There is no single objective list of the biggest rappers of 2015: chart results, awards, breakout success and cultural resonance measure different kinds of influence. These ten artists stand out across those measures, rather than forming a definitive ranking. The strongest cases include Kendrick Lamar’s chart and awards record, Drake’s year-end dominance, and the breakout or album milestones of artists such as Fetty Wap and Travis Scott.
How these artists were selected
This is a cross-section of rappers whose 2015 work or visibility registered in at least one of five ways: chart performance, award recognition, release distinction, breakout or crossover impact, and cultural presence. A chart position is not the same as critical esteem or public impact, so the artists are presented alphabetically—not ranked.
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The ten rappers who stood out in 2015
Big Sean
Big Sean had a prominent awards year: he was among the three biggest winners at the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards, with three awards, including recognition connected with “Blessings.” His album Dark Sky Paradise also appeared in AllHipHop’s year-end review of rap charts. AllHipHop’s 2015 year-end rap chart report gives context for the album’s chart visibility.
Drake
Drake’s case is particularly strong on commercial visibility. Billboard’s year-end retrospective named him the top R&B/hip-hop artist of 2015 and reported that If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late topped its year-end R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. He also shared the three-win distinction at the BET Hip Hop Awards, where he was named MVP of the Year. Billboard’s year-end hip-hop retrospective details his chart standing.
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Fetty Wap
Fetty Wap represents the year’s breakout story. TIME framed his rise around “Trap Queen,” describing how the track helped make him a hip-hop sensation in 2015. That breakout presence complements the established stars’ chart and award records. TIME’s 2015 feature on Fetty Wap traces the song’s role in his emergence.
Future
Future’s 2015 profile included both solo work and a high-visibility collaboration: What a Time to Be Alive, his joint project with Drake, appeared in AllHipHop’s year-end chart discussion. Future’s “March Madness” also features in Complex’s retrospective of notable rap songs from the year. The two examples point to different parts of his impact: a major collaboration and a song remembered in later assessments of 2015 rap.
Rank #2
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J. Cole
J. Cole was part of the year’s prominent rap conversation: AllHipHop included him in its year-end chart coverage, and he was a nominee for the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Those signals establish visibility and recognition, not a measurable placement above other nominees. TIME’s report on the 2016 Grammy nominations lists the category’s contenders.
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 stands out across several measures. To Pimp a Butterfly debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 dated April 4, 2015, according to TIME’s contemporary report. At the BET Hip Hop Awards that year, Lamar won Lyricist of the Year, Best Hip Hop Video and Impact Track; the album later won the 2016 Grammy for Best Rap Album. Beyond charts and awards, “Alright” became part of discussion about the album’s public resonance, including its presence at protests and rallies. TIME reported on the album’s chart debut; the Recording Academy’s Kendrick Lamar record lists his Grammy win.
Rank #3
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj appears in both AllHipHop’s year-end rap chart coverage and the 2016 Grammy Best Rap Album nominees. The combination supports her place among the year’s visible artists, while the available evidence does not establish a direct ranking against the other nominees.
Travis Scott
Billboard reported that Travis Scott’s Rodeo debuted at No. 1 on the Rap Albums chart in its September 26, 2015 chart report, which also noted “Antidote” returning to the songs chart. Complex later included “Antidote” among notable rap songs of the year. The album and single give Scott a clear 2015 case through chart performance and a track that remained part of the year’s retrospective conversation. Billboard’s September 26 chart report covers the Rodeo debut.
Rank #4
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Other artists with strong year-end visibility
The 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards had three artists tied as the night’s biggest winners: Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Big Sean, each with three wins. The announcement also documents the award categories and results. Paramount’s 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards results provides the full list.
AllHipHop’s year-end rap chart coverage and the 2016 Grammy Best Rap Album nominees offer additional context for the artists discussed here, including the prominence of J. Cole and Nicki Minaj. These are useful signals of visibility and recognition, but they do not turn distinct careers or achievements into a single comparable score. AllHipHop’s year-end report and TIME’s Grammy nominations coverage show those different forms of recognition.
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What “left a mark” means here
For a reader asking who the biggest rappers of 2015 were, the answer depends on the yardstick. Drake led the year-end R&B/hip-hop artist and album measures cited by Billboard; Kendrick Lamar combined an album chart-topper, awards and cultural discussion around “Alright.” Fetty Wap’s defining evidence is breakout success, while Travis Scott’s is a chart-topping rap album debut and the continuing visibility of “Antidote.” Big Sean, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj and Future add award, chart, nomination or song-retrospective evidence. Those distinctions explain why this is a selection of notable artists, not a definitive top ten.
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