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Apr 20, 2022 · April 20, 2022. Photo: Getty Images. Rappers have some of the best, most inventive stage names in entertainment. It really takes an artist to think of some of the out-of-the-box, creative names that they come up with. Some artists simply create their alias based on their birth name like J. Cole or Lil Durk.
- 50 Cent
- A$AP Rocky
- André 3000
- Big Boi
- Busta Rhymes
- Cardi B
- Chance The Rapper
- Chuck D
- Common
- Dmx
Real Name: Curtis Jackson III One of the most memorable stage names in recent rap history belongs to Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent. The rapper and television producer lifted that name from a Brooklyn gangster who was well known when he was growing up. When that man died, 50 Cent took the name for himselfas a tribute to his memory. He definitely hasn’...
Real Name: Rakim Mayers ASAP Rocky exploded onto the hip-hop scene in 2011 and has been dropping acclaimed records ever since. The stage name chosen by Rakim Mayers is certainly memorable, and the first part of it doesn’t mean what you probably think it does. “ASAP,” in this case, stands for “Always Strive And Prosper,” while the latter part is jus...
While he mostly prefers to go by his birth name, André Benjamin, these days, Outkast fans know him best as André 3000 or simply “Three Stacks.” The acclaimed Grammy-winning entertainer started out simply rhyming under the name Andre for Outkast’s first few albums in the mid-’90s. In 2000, he added the “3000” to his name and, while he’s never explai...
Real Name: Antwan Patton Antwan Patton has been known by many names in his career — including Sir Lucious Left Foot, Daddy Fat Sacks and General Patton — but Big Boi is his most lasting call sign. Ironically, Big Boi isn’t all that big. He stands at just 5 feet, 6 inches tall. Maybe his name comes more from his larger-than-life persona and the mass...
Real Name: Trevor Smith Jr. Busta Rhymes and Flavor Flav have something unique in common: Chuck D gave them both their stage names. Chuck mentored a young Trevor Smith early in his career, and suggested he call himself Busta Rhymes. The nickname was inspired by Minnesota Vikings wide receiver George “Buster” Rhymes, who was a star player at the tim...
Real Name: Belcalis Almánzar How could anyone not like Cardi B? Born Belcalis Almánzar, this lifelong New Yorker exploded onto the hip-hop scene in 2017 with the smash “Bodak Yellow” and has been a consistent hitmaker ever since. She came up with the name Cardi B as a spin on a nickname friends gave her growing up. Her sister’s name is Hennessy, so...
Real Name: Chancelor Bennett Another name that doesn’t exactly sound like one that would torch the hip-hop charts is Chancelor Bennett. The Chicago rap hero got his stage name simply by shortening his first name and tacking on his job title at the end. Why bother to include “The Rapper,” you ask? Chance told GQit was out of pure pride for his choic...
Real Name: Carlton Douglas Ridenhour Let’s be honest, Carlton Ridenhour doesn’t exactly sound like the kind of guy who would light a stage on fire with his rhymes. But Chuck D is exactly that guy. The Public Enemy frontman got his stage name simply from his own nickname and middle initial. Before Chuck D became one of the hardest-hitting rappers al...
Real Name: Lonnie Lynn Rapper-turned-actor Common’s birth name is Lonnie Corant Jaman Shuka Rashid Lynn, so you can understand why it might be easier to use a stage name. When he first started rapping, his stage name was Common Sense for his first few albums. The Oscar-winning songwriter was forced to shorten it to Commonafter a band that performed...
Real Name: Earl Simmons One of the hardest rhymers to ever do the job, DMX was the name chosen by Earl Simmons, who was born with no middle name. The rapper, who died in 2021, lifted his stage name from the DMX drum machine made by Oberheim, which was a classic used by artists including non-rappers including Rod Stewart and New Order.
- Moneybagg Yo. DeMario DeWayne White Jr., who we know as Moneybagg Yo, received his stage name during high school from a friend who is currently incarcerated.
- Yo Gotti. Born Mario Sentell Giden Mims, Yo Gotti brings a unique authenticity to the Hip Hop scene that reflects his Memphis roots. As an artist, his stage name has become a brand that is synonymous with gritty narratives and street wisdom.
- Gunna. Born Sergio Giavanni Kitchens, Gunna is a rapper who smoothly combines melodic skill and Southern trap influences. Originating from a friend’s nickname, Yunggun, in the early days of his career, the star took on ad lib “gunna,” which stuck and developed into his unique stage name.
- EST Gee. EST Gee, whose real name is George Albert Stone III, was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He started his career in his community going by the nickname Big Gee.
- lilwaterbed. Houston's lilwaterbed calls himself the "#1 disco artist of eternity." He's still got under 5,000 followers on SoundCloud, but several of his tracks have tens of thousands of plays, and songs like "fly away" have a dreamy, euphoric quality to them that sets him apart from so many of the ridiculously named rappers who lean toward shock and a more in-your-face approach.
- leavemealone. leavemealone sounds like the name of an emo band, but the music on his SoundCloud ranges from traditional hip-hop to the loud, overblown bass stuff that's becoming so common these days.
- ITSOKTOCRY. Five years ago, it would be hard to imagine a green-haired, face-tatted, white rapper named ITSOKTOCRY, but in 2018 it makes perfect sense. ITSOKTOCRY has worked with Nick Prosper, Lil Peep, and Zillakami, and he's racked up big plays on both SoundCloud and Spotify.
- lilbootycall. Texas rapper lilbootycall may have one of the most outlandish names in the game, but its origins come from a real and possibly relatable place.
- Ski Mask the Slump God. Stokeley Clevon Goulbourne, known by his stage name Ski Mask the Slump God, combines elements of humor and mystique in his moniker.
- Childish Gambino. Donald Glover, known in the rap world as Childish Gambino, is a multi-talented artist whose name exudes both humor and sophistication.
- Ol' Dirty Bastard. A founding member of the iconic Wu-Tang Clan, his name alone is enough to raise eyebrows and elicit laughter. Ol' Dirty Bastard, born Russell Tyrone Jones, embraced his eccentricity both in his persona and his name, leaving an indelible mark on the rap scene.
- Flavor Flav. Next up, we have the hype man of the influential rap group Public Enemy. Known for his larger-than-life clock necklace and energetic stage presence, Flavor Flav (born William Jonathan Drayton Jr.)
39 rappers & R&B singers whose real names might surprise you. We've just revealed your favourite Hip-Hop and R&B artist's real names - because it turns out, most of them have been lying to us...
May 8, 2024 · Ranked By. 3.7K votes. 428 voters. Voting Rules. Vote up the rappers who have your favorite stage names. Peek behind the curtain of the hip-hop world and discover the true identities of some of the biggest names in rap with our crowd-ranked list, carefully curated by rap experts and enthusiasts.
