23 Best Asian American Rappers

Dane Amar

Dane Amar is a producer, singer, songwriter, and rapper who makes a distinct blend of hip-hop, R&B, and Pop. He dubs his music “Disney Heartbreak Pop.” His songs integrate raw and gloomy lyrics with uplifting chord changes.

The rapper began recording music at the age of 12. He developed his signature fusion style after purchasing a midi keyboard and learning pop chord progressions in 2014.

In 2017, Dane dropped his first self-produced album, Yellow Umbrella, referencing the popular TV show “How I Met Your Mother.” The album did receive Twitter appreciation from the show’s creators.

Roscoe Umali

Roscoe is a Filipino rapper from Koreatown, Los Angeles. His Filipino heritage is essential to who he is, and he has spent a lot of time in Korea working with the band Drunken Tiger.

Roscoe’s lyrics and style are influenced by LA gangster bounce, rendering him one of the rappers with the best commercial style on this list.

Audrey Nuna

Audrey Chu, popularly known as Audrey Nuna, is an American R&B singer and rapper. She found her breakthrough into the mainstream scene after releasing her single tracks “Comic Sans (2019)” and “Damn Right (2020).”

Born and raised in New Jersey, the rapper took a break from studies to concentrate on her music career. Her music is renowned for fusing different styles, including pop, R&B, rap, and trap. She’s currently under Sony Music Entertainment’s Arista Records.

pH-1

Park Jun-Won, famously known as pH-1, is among the most successful Asian-American rappers. In 2017, he signed a record deal with H1ghr music. In 2018, he appeared on Show Me the Money 777, gaining widespread recognition.

The rapper dropped his first single track, “Wavy,” in 2016. Later in 2017, his first extended play, “The Island Kid,” came out. The rapper dropped his first album HALO in 2019, while his second album, titled But for Now, Leave Me Alone, came out in 2022.

P-LO

Paolo Rodriguez, professionally known as P-Lo, is a Filipino-American rapper in Bay Area, California. The rapper began making music in the 2000s while still in school. In 2008, he co-founded the HBK Gang (the Heartbreak Gang). In 2013, he released the mixtape MBMGC 2. 

In 2017, the rapper dropped his debut album, More Than Anything, a big collection of club-ready tracks. His subsequent album, titled Prime, came out in 2018. He then returned in 2019 with an EP titled Somthin’ Light.

Yoonmirae

Yoonmirae is among the best Asian American female rappers and is part of the hip-hop band MFBTY. Yoon made her breakthrough in 2001 under the name “T” with the release of her first album titled As Time Goes By.

Later in 2002, she released two albums, Gemini and To My Love. In 2013, her track “Touch Love” came at number one on Billboard’s Korea K-Pop Hot 100 chart. Her single “Angel” topped four different charts in Korea in 2014.

Killagramz

Killagramz (real name Lee Joon-hee) is a Korean-American rapper born in 1992. He participated in Show Me the Money 5, earning him recognition in the mainstream hip-hop scene.

The rapper dropped his debut album titled Faint in 2017. His most successful hits include “Birthday” featuring Kidkat and “Dirty Dog.”

Flowsik

Jay Pak, better known as Flowsik, was born in 1985 in Queens, New York. The rapper made his debut with the hip-hop group Aziatix in 2011. His first track, “The Calling,” came out in 2015. In 2016, he was a contender on the fifth season of Show Me the Money. In 2017, he dropped the hit “Wrath of God,” featuring Teri Miko and Varien.

Jessi

Jessi was born in 1988 in New York and grew up in New Jersey. Jessi was among the co-founders of hip-hop groups Uptown and Lucky J but left.

The rapper came into the limelight in 2005 after releasing her first album, Get Up. Her second album, titled The Rebirth, came out in 2009, after which she left the scene for a short while.

China Mac

Raymond Yu, known by his stage name China Mac, is a rapper, performer, activist, and ex-gang member. 2017 saw the release of his debut album titled MITM. He became a vocal critic of Lil Pump’s single Butterfly Doors in 2018 for using a discriminatory ching chong slur.

In 2019, he dropped the dual EP Yin and Yang. As part of his activism, the rapper dropped the song “They Can’t Burn Us All” in 2020.

Ruby Ibarra

Born in 1988, Ruby Ibarra doubles up as a rapper and producer from San Lorenzo, California. Her raps center on her heritage and identity as a Filipina in the US. In 2015, the rapper signed a deal with Beatrock Music.

Come 2017, she dropped her debut album Circa 1991, under the label’s management. In 2018, she appeared in a television ad for MasterCard’s Start Something Priceless campaign.

Top Asian American Rappers Of All Time, Final Thoughts

Undoubtedly, the Asian rap culture is flourishing. Even though American and European rappers dominate the market, assuming they’re the only ones is wrong. There has been a steady rise in Asian rappers over the past few years, with their music penetrating the mainstream and underground scenes. We hope you enjoyed reading our list of the best Asian American rappers.