The Notable Influencers * Listed in No Specific Order of Importance
Sway
Being one of the longest-tenured and most-recognized journalists in hip hop has its perks, but MTV personality Sway has built his reputation on an easy-going demeanor and a knack for getting the biggest names to speak... Read More
Will.i.am
There are few artists, producers and personalities in hip hop as ubiquitous as will.i.am. The Black Eyed Peas frontman is a rapper, dancer, producer, activist, spokesperson, and admitted techie--and he showcases each facet... Read More
Soulja Boy
In a year full of ups and downs, Soulja Boy was still one of the most talked-about artists in hip hop. The Atlanta rapper was the subject of seemingly-constant media scrutiny throughout 2011; whether it was because... Read More
Craig Kallman
As Chairman and CEO of Atlantic Records, Craig Kallman heads one of the music industry's most powerful labels. Home to acts like T.I., Wiz Khalifa and countless others, Kallman and Atlantic house some of music's... Read More
Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson
Questlove, as drummer of the acclaimed hip hop band The Roots, is one of the most respected figures in music in general and hip hop in particular. Questo was named one of 2011's Top Tweeters... Read More
Gabriel Hart
Gabriel Hart may not be a household name, but everyone in the industry is aware of his gift for dazzling visuals. The video and commercial director is one of hip hop's most in-demand lensmen, having shot for everyone from... Read More
Vanessa Satten
Vanessa Satten is Editor-In-Chief for hip hop's most respected publication, XXL Magazine. In her two years at the helm, Satten has landed some of the most controversial and entertaining personalities and stories in the... Read More
Q O'Denat
Lee "Q" O'Denat keeps WorldStarHipHop at the cutting edge of online hip hop news and gossip. O'Denat, a one-time homeless high school dropout, built the site from the ground up and now it's one of the biggest sites... Read More
Trae
One would be hard-pressed to find a more beloved rapper in Houston, TX than the man known as Trae the Truth. He's respected for his work ethic and gritty, honest rhymes, and has gone from upstart emcee to elder... Read More
Mac Miller Pittsburgh native Mac Miller emerged as the unlikely hero of independent hip hop in 2011. Mac spent the past two years building a fanbase and this year, all of his hard work finally paid off...
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The Notable Influencers * Listed in No Specific Order of Importance
Boi 1nda
One may not expect hip hop's latest superproducer to be born and raised in Canada, but Boi 1nda, like superstar rapper Drake, proves that hip hop talent is thriving north of the border. He's been working with stars as far... Read More
J. Prince
J. Prince is the Godfather of Southern Hip Hop. As founder of Houston's Rap-A-Lot Records, Prince has had a hand in some of the region's most legendary figures, ranging from the Geto Boys and Scarface to UGK. The label... Read More
Russell Simmons
Forbes magazine estimated Simmons to have a net-worth estimate of $340 million as of April of 2011. His companies Phat Farm, Argyleculture and American Classics are cornerstones of the urban clothing industry and he... Read More
Big Sean
Over the past year, Detroit rapper Big Sean graduated from G.O.O.D. Music understudy to bonafide hip hop star. A hit album, hit singles, and cosigns by seemingly every notable rapper in hip hop helped fuel Sean's meteoric... Read More
Swizz Beatz
A year after marrying superstar Alicia Keys and welcoming a new baby boy, superproducer Swizz Beatz didn't allow marital bliss to slow him down going into 2011. Swizz not only continued building one of the more... Read More
Steve Stoute
Steve Stoute is an industry veteran who's name evokes respect and who's reputation for being an upfront and knowledgeable mover-and-shaker is welldeserved. Having made his career working with some of the industry's... Read More
Barry Weiss
As the chairman and CEO of Island/Def Jam, Barry Weiss sits at the head of hip hop's most iconic record label. Nonetheless, it is never easy to replace a legend-- and that's just what Weiss has had to do at Def Jam. Weiss... Read More
Toure
Toure is still one of hip hop's most recognized commentators and one of the most respected journalists in the entertainment industry. He's written about rap and rappers for more than twenty years and via his blogging... Read More
Lucian Grainge
Stepping into the shoes of the legendary Doug Morris was no easy task, but Lucian Grainge was up to the challenge. As the new head of Universal Music Group, Grainge takes the helm of one of the biggest labels in music.... Read More
Rocky Williform
Rocky Williform has proven himself to be one of the most forward-thinking minds in hip hop media and culture. The founder of micro-blogging media juggernaut HipHopBlog.com has made an indelible mark... Read More
The Notable Influencers * Listed in No Specific Order of Importance
Michael Rapino
Live Nation is one of the most powerful entities in entertainment. Since it's merger with Ticketmaster, it has become the foremost brand in concerts and promotion, as well as providing managerial services for some of... Read More
Terrence J
"Terrence J" Jenkins is one half of BET's "106 & Park" hosting tandem that also includes Rocsi Diaz, but in 2011, the popular veejay continued to expand his professional repertoire outside of his day job bringing... Read More
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams does a little bit of everything. The superproducer/recording artist/philanthropist/businessman keeps his hands in so many different pots, its sometimes difficult to succinctly describe in a few... Read More
Mr. Boomtown
Mr. Boomtown continues to be among the most in-demand video directors in hip hop. A year after winning the BET Award for Director of the Year, he was nominated once again in 2011. Boomtown shot a staggering 30 videos... Read More
Tim Westwood
The man who has held interviews with everyone from Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All and Snoop Dogg is one of hip hop's most well-known and powerful personalities in journalism. He's definitely the go-to personality... Read More
Rocsi
The sexy co-host of BET's hit show "106 & Park" is still one of the most popular and influential figures in hip hop for teens and twentysomethings. Rocsi and her cohost, Terrence J, provide a platform for artists to... Read More
Devyne Stephens
UpFront Megatainment music mogul Devyne Stephens is a Renaissance man. Actually, that cliche may be an understatement. He runs Dreamland, a huge 17- acre estate that is available for ultra exclusive events, weddings and... Read More
Sandra Rose
Blogging is not for the faint of heart. And Sandra Rose is many thingsâ€"but ‘faint of heart' is not one of them. The most controversial name in the urban blogosphere, Rose's website is known for its... Read More
Cee-Lo Green
The rapper/singer/songwriter received five Grammy nominations for the hit single "F**k you!" and it achieved platinum status in six countries. His performance of the song--alongside actress Gwyneth Paltrow... Read More
Gucci Mane
Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane spent much of 2011 juggling various legal woes, but that didn't mean that the 1017 Brick Squad Records founder wasn't also sustaining his position as one of the more influential figures in southern... Read More
The Notable Influencers * Listed in No Specific Order of Importance
DJ Toomp
Hip hop has a wealth of talented producers. The boardsmen who provide the backdrop for many of today's biggest emcees are among the most gifted artists in the music business, but very few of them have the kind of longevity... Read More
Charlamagne Tha God
There's one man in hip hop radio that does not care how you feel. Charlamagne Tha God's scathing sense of humor has become infamous. The controversial co-host of 105.1's hit morning show "The Breakfast Club"... Read More
Julie Greenwald
Atlantic Records president Julie Greenwald may have begun her career as an assistant to Lyor Cohen, but she has grown into one of the industry's smartest and most powerful executives. As President of one of music's most... Read More
Snoop Dogg
He's a rapper, businessman, actor, pitchman, and philanthropist. Snoop Dogg is still arguably the most recognized man in hip hop, and he continues to ensure that his profile will not be diminishing any time soon...
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Jermaine Dupri
He's produced hits for everyone from Usher to Mariah Carey to Jay-Z. He's been one of the most powerful and respected executives in music. He's even been a platinum-selling rapper. Jermaine Dupri has done virtually everything... Read More
Kevin Liles
A hip hop power player for the better part of two decades, Kevin Liles continues to prove why he's been able to remain a respected mover-and-shaker in an industry notorious for short-lived careers. Liles has worked as... Read More
Keri Hilson
Keri Hilson has been a successful songwriter far longer than she's been a star. But the Atlanta native stardom arrived in force five years ago and she's been going strong ever since. Throughout 2011, Hilson continued... Read More
Necole Bitchie
With over 1.1 unique visitors, 3.78 million overall visitors and over 12 million page views per month, Necole Bitchie has become a go-to online destination for urban gossip and fashion commentary. Necole has grown... Read More
Just Blaze
Having worked with Jay-Z, Eminem, Jay Electronica, and countless other hip hop superstars over the years, superproducer Just Blaze's name and reputation are well-known. Throughout 2011, Blaze and his company... Read More
Lupe Fiasco
One of the most celebrated emcees in hip hop since he debuted back in 2006, Lupe Fiasco had never caught the mainstream's attention. That all changed in 2011, for a myriad of reasons. Fiasco's Lasers album finally... Read More
The Notable Influencers * Listed in No Specific Order of Importance
T.I.
Despite being incarcerated, Atlanta superstar T.I. hasn't lost a bit of his cache in hip hop circles. The last few years of his career have been peppered with ongoing legal issues, yet the man born Clifford Harris has... Read More
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All
One of the most talked-about hip-hop collectives in recent memory, OFWGKTA (also known as simply Odd Future) have combined bizarre lyrical content, wild live performances, and the attention-getting personality of their... Read More
Nicki Minaj
Has there ever been a female rapper more visible than Nicki Minaj? The Young Money starlet made the transition from exciting newcomer to bonafide superstar in 2011. Her debut album, Pink Friday, was released in late... Read More
Jordan Tower
Jordan Tower is one of the best and most renowned names in hip hop video. His company, Jordan Tower Films has produced music videos for notable and up-andcoming hip hop artists; and he's released several hip hop DVDs... Read More
Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah continues to be hip hop's everywoman. The woman born Dana Owens continued to make sure she had her hands in as many different fields of business, art and entertainment as possible. And the world has not... Read More
Julia Beverly
Julia Beverly knows everyone in hip hop. Growing Ozone Magazine from a local publication to an internationally-recognized brand was no easy feat, but Beverly parlayed a love for southern hip hop and an unparalleled work... Read More
Elliott Wilson
Since founding RapRadar back in 2009, Elliott Wilson has proven that he has the savvy to make the transition from respected print journalist to powerhouse of online media. Wilson has had tenures at VIBE and most notably was... Read More
"Grouchy" Greg Watkins
There are few brands in hip hop journalism as respected and popular as AllHipHop. Founder "Grouchy" Greg Watkins and his partner, Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur, founded the website in the late 90s and in the 2000s, it became... Read More
DJ Drama
DJ Drama has made himself one of the most recognized DJs in hip hop. There isn't a more respected mixture DJ in hip hop than Drama, and he maintains that status by maintaining strong ties to seemingly everyone in the rap game... Read More
Rev. Run
Hip hop legends don't come much bigger than Run DMC, and Rev. Run has remained the more visible half of the surviving two members of the iconic rap group. Philanthropist, entrepreneur, motivational speaker... Read More
