Popular Hip-Hop: Western Music Artist Rankings [2025]

Gangsta’s ParadiseCoolio ft. L.V.64rank/position

Coolio – Gangsta’s Paradise (feat. L.V.) [Official Music Video]

A track released by Coolio in 1995.

It was used in the film “Dangerous Minds,” reached No.

1 on charts around the world, and won awards including a Grammy.

It was inspired by Stevie Wonder’s 1976 track “Pastime Paradise.”

Wild ThoughtsDJ Khaled65rank/position

DJ Khaled – Wild Thoughts (Official Video) ft. Rihanna, Bryson Tiller

Wild Thoughts is a track included on DJ Khaled’s album Grateful, released in June 2017, featuring guest vocals by Rihanna, the songstress from Barbados.

It was also released as a single via digital download, and Rihanna’s vocal prowess—combining powerful tone with a uniquely relaxed feel that lingers—shows she’s far more than just a typical guest vocalist.

DuraDaddy Yankee66rank/position

Daddy Yankee – Dura (Video Oficial)

Daddy Yankee is one of the most successful reggaeton artists of the 2010s.

Alongside Don Omar, he’s known as the King of Reggaeton.

Compared to other reggaeton artists, many of his works have a strong “thug” vibe, a style that resonates with hip-hop.

His track Dura is a classic that showcases this tough and cool side of him.

It also has very strong reggae elements, making it enjoyable for fans of that genre as well.

Con CalmaDaddy Yankee & Snow67rank/position

Daddy Yankee & Snow – Con Calma (Video Oficial)

Snow is a reggae musician from Canada.

He may not be a familiar artist in Japan, but he is known overseas as an artist who achieved massive hits; his 1992 single ” ranked No.

1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks.

The track here, Con Calma, is a collaboration between him and reggaeton icon Daddy Yankee.

Thanks to the collaboration with Snow, it’s a reggaeton track with strong reggae elements.

Boss B*tchDoja Cat68rank/position

Doja Cat – Boss B*tch (from Birds of Prey: The Album) [Official Music Video]

Featuring exhilarating, powerful lyrics that boldly declare oneself the ultimate boss, this track leaves a striking impression! Created by U.

S.

artist Doja Cat, it was released in January 2020 and is included on the soundtrack album Birds of Prey: The Album for the film Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

It’s stunning how she flips the negative labels imposed by society and turns them into symbols of her own strength.

The protagonist’s confidence and unapologetic determination to forge her own path are empowering just to listen to.

Play it before a big presentation or on a morning when you need to fire yourself up—you might just feel unstoppable.

Danza Kuduro ft. LucenzoDon Omar69rank/position

Don Omar – Danza Kuduro ft. Lucenzo

Don Omar is a representative reggaeton artist who enjoys international popularity.

Hailing from Puerto Rico, a hotbed of reggaeton, he has remained at the forefront from the 2000s to the present.

Many of you may know him from his frequent appearances on the soundtracks of the Fast & Furious car-action films.

His track “Danza Kuduro ft.

Lucenzo” is one of his hit songs and is recognized as a defining work of reggaeton.

Bailando ft. Descemer Bueno, Gente De ZonaEnrique Iglesias70rank/position

Enrique Iglesias – Bailando ft. Descemer Bueno, Gente De Zona

Enrique Iglesias, an artist from Spain who enjoys international popularity.

I think very few people in Japan are familiar with Spanish artists.

However, some of you might recognize him, right? That said, while he was born in Spain, he lived in the United States from a young age, so he’s more American in a sense.

Even so, because he has many catchy songs in Spanish, he’s beloved in Latin regions as well.

His song “Bailando ft.

Descemer Bueno, Gente De Zona” is a reggaeton track that lets you experience his catchy appeal.