The Best 30 Rappers That Are Younger Than 30 (2021)

First of all I apologize for the recent inconsistencies, I have been strapped for time but I am going to try my best to stick to daily posts. The best thirty rappers between one and twenty nine years old, no R&B singer, just rappers. This list was hard to come up with as there is so much great young talent in the rap game. This list is not ordered strictly by talent but also consistency, how long they've been making music and how relevant they are currently. Let me know in the comments or on the forum whose missing, whose too high and whose too low.

Before we get into the Top 30, a couple of honorable mentions. Rising UK Drill star Headie One just narrowly misses out on the list. As well as Lil Tjay and Tory Lanez who I expected to be shoe-ins didn't quite make it, although I personally love both of their music. Megan Thee Stallion is also just barely out despite her huge following, the quality of her music is below that of the other entries on the last. Finally opposite of Megan is Young Nudy whose lack of a hit making ability is why he barely misses this year.

30. Chief Keef (26)

It's hard for me to put Keef this low considering his trap classics and monumental influence but he is yet to replicate his early success. Although I believe Keef purposely took a step away from the mainstream as he drops songs and albums without any promotion at all, his lack of a mainstream presence in modern Hip-Hop keeps him near the bottom.

29. CHIKA (24)

CHIKA is one of the strongest and most prominent female rappers in the game. She has great wordplay and lyricism, not to mention her high speed but smooth flow and deserves more notoriety than she receives. I'm positive she will climb this list once she drops a full length LP, opposed to her seven track albums which are great, but just leave me wanting more.

28. redveil (17)

The youngest rapper on this list is one who draws a lot of inspiration from Earl Sweatshirt except with music that is more accessible. His instrumentals are very lively and coherent and work well with his great lyrical prowess. The seventeen year old may top this list at one point due to his pure skill but his lack of music and audience will keep him grounded for now.

27. Don Toliver (27)

One of the most unique voices in Hip-Hop, Don Toliver makes some great music and dropped one of the best trap albums this year. His singing is immediately recognizable and he is an extremely entertaining artist. Don is another artist that I think will scale towards the top of this list but with so much talent here it's hard for me to argue he should be any higher.

26. Kota the Friend (28)

Although Kota often gets dragged for being bland or forgettable I think that's no reason to overlook his obvious talent. He has a consistently good discography with his most recent album, To Kill A Sunrise which is produced by Statik Selektah being his best yet. He has good lyricism and is able to convey emotion well, and he upgrades to a hungrier delivery on this new album opposed to his more monotone and calm one.

25. Roddy Ricch (22)

The star hailing from Compton began to take off in 2018 with songs like Die Young and Every Season, with The Box elevating his career to new heights ever since in early 2020. His album Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial is great but we haven't heard much from him since 2019 though. What we have heard has been great but with only one great album under his belt and an underwhelming presence in 2021 I wouldn't put him too high just yet.

24. Little Simz (27)

The wordsmith from the UK got a lot of attention from her critically acclaimed album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert this year. She is truly a jack of all trades from her diverse and lively production, slick flows, clever rhymes and impactful subject matter. Simz is another artist who finds herself lower due to a lack of hits, although I won't be surprised when she gets there.

23. Lil Durk (28)

Everyone talks about Tyga's huge comeback, but Lil Durk put that to shame in the last year or two, and rightfully so. Durk can sing and rap pretty well and is a top tier feature artist. Every song he ends up on seems to soar to the top and he has elevated so many rappers careers this year from Pooh Shiesty to Coi Leray to Nardo Wick. Durk's solo discography is pretty weak but his good songs are great. Durk is an amazing singles artist but a pretty bad album artist in terms of quality.

22. Slowthai (26)

Another UK rapper who dropped a great album this year is Slowthai. He is an artist that will always bring energy to a track from his bangers to his heart wrenching gems like push. Thai is super versatile and brings his own flair to every song he's on. He is unique and really in a lane of his own.

21. Jack Harlow (23)

Jack is one of the biggest and most recognizable faces in all of music right now, and it's well deserved too. He is such an exuberant and quirky personality that seems like such a fun person and goes viral for everything he does. On top of that Jack is another extremely versatile artist who can rap, sing and do everything in between. He has great lyrical introspective tracks and club bangers on the same album. Jack has put out a lot of great music but I'm always left waiting for his next move.

20. G Herbo (26)

Chiraq drill star G Herbo has constantly evolved throughout his career. Not only has he been very influential, he can be very introspective in his work. His harsh delivery and killer flow are like no other. G Herbo is making some of the best and innovative trap music in the game right now.

19. Polo G (22)

Although Hall Of Fame was a big let down in terms of Polo's level of quality, it was still a success. He had his first Billboard number one hit with RAPSTAR as well as selling 143k in its first week with Hall Of Fame. Despite being his worst album it has propelled him to new heights. Not to mention his back catalog that is rooted in more passionate and coherent music that is just great.

18. JOBA (28)

With the release of BROCKHAMPTON's ROADRUNNER earlier this year JOBA took a real spotlight. In an album rooted in themes of loss and grief and the recent passing of his father JOBA really took a spotlight in delivering passionate, lyrically dense verses for the group. While always being an extremely solid rapper this year he was really given the opportunity to shine.

17. Baby Keem (20)

Keem is another extremely young talent in the game who has recently found himself back in the eye of the mainstream, since his song Orange Soda went viral. He has put out two great albums and is innovating trap music with every release. He is an artist like no other from his zany personality on the track to his out of this world production. Keem is just starting to heat up and I think his future is very bright.

16. Cordae (24)

One of the most technically skilled rappers on the list without a doubt. Despite his sheer skill and above average lyricism the fact that Cordae only has one album's worth of music released makes it hard to really judge him. He has shown flashes of brilliance but is yet to deliver on it, however he certainly has the skills to do so. Everything about Cordae screams star in the making.

15. Kenny Mason (26)

Kenny is still pretty underground but has the ability to blend genres like no other. His flow is uncontainable and his lyricism dark but the production and soundscapes he's able to create are what brings it all together. He has released two great albums that blend elements of metal, trap and even pop music into his songs. I think Kenny might have some of the highest potential on this list and has had a noteworthy career so far despite just starting.

14. Amine (27)

Since bursting onto the scene years ago with Caroline, Amine has really evolved and diversified his sound. He has great vibrant anthems and heavy lyrical tracks that will cause you to stop and think for a minute. He is also an extremely creative artist in the way he's able to create each song to sound unique, but when you listen to his albums they are very coherent and consistent. Amine is one of those rare artists who will reinvent himself with every release.

13. IDK (29)

Another artist who is always getting better is IDK. He truly gets better with every release of his. He is skilled in rapping and in his pen game, but also understanding the rap game itself. IDK is able to bring concepts to life in some of his more recent rappers as well as keeping a diverse track list. He is truly a student of the game and you can hear it in his music.

12. Lil Uzi Vert (26)

As one of the biggest stars in the game Lil Uzi Vert finds himself near the top of the list, as expected. Uzi is a certified hitmaker and a fan favorite of the rap game. If I were to describe his music in one word, it would be fun. His music is always so energetic and lively making his music a genuinely fun listening experience. Despite being such a prolific name and being so entertaining he is held back by his discography which is good but he is yet to drop a great album in my opinion.

11. MAVI (22)

Similar to the aforementioned redveil, MAVI takes a lot of inspiration from Earl Sweatshirt. From his odd and experimental instrumentals and his amazing pen game there is a lot to like about MAVI. What sets him apart is his passion and his intensity that is present in most of his music. Despite not having much music out, MAVI is an artist I am always excited to hear from due to his amazing debut album, Let the Sun Talk and his follow up singles and EP's that are filled with talent and personality.

10. Lil Baby (26)

Baby is arguably the biggest artist in the game outside of Drake right now. He has been scorching hot ever since Freestyle dropped in 2017. He has been on an unstoppable run racking up hit after hit and rising to the top of the game. He has an iconic delivery and a great flow and he is another artist that continues to get better with time. He also shows flashes of great lyricism but normally just raps about drugs and gang activity.

9. Kevin Abstract (25)

Despite Kevin being more of a singer he can certainly rap when he wants. His solo album Arizona Baby showed that he could stand and make great music without the rest of BROCKHAMPTON. Not to mention he was also a standout on their ROADRUNNER record this year. He is truly a unique voice in Hip-Hop and deserves more credit.

8. Saba (27)

With CARE FOR ME being one of the most revered albums of the last five years, it's no surprise that Saba is this high. He has immaculate storytelling ability and crafts catchy hooks. He is good at creating cohesive narratives and ideas as well. It's been three years since his last album and we have only been teased with singles. Saba is a wordsmith if there ever was one.

7. 21 Savage (28)

Having one of the biggest musical evolutions in recent years and becoming one of the best trap artists in recent memory, 21 Savage has become a staple in Hip-Hop. His flow and voice are instantly recognizable and his lyrics are villainous but also hilarious. 21 Savage has fully developed a sound of his own within the lane he operates.

6. Rich Brian (22)

Easily one of the most underrated artists in the game as he has two great albums and also had an amazing musical evolution. He went from being a meme rapper to dropping the diverse, lyrically dense, artistically beautiful album The Sailor. Rich Brian can really do it all as he continued to experiment with more pop and singer/songwriter inspired sounds on his EP 1999. Brian is one of the most unique artists out there and isn't appreciated like he should be.

5. Dave (23)

The final UK based rapper on this list is SantanDave who is better known as Dave. He is, to put it simply, one of the best storytellers I have ever heard. He has dropped two amazing projects, with We're All Alone In This Together being one of the best albums this year. His storytelling is on another level and his lyricism blows ninety percent of rappers out of the water.

4. Vince Staples (28)

Vince is another interesting artist with an exuberant flow and unique voice. He often raps about his time spent in the streets and how it affected him. He has clearly matured throughout his music and has dropped several conceptually great albums. Vince is an artist where I can say there is truly no one else likes him as he brings so much of his own personality to his music.

3. Earl Sweatshirt (27)

A very influential and abstract artist. Earl has always had an incredible pen, but as time passed the way he uses his pen has evolved. Earl's music always carries themes of depression and addiction but with each album he gets more and more experimental. Eventually becoming the face of abstract and experimental Hip-Hop and still one of the best lyricists out there.

2. Denzel Curry (26)

Zel is another artist who is pushing the boundaries of Hip-Hop. He has amazing rhymes and his flow is unstoppable and can dominate any environment he is put in. That is very visible in the fact that every album of his has its own distinct cohesive sound that Denzel is always at the center of. He is like no one else out and is one of the leaders of this new generation.

1. Joey Bada$$ (26)

Joey and Denzel were neck and neck but the only reason I put Joey at one is he has the best album between the two of them in 1999. Like Denzel he's a leader of the new school in the way he revitalized boom bap after it was out of the mainstream for a very long time. His pen game is incredible and he has some of the best bars and double entendres ever.