20+ great Alabama rappers rising from the heart of the South
Alabama rappers bring raw storytelling, deep Southern culture, and innovative sounds to the global stage. From trap pioneers like Gucci Mane to fresh stars like Flo Milli, NoCap, and Big Yavo, the state has birthed talent across generations. Their voices continue to shape hip-hop history, with Alabama’s rap scene resonating louder than ever.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- The top Alabama rappers today include Gucci Mane, Yung Bleu, Flo Milli, NoCap, and Rylo Rodriguez.
- Gucci Mane from Bessemer helped pioneer trap music and launched 1017 Records, signing major artists like Young Thug.
- NoCap from Mobile earned platinum status with Ghetto Angels.
- Rylo Rodriguez signed to Lil Baby’s 4PF label and scored a Billboard Hot 100 hit in 2023.
Greatest Alabama rappers
In compiling the top Alabama rappers, we considered recorded achievements, industry impact, and cultural influence as of 2025, recognising that rankings may evolve as artists continue their careers. This list was created using data and insights from various rankibng sites, such as Ranker.
| Rank | Artist name | Birthplace |
| 1 | Gucci Mane | Bessemer, Alabama |
| 2 | NoCap | Mobile, Alabama |
| 3 | Rylo Rodriguez | Mobile, Alabama |
| 4 | Yung Bleu | Mobile, Alabama |
| 5 | OMB Peezy | Mobile, Alabama |
| 6 | Mick Jenkins | Huntsville, Alabama |
| 7 | Yelawolf | Gadsden, Alabama |
| 8 | Rich Boy | Mobile, Alabama |
| 9 | Flo Milli | Mobile, Alabama |
| 10 | Big Yavo | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 11 | Lil Bam | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 12 | Eldorado Red | Harlem, New York (relocated to Alabama) |
| 13 | Rubberband OG | Montgomery, Alabama |
| 14 | Luh Soldier | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 15 | TLE Cinco | Bessemer, Alabama |
| 16 | YBN Nahmir | Birmingham, Alabama |
| 17 | MGM Lett | Mobile, Alabama |
| 18 | D-Aye | Montgomery, Alabama |
| 19 | Doe B | Montgomery, Alabama |
| 20 | Drama | Sylacauga, Alabama |
| 21 | B. Cooper | Florence, Alabama |
21. B. Cooper
Source: UGC
- Full name: Brad Alan Cooper
- Date of birth: 11 May 1984
- Age: 41 years old (as of September 2025)
- Place of birth: Florence, Alabama, U.S.
- Debut year: 2011
B. Cooper has built a reputation as a genuine voice in Christian hip-hop, blending substance, faith, and everyday life experiences. The iconic rapper first emerged in 2011 with Cashier of the Month and later signed with Reflection Music Group in 2014. His breakthrough song, While the City Sleeps, charted on Billboard's Gospel, Christian, and Rap lists.
20. Drama
Source: UGC
- Full name: Terence L. Cook
- Date of birth: 26 December 1981
- Place of birth: Sylacauga, Alabama, U.S.
- Debut year: 1999
Drama is also among the top 90s Alabama rappers. He earned acclaim with his 1999 breakout single Left, Right, Left, released under Atlantic Records. The song peaked at #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to #2 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.
His debut album, Causin’ Drama, dropped on 8 February 2000, reached #32 on the Billboard 200, and secured Gold certification from the RIAA for 500,000 sales.
19. Doe B
Source: UGC
- Full name: Glenn Thomas
- Date of birth: 13 June 1991
- Place of birth: Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
- Debut year: 2012
Glenn “Doe B” Thomas rose to prominence under T.I.’s Grand Hustle Records. He first stood out with the mixtape Trap Life in 2012, and then exploded onto the scene with the hit single Let Me Find Out.
Doe B featured on the Hustle Gang compilation mixtape G.D.O.D. and released Baby Jesus in 2013. Tragically, he lost his life from a fatal shot at the Centennial Bar & Grill in Montgomery on 28 December 2013.
18. D-Aye
- Full name: Datony Anderson
- Date of birth: 13 February 1996
- Place of birth: Montgomery, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2013
Montgomery rapper Datony “D-Aye” Anderson began releasing music in 2013, launching the Living Life Fast mixtape series. Over the years, he released numerous mixtapes, including Living Life Fast 2–4, Murkgomery’s Finest, and Hit Lit. In late 2019, D-Aye was signed by Universal’s Island Records to a multi-album deal.
17. MGM Lett
Source: UGC
- Full name: Malcolm Malik Lett
- Date of birth: 24 July
- Place of birth: Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2019
Mobile-based MGM Lett is an alternative hip-hop artist noted for blending rap with R&B and soul. His debut album, Let the World Know (2022), showcased an eclectic style, featuring standout tracks like Conspiracy and introspective songs like Private Life. His other prominent tracks include Hustle & Flow and Neva Lett Up.
16. YBN Nahmir
- Full name: Nicholas Simmons
- Date of birth: 18 December 1999
- Place of birth: Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2017
Birmingham native Nicholas “YBN Nahmir” Simmons released his debut single Rubbin’ Off the Paint in 2017. The song became an instant hit, spawning remixes by Chris Brown and Vince Staples. Rubbin’ Off the Paint has gone multi-platinum, making him the first Alabama rapper to achieve that status at such a young age.
15. TLE Cinco
Source: UGC
- Full name: Donald Askew Jr.
- Date of birth: 27 October 1998
- Place of birth: Bessemer, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2018
Triston “TLE Cinco” Tate grew up in the Birmingham-area town of Bessemer. He made a splash in 2018 with the single All the Money. That success led to a deal with 300 Entertainment, which released his debut mixtape 20Cinco in 2019.
14. Luh Soldier
Source: UGC
- Full name: Jamal Tarel Swain
- Date of birth: 6 May 1999
- Place of birth: Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2010s
Jamal “Luh Soldier” Swain is a Birmingham rapper who gained momentum in the late 2010s. The rapper went viral with Instagram freestyles. His singles like What Happened and 45 and a Glock have amassed millions of streams, and he signed with Cinematic Music Group (Birdman’s label) early in his career.
13. Rubberband OG
- Full name: Cortez Oates
- Date of birth: 10 June 1991
- Place of birth: Montgomery, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2016
Montgomery rapper Cortez “Rubberband OG” Oates built buzz on his own before signing to T.I.’s Think It’s a Game Records in 2016. His Zaytoven-produced single Hood Back (2016) and contributions to the label’s Strictly 4 Traps & Trunks mixtape put him on the map.
12. Eldorado Red
Source: UGC
- Full name: Gary Bradford
- Place of birth: Harlem, New York, U.S. (relocated to Alabama)
- Debut year: Early 1990s
Harlem-born Eldorado Red spent his teenage years in Alabama before returning to New York. His music blends gritty East Coast lyricism with Southern bounce. He released indie mixtapes like Rick Rock Presents Eastside Rydah Vol. 1 (2011), featuring street singles Solja to the End and Hustler’s Wife.
11. Lil Bam
Source: UGC
- Full name: Keshawn Hampton
- Date of birth: 1 November 1998
- Place of birth: Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2018
Lil Bam (Keshawn Hampton) is a Birmingham rapper known for aggressive street anthems. He signed with Ralo’s MBK4L label and released the mixtape Hardhead in 2018, which included a guest appearance by Lil Baby. The rapper followed with Newborn (2019) and the Airport Baby mixtape (2020) on the same imprint.
10. Big Yavo
- Full name: Big Yavo
- Date of birth: 2 August 2000
- Place of birth: Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2020
Big Yavo is one of the best Male Alabama rappers who first gained attention with his 2020 track No Pen. His early projects, including the album OG, showcased his hard-hitting street style. In 2022, he released OG II, which debuted at #7 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.
9. Flo Milli
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Tamia Monique Carter
- Date of birth: 9 January 2000
- Place of birth: Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2015
Mobile rapper Flo Milli made a name for herself with sharp, playful flows. She first went viral with her 2018 freestyle Beef FloMix, and followed with the single In the Party (2019), which was certified platinum. The 2024 single Never Lose Me became her first top-20 Billboard hit.
8. Rich Boy
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Marece Benjamin Richards
- Date of birth: 19 April 1983
- Place of birth: Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2006
Marece “Rich Boy” Richards burst onto the scene with the 2006 smash single Throw Some D’s. The song peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a cultural staple of 2000s Southern rap. His self-titled debut album (2007) reached #3 on the Billboard 200. Rich Boy won the 2007 BET Hip Hop Award for Rookie of the Year.
7. Yelawolf
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Michael Wayne Atha
- Date of birth: 30 December 1979
- Place of birth: Gadsden, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2005
Gadsden-born Yelawolf is known for blending hip-hop with rock and country elements. He first made waves with the 2010 mixtape Trunk Muzik and soon signed to Eminem’s Shady/Interscope labels.
The American rapper's major-label debut Radioactive (2011) included the hit single That’s How I Am. The rapper’s 2015 album Love Story (debut #3 on Billboard) featured Till It’s Gone, which went platinum.
6. Mick Jenkins
Source: UGC
- Full name: Jayson Andrew Jenkins
- Date of birth: 16 April 1991
- Place of birth: Huntsville, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2014
Mick Jenkins was born in Huntsville and later became known as a Chicago-based lyricist. Jenkins first broke through with the 2014 mixtape The Waters, followed by Wave[s] (2015).
The American rapper’s 2016 debut album, The Healing Component, continued his rise and entered the Billboard 200, featuring singles like Jazz and the BadBadNotGood collaboration Spread Love.
5. OMB Peezy
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Le’Paris Kentae Dade
- Date of birth: 2 February 1997
- Place of birth: Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2016
Le’Paris "OMB Peezy" Dade is a rapper who splits his time between Mobile, Alabama and Sacramento, California. He first gained attention in 2016 with the street anthem Lay Down, and signed in 2017 to E-40’s Sick Wid It/300 Entertainment label. Peezy released mixtapes like Loyalty Over Love (2018) and his debut album Preacher to the Streets (2019).
4. Yung Bleu
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Jeremy Biddle
- Date of birth: 4 April 1994
- Place of birth: Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2013
Jeremy “Yung Bleu” Biddle is one of the famous Alabama rappers who emerged from Mobile’s music scene with mixtapes starting in 2013. After initially signing to Boosie Badazz’s Bad Azz Music (Columbia), Bleu cracked the mainstream with 2020’s hit You’re Mines Still.
The Drake-assisted remix of that track reached #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went double-platinum. In 2021, he released his debut album Moon Boy, featuring stars like Drake, Big Sean and Chris Brown; it included certified hits such as Baddest (gold-certified).
3. Rylo Rodriguez
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Ryan Preston Dunnell Adams
- Date of birth: 30 September 1993
- Place of birth: Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2018
Rylo Rodriguez first gained attention through collaborations with Lil Baby. The hip-hop star signed with Lil Baby’s Glass Window (4PF) label under Virgin Records in 2020, and released his debut album G.I.H.F. (Goat In Human Form), which cracked the Billboard 200.
2. NoCap
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Kobe Vidal Crawford Jr.
- Date of birth: 20 August 1998
- Place of birth: Mobile, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2017
Hailing from Mobile, Alabama, Kobe “NoCap” Crawford blends emotional storytelling with trap-influenced beats. He broke through after signing with YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s Atlantic imprint in 2019. The rapper’s breakout single Ghetto Angels (2019), earned massive streaming numbers and a platinum RIAA certification.
1. Gucci Mane
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Radric Delantic Davis
- Date of birth: 12 February 1980
- Place of birth: Bessemer, Alabama, USA
- Debut year: 2005
Gucci Mane is one of the top rappers from Bessemer, Alabama. He is one of the old Alabama rappers who rose to fame as a pioneering trap music innovator alongside T.I. and Jeezy. His breakout tracks include Icy (2005) and the double-platinum hit Lemonade (2009).
Gucci launched his own imprint, 1017 Records, distributed through Atlantic and Warner Music, signing major names like Young Thug, Waka Flocka Flame and Chief Keef. His career boasts notable accolades, including an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Songwriter of the Year award for hits like Black Beatles and Both.
Who are the famous Alabama rappers?
Some of Alabama's top rappers include Gucci Mane, YBN Nahmir, Yung Bleu, and Flo Milli. Other include NoCap, Rylo Rodriguez, and OMB Peezy.
Who are the great 2000s Alabama rappers?
The 2000s saw the rise of several Alabama rappers like Rich Boy, Gucci Mane, and Yelawolf, each shaping hip-hop with unique sounds and nationwide influence.
Alabama rappers continue to shape hip-hop with raw talent and unique perspectives. From pioneers like Gucci Mane and Rich Boy to newer voices like Flo Milli and NoCap, the state has proven its cultural impact.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
