14 Best Florida Rappers Who’ve Dominated The Rap Game
We list some of the best Florida rappers you can listen to right now. The Sunshine State has seen a wave of well-established artists including the likes of Kodak Black, Flo Rida, Rick Ross, Shock G and even Plies. Young talent is not left far behind as they attempt to fill in the gap left by their predecessors with the likes of Ski Mask The Slump God, Doechii, and Hotboii.
14 Best Florida Rappers Who’ve Dominated The Rap Scene
1. Kodak Black
Florida rapper Kodak Black is noted for his singles “Roll in Peace”, “Tunnel Vision”, and “No Flockin”, as well as his numerous legal issues. He burst onto the scene at a young age when his single “No Flockin” made the rounds in 2014. He eventually released his breakthrough commercial mixtape, Lil Big Pac, in 2016. His debut album, Painting Pictures, released in 2017, with the single “Tunnel Vision”, which reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. His legal troubles began in middle school and spiked significantly throughout the late 2010s. In 2019, Black was arrested for weapons possession and was sentenced to almost four years in federal prison; his sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump in 2021. His fourth studio album, Back for Everything followed in 2022, and contains the hit single “Super Gremlin” as a bonus track.
- Real name: Dieuson Octave (also known as Bill Kahan Blanco)
- Born: June 11, 1997 (Pompano Beach, Florida)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 22 million
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2. XXXTENTACION
XXXTENTACION was recognized for his raw and adventurous style of music. He’d always been musically inclined but despised following notes and patterns. His versatility with his music ranged from aggressive, punk rock-inspired hip hop, to somber and slower R&B style songs, to even heavy metal. Tragedy struck on June 18, 2018 when XXXTENTACION, upon leaving Riva Motorsports Motorcycle & Marine Superstore in Deerfield Beach, Florida, was blocked from exiting, robbed in the parking lot by two armed men in an SUV, and shot multiple times. The shooters fled the scene in their SUV. X was pronounced dead at the hospital.
- Real name: Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy
- Born: January 23, 1998 (Plantation, Florida)
- Death: June 18, 2018 (Aged 20) (Deerfield Beach, Florida)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 32 million
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Read more:
- The Complete History of XXXTentacion’s Controversial Career
- 11 facts you need to know about ‘SAD!’ rapper XXXTentacion
3. Rick Ross
Rick Ross is best known for his singles “BMF” and “Hustlin”. Despite his legal troubles and infamous rivalry with 50 Cent, Ross is a respected and prolific artist. He’s part of a well-established group of Florida rappers. He founded his own music label, Maybach Music Group, in 2009 and represented Miami with grim and glorious drug-trade tales. Ross has several Billboard hits. His debut album Port of Miami, and all nine subsequent studio albums, including the Grammy-nominated God Forgives, I Don’t (2012) and Port of Miami 2 (2019), have entered the Top Ten of the Billboard 200.
- Real name: William Leonard Roberts II
- Born: January 28, 1976 (Clarksdale, Mississippi)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 13 million
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Read more:
- Rick Ross: A Timeline of His Legal Troubles
- Rick Ross Is Still Reminding Everyone to Never Stop Hustlin’
4. Ski Mask The Slump God
Ski Mask The Slump God began his stardom with fellow rapper XXXTenacion with a collective called “Members Only”. The Florida rapper is best known for his songs “Catch Me Outside” and “BabyWipe”. Many of his songs have racked up millions of plays, leading critics to opine that he will soon outgrow the internet rap scene and will enter the mainstream.
- Real name: Stokeley Clevon Goulbourne
- Born: April 18, 1996 (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 8.5 million
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5. Nardo Wick
Nardo Wick is recognized for singles such as “Who Want Smoke?,” “Slide” and “Came Up.” He came into the spotlight by releasing his debut single “Lolli” in 2020, following it up with “Slide” and “Came Up” before the year’s end. In addition, the rapper released numerous other popular songs that elevated his name in the rapping industry.
- Real name: Horace Bernard Walls III
- Born: December 30, 2001 (Jacksonville, Florida)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 8.2 million
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6. $NOT
Morphing between the alternative rap styles of the late 2010s, Florida-based rapper $NOT employs a relaxed approach to the era’s trap sonics. $not kick-started his music career in 2016. He released his first EP “The Tissue Files” on April 24, 2018, featuring Cameronazi and Subjects. He came into the spotlight with the release of his breakout single “Gosha” in September 2018.
- Real name: Edy Junior Edouard
- Born: December 16, 1997 (New York City)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 7.7 million
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7. Denzel Curry
Raised in Carol City, Florida, Denzel Curry started rapping while in sixth grade and began working on his first mixtape in 2011, when he was attending school. He gained popularity after the release of his first two mixtapes, King Remembered and King of the Mischievous South, Vol. 1. The Miami-area rapper is known for his reflective and socially conscious lyrics packed into speedily delivered bars. His albums Ta13oo, Zuu, and Melt My Eyez debuted at numbers 28, 32, and 51 on the Billboard 200 chart.
- Real name: Denzel Rae Don Curry
- Born: February 16, 1995 (Carol City, Miami Gardens, Florida)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 6.8 million
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8. Doechii
Doechii is part of a young group of Florida rappers who started out as a YouTubers, posting a variety of content including music and vlogs. She officially immersed herself into the indie scene when she released her first single “Girls” in 2018, as well as the single “Spookie Coochie” in 2019. She’s best known for singles such as “Crazy” and “Persuasive.” In April 2021, her single “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake” was featured on Rolling Stone’s Breakthrough 25 chart.
- Real name: Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon
- Born: August 14, 1998 (Tampa, Florida)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 3 million
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Read more:
- Rolling Stone: Doechii Is Rap’s Pointed, Provocative Next Big Thing
- Doechii: 5 Things To Know about Rapper Doechii
- Sheer Interview: Musicians To Know: Doechii
9. Ace Hood
Ace Hood is best known for his hit singles “Hustle Hard” and “Bugatti,” the latter of which peaked at #39 on the Hot 100 chart. He has been signed to Def Jam and We the Best Music Group. His song “Top of the World”, from his debut studio album Gutta, was featured in the basketball simulation game, NBA 2K10. He has released several studio albums with his most successful being, Blood, Sweat & Tears (2011) and Trials & Tribulations (2013).
- Real name: Antoine Franklin McColister
- Born: May 11, 1988 (Port St. Lucie, Florida)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 2.7 million
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Read more:
- Rapper Ace Hood Reveals How He Got Into the Best Shape of His Life
- Ace Hood bases his business decisions on integrity and believes ownership “is the ultimate key”
10. Hotboii
Hotboii became well known after he started his career in 2016 and rose to prominence in 2020 after his single “Don’t Need Time” became viral and was streamed several million times on YouTube. The Florida rapper uses compelling videos as a means to deliver his intense yet melodic rap songs to a wider audience. His first two full-length LPs, 2021’s Double O Baby and 2022’s Life of a Hotboii, both topped Billboard’s Heatseekers chart.
- Real name: Javarri Latre Walker
- Born: June 13, 2000 (Orlando, Florida)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 2 million
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Read more:
- Hotboii wants to learn more about the law to protect himself
- Rapper Hotboii Reflects on His Past, Present and Future
- Hotboii Is Next Up From Florida
11. 9lokknine
Florida rapper 9lokknine‘s violent, confrontational lyrics mirrored his real life experiences with crime and legal troubles. Interestingly, one of his famous songs online, “JailHizeeBluez”, was written behind bars. Although he’s creative in stunning his fans with humorously captivating and relatable lyrics, he won’t be able to continue in the foreseeable future. In June 2021, he was apprehended on conspiracy charges to commit racketeering. These new charges allowed the authorities to file GlokkNine’s RICO case. On December 15, 2021, 9lokkNine was sentenced to seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to identity theft and possession of unregistered firearms charges. He had fraudulently applied for and received benefits through the Paycheck Protection Act under another person’s name
- Real name: Jacquavius Dennard Smith
- Born: May 1, 2000 (Orlando, Florida)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 1.9 million
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12. Jackboy
Jackboy is part of a talented and youthful group of Florida rappers. He uses plenty of bounce and bass to underpin his lyrics. In an interview with XXL (magazine), JackBoy states he grew up listening to Gucci Mane and Boosie Badazz. After his release from jail in December 2016, JackBoy released his first tape, The Stick Up Kids. The success of Jackboy’s first full-length project lead to a signing on Kodak Black’s label, Sniper Gang, in 2017. Jackboy and Kodak have shared a strong connection for a long time. However, they seemed to have parted ways amid an ongoing beef.
- Real name: Pierre Delince
- Born: August 27, 1997 (Haiti)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 1.3 million
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Read more:
- Having Beaten the Odds, Sniper Gang Rapper Jackboy Is Feelin’ “Like a Million”
- What Happened With Kodak Black And Jackboy? Past Beef Explored
13. Bubba Sparxxx
Bubba Sparxxx is best known for the top 10 singles “Ms. New Booty” and “Ugly”. “Ms. New Booty” (featuring Ying Yang Twins and Mr. Collipark), peaked at number 7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. A native of LaGrange, Georgia, the rapper was introduced to hip hop music by a neighbor (his closest at a half mile away) who received mixed tapes mailed from New York City. In 2007, he moved to Tampa, Florida.
- Real name: Warren Anderson Mathis
- Born: March 6, 1977 (LaGrange, Georgia)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 1.3 million
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14. Wifisfuneral
Wifisfuneral is best known for his breakthrough mixtapes, Black Heart Revenge, When Hell Falls, Ethernet and Boy Who Cried Wolf. He is signed to Alamo Records and Empire Records, and was previously signed to Interscope Records. The Florida-based rapper was also an early member of the Members Only collective, along with founders XXXTentacion and Ski Mask the Slump God,
- Real name: Isaiah Rivera
- Born: March 20, 1997 (New York City)
- Spotify monthly listeners: over 1.2 million
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Read more:
- How Florida Rapper Wifisfuneral Got His Name
- Rapper Wifisfuneral Still Feels Effects Of Stroke He Suffered During Second Overdose
- How Hip-Hop Saved Wifisfuneral From A Life Of Turmoil
Honorable mentions
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