The 20 Best Rappers in Their 20s Right Now BY JESSICA MCKINNEY, ANDRE GEE, ERIC SKELTON, JORDAN ROSE Nov 30, 2021 COMMENT Complex Original It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement around teenage rappers who pop up with viral songs, and there’s been a lot of discussion about how artists in their 30s and 40s are proving that rap is no longer just a young man’s game. That being said, rappers in their 20s still control the narrative in any given year. These are the artists who have the youthful exuberance to take big swings and push the genre forward, while also possessing enough experience to pull it all off. Every year, we take an extra close look at this age bracket, taking stock of the rappers in their 20s who are currently making the best music and resonating the most with fans. Intended to serve as a snapshot of the best hip-hop artists in their 20s over the past year, this list focuses on overall skill, quality, impact, and influence in the time since we published our previous rankings on Nov. 24, 2020. Artists who haven’t released much music in the past 12 months will have a harder time rising to the top of this list than others, but if the quality and impact of their carefully chosen releases has remained high, they’ll still be rewarded. As the genre has evolved, the traditional idea of a rapper has expanded as well, which is also taken into consideration. These are the hip-hop artists who are making the best songs and leaving the biggest mark at this moment in time. As 2021 draws to a close, we took another look at the artists who currently qualify in this age bracket. These are the 20 best rappers in their 20s right now. Previously: The 20 Best Rappers in Their 20s (2020) 20. 42 Dugg Complex Original Age: 26 Last year’s rank: 16 42 Dugg has found his groove, and it’s to the tune of his own whistle. The 26-year-old Detroit rapper built traction last year after aiding Lil Baby on hits like “We Paid” and “Grace,” and from there, Dugg has only expanded his unique style of rapping. His 2021 mixtape, Free Dem Boyz, showcases the new skills the 4PF rapper has picked up since gaining mainstream popularity. He continues to be a compelling MC because of the way he borrows unique production—like borrowing Scorpions’ “No One Like You” to make a rap-rock ballad with Roddy Ricch on “4 Da Gang”—and blends it with his multi-tempo cadence to create songs with wide appeal. It’s still yet to be seen how Dugg’s sound will translate to a proper debut studio album, but based on the material he’s given us so far, we have a feeling he’ll deliver. And one thing is already clear: that ominous whistle is here to stay. —Jordan Rose 19. Playboi Carti Complex Original Age: 25 Last year’s rank: N/A Of all the artists who are on this list, Playboi Carti is undoubtedly the most challenging to rank. Depending on who you ask (including those in attendance at our staff meetings) you’ll hear arguments that he should either be at the very top of the list, or that he doesn’t deserve to be here at all. That’s because he’s the most musically polarizing rapper on the planet right now. On the day Whole Lotta Red dropped, most people didn’t know what to make of it—a trait of any innovative piece of music. He completely ignored the rules for what rap “should” sound like, and stretched himself even further into a lane of his own making. It worked to varying degrees of success. Songs like “Sky,” “New N3on,” “Rockstar Made,” and “Slay3r” are weird and adventurous in the very best ways. And there are some misfires, too—Carti’s hoarse, repetitive raps on ”Jump Out the House” fall flat—but things like that happen when you experiment. Now that we’re a year removed from the album’s release, it’s aged well, and we’ve already seen a whole new wave of artists take pieces of Carti’s new sound and run with it in their own ways. Ultimately, Carti should be recognized for his ability to innovate, unafraid of negative reactions from critics who haven’t quite caught up yet. —Eric Skelton 18. Megan Thee Stallion Image via Complex Original Age: 26 Last year’s rank: 5 The 500 days of Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer continues. Megan injects every song she’s on with her unique brand of new-school swag mixed with Southern bravado, and her latest mixtape, Something for Thee Hotties, is a testament to that energy. And she’s rounded out her past 12 months with major hits like “Thot Shit” and “Cry Baby.” Her debut album, Good News, left a little something to be desired, but thanks to her infectious personality and natural gifts as an MC, Meg will always be relevant. She is one of the most tenacious rappers in the game and is building an empire outside of music, thanks to her larger-than-life personality. As she reaches toward her sophomore stasis after a scorching hot 2020 that included winning three Grammys, Megan Thee Stallion is poised to maintain her place as one of the premier artists of her era. —Jordan Rose 17. G Herbo Complex Original Age: 26 Last year’s rank: N/A G Herbo’s latest album, 25, is a celebration of hitting the quarter-century mark, and another confessional project where he explores his life and times. Songs like “I Don’t Wanna Die,” “Cold World,” and “Cry No More” are classic, gritty reflections on the streets that raised him and millions of others. “T.O.P.” with 21 Savage and “You Can’t” with Lil Tjay, Polo G, and The Kid Laroi are well-executed bids for mass appeal. And in between those spectrums, the album is a lyrically deft showcase of his immense talent. Before 25, Herbo had two songs on the Judas and the Black Messiah soundtrack, and also collaborated with the likes of Tee Grizzley, Bia, Kay Flock, and Nuski2Squad. Herbo is a stalwart of the Chicago rap scene who’s frequently reached out to work with new talent, like Lil Eazzyy and Polo G, who he traded features with on their 2021 albums. G Herbo is right in the middle of his 20s, and if his latest album is any indication, he should have a spot secured on this list for the next four years. —Andre Gee 16. Pooh Shiesty Complex Original Age: 22 Last year’s rank: N/A During the first part of 2021, Pooh Shiesty looked like he’d be a strong contender on this list for the foreseeable future, but that seems like a distant memory now that he’s been incarcerated most of the year for cases that threaten to halt his promising career before it truly takes off. If he does come home, he’ll be able to pick up the momentum of his Gold-certified Shiesty Season album, which was buoyed by “Back in Blood” and “Switch it Up,” a pair of earworm singles that found a spot in seemingly everyone’s rotation. “Back in Blood,” in particular, was a supernova of a track with Lil Durk that spurred anticipation for his next moves. But then, in June, he was arrested for a shooting at a Miami strip club, and a federal charge of armed robbery followed weeks later. Who knows what the future holds, but it’s impossible to talk about rappers in their 20s over the past 12 months without mentioning Pooh. —Andre Gee 15. EST Gee Complex Original Age: 27 Last year’s rank: N/A EST Gee is a relative newcomer to rap, but you wouldn’t be able to tell that based on the way he rhymes. The 27-year-old made a name for himself on a mainstream level last year with his mixtapes Ion Feel Nun and I Still Don’t Feel Nun, and built even more momentum after linking up with fellow Louisville native Jack Harlow on his song “Route 666.” This year, he found chart success again when he linked up with Lil Baby for their track “Real as it Gets,” another song that plays into his authentic persona. However, as his raps chronicle, EST Gee doesn’t care about any of the glamour that comes with rap fame. Instead, he embraces the pain, pleasure, and triumphs that he’s experienced in his life, and lets those feelings wash over his music. His latest project, Bigger Than Life or Death, tells this story and resonates with those who can relate to it. “My general principles and my morals haven’t changed,” he told Complex in May, explaining how he’s adapted to fame. “I act the same, feel the same, move the same.” EST Gee has already proven he can rap, and as he prepares for his next moves, he’s inclined to let his music continue to do the talking for him. —Jordan Rose 14. Gunna Complex Original Age: 28 Last year’s rank: 8 Gunna has been relatively quiet on the music front in the past year, but he’s made it count whenever he puts new songs out in the world. He had some of the best moments on Slime Language 2, delivering show-stealing verses on songs like “Ski,” “Solid,” and “Diamonds Dancing.” And he did the same on Young Thug’s Punk, where he came through with introspective raps on “Insure My Wrist” and sang his ass off on “Love You More” (which gave him an excuse to show off his golden pipes on SNL). And let’s not forget about his Internet Money collab “His & Hers,” which has been a streaming monster. It looks like he’s getting ready to drop an album of his own very soon, and if the single “Too Easy” is anything to go on, it’ll be a good one. Regardless, you know you’re having a good year when you haven’t even dropped much music of your own and Rihanna is still dressing up like you for Halloween. —Eric Skelton 13. Don Toliver Complex Original Age: 27 Last year’s rank: N/A From appearing on Kanye West’s “Moon” to putting out an excellent sophomore album of his own (Life of a Don), Don Toliver left his mark in 2021 with a unique brand of melodic rap. He reaches falsettos like some of the current R&B talents in one moment, while still rapping with the hum-rhyme vigor of a young Kid Cudi in others, reflecting the latest sonic evolutions of hip-hop. The Cactus Jack signee has proven that he can carry the energy of impressive solo singles into a cohesive body of work twice now, and as he continues to ride the momentum of his white-hot 2021, we like his chances to continue climbing the ranks on this list. —Jordan Rose 12. Roddy Ricch Complex Original Age: 23 Last year’s rank: 3 Roddy Ricch hasn’t put out a lot of new music in the past 12 months, only releasing one proper solo single and a handful of features, leaving many fans to wonder when his long-awaited follow-up to Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial will finally arrive. But Roddy has managed to stay in the conversation despite the low output. When he is on he becomes the best part of the record. Just listen back to his parts on Kanye West’s “Pure Souls” or 42 Dugg’s “4 Da Gang.” Everyone in the industry could use Roddy’s vocals if they’re looking to score a hit on the radio (remember the incredible run “Rockstar” had last year?) and his own single “Late at Night’’ had a nice little run of its own. No one is questioning Roddy’s talent at this point, and once he matches that with more releases, his position on this list is only bound to go back up. —Jessica McKinney Popular in the Community AdChoices Sponsored FEATURES LISTS LIL DURK VINCE STAPLES LIL UZI VERT PLAYBOI CARTI G HERBO CARDI B 21 SAVAGE GUNNA YOUNGBOY NEVER BROKE AGAIN LIL BABY DOJA CAT DON TOLIVER JACK HARLOW MEGAN THEE STALLION RODDY RICCH BABY KEEM POLO G 42 DUGG EST GEE SHARE THIS STORY We Care About Your Privacy We and our partners store and/or access information on a device, such as unique IDs in cookies to process personal data. 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