers a range of genres including country, grunge, rap, and R&B. He has been accused of "appropriating" African-American culture and has been called a “culture vulture".
Saweetie is an American rapper gained recognition when she posted her debut single Icy Grl on SoundCloud. Subsequently, the video of the song broke the internet as it went on to gather 100 million views on YouTube. She was then signed by Warner Records, which increased her popularity. She is also signed to Artistry Worldwide, her manager Max Gousse's record label.
Fredo Santana was an American rapper whose debut studio album peaked at number 45 on Billboard 200 chart. Santana suffered from drug addiction throughout his life and attributed his addiction to trauma experienced in his childhood. Eventually, his addiction took a toll on his health and he died in 2018 at the age of 27, joining the dreaded 27 Club.
Grammy Award-nominated American Jewish singer Matisyahu is best known for mingling hip-hop and reggae with beatboxing. Known for tracks such as Chameleon, he has also stepped into acting of late, with roles such as that of Tzadok in the 2012 supernatural thriller The Possession. His work often reflects Jewish themes.
Jamaican-American rapper Safaree Samuels started his career with The Hoodstars. He is also known as rapper Nicki Minaj’s former boyfriend. He once launched a sex toy line and later sold his porn videos on his OnlyFans account. He has also been part of the reality show Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood.
Tablo is a Korean-Canadian composer, record producer, lyricist, and hip hop recording artist. He is best known for being the producer and leader of the popular alternative hip hop group, Epik High. He is also credited with founding High Ground, an independent music label, which housed bands like The Black Skirts and Hyukoh.
Petey Pablo is a rapper best known for his 2003 Crunk hit Freek-a-Leek. As a young man, he got pulled into the world of crime and spent five years in prison. Upon his release, he worked hard to rebuild his life and decided to pursue a career in music. He is also an occasional actor.
Popular Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie has made a substantial contribution to hip-hop and Afrobeats and is also considered a pioneer of the Azonto genre of music. Apart from his dance tracks, he is also known for his charitable work for underprivileged children. He owns a clothing and accessory line too.