Top 10 Countries with the Best Hip Hop / Rap Artists

Which country is considered the best for rap music? Please choose or add your preference.
The Top Ten
1 Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the northwesternmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to the east, and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to the south... read more

Moroccan rappers are achieving great things despite the absence of an industry to support them. It is known that literally 100% of them kickstarted their music careers with their own means before getting signed anywhere. Those who are signed are few because of how underrated they are.

If you could just go beyond the language barrier and listen to the overall musicality of their work, you would most likely agree with me and all the comments here. Moroccan rappers deserve more support than they currently receive, and I'm talking about international support. What most of them do with their own means, in other countries, is done with the full support of their labels. Just imagine the extraordinary things Moroccan rappers could do if they received that same level of support.

2 United States The United States of America, or the U.S.A. for short, is a federal republic composed of 50 states, 48 of them are contiguous states. There are two other states, Alaska and Hawaii, which are north and south of the contiguous states, respectively. The United States declared its independence from the... read more

How can Morocco be better than the US? The United States literally invented it, and so many rappers from the US are legendary and are known for a reason.

No one else comes ANYWHERE close. Not to be racist, but if anyone did come close, it would be like South Africa being better at making Anime than Japan. Or like China making better Reggae music than Jamaica. Real Rap is an American game. Eminem, JAY Z, Tupac, Biggie, etc.

This one is very obvious. I am British and even I have to admit that the USA has had the best rappers, although it is also the home to the very worst.

3 Albania Albania is a southeastern European country that is slightly larger than Maryland and near Montenegro, Kosovo, Republic of Macedonia, and Greece. The capital is a city called Tirana. Some other major cities in Albania are Durrës, Elbasan, Vlorë, and Shkodër. Albania gained its independence in 1912... read more

The fact that Albanians are white rappers and on top of their game with that very small population says a lot! And in Germany, the most popular and successful rappers are originally from Albania.

Albania is a very authentic country, with real slums and financial troubles, which makes its rap full of emotions.

Of course, #1 is the USA. There's no doubt. Nowadays, rap in Albania is the most popular genre of music. Albanian rappers are known in many European countries. Top rappers include Noizy, Ledri Vula, Capital T, Mozzik, Mc Kresha, etc.

4 Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At 8.5 million square kilometers (3,300,000 sq mi) and with over 214 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area and the sixth most populous. Its capital is Brasília,... read more

I'm not sure where the "funk" dance music originated, but my first time hearing it was in Brazil. It's a Latino version of America's "Twerk" dance music. If Brazil continues to push the hip-hop scene, eventually the two will merge and cause an outbreak in America. We're anxiously waiting for the one artist who collaborates globally, and by we, I mean most of New York City.

I live in America, but I will admit many people are sleeping on Latino rap. Brazil is the hotspot.

Racionais MC's are one of the greatest, if not the greatest, rap group of all time, and Brazil's hip hop is still growing. It should be world-famous.

5 France France, officially the French Republic, is a sovereign state comprising territory in western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. The European part of France, called metropolitan France, extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to... read more

French rap emerged in the early '90s, while it was already very popular on the other side of the Atlantic. Inspired mostly by the gangsta lifestyle, it reached its golden age from 1994 to 1998 with record-breaking selling albums released every month. By the new millennium, this music was already very popular and listened to by all social classes of the French population. Record labels were looking for artists that would open up the industry to a wider audience, and its gangsta spirit had already vanished.

Mainly voted for Booba. The sound of the language can be cool on hard beats - I don't listen to enough for a fully informed opinion.

6 South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost sovereign state in Africa. It is bounded on the south by 2,798 kilometers of coastline of Southern Africa stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans, on the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana... read more

South Africa has a variety of potential world-class acts, who have their own unique style and sound. The Hip Hop sounds are vibrant and refreshing, distinct from the repetitive styles you hear from other places. Notable artists include Kwesta, AKA, Cassper Nyovest, and Nasty C.

South Africa has rappers that can compete with the best international artists, artists like AKA, Cassper Nyovest, and younger artists like Nasty C and A-Reece.

7 Nigeria Nigeria, an African country on the Gulf of Guinea, has many natural landmarks and wildlife reserves. Protected areas such as Cross River National Park and Yankari National Park have waterfalls, dense rainforest, savanna, and rare primate habitats. One of the most recognizable sites is Zuma Rock, a 725m-tall... read more

You guys can't be serious with this poll! Nigeria is the Jerusalem of African Hip Hop.

8 Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania or simply U.R.T, is a large country in Eastern Africa within the African Great Lakes region.
9 Germany Germany was formally united in 1871 under the initiative of Bismarck with King Wilhelm of Prussia as emperor. The previous 'Holy Roman Empire', basically a continuation of the empire of Charlemagne/Karl der Grosse was dissolved in 1806... read more

I like the lyrical and technical focus - probably the only country where rhyme quality is 'mainstream' and talked about. Also, it's very funny to follow the gossip out of there.

American rappers are the original and have the realest rappers, so I voted for the USA.

German rappers are almost always about entertainment and hardly authentic, with too many wannabe thug rappers. However, they have an unusually high number of multisyllabic rappers. There are several rappers (the best may be Kollegah and SpongeBozz) who hardly have less than five rhyming syllables. There's one song by Kollegah from his "Hoodtape Vol. 2" mixtape where he uses the same rhyme structure throughout the entire song, meaning he finds about 50 rhymes for the same sentence. They exhibit high technical skill, and there are many double-time rappers like Tech N9ne, as well as very clever and intelligent word plays and double entendres where you have to think for a few seconds before you get them. In the early to mid-2010s, there was such an excessive amount of all those qualities that you felt completely blown away when you bought the newest rap albums.

Also, I love that many German hip hop producers interpolate huge orchestras and choirs into their beats. Listen to "Alpha" by Kollegah or "ACAB" by SpongeBozz, and you'll know what I mean. It feels majestic, and therefore you kind of ignore that they are as fake as can be.

10 Algeria Algeria, is a sovereign Arab & Amazigh country located in North Africa. Algerian peoples Speaks Arab and Tamzigh and some of them speaks French.Algiers is capital and most populous city in Algeria, located in the far north of the country. With an area of 2,381 741 square kilometres, Algeria is the tenth... read more

To be honest, Algerian rap is way ahead of Moroccan rap. From Lotfi to Karim to Muslim Nation, these are all amazing rappers. I believe Lotfi was one of the earliest, if not the first, Arabic rappers. His lyrics are all amazing, with no swearing or flexing. All of his songs talk about meaningful and important subjects. Many songs address the suffering of others or the misconduct of those who govern the country.

Of course, this is not to offend our Moroccan brethren.

Algeria has a strong rap scene, and Algerian rap is distinguished by its lyrics and beautiful flow, differing from other countries. Recently, it has seen significant development in visuals, views, and production companies, with new rappers emerging. Among the most prominent names in Algerian rap are Didin Canon 16, Flen, Phobia, Savage Plug, Trap King, etc. Algeria is considered the first Arab country to embrace rap.

The Contenders
11 United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly shortened to United Kingdom, UK or Britain is a Sovereign State located of the Northwestern coast of Europe. It is a Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy currently lead by Monarch Queen Elizabeth II and its current prime minister is... read more

Typically, the most uptempo and aggressive if I were going to generalize a whole country - hence drill and grime are the core genres. They do also have some thought-provoking stuff like Streets, though, which is a nice change of pace.

In my opinion, the UK rap scene is unbeatable. With Grime and Drill artists, the UK produces the best rap songs out there. Names such as JME, Skepta, Stormzy, and AJ Tracey will go down in history. While the American rap scene is slowly fading, the UK has a bunch of upcoming artists. Names such as Central Cee, Suspect, etc., will definitely be well-known in the future. It's highly underrated.

12 Iran Iran, also known as Persia, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, is a sovereign state in Western Asia. The capital city is Teheran and the major city is also Tehran. The country's official language is Persian... read more

I think they are really great in every part, and I think Reza Pishro is the best rapper in Asia or even the best one after Eminem.

Iranian rappers are so talented. They are really so good. The text and beat, etc., are amazing. And also, Persian rap is so meaningful, and in that sense, it's in the top 2.

I think Iran should be the second after the US. The lyrics are so great...

13 Senegal Senegal (French: Sénégal), officially the Republic of Senegal (French: République du Sénéga), is a country in West Africa . Senegal is bordered by Mauritania in the north, Mali to the east, Guinea to the southeast, and Guinea-Bissau to the southwest ... read more

Rap is a way to help people by addressing the problems they live in. Rappers have a great movement called 'Y EN A MARRE,' supported by the Senegalese people.

14 Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, is a transcontinental country in Eurasia, mainly in Anatolia in Western Asia, with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries with Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia,... read more

Okay, Ceza, Sagopa, and Ezhel are superb rappers, but seriously, why does nobody talk about Contra?

The best MC of Turkey (maybe of Europe) and rapper, Sagopa Kajmer.

Turkish rap is definitely the best. Not enough people know about it though. It's underrated but is still the best.

15 Italy Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana) is a sovereign state and unitary parliamentary republic in south-central Europe.

Italy covers an area of 301,338 km². With almost 62 million inhabitants, it is the third most populous EU member state. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares... read more

Bro, this list is so wrong. I'm from America, and I literally like Italian rap more than any other country. Seriously, these people have obviously not listened to it, but Italian rappers are so talented, especially because the Italian language is very difficult to make into rap. Words are weird, and rhyming is hard. The list sucks.

It should be USA, Canada, Italy. I mean, the numbers speak for themselves. Rappers from the USA are making features with Italian rappers like Sfera Ebbasta. He has a new album of features with American rappers.

16 Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation (RF), is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world by area, covering over 17,125,191 square kilometres (6,612,073 sq mi), and encompassing one-eighth of Earth's inhabitable landmass. Russia extends across... read more

Let's be honest, Russia is the best, and I'm British, not even Russian saying that. Miyagi & Endgame are the best, and so is Kapiskuy Gruz. It's probably 1. Russia 2. Sweden 3. America.

17 Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe, bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine and Belarus to the east; and the Baltic Sea, Kaliningrad Oblast (a Russian exclave) and Lithuania to the north. With a population of approximately... read more

One of the best hip hop scenes on earth is in Poland. Polish flows well, with good production and countless underground quality beats.

Top quality productions, street/underground/old school rap style is alive there. Polish language flows and rhymes like no other.

In my opinion, Poland has one of the best rap scenes in the world. There's a really big scene with a lot of good rappers showcasing diverse styles.

18 Netherlands The Netherlands, informally Holland, is a country located in north-western Europe with overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Netherlands consists of twelve provinces, and borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the... read more

Definitely, nothing beats these tunes. The texts are also really good, but most people won't understand since it is Dutch, of course.

Dutch rap isn't that good. Most of it sounds the same, and they focus more on beats and flow than lyrics. However, it's catchy.

They actually have like a track going in the background with actual music and meaning. Also, the collaborations are so frequent and the best.

19 Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey... read more

Greek rap culture is very much underground, with a few mainstream hit wonders but always pure and with great intelligence. It features strong bars with melancholic beats, where authenticity is key. The Greek rap scene is unique. Better than Dutch, I think, from a lyrical standpoint. However, it lacks recognition. It misses a unique sound like Dutch, French, and German rap have. Anyway, for me, it's top 15, maybe top 10 for sure.

Greek Rap is amazing, man. You have to look up Light, Slogan, and Ypo.

Rappers there are as talented as Travis, Thug, Drake, etc. Names like Mad Clip, Snik, Slogan, and Light are some rappers that you should hear.

20 South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the Sea of Japan. South Korea claims... read more

Jay Park. Zico. Keith Ape. Beenzino. The list goes on and on. Korean rap is absolutely amazing and holds a special place in my heart. Even the simple Soundcloud rappers from this country are surprisingly really good. It really deserves to be higher on the list!

It's not K-pop, which confuses people in America and other countries. Korean hip-hop involves a lot of lyrical, trap, and singing rappers that are arguably better than some American rappers.

Hip Hop is definitely growing in Korea. It's becoming more mainstream, and there are a lot of famous youngsters who can rap at such a high level. (Thanks to the show: Show Me the Money)

21 India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country (with over 1.2 billion people), and the most populous democracy in the world. Its capital is New Delhi. Some other major cities are Mumbai, Chennai, and Ahemdabad... read more

Indian Hip Hop, a part of the subculture Desi Hip Hop (Hip Hop music from Southeast Asian countries), is undoubtedly the largest producer of hip hop music in the DHH scene. It encompasses a range of artists, from commercial rappers like Divine, Badshah, Raftaar, Ikka, Sidhu Moosewala, King, and many more, to the critically underrated ones such as Sikander Kahlon and many others. The scene offers commendable versatility, making it challenging to find adjectives that fully capture the essence of the entire scene.

22 Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a sovereign and unitary monarchy in Northern Europe whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula plus the island Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard... read more
23 Portugal Portugal (est.1152), officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost country of mainland Europe, bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain. Its territory also includes... read more

Portuguese rappers have amazing wordplay, rhyme scheme, and what they talk about is meaningful stuff (at least the vast majority anyway), which, to me, are very important skills for a rapper to possess!

Good lyricists, and most rappers are real and down to earth. They don't usually fake a gangsta persona or flex gold chains.

Portuguese rap is the best. They have great wordplay and rhyme schemes!

24 Slovakia

Slovakia has amazing rappers who rap about important stuff. The best rapper is Rytmus.

There are a lot of talented hip-hop artists in Slovakia, like Separ, Rytmus, Ego, Kali, and others.

25 Sweden Sweden, officially the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe.

It borders Norway to the west and Finland to the east, and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund. At 450,295 square kilometers (173,860 sq mi), Sweden is the third-largest... read more

I don't care, it's not Swedes who rap, it's in Swedish. It is good, but yeah.

Well, Swedish rap is good. We have rappers like Yung Lean and more.

I'm not Swedish, but something about the language and the aura makes it so good.

8Load More
PSearch List