Top 10 Rappers Named After Real-Life Gangsters
Since the 1980s, gangster and street culture have heavily influenced hip-hop culture and the art of rapping. While this influence has not defined the genre as a whole, it has contributed to the creation of subgenres such as Gangsta Rap and Mafioso Rap.
Naturally, this has also led to some rappers naming themselves after members of organized crime.
THIS LIST IS NOT IN SUPPORT OF GANGSTERS OR ORGANIZED CRIME.
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Kool G Rap
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap, is an American rapper from the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the duo Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew. Kool G Rap pioneered... read more
The 'G' in Kool G Rap is known to stand for 'Giancana,' which derives from the name of Sam Giancana of the Chicago Outfit. Kool G Rap has stated that the 'G' stands for Genius, but let's assume it doesn't for now.
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Daz Dillinger
West Coast icon Daz Dillinger got his name from the American Great Depression gangster, John Dillinger.
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Beanie Sigel
The 'Sigel' in Beanie Sigel comes from the Jewish Mob gangster, Bugsy Siegel, who was active during the 1920s-1940s in New York.
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Machine Gun Kelly
Colson Baker, better known by his stage names MGK and Machine Gun Kelly, is an American rapper and actor from Cleveland, Ohio. He first gained attention for his rapid fire delivery and releases such as Lace Up in 2012, and he has since put out multiple studio albums. In the 2020s, he shifted toward... read more
MGK took his name directly from the American gangster Machine Gun Kelly, active during the Prohibition Era (1920s).
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Rick Ross
William Leonard Roberts II, better known as Rick Ross, is an American rapper, record executive, and entrepreneur. He gained national attention with his 2006 debut single Hustlin' and released his first album, Port of Miami, that same year, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. He's the founder... read more
Rick Ross and Freeway were both named after the same person, "Freeway" Rick Ross. The rapper was sued by "Freeway" Rick Ross himself for the use of his name. To make a long story short, Rick Ross retained the name, likely because of First Amendment laws in the United States.
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Capone
The Queens gangster rapper, known for his duo with Noreaga, Capone-N-Noreaga, was named after the boss of the Chicago Outfit and possibly the most well-known gangster of all time, Al Capone.
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50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III, better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, and producer. He gained fame with his 2003 debut studio album, Get Rich or Die Tryin', which was a commercial success and included hit singles such as In da Club. In addition to music, he has... read more
Curtis Jackson took his name from the nickname of a New York City street hustler and gangster, Kelvin Martin, who was nicknamed 50 Cent. He wasn't particularly well-known, but his nickname inspired the name we now know as '50 Cent.'
Pretty cool list idea. It also doesn't surprise me at all that 50 Cent was named after a real gangster.
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Noreaga
Although he now goes by the stage name NORE, this nickname of Noreaga, albeit spelled slightly differently, is derived from the name of Manuel Antonio Noriega. Noriega was a drug smuggler who happened to be the ruler of Panama.
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Freeway
Roc-A-Fella icon and State Property group member Freeway took his rap stage name from the living (as of 2021) gangster, Freeway Rick Ross.
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Yo Gotti
Mario Mims, better known by his stage name Yo Gotti, is an American rapper. He released his debut album, Youngsta's on a Come Up, in 1996 under the alias Lil Yo. Since then, he has released multiple successful albums and founded the record label Collective Music Group.
Yo Gotti was named after the well-known Italian-American gangster John Gotti, who was the head of the Gambino family in New York City.
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Slim Capone