America wins Hip Hop—Again

   

This could be you!

 Drill, Conscious Rap have Global Appeal

by Leslie Jones McCloud

Hip hop continues to dominate global music in 2025, blending trap, drill, and conscious rap with massive streaming numbers on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. As of October 2025, the genre’s reach spans North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, driven by viral hits, award wins, and cross-cultural collabs. Drake remains the all-time streaming king with 121 billion Spotify streams, but Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has become a cultural juggernaut, topping charts and earning multiple awards. Emerging stars like Doechii and GloRilla are pushing boundaries, while veterans like Eminem and Travis Scott hold strong.

Below, I’ve compiled the most popular elements based on Spotify monthly listeners, Billboard charts, global streaming data, and recent X buzz. Popularity metrics prioritize worldwide streams, chart peaks, and social engagement.

Top 10 Hip Hop Artists Worldwide (Based on Spotify Monthly Listeners & Global Streams, October 2025)

These rankings draw from Spotify’s global data, Billboard’s influence lists, and all-time streaming totals. Kendrick leads 2025’s narrative with Grammy sweeps and tour announcements.

Top 10 Hip Hop Songs Worldwide (Charting Globally, October 2025)

Rank	Artist	Key 2025 Highlights	Global Streams (Billions, All-Time)
1	Kendrick Lamar	“Not Like Us” wins Hip-Hop Song of the Year; stadium tour announced	51.0332
2	Drake	Consistent chart dominance; collabs like “WAIT FOR U” still streaming high	121.037
3	Travis Scott	“Timeless” holds global Spotify spot; new snippets tease 2026 drop	59.5313
4	Eminem	The Death of Slim Shady wins Favorite Hip-Hop Album at AMAs	59.4315
5	Future	We Don’t Trust You takes Album of the Year; “March Madness” resurges	48.5315
6	Playboi Carti	Ranked #1 rapper in 20s by Complex; Grammys performance with The Weeknd	30+ (est.)1316
7	Nicki Minaj	Fan-voted top 3 rapper; enduring hits like “Anaconda” fuel streams	39.8314
8	Doechii	“Denial” peaks at #21 Hot 100; Best Hip Hop at VMAs	25+ (est.)2716
9	GloRilla	Hip-Hop Artist of the Year at iHeart; breakout with authentic Memphis sound	20+ (est.)1516
10	Lil Baby	“Freestyle” and “In A Minute” dominate Apple Music; consistent features	25+ (est.)68

Focusing on current global Spotify/Apple Music charts and 2025 releases. “Not Like Us” is the year’s anthem, with 13+ weeks at #1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Newer tracks like Cardi B’s “Magnet” are surging via TikTok virality.

1. Not Like Us - Kendrick Lamar (#18 Global Spotify; Favorite Hip-Hop Song at AMAs)21532
2. Magnet - Cardi B (#1 US Apple Music Rap; viral remix potential)69
3. Freestyle - Lil Baby (Top 5 US Apple; global trap staple)68
4. Shot Callin - NBA YoungBoy (#1 US Apple; street rap resurgence)89
5. Denial - Doechii (No. 21 Hot 100 peak; inventive storytelling)27
6. Timeless - The Weeknd & Playboi Carti (Holds Global Spotify; Grammys collab)013
7. Safe - Cardi B & Kehlani (Top 10 US Apple; R&B-rap fusion)6
8. wgft - Gunna & Burna Boy (Afrobeats-hip hop crossover hit)68
9. Tweaker - GELO (LiAngelo Ball) (TikTok sensation; top 40 Hot 100)27
10. Pretty & Petty - Cardi B (Rising on Apple; bold lyricism)69

Trends & Buzz

• Global Crossover: Afrobeats influences shine in tracks like “wgft” (Gunna x Burna Boy), boosting African artists’ visibility. Japanese hip hop (Creepy Nuts’ “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born”) topped international categories at Music Awards Japan.32
• Award Dominance: Kendrick swept iHeart and AMAs; Eminem took male artist honors; GloRilla claimed artist of the year.1532
• X Chatter: Fans debate all-time streams (Drake leads), with posts highlighting Kendrick’s critical acclaim and Carti’s youth ranking.137
• All-Time Stream Milestones: 28 hip hop tracks over 2B Spotify streams, led by Post Malone’s “Rockstar” (3.24B).4

For playlists, check Spotify’s “Rap Songs 2025” or Apple Music’s new hip hop drops. Hip hop’s 2025 story is about evolution—conscious bangers, viral memes, and borderless beats. Who’s your top pick?