Curated category
21st-century African-American rappers
- Spoonie GeeGabriel Jackson arrived in Harlem on the 27th of May 1963. He grew up using a spoon as his only eating utensil during early childhood years.
- FabolousJohn David Jackson stood before the microphone on the 18th of November 1977. He was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Breevort Houses within Bedford-Stuyvesant.
- Roddy RicchRodrick Wayne Moore Jr. arrived in Compton, California on the 22nd of October 1998. He grew up within a Christian household that shaped his early years.
- Coke La RockCoke La Rock was born on the 24th of April 1955 in The Bronx, New York City. His family roots traced back to North Carolina before he arrived in the city.
- Young ThugJeffery Lamar Williams was born on the 16th of August 1991, in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up in the Jonesboro South projects near Cleveland Avenue as the…
- Sha-RockSharon Green entered the world on the 25th of October 1962 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Her family moved her to the South Bronx during the earliest years…
- Queen LatifahDana Elaine Owens arrived in the world on the 18th of March 1970 within the city limits of Newark, New Jersey. Her childhood unfolded primarily in nearby…
- Hi-C (rapper)Crawford Wilkerson grew up in Compton, California. He joined the Tree Top Piru gang during his youth. This affiliation shaped his early life and future…
- Kendrick LamarKendrick Lamar Duckworth was born on the 17th of June 1987, in Compton, California. He grew up in Section 8 housing and relied on welfare and food stamps…
- Megan Thee StallionMegan Jovon Ruth Pete arrived in the world on the 15th of February 1995, inside a hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Her mother Holly Thomas moved the family to…
- Lupe FiascoWasalu Muhammad Jaco arrived in Chicago on the 16th of February 1982. He grew up as one of nine children born to Shirley and Gregory Jaco.
- Donald GloverDonald McKinley Glover Jr. arrived at Edwards Air Force Base in California on the 25th of September 1983. His father worked as a postal worker stationed…
- Kurtis BlowKurtis Blow made history in 1979 when he became the first rapper signed to a major label. Mercury Records released his single Christmas Rappin' that same…
- Lil JonJonathan H. Smith was born on the 17th of January 1971 in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up in Southwest Atlanta as the oldest of five children.
- MF DoomDaniel Dumile entered the world in Hounslow, London on the 13th of July 1971. His mother was from Trinidad and his father came from Zimbabwe.
- DMXEarl Simmons was born on the 18th of December 1970, in Mount Vernon, New York. He grew up as the middle child of a family that included two daughters and two…
- Tech N9neAaron Dontez Yates was born on the 8th of November 1971 in Kansas City, Missouri. He began rapping at a very early age to spell out his own name letter by…