50 Best LA Rappers of All Time, Ranked
From gangsta rap pioneers like Dr. Dre and Ice Cube to contemporary stars like Doja Cat and Kendrick Lamar, these are the best LA rappers of all time.
In 1981, “The Gigolo Rapp”—the first West Coast rap record—was released by Rappers Rapp Disco Record Co., a small label based in Hollywood. Performed by the duo Captain Rapp and Disco Daddy, the track was a corny knockoff of the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight,” with lyrics like “If you’re ready to party, ready to go, everybody say gigolo,” rapped over Rick James’ “Super Freak” beat.
But it was a start.
Two years later, KDAY-AM became the first radio station to play rap music throughout the day, thanks to music director Greg Mack, who brought a young DJ named Dr. Dre into the fold. In the early years, LA-based hip-hop was dominated by P-Funk-inspired tracks that blurred the lines between techno and funk. It was vibrant party music, made for the dance floors, then dominated by collectives like Uncle Jamm’s Army. But by the mid-’80s, the sound began to shift. The Snowfall years—which saw the rise of crack, cocaine, and gang violence—took hold of Los Angeles, and rap music was caught in a tug-of-war between party anthems and songs that detailed life on the streets.
LA has one of the most storied legacies in hip-hop, much of it rooted in that tension between clubs and raw street narratives. That push and pull would later be captured and elevated by pioneers like Ice-T, N.W.A, and Snoop Dogg, laying the blueprint for the sound that still resonates today. Kendrick Lamar—the hottest rapper in the world right now—is a product of that legacy. His music features traces of all of these LA sounds, from gangsta rap to G-funk to the jazzy underground music of the Project Blowed scene. Which is why we figured now is a good time to document, historically, the best LA rappers of all time.
Putting this list together wasn’t easy. LA is a transplant town—a city of dreams which attracts aspiring artists of all kinds. So what qualifies someone as an LA rapper? For this list, it’s an artist who creatively came to life in the city and reflects its ethos in their music. (And by “LA,” we mean LA County.) That’s why some big names didn’t make the cut. 2Pac might seem like an LA rapper, but he only lived in the city for a couple of months. And although he had some big hits under the Death Row banner, he was a fully formed, platinum selling artist by the time “California Love” came out. The genius D.O.C. was already making music in Dallas as part of the Fila Fresh Crew before he came to LA. Meanwhile, rappers like Xzibit, Kurupt, and Lady of Rage all made their names in LA’s rap scene, despite the fact they didn’t grow up in the city. So—spoiler alert—they are on this list.
We stuck to three core principles when sorting our ranking:
1. Skill as a hip-hop artist
2. Strength of catalog
3. Commercial impact and lasting influence
By "skill," we mean the entire rap package: delivery, presence, pen game, and overall artistry. Since hip-hop is an audio medium, and we don't have access to notebooks, we didn’t penalize rappers who’ve used ghostwriters.
We’re also focusing strictly on rappers. So while artists like Nate Dogg and Ty Dolla Sign are iconic LA artists, they’re fundamentally singers—not rappers.
With that out of the way, here are the 50 best LA rappers of all time.
50.Blueface
Why They Belong on This List: Became a viral sensation for blending an unorthodox rap style with hitmaking prowess and gonzo antics
Commercial Success: One top 10 hit and three total entries on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; three albums on the Billboard 200 chart
Important Songs: “Thotiana”; “Respect My Cryppin'"; "Deadlocs”
Even with all the clown shit—the gonzo boxing matches, lawsuits, trolling, and Bobby-and-Whitney-ish drama with Chrisean Rock—Blueface shouldn’t be written off as a joke. Famous Cryp remains one of the sneaky great LA gangsta rap tapes of the late 2010s. It was oddly predictive: irreverent with a focus on virality while pairing an offbeat, non-rhyming flow with molar-rattling West Coast production. It blurred the line between rapper and caricature. Blueface leaned into the latter—probably the more lucrative option—and let the cartoon version take over his body like a symbiote. But listen to “Deadlocs” and try to pretend there couldn’t have been more. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
49.Blu
49. Blu
Why They Belong on This List: Very prolific rapper with incredible skills; he also released one of the greatest underground rap albums of all time, Below the Heavens
Commercial Success: One album with Exile appeared on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts
Important Songs: "Dancing in the Rain” with Exile; “The World is (Below the Heavens)” with Exile; “Hours”
Blu straddles the line between the underground and mainstream, a devoted student of West Coast stalwarts like Project Blowed and Living Legends but equally proficient in the stylings of 2Pac and Too $hort. He was also quick to big up other influences like Common, too. His breakthrough masterpiece, 2007’s Below the Heavens with Exile, blends all of these somewhat disparate styles into a wholly unique POV, one in which the city sits beneath a weed haze that has mystically turned the color of Dodger blue. —Will Schube
48.G Perico
Why They Belong on This List: One of the key figures adding a contemporary twist to classic LA rap sounds
Commercial Success: Generates 581,449 monthly listeners on Spotify; has had three albums chart in the top 100 on the US iTunes chart.
Important Songs: “G Shit,” “One More Day,” “Action” with DJ Drama
Few artists make chaos sound so calm. G Perico’s flow has crinkled hints of DJ Quik, and the vocal register reaches back to prime Eazy-E, but he’s a singular presence around the LA rap multiverse. A god-tier sample-flipper, he’s also an air-conditioned undergrounder with classic mixtape hustle. The raps are confessional yet discreet. He runs pick-and-rolls with local producers like Steelz and Gotdamnitdupri, and he’s become the West Coast heir apparent to DJ Drama’s “Gangsta Grillz” series. Perico makes tinted-window music for sunset cruises, cornflower-blue raps with sherbert hues and gold accents. —Steven Louis
47.OhGeesy
Why They Belong on This List: A modern-day local star and a key figure in the "nervous music" scene
Commercial Success: One song with Shoreline Mafia charted on the Billboard Hot 100; four albums appeared on the Billboard 200, with three coming with Shoreline Mafia; more than 5.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify
Important Songs: “Musty” as part of Shoreline Mafia; “Nun Major”; “GEEKALEEK” featuring Cash Kidd
Like many rappers on this list, OhGeesy’s career kicked off with a moral panic. In 2017, during Shoreline Mafia’s early days, FOX 11 Los Angeles ran a report on codeine use that zeroed in on the group’s music videos and Instagram posts. The group sampled the news clip and plastered it all over their debut tape, ShorelineDoThatShit.
Shoreline Mafia aren’t just savvy marketers. Over the past eight years, Shoreline Mafia has delivered some of LA’s most infectious slaps, largely driven by OhGeesy, the group’s charismatic leader and the most recognizable Mexican American rapper working today. They’ve had ups and downs—what began as a foursome became a breakup-to-makeup duo—but Geesy has remained a steady, magnetic presence, chronicling the lifestyle of the young, wild, and lit. Oh, and he’s sober now. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
46.KXNG Crooked
Why They Belong on This List: Pound for pound, one of the most gifted, consistent lyricists to come out of LA
Commercial Success: Has had three albums chart on the Billboard 200, 2 with Slaughterhouse, one with Joell Ortiz.
Important Songs: “Crook 'n Porter,” “Imagine,” “Truth or Truth, Pt. 1” with Slaughterhouse
KXNG Crooked, formerly Crooked I, has been the backpacker and the bully. The future and the preservationist—a rapper who has compressed several rap careers into one lifetime. The Long Beach lifer was featured alongside Tha Eastsidaz and Low Life Gangstas as a teenager. He was then a rookie building block for Death Row 2.0. And when Suge Knight’s well had fully dried, he became a pioneering internet presence by necessity. The original “Hip Hop Weekly” series from 2007-08 was Golden Era cook-up with forward-thinking execution. Then came an unlikely star turn with Slaughterhouse, where he was the lone delegate repping the West and perhaps the strongest rapper in a group predicated on strong rapping. He’s now an Eastside elder statesman, syllable-stacking with the likes of Rakim, Eminem, Blu, and Kurupt. —Steven Louis
45.Evidence
Why They Belong on This List: The standout rapper in Dilated Peoples, one of the few West Coast groups to achieve commercial success using a boom-bap foundation
Commercial Success: Five albums charted on the Billboard 200, three with Dilated Peoples, one with The Alchemist; one song as part of Dilated Peoples charted on the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: “Worst Comes to Worst” as part of Dilated Peoples; “This Way” as part of Dilated Peoples featuring Kanye West; “Throw It All Away”
Evidence’s work with Dilated Peoples is what most people know him for. Tracks like “This Way” with Kanye West, “Worst Comes to Worst,” and “Kindness for Weakness” were huge. But there was always some debate about who the stronger artist in the group was—Evidence or Rakaa Iriscience. For a while, Rakaa was even seen as the better pure MC.
Evidence’s solo career is what pushed him to another level. I remember listening to The Weatherman LP in college and thinking how fresh it felt for West Coast underground music at the time. It bridged the underground and the mainstream, all led by Evidence’s self-described slow, offbeat flow. Or, as he tells it: “I rhyme behind the beat, but never after the fact.” —Matt Welty
44.Everlast
Why They Belong on This List: The frontman of House of Pain, the group that made “Jump Around,” one of the most recognizable rap songs of all time
Commercial success: Nine albums on the Billboard charts, including two with House of Pain; two platinum albums, one with House of Pain; seven songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including a House of Pain song that reached No. 3
Important Songs: “Jump Around’ as part of House of Pain; “On Point” as part of House of Pain; “Whitey’s Revenge”
Before Jelly Roll made the leap from lyrically sharp, street-affiliated white rapper to country star, there was Everlast. He went from house-hop club tracks to rowdy anthems with House of Pain, then pivoted to bluesy, acoustic songs covering a wide range of topics, from addiction-driven narratives to reflections on global suffering—a trajectory Eminem famously mocked in their dust-up.
But Everlast has always been hip-hop to the core: a graffiti kid who went to high school with Ice Cube, rolled with Ice-T, and was a capable rapper during an era when white MCs had to be twice as nice to be respected. Even as guitar-driven music became his main lane, he never turned his back on hip-hop, dropping brolic cult classics as part of La Coka Nostra over the years. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
43.Ab-Soul
Why They Belong on This List: Widely regarded as one of the most skilled lyricists, known for telling deeply personal and emotionally resonant stories
Commercial Success: Three albums have charted on the Billboard 200; featured on one song that appeared on the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: “The Book of Soul,” “Terrorist Threats” (featuring Danny Brown & Jhene Aiko), “Do Better”
Ab-Soul’s life and rap prowess can be encapsulated in one song: “The Book of Soul,” off his Control System album. The song chronicles Soul’s tragic origins, including being born with Steven-Johnson syndrome, losing his partner to suicide, battling mental health issues, and using music as a tool to help get through dark times. The track is masterfully executed and showcases all of the things Ab-Soul is great at: telling stories, making his personal experiences feel relatable, and never shying away from the darker aspects of the human experience. —Jordan Rose
42.will.i.am
Why They Belong on This List: A versatile veteran who crafted some of the most progressive jazz-inspired rap of the ’90s before becoming a global superstar
Commercial Success: As part of Black Eyed Peas, sold more than 12 million albums and garnered over two billion streams in the United States; 35 songs appeared on the Billboard Hot 100, including four No. 1 hits, three of which were with Black Eyed Peas; one BEP album topped the Billboard 200 charts, along with three multi-platinum albums
Important Songs: “Puddles of H2O” as part of Atban Klann; “Joints & Jams” as part of Black Eyed Peas; “Ev Rebahdee” featuring Planet Asia
Don’t let “Boom Boom Pow” get you twisted: Will.i.am can spit. The Boyle Heights native came up as a protégé of Eazy-E, signing to Ruthless Records as part of the A.T.B.A.N Klann, a group heavily influenced by the Native Tongues movement.
After Eazy-E’s death, the group was left in limbo until will and apl.de.ap linked up with Taboo to form the Black Eyed Peas.
Their early albums offered a jazzier, socially conscious alternative to the gangsta rap dominating late ‘90s hip-hop. Their breakout single, “Joints & Jams,” laid the groundwork for what was to come, blending upbeat, affirming lyrics with bouncy, live instrumentation. —Mr. Wavvy
41.Lady of Rage
Why They Belong on This List: The most lyrically adept and respected female rapper to come out of the West Coast
Commercial Success: 1 album on the Billboard 200; 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: “Afro Puffs”; “Stranded On Death Row” with Dr. Dre, Bushwick Bill, Kurupt, RBX, and Snoop Dogg; “Puffin’ on Blunts and Drankin’ Tanqueray” with Dr. Dre and Tha Dogg Pound
The Lady of Rage grew up in Virginia, not LA, but it’s hard to think of Death Row—the defining sound of ’90s LA rap—without her. She debuted as a core member of the label’s camp and quickly became one of its most distinctive voices.
Her verses were frequent and often show-stealing, as on both The Chronic and Doggystyle. With a commanding presence, fierce delivery, and lyrical precision, Rage made an immediate impact. Her iconic single “Afro Puffs”—still her best-known song—showcased her raw power and hinted at major hit-making potential.
But alas, timing is everything. After years on the Death Row bench, she only released one album: the cult classic Necessary Roughness, which dropped during the label’s final days. Even after decades in the game, she remains a stubborn force in hip-hop. In 2024, she delivered a verse-of-the-year contender on Tha Dogg Pound’s “Who Da Hardest?” — Will “ill Will” Lavin
40.Coolio
Why They Belong on This List: Crafted one of the most successful and recognizable rap singles of all time
Commercial Success: Three top 10 singles, including one that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100; three albums that charted on the Billboard 200
Important Songs: “Gangsta's Paradise” featuring L.V., “Fantastic Voyage,” “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)"
Coolio was more than just the man behind a generational earworm. Throughout his career, he walked the line between pop accessibility and social commentary. After his first hit, “Fantastic Voyage,” caught fire, Coolio’s signature staggered, pitch-shifting double-time flow and catchy hooks became ubiquitous.
His early hits leaned heavily into party jams, but with success came heavier themes. From the mournful world-stopping smash “Gangsta’s Paradise” to the tragic storytelling of “C U When U Get There” and the AIDS-awareness anthem “Too Hot,” Coolio wasn’t afraid to peel back the layers of societal ills. —Will “ill Will” Lavin
39.Fatlip
Why They Belong on This List: Co-founder and standout member of legendary rap group Tha Pharcyde
Commercial Success: Three albums charted on the Billboard 200, including one that went gold; three songs reached the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: “Passin’ Me By” as part of Tha Pharcyde; “Runnin’” as part of Tha Pharcyde; “What’s Up Fatlip?”
Go beyond the cartoonish vocal inflections and zany behavior and you’ll find that The Pharcyde were truly inventive, world-class MCs. They took the off-center spirit of the Native Tongues and added layers of exaggerated charisma and immature your-mama jokes.
One of the group’s biggest appeals was its camaraderie, so it’s tough to single anyone out. But Fatlip was the standout. His deep register made his voice instantly recognizable, and he rapped with a mix of humor and self-loathing that still feels ahead of its time. It’s probably best captured on his first post-Pharcyde track “What’s Up Fatlip?,” where, in an almost drunken slur, he raps: See, I been a loser just about all my life / Type that tryna turn a ho into a housewife. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
38.Kam
Why They Belong on This List: Effortlessly blended socially conscious themes with gangsta rap sounds
Commercial Success: Two albums charted on the Billboard 200
Important Songs: “Pull Ya Hoe Card,” “Peace Treaty,” “Whoop! Whoop!” with DJ Pooh
Kam's career is forever tied to Ice Cube—after debuting on the Boyz n the Hood soundtrack, he delivered an incredible verse on Death Certificate’s “Color Blind.” In return, Kam helped solidify Cube’s Street Knowledge label with an underrated classic, Neva Again. The lead single, "Peace Treaty," captures his appeal: Over a P-Funk loop, Kam honors the ’92 Watts gang truce in an authoritative, eloquent baritone. It's conscious rap with Nation of Islam bite, making Kam a respected MC, but never mainstream. His most famous track, fittingly, involves Cube: After falling out with his mentor, Kam released the searing diss “Whoop! Whoop!”. Even if he was righteous, Kam wasn't one to play with. —Donnie Kwak
37.Mack 10
Why They Belong on This List: A crucial member of the rap supergroup Westside Connection and owner of the influential Hoo Bangin’ Records imprint
Commercial Success: 10 albums charted on the Billboard 200, including one with Westside Connection that peaked at No. 2, three solo albums were certified gold; seven songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100, including three as part of Westside Connection.
Important Songs: “Foe Life” featuring Ice Cube; “Nothin' But the Cavi Hit” featuring Tha Dogg Pound; “Bow Down” as part of Westside Connection
Mack 10 might be the most overlooked legacy act from California. As one-third of Westside Connection, he didn’t have Ice Cube’s depth or WC’s lyrical precision—but he brought blunt force: raw, direct, and closer to the street. A product of the Queen Street Bloods, his rhymes were piercing and unflinchingly violent. He put it best on “King Of Chevys”: “All I talked about is money and Crack/Yep gangsta shit, Blood, political shit wack.”
What he lacked in flow, he made up for in Master P-level business savvy. His Hoo Bangin’ Records imprint with Priority helped push several local staples throughout the late ’90s and 2000s, including an album with MC Eiht. The label even launched a promising urban film division. Who could forget the hood classic Thicker Than Water with Fat Joe? —DeJon Paul
36.Tash
Why They Belong on This List: One-third of Tha Alkaholiks, one of the most respected rap groups to come from LA
Commercial Success: One song charted on the Billboard Hot 100; four albums reached the Billboard 200
Important Songs: “Only When I’m Drunk”; “Daaam!”; “Hip Hop Drunkies” featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard
When Tha Alkaholiks hit the scene in the early ’90s, self-serious gangsta rap was the dominant sound coming out of the city. But Tash, J-Ro, and producer E-Swift were on a different wave. They were essentially frat rap for the hood, crafting songs about getting faded, chasing women, then getting even more faded. Social issues weren’t on their radar, nor was the psychological toll of growing up in poverty. (Ironically, they were introduced to the world by King Tee, a pioneering figure in gangsta rap.)
Every Alkaholiks song felt like a house party. Even if their music was seen as lacking depth, everyone knew they were beasts on the mic. The chemistry between Tash and J-Ro—the ad-libs, chants, and random vocal sound effects—was part of the experience. Tash was slightly more aggressive and technically sharper, often stealing the spotlight. In many ways, Tha Liks embodied the early spirit of West Coast hip-hop: rocking funky breaks, fun vibes, and MCing to control the crowd. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
35.Murs
Why They Belong on This List: A crew member of Living Legends, one of the most popular super groups in underground hip-hop history, who transcended his success into mainstream fame with multiple albums with 9th Wonder
Commercial success: Six albums charted on the Billboard 200, including three collaborations with 9th Wonder, one with Fashawn, and one with ¡MAYDAY!; one song charted on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart
Important Songs: "Bad Man!" with 9th Wonder; "Yesterday & Today" with 9th Wonder; "Woman Tonight" with Slug
Murs is an anomaly of sorts. He’s one of the biggest underground artists from LA, but he’s affiliated with the Living Legends crew, which didn’t make him a staple of the Project Blowed scene. He went East and signed with El-P’s Definitive Jux label. He then followed all of that up with his work with 9th Wonder, with Murs 3:16 and Murray’s Revenge both being underground classics.
Murs appeals to a broader audience than his underground brethren. His rhymes are straight forward, self-deprecating, and fun at times. He can work with Snoop Dogg and Shock G and still be part of a group like the 3 Melancholy Gypsys with Scarub and Eligh. He’s able to rap about the streets but also admit that he’s more Coldplay than he is Ice-T. He’s a guy who can make weird music and soulful music in the same breath. And for that reason, any day can be Murs Day. —Matt Welty
34.WC
Why They Belong on This List: A real spitter with multiple chapters in his career, from Low Profile and Maad Circle to Westside Connection and a late career solo run
Commercial Success: Six albums appeared on the Billboard 200 charts; six songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100, including two with Westside Connection
Important Songs: “The Streets” featuring Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg; “Just Clownin’”; and “Gangstas Make the World Go Round” as part of Westside Connection
Mack 10 banged red, WC banged blue, and Ice Cube saw green. That is how Westside Connection came together in the ’90s. A true supergroup, each member arrived fully formed.
While Westside Connection put WC on the national stage, he already had a solid local reputation, first with Low Profile and then Maad Circle (which included a young Coolio). Cube and Mack had presence and delivery; WC was a technician. His style featured sharp, sibilant bursts, in which he spit multi-syllabic bars out like sunflower seeds as if he were the LA version of E-40.
He was a rapper’s rapper: battle-ready and a top-tier storyteller, spinning vivid, creative and cinematic street tales. On “The Shadiest One,” he narrates a heist gone wrong, and on “Something 2 Live 4,” he centers on a ransom situation involving his daughter. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
33.Ras Kass
Why They Belong on This List: One of the most intellectually sharp and socially political rappers to come out of LA
Commercial Success: Two albums on the Billboard 200; three songs on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Important Songs: “Nature of the Threat”; “Soul on Ice”; “Interview with a Vampire”
Ras Kass is one of LA's most profound and critically acclaimed lyricists. A true intellectual force in hip-hop, his debut Soul on Ice—named after the controversial Eldridge Cleaver memoir—established his reputation for intricate wordplay, layered metaphors, fearless social commentary, and high-concept storytelling. On tracks like “Nature of the Threat,” he unpacks racial history with sharp punchlines and historical insight—a level of depth rare in West Coast rap at the time. His lyrical prowess earned him widespread respect and guest spots alongside nearly every elite underground MC of the late ‘90s, from Canibus to Kurupt to Saafir. —Will “ill Will” Lavin
32.Aceyalone
Why They Belong on This List: The leading figure of Project Blowed, the most influential open mic in underground hip-hop history
Commercial Success: Two albums charted on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart
Important Songs: “Mic Check”; “Hot Potato” as part of Freestyle Fellowship; “The Guidelines”
He’s the grandson of Coltrane, the nephew of Miles, and Charlie Parker told him he left him the styles—at least, according to Aceyalone. In the world of California underground hip-hop, few institutions are as essential as Project Blowed, the open-mic collective that began at South Central’s Good Life Cafe in 1989. For decades, Aceyalone has been its figurehead.
His career started in Freestyle Fellowship, the group that was made up of Myka 9, PEACE, and Self Jupiter. They were a blend of improvisational flows. Jazz cadences. The heavyweight style. The “chopping it up” flow. It all originated with the Fellowship. Acey would go on to be a solid solo artist, with All Balls Don’t Bounce and A Book of Human Language being certified cult classics. Aceyalone is still active. He once proclaimed that he would “never fall the fuck off, we promise.” And he’s mostly held that to be true. —Matt Welty
31.Yo-Yo
Why They Belong on This List: A pioneer of the male vs. female argumentative rap song format
Commercial Success: Three songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100; 3 albums charted on the Billboard 200
Important Songs: “You Can't Play With My Yo-Yo,” “It's a Man's World” with Ice Cube, “The Bonnie and Clyde Theme” featuring Ice Cube
Yo-Yo burst on the scene under Ice Cube’s wing as more than a pretty face. She was a quick-witted rhymer ready to infiltrate the boys' club with a fiery pen to back her up.
Her Make Way for the Motherlode debut in 1991 was a statement on women's empowerment delivered with candor through Yo-Yo’s South Los Angeles-tinted lens. Following up with Black Pearl and You Better Ask Somebody, she stamped herself over the next two years as an intelligent Black woman, a tried-and-true ride-or-die, a community advocate, and ultimately an individual who explicitly knows what she wants and how to get it. —DeMicia Inman
30.03 Greedo
Why They Belong on This List: One of the more innovative rappers today, known for blending bluesy melodies with high-quality rapping
Commercial Success: 2.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify; two albums appeared on the iTunes Top 100 charts.
Important Songs: “Never Bend”; “Sweet Lady”; “Substance”
Greedo paints in purple and gray, channeling the familiar frequencies of 2Pac and Roger Troutman with his own original grape flavoring. Massive sprawl and intricate gang politics make it especially hard to forge an LA rap anthem, yet Greedo has a whole set of them. As a singer, his wails and croaks soundtrack paranoia, or conquest, or both. It’s impossible to separate the Grape Street general from his “evil twin,” Drakeo the Ruler.
Both went down for cruel and winding legal odysseys at the same time, and together they were architects of the now-eminent nervous music. He’s done an admirable job holding it down in Drakeo’s absence, while advancing his own dark earworm style in creative ways. — Steven Louis
29.Jay Rock
Why They Belong on This List: A consistent veteran presence on the LA rap scene, was the first rapper to break out from TDE
Commercial Success: One song on the Billboard Hot 100; three albums debuted on the Billboard 200
Important Songs: “All My Life (In the Ghetto)” featuring Lil Wayne and will.i.am; “King’s Dead” featuring Kendrick Lamar, Future, and James Blake; “Money Trees” with Kendrick Lamar
Before Kendrick Lamar took up the torch as Top Dawg Entertainment’s leading figure, Jay Rock was the one to push the brand into the mainstream. From the beginning, TDE’s original flagship artist has commanded respect, his bellowing vocals adding increased gravitas to every word he utters.
Like many artists, his journey through the industry hasn’t always been the easiest. But rather than running from the lowlights, the Watts rapper dives into them headstrong. After a motorcycle accident nearly took his life and threatened to derail his rap career, he returned in 2018 with his most polished album, Redemption. Here, he touches on label issues, shuffling through hospital beds, and the general discomfort of ascending the mountain on the strength of unflinching drive—only to find himself right back on the brink of collapse. —Kenan Draughorne
28.Roddy Ricch
Why They Belong on This List: A gifted hitmaker with an unreal ability to craft songs featuring catchy choruses
Commercial Success: One album debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album charts; two songs reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, including one certified single that is certified Diamond
Important Songs: “The Box”; “Ballin’” with Mustard; “Rockstar” with DaBaby
Roddy Ricch dropped some of his best work when he was only a teenager.
His Feed Tha Streets series showed just how much potential the 19-year-old rapper had. Tracks like “Die Young” and “Down Below” sounded like they could have been made by someone twice his age, sparkling with maturity and seamlessly meshing melodic rap with concise storytelling.
That skill was most evident on his critically acclaimed debut album, Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial. That album capped off one of the hottest starts we’ve seen in recent memory. He’s been understandably criticized for his work post-Antisocial, but that doesn’t negate everything that he accomplished in the late 2010s. —Jordan Rose
27.Daz Dillinger
Why They Belong on This List: A foundational figure in the rise of Death Row Records
Commercial Success: 15 albums appeared on the Billboard 200, including nine with Tha Dogg Pound, one album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 as part of Tha Dogg Pound
Important Songs: “What Would You Do?” as part of Tha Dogg Pound featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg and Jewell; “Put the Monkey In It” featuring Soopafly; “Let’s Play House” as part of Tha Dogg Pound featuring Michel'le
Daz Dillinger's impact on West Coast hip-hop goes far beyond his role in shaping Death Row’s sound. His production skills are undeniable, but don’t sleep on the lyrics. Daz is the Big Boi to Kurupt’s André 3000, and he’s had plenty of moments to shine behind the mic. From his opening bars on 2Pac’s “Got My Mind Made Up” and his short but stellar verse on Snoop Dogg’s “Doggy Dogg World” to his profound delivery on Nate Dogg’s “These Days,” Daz has consistently delivered outspoken gangsta rhymes with authentic versatility. He’s also one of the most prolific rappers on this list, with over 20 solo albums to his name. — Will “ill Will” Lavin
26.Doja Cat
Why They Belong on This List: The most commercially successful female rapper to come out of LA
Commercial Success: The most multi-Platinum-certified female rapper in RIAA history, with 13 songs selling over one million units; has charted 28 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including nine top 10 hits and two that peaked at No. 1; All four of her albums have appeared on the Billboard 200, with two reaching the top 5
Important Songs: “Paint the Town Red”; “Agora Hills”; “Say So” featuring Nicki Minaj
People often debate whether Doja Cat is truly a rapper, given her massive pop success and the amount of singing in her music. She’s been listening to the chatter and responded with Scarlet, a genuine rap record that showcases her ability to thrive in the hip-hop world.
It was a reminder that even as a triple threat, she is, first and foremost, a great rapper. Tracks like “Attention” find her directly addressing doubters with sharp bars. What makes her even more dangerous is that she can turn rap tracks into hits: “Paint the Town Red” became the fastest solo female rap song to hit 100 million streams on Spotify. She’s come a long way from meme songs about cows, and—as she’s told detractors before—you will respect her pen. —Jordan Rose
25.Tyga
Why They Belong on This List: Over the past decade, no one has dominated LA radio and house parties quite like Tyga
Commercial Success: 34 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including three top 10 hits; seven albums charted on the Billboard 200, with three reaching the top 10 and 1 certified platinum
Important Songs: “Rack City”; “Taste” featuring Offset; “Ayo” with Chris Brown
If, for whatever reason, you’re skeptical about Tyga’s impact in Los Angeles, just turn on the radio next time you’re in the city. His music is inescapable—and for good reason. There’s something about his breezy sound that just feels right whenever you’re driving around the eternally sunny neighborhoods of LA. Since the late 2000s, he’s been making bouncy, celebratory anthems—from “Rack City” to “Taste”—that have soundtracked a whole era of West Coast rap. And yes, Tyga’s music is most potent in sunny California, but he’s also been an ambassador for the region’s summery sound, releasing numerous charting singles. Numbers don’t lie. —Eric Skelton
24.Drakeo the Ruler
Why They Belong on This List: A modern-day cult legend and arguably the most influential figure in LA’s contemporary rap scene
Commercial success: One song charted on the Bubbling Under Hot 100; over 1.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify
Important Songs: “Flu Flamming”; “Talk to Me” featuring Drake; “Impatient Freestyle”
Drakeo the Ruler’s music career gave us a gauntlet of uniqueness, hilarity, and triumph. His life as an Angeleno was harrowing and emblematically tragic. It all comes together like Mark Twain and Franz Kafka underneath the Rolls-Royce umbrella.
Drakeo first emerged as the West’s most original linguist since E-40. His 2017 breakout gave us self-described lingo bingo like “Flu Flamming,” “Big Banc Uchies,” “Pippy Long Stockin” and “Hood Trophy.” He was then contorted into a cautionary tale, and folklorically “beat life twice” while his lyrics and videos were bumped in court. Drakeo’s case became a literal power-shifter in City Hall. His reemergence at the end of 2020 was thrilling, with Drakeo dropping both street classics and club boppers without switching up the trademark style.
His December 2021 killing at the Once Upon a Time in LA festival will never be forgotten. From the dredges of Men’s Central Jail to the gilded halls of Neiman Marcus on Wilshire, the music stays in heavy rotation and the influence is forever prevalent. —Steven Louis
23.Vince Staples
Why They Belong on This List: Successfully blended wit, vivid storytelling, and ambitious album-making
Commercial success: Eight albums on the Billboard 200; one platinum single and two certified gold singles
Important Songs: “Norf Norf”; “Yeah Right”; “Hive” with Earl Sweatshirt and Casey Veggies
Vince Staples’ knack for world-building was clear as early as his 2015 video for the Future-assisted “Senorita,” in which he strolls through an apocalyptic, life-sized museum exhibit—the lone relaxed face in a sea of chaos and destruction. It’s a fitting metaphor for much of the first half of his catalog: rowdy, raucous production laced with unease, while Staples cuts through it all with razor-sharp bars.
His ambition shines on the experimental album Big Fish Theory, where he worked with producers like Flume and Sophie; and on the snappy FM!, a love letter to LA radio. More recently, his albums have embraced a more muted sonic palette, creating space for reflection on his journey and place in the world.
His wit, perspective, and insight have always been his strongest assets, whether in music, a TV show, or … his X account. —Kenan Draughorne
22.Earl Sweatshirt
Why They Belong on This List: Went from being Odd Future’s most mysterious member to a leader in the modern underground, helping mold its sound
Commercial Success: Five albums charted on the Billboard 200, with one cracking the top 10 and one going gold; three songs certified gold.
Important Songs: “Riot!”; “Earl”; “Chum”
There was a while there where we weren’t sure Earl would ever fulfill his tantalizing promise, let alone become one of the best bar-for-bar rappers in the game. Sent to boarding school just as the Odd Future crew hit its peak, the mystery of Earl buoyed his stature until he made his return. Instead of cashing in on the hype with bombast and color, he went about turning the English language on its head, dropping albums that boast little outside minimal beats and bars so tantalizing that they unfold much like the mysteries of another LA staple, David Lynch. —Will Schube
21.MC Ren
Why They Belong on This List: The most vicious member of the most vicious rap group of all time: N.W.A
Commercial Success: Seven albums charted on the Billboard 200, including one N.W.A album that hit No. 1; two platinum albums with N.W.A; three solo songs appeared on the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: “Straight Outta Compton”as part of N.W.A.; “Real Niggaz Don’t Die” as part of N.W.A.; “Mayday on the Frontline”
You think being the middle child is hard? Try being the youngest member of N.W.A. MC Ren is the most underrated pure rapper to come out of LA. That’s the consequence of being in a group full of shooting stars. He didn’t have Ice Cube’s depth, Dr. Dre’s hitmaking instincts, or Eazy-E’s charisma. What he did have was real lyrical ability and a blunt-force delivery. He might’ve been too hardcore. His verses were often the most explicit and graphic. (Try listening to N.W.A.’s “One Less Bitch”—a song about gang-raping a sex worker and then murdering her—with 2025 ears.)
After N.W.A, he went solo and embraced the Nation of Islam right in the middle of making Shock of the Hour. It’s a fascinating listen, capturing a man caught between his gangsta rap roots and his evolving political and spiritual beliefs. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
20.Warren G
Why They Belong on This List: Played a key role in bringing G-funk to the mainstream, especially with the success of “Regulate” with Nate Dogg
Commercial Success: Eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including two top 10 hits; five albums charted on the Billboard 200, with one being certified triple platinum,
Important Songs: “Regulate” featuring Nate Dogg; “This D.J.”; “Groupie Luv” as part of 213
Def Jam might not exist today if it weren’t for Warren G. By the mid ’90s, the powerhouse record label was on the brink of bankruptcy. It was Warren’s debut, Regulate…The G Funk Era, backed by the Nate Dogg-assisted hit single “Regulate,” that helped put the label back in good financial standing.
The track finds Warren and Nate kicking vivid storytelling over a sample of Michael McDonald’s “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You're Near)” on the defining G-Funk song of the era. Its follow-up single, “This D.J.,” cemented Warren’s crossover credibility via his laidback flow and pioneering production style.
Plus, let’s not forget Warren’s other role in hip-hop history: He famously played 213’s demo tape—featuring himself, Snoop, and Nate Dogg—for his stepbrother Dr. Dre at a bachelor party, paving way for one of hip-hop’s most consequential partnerships. —Mr. Wavvy
19.Dom Kennedy
Why They Belong on This List: An indie legend who makes songs that dominate LA parties
Commercial Success: Three albums charted on the Billboard 200; one appearance on the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: “My Type of Party,” “After School,” “I Love Dom”
Few artists based in modern-day Los Angeles have a better catalog than Dom Kennedy. The Leimert Park native chases leisure, luxury, and Other People’s Money with a laid-back flow over effortlessly smooth production. The “Watermelon Sundae” MC, defined by his lazy drawl and love of palm trees and warm weather, provides the perfect soundtrack for a sunny LA day.
Dom rose independently during the blog era as one of the West Coast’s most intriguing voices. His music is full of mentions of classic cars, streetwear, and ideal LA date spots, woven with stories of South Central life and romantic escapades. It’s all part of Kennedy’s lifestyle-rap catalog. The Westside With Love II to The Yellow Album to Get Home Safely is one of the sneakily great rap runs in recent memory. —DeJon Paul
18.Suga Free
Why They Belong on This List: A one-of-a-kind stylish technician who told exaggerated stories about pimping and the streets
Commercial Success: Two albums that charted on the Billboard 200
Important Songs: “I’d Rather Give You My Bitch”; “Why U Bullshittin’?”; “On My Way”
Suga Free might not have the mainstream acclaim of some of his West Coast peers, but in California, he’s rightly hailed as a legend. He made his mark with a grandiose pimp lifestyle and persona, explicit and slick rhymes, and an off-kilter delivery. His 1997 debut, Street Gospel, produced by DJ Quik, showcased Suga Free’s storytelling knack and comedic charm over a soundscape soaked in the funky ethos of 1990s California. His charisma and almost machine-like rap flow—check out this 1995 kitchen table freestyle, where he uses a nickel and a pen as drums—has influenced a wide spectrum of rappers, from superstars like Kendrick Lamar to underground upstarts like Bruiser Wolf. —DeMicia Inman
17.ScHoolboy Q
Why They Belong on This List: A core member of Top Dawg Entertainment, ScHoolboy Q helped bring an avant-garde edge to LA gangsta rap
Commercial Success: Six albums have charted on the Billboard 200, including one that peaked at No. 1 and eventually went Platinum; 12 songs have landed on the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: “THat Part” featuring Kanye West; “Hands on the Wheel” featuring ASAP Rocky; “Man of the Year”
ScHoolboy Q built a loyal fan base by refusing to follow trends. His music often features trippy, off-kilter production laced with dark themes and street-level realism, making it as much a mood as it is a sound. He stands out as one of LA’s most compelling voices.
Since his debut in 2011, he has struck a rare balance between mosh-pit bangers, gritty street tales, and introspective deep cuts. There are the playful radio staples like “Studio” and “Collard Greens”; the turn-up anthems like “Yay Yay” and “Man of the Year”; the menacing narratives like “Raymond 1969” and “Groovy Tony / Eddie Kane”; and the reflective moments like “JoHn Muir” and “Tookie Knows II.”
In 2024, he flipped the script once more. After a six-year hiatus, he returned with Blue Lips—one of the year’s standout rap albums—built on quaint jazz samples, quirky loops, and a bold push toward reinvention. —DeJon Paul
16.King Tee
Why They Belong on This List: A pioneering figure in gangsta rap; founder and leader of the influential Likwit Crew
Commercial Success: Four albums charted on the Billboard 200
Important Songs: “Act a Fool;” “At Your Own Risk,” “Dippin’”
A true architect of West Coast hip-hop, King Tee remains a foundational figure from Compton. He debuted in 1988 with Act a Fool, showcasing a distinctive deep voice, a laid-back yet commanding flow, and a sharp sense of humor. More than just an acclaimed MC, he played a vital mentorship role, helping shape the careers of artists like Xzibit and Tha Alkaholiks. His influence even reached the East Coast. The Notorious B.I.G. reportedly studied his flow while crafting Ready to Die (just listen to “Dippin’”). King Tee’s consistency and role in shaping the LA sound secured his place as one of the West’s most respected and underrated legends. —Will “ill Will” Lavin
15.YG
Why They Belong on This List: YG has managed to stay grounded in traditional LA sounds while adjusting his music to fit the times
Commercial Success: 22 songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100, including one Top 10 hit; 11 albums made the Billboard 200, with five reaching the Top 10
Important Songs: “Bicken Back Being Bool,” “Who Do You Love?” featuring Drake, “FDT” featuring Nipsey Hussle
YG’s career has been so long and notable that people forget he rose to fame during the often-disrespected Jerkin era. Blending viral, dance-crazed sounds with California’s signature gangsta rap rhetoric and explicit sexual bravado, the “Toot It and Boot It” rapper helped usher in LA’s ratchet music wave in the early 2010s.
But a key part of YG’s story is his adaptability. Over the years, he’s revealed multiple dimensions. His seminal debut album, My Krazy Life, was a coming-of-age record that served as the raw, on-the-ground counterpart to Kendrick’s more reflective good kid, m.A.A.d city. Later, songs like “FDT” with Nipsey and “FTP,” released during the George Floyd protests, solidified him as a voice not just for LA, but for the political moment. —DeJon Paul
14.Xzibit
Why They Belong on This List: A versatile and ferocious rapper known for both battle raps and feel-good club anthems
Commercial Success: Seven albums charted on the Billboard 200, including one platinum release; six songs reached the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: “Paparazzi”; “What U See Is What U Get”; “X”
Long before Xzibit was putting cars inside of cars because he heard you like cars, the rapper-turned-Pimp My Ride host was one of the West Coast’s baddest MCs.
Though X to the Z moved to Cali as a teenager, he quickly adopted the city’s gangsta rap sound, putting his own hardcore spin on the style with early LPs like his highly underrated 1996 debut, At the Speed of Life. His success earned him a look from Dr. Dre, who lent production assistance on Xzibit’s two most successful albums, Restless and Man vs. Machine.
While Xzibit found greater fame on TV, his work as a rapper remains a touchstone for much of California’s modern gangsta rap. —Will Schube
13.Kurupt
Why They Belong on This List: The best lyricist from The Dogg Pound, one of the most ferocious rappers of all time
Commercial Success: Released 12 albums that charted on the Billboard 200
Important Songs: “New York, New York” featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg; “Callin' Out Names”; "Xxplosive" with Dr. Dre, Six-Two, Hittman, and Nate Dogg
Kurupt was born in Philadelphia but raised in California, bringing an East Coast ferocity to West Coast rap. As one-half of Tha Dogg Pound, he fused supreme technical ability with a voice that commands authority, lacing tracks like “New York, New York” with a menacing presence that placed him among Death Row’s elite.
In any room full of legends, Kurupt’s voice cuts through. On Snoop Dogg’s “Ain’t No Fun” and Dr. Dre’s “Xxplosive,” Young Gotti’s perverted bravado is scene-stealing. But Kurupt never needed a co-pilot to reach cruising altitude. Albums like Kuruption! and Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha may not have topped the charts, but they’ve long been canon among West Coast purists. —Mr. Wavvy
12.MC Eiht
Why They Belong on This List: One of the original narrative-driven rappers, known for vivid depictions of street life and its consequences
Commercial Success: Nine albums charted on the Billboard 200, three with Compton’s Most Wanted, one solo release went gold; one single that charted on the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: “Streiht Up Menace”; “Hood Took Me Under” as part of Compton’s Most Wanted; “m.A.A.d city” with Kendrick Lamar
"Wake yo’ punk-ass up for the ’93 shot.” The opening line from MC Eiht’s breakout 1993 single "Streiht Up Menace" is as iconic as Eiht himself.
Even in his Compton’s Most Wanted days, Eiht rapped with a guttural tone and forceful delivery, telling stories rooted in the gritty realities of street life. While many of his contemporaries experimented with more commercial, party-oriented records, Eiht stayed committed to his reality rap style.
He's also one of the elder statesmen of West Coast rap who has remained creatively inspired. Over the last 15 years, he's caught a second wind: arguably delivering the best guest verse on good kid, m.A.A.d city; releasing a standout album produced by DJ Premier; and, perhaps most importantly, collaborating with DJ Quik, officially squashing one of rap’s most notorious beefs. —Will “ill Will” Lavin
11.The Game
Why They Belong on This List: A key transitional figure, bridging Dr. Dre–led ’90s LA rap to the 2000s rise of artists like Kendrick Lamar and Nipsey Hussle
Commercial Success: Three No. 1 albums, including one double platinum release; featured on 16 Hot 100 hits, with two reaching the top 5
Important Songs: “Hate It or Love It” featuring 50 Cent; “It’s Okay (One Blood)” featuring Junior Reid; “My Life” featuring Lil Wayne
Where would West Coast hip-hop be without The Game? Today, he’s often seen as a bridge between '90s LA rap and the figures who would dominate the 2010s. But in the mid-2000s, there was a moment when The Game—known for his aggressive name-dropping—was aiming for the throne. Sounding like a mix of Ice Cube and Bangin' on Wax-era Bloods & Crips, Game was a rapper’s rapper—one with razor-sharp rhymes, intricate storytelling, and an elite ear for beats. His debut album, The Documentary, was the West Coast’s Get Rich or Die Tryin'. That was his supernova moment. After that, he settled into a blue-collar run, consistently dropping releases, beefing with almost every rapper, and solidifying his place in LA rap history. —DeJon Paul
10.Nipsey Hussle
Why They Belong on This List: Entrepreneurial and innovative, he became one of the most impactful LA rappers from the city due to contributions on and off wax
Commercial success: Nine songs on the Billboard Hot 100; five albums on the Billboard 200, with one peaking at No. 2; one album certified double platinum.
Important Songs: “Grinding All My Life”; “Blue Laces 2”; “Keys 2 the City”
To talk about the greatest rappers from Los Angeles without naming Nipsey Hussle is to miss the heartbeat of the city. Nip was special; he used rap as a vehicle to educate, elevate, and really put the city on game. Raised in Crenshaw, he was teaching us about ownership, investing, real estate, and reinvesting in the block—not just in his music, but through his everyday actions. It wasn’t just punchlines with him. It was principles, too.
When The Marathon dropped in the early 2010s, my best friend said Nip would be the one to carry LA into its next chapter. I’ll admit, I didn’t fully get it until Victory Lap came in eight years later. That’s when I felt the chills she’d always talked about. He was rapping his ass off on tracks like “Hussle & Motivate” and “Grinding All My Life,” but these were also songs with deeper meaning—blueprints for survival and success in a system stacked against you.
He was one of the few rappers who stood 10 toes down on what he preached. That’s what made him “Nip Tha Great”: calm, calculated, and speaking truth with the quiet force of someone who knew his words would outlive him. —Jillian Hardeman-Webb
9.Eazy-E
Why They Belong on This List: Helped create the modern prototype of what a gangsta rapper looked and sounded like
Commercial Success: One No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with N.W.A; one triple-platinum album with N.W.A; 2 solo projects certified double platinum
Important Songs: “Real Muthaphuckkin G’s” featuring Gangsta Dresta and B.G. Knocc Out; “Boyz-n-the-Hood”; “Eazy-Duz-It”
He didn’t write his own lyrics and he damn sure didn't make the beats he rapped on, but in his time, no one embodied West Coast hip-hop like Eazy-E. With his White Sox hat, jheri curl, and blunt bars, Eazy-E transfigured himself from a local D-Boy to the first ambassador of gangsta rap. His discography plays out like a list of “I’m Him” moments: His first single, “Boyz-n-the-Hood,” became the title of John Singleton’s classic hood movie. While Schoolly D and Ice-T more or less created gangsta rap, “Straight Outta Compton” became its most explosive symbol. Eazy’s involvement with California rap’s most indelible moments—N.W.A became the first rap group to be targeted by the FBI—made him an icon. —-Peter A. Berry
8.B-Real
Why They Belong on This List: Frontman of the commercial giant Cypress Hill, one of the first Latin rappers to find mainstream success in hip-hop
Commercial Success: Over seven million records sold in the U.S.; 12 albums charted on the Billboard 200, including one that hit No. 1; 11 of those albums were with Cypress Hill; 6six songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: "How I Could Just Kill a Man"; "Insane in the Brain"; "Hand on the Pump"
It’s a rite of passage for teenagers in LA to spend at least one 4/20 hotboxing a hand-me-down car while blasting Cypress Hill’s “Hits From the Bong.” Whether you’re smoking a joint, hitting a piece, or lugging the bong around town, this is one thing you must do to be considered a true LA native. And while Cypress Hill and B-Real are widely associated with all things marijuana, pigeonholing the rapper into any strain of weed rap is a disservice to his catalog and vast influence on LA’s rap scene as a whole. Between connecting a throughline between hard rock and hip-hop and putting on for an oft-overlooked Latino rap community, B-Real cemented a legacy in rap—both in LA and nationwide—that exists far beyond the purview of stoner rap. —Will Schube
7.Ice-T
Why They Belong on This List: The first mainstream gangsta rapper, dropped multiple classic albums in the ’80s
Commercial success: Six albums on the Billboard 200, five of which went gold; two songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
Important Songs: “6 ‘N the Morning,” “Colors,” “I’m Your Pusher/Pusherman”
Ice-T’s first five years in the game were untouchable. He took the gangsta rap blueprint sketched out by Schoolly D in Philadelphia and built a fully lived-in persona, partially rooted in his own life. “6 in the Mornin’” offered a vivid lyrical depiction of street life. And then there was the iconic image from Power—Ice-T in a blue suit, a gun hidden behind his back, a beautiful woman at his side holding a shotgun. It remains one of gangsta rap’s most defining visuals.
But beyond the bravado, Ice-T was a natural experimenter. He had the musical vision to blend hip-hop with heavy metal through his band Body Count, where he tackled race, violence, and societal hypocrisy. To this day, “Cop Killer”—a relentless anti-police brutality anthem—stands as one of the most controversial songs ever released.
Ice-T's career is a masterclass in innovation through defiance. His confrontational nature, sharp ear, and commanding presence on the mic are present in every bar. —DeMicia Inman
6.DJ Quik
Why They Belong on This List: Second only to Dr. Dre as the best rapper/producer combo LA has ever seen
Commercial Success: 10 albums have charted on the Billboard 200, with one going platinum; four songs appeared on the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: “Dollaz + Sense”; “Tonite”; “Pitch In Ona Party”
DJ Quik should earn a spot on this list for his production work alone. As a G-funk pioneer and chart-topping hitmaker, Quik was a vital part of turning West Coast rap into the behemoth we now know it to be. But his skills on the mic, while perhaps underrated, are of equal import. From his debut LP, Quik is the Name, to his tremendous mid-era resurgence with 2011’s The Book of David, few in rap have had the longevity that Quik boasts. He’s an eager experimenter, one of the few “old heads” in the genre that is always looking for new ways to switch his style up. Though widely associated with his G-funk early days, his pioneering production and rapping into the 2010s and 2020s has provided a blueprint for a new generation of rappers and producers. —Will Schube
5.Tyler, the Creator
Why They Belong on This List: A true creative savant—elite at rapping, producing and making classic albums
Commercial Success: Three No. 1 albums, with two of those albums being certified double platinum; 46 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including three that peaked in the top 10
Important Songs: "See You Again" featuring Kali Uchis; “Yonkers”; “EARFQUAKE” featuring Playboi Carti.
After stepping into the light as the left-of-center champion of Odd Future—whose anti-everything bars placed him in the crosshairs of pearl-clutching parents across America—Tyler, the Creator has evolved into arguably one of the most accomplished multi-hyphenates the city has ever birthed. You could ignore his array of successful clothing brands, his Loiter Squad comedy skits, and his mammoth Camp Flog Gnaw festival— his albums alone would garner a spot on this list. Take the whole, and it’s easy to justify his “biggest out the city after Kenny” boast on “Rah Tah Tah.”
Regardless of what he’s creating, Tyler’s commitment to exploring an idea to the fullest extent has always set him apart. In 2025, Tyler, the Creator has too many flexes to count on both hands, but his most impressive one may be the “Sorry Not Sorry” video, in which he resurrects all of his musical alter-egos for an eight-faced reflection on his successes and missteps.
We’ve seen artists get famous off their early roughs, while we’ve seen others who don’t blossom until their nth attempt at stardom. Rarely have we seen someone do both to the magnitude that Tyler has. He’s been flipping popular culture on its head from the beginning, and maintained a continued upward rise for the next decade-plus, to the point where he had DJ Khaled ripping out non-existent hairs, unable to comprehend how this “mysterious music” could unseat him from his pre-ordained spot atop the Billboard 200. ——Kenan Draughorne
4.Dr. Dre
Why They Belong on This List: Was the driving force behind three all-time, pantheon-level rap albums
Commercial success: Over 44 million album-equivalent records consumed; three albums debuted in the top 3 of the Billboard 200, with one certified six times platinum; appeared on two singles that topped the Billboard Hot 100
Important Songs: “Deep Cover” featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg; “Nuthin' but a "G" Thang” featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg; “Forgot about Dre” featuring Eminem
Who you think taught you to smoke trees?/Who you think brought you the oldies?
Eazy-E's, Ice Cube's, and D.O.C.'s /The Snoop D-O-double-Gs / And the group that said, ’Motherfuck the police’"
As a general law of the universe, rappers never think they get enough credit, and when they rattle off their list of accomplishments, it can verge on cartoonish levels of cappery. But, when Dr. Dre spits lyrics like the ones above, any educated rap fan would have no choice but to say Dre's place at the most extreme end of the "Him" spectrum.
Dr. Dre didn't create gangsta rap, and he definitely didn't invent West Coast hip-hop. But it's impossible to imagine either without the Good Doctor. After helping establish N.W.A as both an MC and producer in the late ’80s, Dr. Dre reimagined himself as a solo rap superstar with The Chronic, an LP that used ’70s and ’80s R&B and soul to funkify hip-hop; while other artists and producers went crate digging for jazz samples, Dre looked to Parliament-Funkadelic. You know those squealing synths mainstream rappers used throughout the ’90s? That pretty much began here. The result was classic low-riding soundtracks like "Let Me Ride" and "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang."
With an unmatched instinct for melody, a well-honed ease of delivery, and a little help from Snoop Dogg and The D.O.C., Dre defined an era both behind the boards and on the mic. Some of the verses he’s performed are among the most recognizable in hip-hop history. With 1999's 2001, he quelled any notion of a fall-off. As a bonus, he also helped introduce the world to Eminem, with Slim Shady declaring the futility of trying to ignore the Godfather of G-Funk. Because even if you try, it's impossible to forget about Dre.—Peter A. Berry
3.Ice Cube
Why They Belong on This List: A game-changing rapper with elite storytelling skills and presence, released three straight classic albums during his prime
Commercial Success: Sold close to 10 million album-equivalent units worldwide; contributed to 11 platinum-selling albums, one with N.W.A. and another with Westside Connection; landed 12 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, with one certified platinum
Important Songs: “Straight Outta Compton” as part of N.W.A.; “It Was a Good Day”; “No Vaseline”
It’s hard to rank Ice Cube among Los Angeles rappers when he is the Los Angeles rapper. He brought Compton to Hollywood and Hollywood to Compton. Every subsequent hip-hop prodigy south of the 10 is spiritually indebted to Cube’s late-’80s ascent. We can trace Kendrick and Nipsey as radicals all the way back to ”Fuck Tha Police.” Game’s pugnaciousness does not come into view without the influence “No Vaseline,” and there’s no Dom Kennedy without “You Know How We Do It” beforehand.
N.W.A will forever be remembered as an incendiary and gravity-changing act, and Ice Cube had the group’s sharpest pen by any measure. He was still a teenager when he wrote the bars on Straight Outta Compton. He offered an unvarnished truth with narrative quality, outlining the rage and pride of his neighborhood at the husk of Reaganism. He spoke for people who looked like him, and galvanized (or terrorized) the folks that didn’t. Cube was a solo star by 21 years old—and with the gaze of the empire upon him, gleefully declared himself as AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted. “Wicked” bottled communal rage around Rodney King and Latasha Harlins until the glass shattered. Just one year later, he became something of the Black Ferris Bueller with “It Was a Good Day.” And his big-screen turn created specific, localized imagery for the gangsta rap movement—the man starred in Boyz n the Hood and co-wrote scripts for the Friday series.
By the end of the 1990s, Cube was collaborating with David Bowie and George Clooney while frontlining Westside Connection. He still made frame-rattling hits into the new millennium, and emceed the Dodgers’ starry World Series run in 2024. He’ll define LA until there’s no LA left. —Steven Louis
2.Snoop Dogg
Why They Belong on This List: The most famous rapper of all time and one of hip-hop’s first true blockbuster superstars
Commercial Success: Over 14 million album-equivalent units sold in the United States; held the record for the biggest first-week sales for a debuting artist for nearly a decade; 45 songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100, with three reaching No. 1; 30 albums charted on the Billboard 200, with three peaking at No. 1.
Important Songs: "Who Am I? (What's My Name?)"; “Gin and Juice”; “Drop it Like It’s Hot” featuring Pharrell Williams
Has any rapper ever sounded cooler than Snoop Dogg? Every rapper has their superpower. For some, it’s wordplay or storytelling. For Snoop, it’s his effortlessly distinctive delivery. From his debut on Dr. Dre’s “Deep Cover” in 1992, the Long Beach MC set a new bar for voice, verbiage, and vernacular.
Doggystyle wasn’t just a stellar debut—it broke records. It wasn’t just the most successful rap debut ever, it was the biggest debut in music history at the time. The album built on the sonic blueprint of The Chronic, elevating it into the quintessential G-funk statement. Listening to it feels like experiencing a cinematic portrait of LA, narrated in Snoop’s silky flow.
Over the last 30 years, Tha Doggfather has cemented his status as a cultural kingpin, constantly evolving and redefining himself. He’s navigated decades of trends by staying true to what resonates with him. Whether exploring reggae, funk, gospel, or even children’s music, his greatest strength is his fearlessness and ability to reveal new sides of himself.
Snoop’s impact goes far beyond rap. He’s a staple in film, fashion, and pop culture—a global ambassador for the West Coast. There’s only one D-O-double-G, and there’ll never be another. —Mr. Wavvy
1.Kendrick Lamar
Why They Belong on This List: The most critically acclaimed rapper of his generation, the victor in the biggest rap beef of all time, and a commercial force in contemporary rap
Commercial success: 90 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including six No. 1 hits; one single has held the top spot for 13 consecutive weeks (and counting). Seven albums have charted on the Billboard 200, with four consecutive No. 1 debuts
Important Songs: “Not Like Use”; “Alright”; “HUMBLE”
In retrospect, it’s wild how early we all knew. And how much we still missed.In 2011, just a month after Section.80 dropped, Kendrick Lamar was performing at the Music Box Theatre in Los Angeles when he was anointed. Snoop Dogg, The Game, Tha Dogg Pound, and Warren G all joined him on stage to pass the metaphorical torch. “You better run with it, because it’s yours,” Snoop told him. Dot proceed to burst into tears.
Even then, it didn’t feel hyperbolic or unearned. Kendrick had been grinding for years on the mixtape and DVD circuit. (Game was actually the first big-name rapper to consistently put him on songs.) By that point, he’d gone from local upstart to blog darling to rising star—reportedly working with Dr. Dre on Detox and releasing one of the standout projects of that summer.
And even if stardom felt inevitable—or at worst, a solid blue-collar rap career—no one could have predicted the heights he’d reach. Not only did Kendrick take the torch, he’s surpassed everyone who came from the city.
A griot from Compton, shaped by the Kurupts, Snoops, and Suga Frees of the world, he rooted himself in that lineage while finding a way to build a path forward, refining some of the rough edges around those styles and subgenres—making them palatable to the mainstream without losing their essence.
I repeat, who could predicted all of this: three straight classic albums, an era-defining protest anthem, multiple No. 1 hits, a Grammy for Song of the Year, a Super Bowl halftime show, a fucking Pulitzer Prize. And that’s before we even get to what might be seen as his career-defining feat: dismantling his greatest rival, who also happens to be the most popular rapper of all time, in almost unprecedented fashion.
Sure, you could argue other LA rappers had higher commercial highs—like Snoop. Or that others reached better creative peaks—like Dre. I’d even say a prime Aceyalone is a sharper technician, and Cube was the better storyteller. But no one checks every box the way Kendrick does, at the level he does it. At 37, he’s the best rapper LA has ever produced.The next benchmark is GOAT talk. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
