True rap fans are always looking out for suspicious ?industry plants? who don?t seem to have an organic following. Keeping it real is more important than ever!
Is it true that certain rappers cut shady deals to rapidly rise to fame? Nobody really knows.
But there are some artists in the scene who definitely had to fight harder than others to get the recognition they deserve.
Let?s take a look at 5 rappers that had to prove themselves early on and put in serious WORK to achieve success.
Kendrick Lamar
The rags-to-riches story is all too common in the world of hip hop, and nobody illustrates it better than a kid from Compton named Kendrick.
Although he was surrounded by gang activity in his rough LA neighborhood, Kendrick was more attracted to the arts and getting good grades.
Recording track after track, Kendrick proved his haters wrong by spreading a message of positivity and love. His technical, conscious bars caught the attention of Top Dawg Entertainment and Lil Wayne.
Now Kendrick is on top of the world, with multiple top-selling albums, Grammys, and the adoration of fans everywhere.
Nicki Minaj
Not only did Nicki Minaj overcome the challenges of a male-dominated rap game, but she ascended to star status in the face of other major life obstacles. Some may ask how tall is Nicki Minaj? At only 5 foot 2, she?s got enough attitude to make up for her frame.
You may have seen the famous video of young Nicki rapping like a beast on a front porch in Queens, New York. She had the raw talent and drive from an early age, that?s for sure!
While she worked odd jobs to pay the bills, Nicki had her sights set on fame. She clearly wasn?t cut out for a normal life, and was fired from more than 15 jobs in her teenage years!
After a few mixtapes and fiery performances, Nicki was discovered by Lil Wayne and signed a major label deal in 2009. Since then, it?s been nothing but platinum records and fame.
El-P
For some artists, music has been an obsession since day one. For a young Jaime Meline, school was a miserable prison and he was destined to become super-producer El-P.
El was booted from a number of New York City schools and was making beats on the side as a teenager. By age 17 he founded Company Flow with some buddies and his career was underway.
He?s been on a tear ever since, creating Definitive Jux records, producing tracks for rap superstars and creating Run the Jewels with Killer Mike, a smashing success.
Tyler, the Creator
It only takes a couple of songs to realize that Tyler is a one-of-a-kind mind, and all of his crazy musical visions are 100% his own.
From his early days with the Odd Future crew to the shape-shifting personas of his recent records, it seems like Tyler has been proving people wrong his whole career!
Not many record execs would say that Tyler is the ideal artist for their label, which is why he had so much independent success. Now with a Grammy, Tyler is on top of the world.
Megan Thee Stallion
Even though women have made some major strides in the rap game, it?s still an uphill climb for female MC?s, especially when fighting for the upper echelons of stardom.
Houston?s Megan Thee Stallion was winning rap battles in her teenage years and never stopped recording in the studio. That dedication landed her a huge record deal and a place in the spotlight.
Now she?s basically a household name, and she?s still only 25!
Stay tuned to RapTV on social media to learn more about the origin stories of your favorite stars in the hip hop game!
As the editor of the blog, She curate insightful content that sparks curiosity and fosters learning. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, she strive to bring diverse perspectives and engaging narratives to readers, ensuring every piece informs, inspires, and enriches.
