Washington DC Rappers

List of top 20 DMV Rappers

Rappers from Washington DC may not have the popularity as artists in other cities, but the DMV still boasts a talented lineup of hip-hop artists, especially beginning during the 2010s.

While rap may be the more mainstream genre, some locals may have a preference for Go-Go music, which is a lively and distinctive sound that emerged in the 60s and 70s. It combines elements of various music genres, but is primarily characterized by funk music and Afro/Caribbean drums played by bands.

Even the streets have been embracing Go-Go music throughout the years, Whether it is rap artists mixing the Go-Go sound and rhythm or it is Go-Go bands singing and harmonizing as a representation for D.C.’s street culture. Now alongside Go-Go music, Washington DC rappers, and artists from surrounding Maryland and Virginia communities, have appeared as the faces of DMV music.

Today’s Top DMV Rappers

Being a large metropolitan area that consists of numerous communities from Northwest Washington DC to Southeast Washington DC, and from Maryland’s PG County to the neighborhoods of Northern Virginia, there has been no shortage of talent in the DMV.

The region has already produced top artists like one of the biggest names in hip-hop during the 2010s in Wale. One of hip-hop’s top rising female artists in the eccentric and individualistic Rico Nasty. The soulful rhymes of Goldlink. Top street rappers and artist that brought the reality of the urban environment into hip-hop like Shy Glizzy, Q Da Fool, and Fat Trel, while also carrying the rap scene of the DMV during when rap was not nearly as trendy and popular.

Alongside the legends, the veterans, and the OGs, has a rise dozens of up and coming Washington DC and DMV rappers representing for the region. This includes the likes of Yung Manny, Xanman, MoneyMarr, Shabazz PBG, and sadly the late Goonew was potentially becoming the next superstar of the rap game. From the seasoned artists to the host of newcomers who began to emerge during the late 2010s, rappers from Washington DC and the DMV have proved that there is much potential within this untapped rap market.

Washington D.C., also known as Chocolate City, boasts a distinctive culture that includes a thriving hip hop and rap music scene. Despite the rapid gentrification that is transforming the city’s urban landscape, the region’s unique culture and lifestyle still embedded in the heart of the local music scene. A comprehensive list of the Top 20 rappers from Washington DC, along with several honorable mentions of DMV rappers, provides a better understanding of the DMV rap movement that is emerging from D.C. and the surrounding communities of PG County, Maryland, and northern Virginia.