Our best posts
- NAS INTERVIEW: why Nas wants to explain his own lyrics on Rap Genius
- Bricks to Billboard, Grams to Grammys: Rap Genius' Top 25 Jay-Z Verses
- What Does Trust Mean in the Rap Game?
- A$AP ROCKY INTERVIEW: Maboo v. Nardwuar
- Bragging in Hip Hop
- Professor Rapper: 7 Uncommon Black History Facts as Told by Kendrick Lamar
- Rap Genius goes Inside the Lines with Mac Miller
- Interview With B Horowitz: RG Verified Blogger
- Operation Free Earl
- Rap vs. Ronald Reagan
- Are the fans getting more ignorant?
- Rap Genius Interviews B.o.B.
- Rap Genius Nas interview PREVIEW
- An Open Letter from Donald Glover
- Rap Genius of the Month: Big Ghostfase
- What to Expect from Rap Albums in 2012: The RapGenius Guide to Listening Safely in a Hype-Cycled Universe
- Why There Will Never be a 'GOAT' in Hip-Hop: An Extensive Analysis
- The Top 10 Mixtapes of 2011
- SUBJECT: Jones, Russel Tyrone
- Top 100 Rap Songs of 2011
- The Direction of Hip-Hop
- Machine Gun Kelly Inside the Lines
- Five Tips For Unsigned Rappers
- The Recent History Of Mixtape Trolling
- My Philosophy on Socrates References in Rap
- FATHER & SON: Nas & Kembe X (Rap Genius verified rappers)
- Is Pete Rock's Disappointment Justified?
- Is The Rap Game Pretentious?
- WTF is a Basquiat?
- "Six Minutes, Slim Shady, You're On"
- "Triple Beam Dreams": A Reinvigoration of Tradition
- Rap Genius Political Appointees 2012
- Retrospect for Lu: One Year Later...
- You Can't Rap, But You Can Make A Song
- Inside the Rappers Studio: A Witty Nicki Minaj?
- Rap Geniuses of the Month: Kembe X / Alex Wiley
- Freak Wit It - The Five Greatest Censored Versions of Hip Hop Songs
- Black Star: Let's ALL Get Down!
- Top 10 Lines From Drake's "Take Care"
- All in the Name of P***Y: 7 Women Who Made Fresh Beef Into Poison Meat
- Fuck You; Pay Me (By Not Buying My Music)
- The Many Nicknames of Lil Wayne
- Can’t Wait To Be King: If J. Cole Really Were Simba
- Don’t Become a Rapper If: A Checklist
- Kill Whitey: Top 10 Corporate Greed Rap Lyrics
- Lupe Fiasco: The Proust of Rap
- Is it right to hate fame?
- Rappers: they're just like us!
- Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor: All the Lyrics Explained
- Introducing the Rap Map™ - your guide through the gangsta terrain of the planet
- 10 Last-Minute Christmas Gift Ideas For The Hip Hop/Music Lover
- Which Throne are You Watching?
- Hella Based: The Many Faces of Lil B
- Bad Meets Evil Hell: The Sequel Lyrics
- Big Sean's "Finally Famous"
- The Five Nastiest, Most Explicit Sex Scenes in Rap History
- My Kingdom For A Platinum Football Field
- Eminem's Infinite Explained
- Marvin's...Rooms
- THE HISTORY OF HIP HOP (as told by Rap Genius)
- Eatbox: rappers eat pussy sometimes, too
- Tyler the Creator - Goblin
- Wale: The Antithesis of J. Cole
- Track-by-Track Guide to Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
- Tyler gets pizzunked
- Common: "A Letter To The Law" Video Breakdown
- ALL of Tyler, The Creator's "Bastard" Explicado
- That Shit Cray: Top Ten Meme Lines of the Year Thus Far
- Wax: From YouTube To Def Jam
- Al Qaeda / Taliban rap paper plate awards: a discussion of Jihadi references in rap lyrics
- Notes on "Ready To Die"
- "Don't Ask Me How": The Elusive TRIPLE Entendre in Hip-Hop
- Rappers and the Alphabet: A Romance on the D.L.
- Lil Wayne Carter 4 Cover
- The Many Nicknames of Tyler, the Creator
- Tyler, The Creator vs. Woody Allen
- Curren$y "Covert Coup": All The Lyrics Explained
- "These n*ggas be mad -- that's why they stay hating" : Thoughts on V-Nasty
- Rage Against the Machine: Rap, Rock and Revolution
- Curren$y's Weekend At Burnie's Syncs With The Film
- ENTER THE WU: 36 Chambers
- Big Sean is Finally Famous...boiiiii
- Rap Genius LLP: A NEW Legal Service for the Rap Community
- One Love. Elzhi's "Elmatic"
- Rap Genius Watch The Throne Cover
- Raponomics: Top Ten Foreign Currency References Of All Time
- Interview With Jay-Z's Financial Biographer: Rap Genius Editor SnoopZoggyZogg
- Top 25 Rap Albums of 2011
- An Intro to Break Beats
- Excerpt: They call me Jay Electronica
- Belief in Based God
- International Underground: Hip Hop as Global Rebel Music
- Rap Genius in the OED
- 2011's Best Twitter Moments
- Frank Ocean Nostalgia Ultra - all the lyrics explained
- We Found Earl!
- Pass Through, Ghost-like: A Multi Before I Die Mixtape
- An Open Letter Regarding OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All)
- Gil Scott Heron - Father of Rap
- "Tastes like Swag": Cooking with Lil B (Part1: Wonton Soup)
- Hip-Hop's TECHNOlogic Revolution
- M-m-m-maybach Music
- Jay-Z: "Rap Is Poetry"
- Wiz Khalifa: probably fucked your bitch
- Subliminal Satanic Messages in Jay-Z
- A Modest Proposal: Why those white-bread, hella suburban rappers matter
- Donald Glover Interview: "What the fuck is a Childish Gambino?"
- XV Reasons Why XV's The Next Big Thing
- Nas interview PREVIEW
- Rhyming Words with Themselves, sort of: Top Ten Homophone Rhymes of All Time
- Crooked I Decodes Crooked I
- Kendrick Lamar - #Section.80
- Most commonly misheard rap lines
- Tyler the Creator: Tron Cat
- Dominic Strauss Khan & Ghostface
- Bad Meets Sequel?
- Nas, Illmatic: All the lyrics to every song explained
- Lupe Fiasco's LASERS
- Lil Kanye Recites a Poem to Martin Luther King
- Interview: Vince Staples
- RAP GENIUS EXCLUSIVE: Despot reveals a supergroup and gives his fans a SPECIAL MESSAGE!
- Cadence & Flow -- A Study in MMG
- On "Blue Slide Park": A Review of Moderate Proportions
- The Classic Yo! MTV Raps Returns, One Night Only!
- Adrien Brody Reciting 10 Crack Commandments
- Pusha's "Fear of God" Mixtape: Don't Be Scurred
- Jay-Z on Biting Biggie's Rhymes
- Fabolous SOUL Tape
- Dre - Is Detox coming?
- Fabolous "I'm Raw": A Close Reading
- Lupe Fiasco's "Words I Never Said" Music Video
- Psychiatrist Advises Degenerate Geniuses to "Check Your Head"
- DIY: Turning the RG shirt into an RG Lady-Tee
- Lil Wayne Explains Lil Wayne
- Osama Got Popped..
- Virginia's Finest: Intalek Interview
- Hell: The Sequel
- Rap Genius on German MTV!
- Rappers: Suckered by Obama's Charm, Just Like the Rest of Us...
- Curren$y Interview With DDS
- "Well I guess, this is my dissertation"- Graduation: Decoded
- I Love Hip-hop, But...Part I
- Interview with producer and OFWGKTA affiliate BrandenBeatBoy
- V-Nasty Saying The "N-Word"
- "Empire State of Mind" video breakdown
- Cole Summer Saga Continues..
- Jay-Z vs. RapGenius.com: Who's Better at Decoding Jay-Z's Lyrics?
- Nicki Minaj Pink Friday: ALL the lyrics to EVERY song decoded
- Rap Genius of the Month: Don Trip
- Drake, Thank Me Later: ALL the lyrics to EVERY song explained
- Congressman Tweets Dickpic: Inspired by Kanye? Or Mannie Fresh? Who knows?
- Paid tha Caust to be tha Boss: Rappers discussing the Nazis
- "Well I Guess, This Is My Dissertation" - Notes on Graduation
- ALL the lyrics to Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" Explained
- RIP Biggie Smalls (the Rap Genius)
- RIP Macho Mane - Wrestler, Rapper, Baller
- RAP GENIUS EXCLUSIVE: Nicki Minaj's Titty
- Hip Hop & Islam: The Sacred Nexus
- "Don't Wanna Go Home" lyrics – Jason DeRulo
- Woman's work: transporting drugs for rappers
- Thank You Bouillabased God
- "Yonkers" Video Breakdown
- Lil B "Charlie Sheen" music video breakdown
- Eminem, Recovery: ALL the lyrics to EVERY song explained!
- All of the Lights: Seizure-tastic
- Hip-hop Superbowl: Black and Yellow vs Green and Yellow
- INSIDE GAME: The Making of Martians vs Goblins
- Rap Genius of the Month: Touré
- Kreayshawn's Ballinest Fan? Drake
- A$AP FERGENSTEIN: on the origins of "A$AP"
- "Watch The Throne" Preview
- Ambition 2: BEHIND THE SCENES
- J Cole on How Jay-Z REALLY Feels About "Cole World: A Sideline Story"
- Introducing RapMetrics™: The Birth of Statistical Analysis of Rap Lyrics
- Game's track-by-track breakdown of the Red Album
- "Get it?" Why do rappers explain their own lines in the Age of Rap Genius?
- Either Kanye and Ghostface both sleep head to toe with their respective cousins, or Kanye is biting
- The Top Ten Verses of 2011
- Jay-Z 101 at Georgetown University
- Young Dr. Dre on TV!
- Drake care...
- Lil B's "I'm Gay"
- #Ambition (cover)
- Freddie Gibbs: Cold Day In Hell Cover
- BEEF: Fox News vs. Jon Stewart (& Common)
- The 5 degrees of decadence in "Fashion Rap"
- "Can't Knock The Hustle": How Jay-Z Came Up on Ace of Spades
- Young Jeezy's TM103: Hustlerz Ambition Review
- Was Slug the O.G. Drake?
- Lil Wayne and Birdman's Notorious K.I.S.S.
- "I Got More at Stake Than Philly": Reasonable Doubt decoded
- Siri vs Biggie
- Imagine....
- Woman sleeps with Nas, Jay-Z, and Allen Iverson; reveals penis secrets
- Bad Meets Evil on Fuse TV at Bonnaroo
- Eminem vs. Weezy: Who's the King of these rude, ludicrous, lucrative lyrics?
- Jay-Z, Eminem, and "Renegade": Who Killed Whom?
- Lupe Fiasco's Long-Awaited Lasers...Cover Art
- Thurnis Haley: Really Into Golf
- Tyler Arrested In L.A.
- IT'S OFFICIAL: Cyhi is an Otis Fan
- Tyler the Creator & Odd Future on Tim Westwood
- Goblin L.A. Concert
- Lil Wayne Carter IV Release Date
- Odd Future Is The New Beatles
- Hipster Girl Raps "Look At Me Now"
- Lil B album to be called "I'm Gay"
- 420 NEWS: Kid Cudi quits quitting weed
- "Dreams Money Can Buy" by Drake
- "Return Of Simba" by J. Cole
- FREESTYLE BATTLE: Lupe Fiasco vs. Bill O'Reilly
- Annals of the Rap Orientalist: Talk of Money in Rap
- "Acura Integurl" by Frank Ocean
- "She Wanna Have My Baby" by The Game
- Kendrick Lamar "Hiii Power" Music Video Breakdown
- "Marvins Room" by Drake
- Mac Miller "Blue Slide Park" Tracklist
- Carter IV Preview: Lil Wayne rolling with a cougar
- Tat My Name On You So I Know It's Real
- "Everywhere I Go" by 2Pac
- "Tree" - Kid Cudi & Wiz Khalifa
- "Loud Noises" by Bad Meets Evil
- 2Pac on Intellectual Property
- ALL of the "All of the Lights"
- "Words I Never Said": Lupe Fiasco's Anthem for the Egyptian Revolution?
- "Ronald Reagan Era" by Kendrick Lamar
- Q: what will be this year's MOST MEME Halloween costume?
- Detox - July 26 Release Date?
- Lil Wayne: "Dear Anne" Lyrics Explicado..
- "Her Room" by Teyana Taylor
- Wiz & Amber sitting in a tree.. T - A - T - T - O - O - I -N -G
- Interview - Indie Artist "b.a.sick"
- RUH ROH: Tyler the Creator Arrested (Again)
- Obama sings "Let's Stay Together"
- Hip Hop's Hero's Hubris?: RG Introduces Asaad
- Lupe Fiasco (and Big Sean) - "Wait for Me"
- "Snapbacks Back" by Tyga
- Drake Interview
- Poll: What are the best "fuck songs" / "love songs" in rap music?
- Lyrics to Tyga's Well Done 2 Mixtape
- Norwegian Mass Murderer Hates Hip-hop
- The Bullitts X Jay Electronica MOOVIE
- "I'm On One" lyrics – Tyga
- "Oh My Remix" lyrics – DJ Drama
- Odd Future in Germany
- MeLo-X = Sade + The Weeknd
- J Cole Breaks Down His Album Title
- Lulu's son shine: What is Jay-Z talking about in "A Star is Born"?
- Soulja Boy: The Movie (Trailer)
- "Trouble on My Mind" lyrics – Pusha T
- "I'm On One Freestyle" lyrics – Chamillionaire
- What's Wrong With John Galliano?
- Tyler The Creator Bonds With Tim Westwood
- "Uncle Otis" lyrics – The Game
- Consequence's "Pusha T Diss"
- Rap Genius University: Rhyme Types
- Frank Ocean on "Watch The Throne".. Good Move? Bad Move?
- Nardwuar Interviews Casey Veggies
- MJ Faded Way: Perfect
- RIP Big Pun
- Big Sean Arrested
- Wiz Khalifa x Curren$y x Big Sean = STONER MIXTAPE OF THE CENTURY
- Cam'ron Threatens iTunes
- Lil Wayne on Roman's Revenge 2.0: Only One Verse?
- Black Hippy Interview
- Watch The Throne (Snippets)
- Birdman Forbes Interview
- Wale Attention Deficit: DECODED
- Watch The Based
- The Game R.E.D. Album Preview
- Roots, How I Got Over: ALL the lyrics to EVERY song explained!
- In the Zone: Jay-Z and Kanye West Live at Bank Atlantic Center
- EARL IS FREE!
- Rap Genius Interview: Adam Bradley, editor of the Yale Anthology of Rap
- Rap Genius Editor Teaches Kreayshawn Makeup Techniques
- Big K.R.I.T. booed at Highline Ballroom
- N***AWATCH 2011: V-Nasty Calls A Black Man "N***a" In A Fight
- Prodigy's Book: The Anti-Decoded
- Dreamboats
- TV Night at Cam's
Which Artists Do You Have The Highest Hopes For in 2012?
‘Sup, rap aficionados? Well, it’s that time of year (the beginning, of course) to hype up the rappers who are going to have the biggest 2012. This list was compiled according to who really started to make a name for themselves last year. With a constant grind as well as immense talent, everyone on this list deserves a dope year.
No, I didn’t put Weezy, ‘Ye, or Jay, because they’ve been doing the right things for too long to even be considered for this group. I did, however, include a group of fresh, young artists who are going to (hopefully) surprise everyone this year. So, pick your choices carefully—who deserves your votes? Click here to vote!
Note: Mike Stud’s option was tampered with. He had about 300 legitimate votes until we had to reset