A decade of bars, beats, and billions of views. Who dominated YouTube's rap scene from 2015 to 2025? The numbers tell the story.
The Landscape
Billions of views, millions of subscribers, and a handful of artists who tower above the rest.
Streaming Dominance
Total YouTube Music streams in 2025. Eminem leads with 4.49 billion, followed closely by Kendrick Lamar riding the "Not Like Us" wave.
Record Breaker
The first rapper with 6+ videos exceeding one billion views on YouTube. His catalog dominance across two decades is unmatched in hip-hop.
A Decade of Anthems
The highest-streamed rap track from each year tells the story of hip-hop's evolution — from emotional soundtracks to drill-fueled diss tracks.
Global Rankings
Ranked by Spotify monthly listeners — a proxy for overall streaming dominance across all platforms including YouTube.
The Rise
Estimated total annual YouTube views for the top 10 rappers combined, showing the genre's explosive growth on the platform.
Artist DNA
A multidimensional view of the top 5 rappers across YouTube views, subscribers, Spotify streams, cultural impact, and longevity.
Closing Notes
With 57B+ total YouTube views and the most billion-view videos of any rapper, Slim Shady's catalog transcends generations.
The 2024 Drake vs. Kendrick rivalry generated historic streaming numbers. "Not Like Us" became the most dominant rap diss track on YouTube.
Artists like Central Cee (UK) and The Kid LAROI (Australia) prove YouTube rap is no longer just an American story.