These days, rappers are known almost as much for their fashion sense as for their mic skills. With pictorials in GQ, brand partnerships with prestigious fashion houses, and ravenous fan bases frantically tapping “like” on their social media “fit pics,” rappers are the new style icons from which the whole world takes its cues.
And as is traditional in hip-hop, competition is a huge factor. Many of rap’s biggest acts seemingly compete to see who can rock the rarest kicks, the most expensive designer pieces, and of course, the flashiest accessories, from their chains to their watches to their custom grills. In the same way we rank rappers, their songs, their albums, and their rhymes, let’s rank which rappers have been the most stylish throughout the genre’s history.
Honorable Mention: Pharrell Williams, because he’s only a part-time rapper, but he’s a full-time style icon.
11. Nicki Minaj
Who else could make a pink chicken wing pendant a coveted accessory, then turn around and collaborate with Fendi on her very own imprint based on her “Chun Li” lyrics from 2018? Nicki stays at worldwide Fashion Week showcases decked out in head-to-toe designer, making her one of hip-hop’s primary plates for luxury sartorial swag.
10. 2 Chainz
At 6’5”, the trap rap standard-bearer has a lot more of himself to dress than most rappers, but fortunately, he’s up for the task. A fan of matching prints, outlandish footwear, fantastic hats, and way more chains than his name implies, TIty Boi is always likely to stand out in a crowd.
9. Cardi B
Cardi B and “fashion” will be inextricably linked as long as she’s in the game after her first Fashion Nova collection sold out in a day, but she’s also become just as well known for her red carpet looks as she is for her readiness to turn them into weaponry at a moment’s notice.
8. Gucci Mane
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You would have to expect anyone named after one of the most iconic fashion houses in history to be a great dresser and Gucci Mane filled that role long before his new partnership with his namesake.
7. Future
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Once called the “best accessorized man in the world” by GQ, Future’s fashion sense generally tends to be more laid-back than some of his compatriots, but his sleek styles always hang on his 6’2” frame with a casual grace that seems low effort, but is actually rare among rappers on the taller end of the spectrum.
6. Rapsody
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One of hip-hop’s most underrated personalities and dressers, Rapsody’s looks have ranged from tomboy chic to elegant glam at award shows, concerts, and interviews. She may not have always received the respect she’s due, but she deserves some more shine because she’s always dressed to the nines.
5. Young Thug
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Long before Uzi turned heads with his androgynous style, Thugger wore a dress “‘cause he had a stick” on his infamous Jeffery cover. Even though he’s since toned it way down, he’s remained a fascination of fashion fans — in fact, he’s more likely to grant interviews about his closet than he is his music.
4. ASAP Rocky
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When Rocky burst onto the scene in the early 2010s doused in Raf Simons and Hood By Air, he sparked the trend of streetwear connoisseurs doing their best goth kid impressions — a trend that has persisted to this day. Who else would design prison uniforms for the facility where he was locked up?
3. Lil Kim
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Before Nicki and way before Cardi, there was Kim. The original Queen Bee was one of rap’s first real fashion icons, sporting iconic looks that have since been copied, homaged, and plastered permanently in our collective cultural memory.
2. Kanye West
“I’m Kan’, the Louis Vuitton Don” should be enough said, but just in case anyone needs a reminder, this is the trendsetting rapper who had a generation dressing like apocalyptic hobos, ushering in the #CozyFam era and even making dad shoes a perennial must-have.
1. Lil Uzi Vert
https://www.instagram.com/p/B35lCijpgWb/
Not even Uzi has any clue when Eternal Atake is coming out, but we can all rest assured that he’ll keep up a reliable diet of Instagram outfit of the day pics until it does. Uzi’s style was recently profiled in GQ, where he revealed the origins of his gender-bending shopping habits.
Some of the artists mentioned are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
