The Arts Influencers * Listed in No Specific Order of Importance
Curtis "50 Cent"
He hasn't released an album in almost four years, but that has done little to slow 50 Cent's ascension to the top of hip hop business and entrepreneurship. After his GUnit Records imprint signed a distribution deal with...
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Debra Lee
BET continues to be the primary entertainment source for African American music and culture on television. Chairwoman and CEO Debra Lee is at the helm of the iconic network, and understands the tremendous responsibility...
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Shawn "Jay-Z"
Jay-Z is still sitting at the top of hip hop. He was ranked #1 on Forbes' Hip Hop Cash Kings list of the industry's biggest earners in rap music. His $150 million deal with Live Nation, stake in the popular 40/40 clubs...
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Kanye West
One of the most iconic rappers in the world, Kanye West seems to be everywhere and into everything. Despite his controversial reputation, West's creativity and ambition know no limits, and he has aligned himself with some...
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Marshall "Eminem" Mathers
For anyone that missed Eminem's comeback in 2010, the Detroit rap superstar carried the momentum into 2011 and continued to ride a wave of goodwill that sustained him throughout the year. His 2010 album, Recovery was...
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Lex Luger
A chart-topping prodigy from Virginia, Lexus Amel Lewis--better known as superproducer Lex Lugar--is only 20 years old and already has compiled a production discography to rival the most seasoned veterans in hip hop...
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Angela Yee
Radio superstar Angela Yee ended 2010 with a major professional transition. The frank and funny DJ left Sirius/XM's Shade 45 for a co-hosting gig on Power 105.1's "The Breakfast Club." She joined Charlamagne...
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Antoine Fuqua
The director behind the acclaimed urban classic Training Day experienced a resurgent 2010 and 2011. After ending 2010 with the announcement that he would directing the highly-anticipated Tupac Shakur biopic and also...
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Wiz Khalifa
Pittsburgh native Wiz Khalifa had a breakthrough year in 2011. The hip hop upstart became a household name this year on the strength of one of the year's most recognizable early singles, a hit debut album and tour, and...
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Bun B
Former UGK member Bun B continued to prove that he's one of hip hop's most beloved and respected elder statesmen throughout 2011. Appearing on albums and mixtapes ranging from Big K.R.I.T to Jay Electronica to Killa Kyleon...
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Dr. Dre
While fans are still awaiting the release of his next magnum opus, Detox, Dr. Dre finally whet their appetites with the release of a couple of singles in 2011 that reminded everyone just how brilliant the good doctor...
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DJ Greg Street
DJ Greg Street is as much a part of Atlanta hip hop as white tees and Bankhead. The legendary radio personality still has a penchant for landing top interviews, still maintains a presence at all major events, and still...
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Drake
Drake's dominance of the pop charts continued into 2011. After the success of the Toronto rapper's debut album, Thank Me Later, he was nominated for four Grammy awards at the 2011 ceremony; including Best Rap Album...
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Jim Jonsin
Producer Jim Jonsin continues to prove he is one of urban music's most consistent production men. The Jonsin-produced Usher hit "There Goes My Baby" took home Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Eminem's...
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DJ Vlad Lyubovny
One of the most bombastic and recognized DJs in the business, Miami-based "DJ Vlad" Lyubovny is a mainstay of hip hop media because of his ability to be both one of the industry's most well-known personalities and his...
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Dizzee Rascal
Dizzee Rascall is UK hip hop. The brash and outspoken rapper has long been an icon in his native country, due to his unflinching honesty and willingness to represent for the grime movement. He wears his emotions...
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Rick Ross
In 2011, Rick Ross continued his push from Miami rap sensation, to bonafide star, to hip hop mogul-in-the-making. Ross continued to reap the commercial rewards of his blockbuster 2010 album, Teflon Don, but also proved...
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Dr. Teeth
The man born John Tucker has quietly become one of the most sought-after directors in the world of hip hop music videos. The skilled Houston native realized when he was a music major at Texas Southern University that he...
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Big Boy
Big Boy's 5-10 a.m. weekday show, "Big Boy's Neighborhood," has pushed 106 FM into the stratosphere, giving station KPWR some of the most enviable ratings in urban radio. In 2010, Big Boy's show was No. 6 in the Arbitron...
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Ice Cube
Ice Cube's reputation as a hip hop renaissance man continued well into 2011, without he rapper/actor embarking on a dizzyingly varied array of projects. Having released his latest album, I Am the West in late 2010...
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Pete Rock
Legendary superproducer Pete Rock came into 2011 with a bold announcement. The acclaimed beatsmith assured fans that he would be releasing a whopping five albums before year's end. While producing tracks for other...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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"...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Bryan "Birdman"
Listed as the fifth richest man in hip hop by Forbes Magazine, Bryan "Birdman" Williams, alongside his more low-profile brother Ronald "Slim" Williams, sits atop the Cash Money Records empire, which has three of the biggest...
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Sean "Diddy" Combs
Combs was ranked #2 on Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list, behind Jay-Z. And while Jay have out-earned Combs in 2010 and 2011, he has not surpassed Diddy's overall wealth. Forbes ranked Combs #1 on its list of the Wealthiest...
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Dwayne "Lil Wayne"
Lil Wayne may have spent much of 2010 incarcerated, but he returned to the music industry reinvigorated and wasted no time reclaiming his spot at the head of hip hop's table. Wayne's Young Money imprint continued to be a...
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Common
Common may be almost 20 years removed from his debut as a smart-alecky Chicago backpacker, but the Windy City rhymer's influence on hip hop culture is arguably at an all-time high. With his highly-anticipated new album...
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Big Boi
While the never-ending question for Antwan "Big Boi" Patton has always been 'When is Outkast getting back together,' the more visible half of the acclaimed Atlanta duo has remained a high-profile figure in the world of hip...
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Eskay
Nah Right remained on the cutting edge of hip hop news and culture throughout 2010 and 2011. Founder Ahsmi "Eskay" Rawlins is the mastermind behind a digital powerhouse that's been celebrated by Rolling Stone...
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Tech N9ne
Indie rapper Tech N9ne has proven that you can build a thriving reputation and career without succumbing to the major label machine. The Kansas City, Missouri rapper has quietly become an indie mainstay and one of the...
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Nas
Still one of the most respected rhymers in hip hop, Nasir Jones has spent the last two decades building a resume that places him near the top of the ‘Greatest Hip Hop Artists of All Time' list. A testament to his...
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No I.D.
No I.D. resumed his place as one of the most talked-about beatmakers in hip hop. The legendary Chicago hip hop producer has reunited with his longtime collaborator, rapper Common, for the upcoming album The...
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Fred Mwungagubunga
Fred Mwungagubunga's story epitomizes the Do-It-Yourself ethos of hip hop entrepreneurship. The founder of MediaTakeOut walked away from a career as a corporate lawyer to launch the world's most beloved...
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J. Cole
Like Young Money superstar Drake in 2010, North Carolina emcee J. Cole came into 2011 with high expectations and mounting pressure to deliver on the promise he had shown on mixtapes throughout the year. Signed to Jay-Z's Roc...
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Bruno Mars
After penning one of the biggest summer hits in recent years, B.o.B.'s "Nothing On You," Bruno Mars wrote the monster breakup anthem of late 2010, Cee-Lo Green's smash "Forget You." And Mars wasn't through--with...
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DJ Kay Slay
DJ Kay Slay remains one of the most respected DJs in hip hop. In 2011, his interview show has had explosive features with a unique and eclectic array of emcees, ranging from newcomers like Mac Miller and Jon Conner to...
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Ludacris
Ludacris is one of the hardest working men in hip hop. While the Atlanta rapper is prepping his forthcoming album Ludaversal for a late 2011 release, he's kept busy throughout the year with a myriad of business...
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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...
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"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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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, Fort Knocks...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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