Curated playlist

Gangsta rappers

FabolousFabolous got his name by misspelling "Fabulous." The Brooklyn rapper freestyled on Hot 97 as a teenager.
Dr. DreDr. Dre's G-funk had live musicians replay funk melodies instead of sampling them. It debuted on The Chronic.
RaekwonRaekwon was accidentally shot four times in a crossfire. He later called it an "important eye opener."
Birdman (rapper)Birdman was born without a first name and was called "Baby" for nearly a month. He later built Cash Money Records.
Rick RossRick Ross worked as a prison guard before he became a rap star. He first denied it, then confirmed it.
Lil WayneLil Wayne left school in tenth grade after his mother found a gun in his bag.
The Notorious B.I.G.The Notorious B.I.G.'s second album hit number one sixteen days after he was shot dead. He was twenty-four.
Snoop DoggSnoop Dogg bought Death Row Records, the label that launched his career, in February 2022. It took nearly three decades.
Cardi BCardi B reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated the 25th of September 2017, with a song called "Bodak Yellow." No solo female rapper had topped that chart since Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)" in 1998. The woman behind…
Tupac ShakurTupac Shakur wrote and recorded the album The Don Killuminati in three days. Mixing took four more.
50 Cent50 Cent was shot nine times in 2000, then blacklisted by the music industry. He built his comeback on mixtapes.
The Lady of RageThe Lady of Rage rapped on The Chronic and Doggystyle before she had an album of her own.
Ice CubeIce Cube, born O'Shea Jackson, started writing raps in ninth grade because a friend challenged him in typewriting class. The friend, nicknamed Kiddo, lost the contest. The class was at George Washington Preparatory High School in Los…
Ice-TIce-T got his stage name when friends heard him recite novels by Iceberg Slim.
DMXDMX was the first artist to open five straight studio albums at number one on the Billboard 200.