Here Are 9 Rising Rap Crews You Need on Your Radar
Hip-hop is about community, and that has been reflected since the genre's infancy. It all started at the park jams, with DJ crews aiming to have the both the best parties and the best MCs. That idea has grown and evolved, with crews of rappers who share the same ideologies, mindsets or neighborhoods (or all three), linking up to create, build something bigger than themselves and cement their legacies.
The team behind an artist is beneficial, as long as the right players are selected. We've seen it in the past, with the Wu-Tang Clan, Dungeon Family, Ruff Ryders, the Roc-A-Fella crew, and in more recent times, with Top Dawg Entertainment, G.O.O.D. Music, Young Money and among others. Most rap fans know the youth move the needle, so there are a slew of new rap crews making noise on their own.
Here, XXL sets out to highlight some of the rising, newer squads of rap artists and producers, most of which are led by a bigger name. All it takes is one breakthrough artist and your whole team can shine—someone has to kick down the door. Some crews may have a more relevant artist, but the rest of the crew is still on their way, rising to more fame. 2019 included multiple moments where it felt like a crew had truly arrived. Whether it be YSL top dog Young Thug getting his first No. 1 album with So Much Fun and YSL members like Gunna bossing up with Drip or Drown 2 or Travis Scott's JackBoys compilation also receiving a No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart, and Don Toliver putting in an assist on Emimen's new album, it's clear that momentum matters.
Expect to see some of your favorites, like Paper Route Empire, Griselda Records, YBN and a few more crews going up as hip-hop thrives. Check out the gallery of 9 Rap Crews You Should Know below.
Here Are 9 Rap Crews You Should Know