13 Best Birmingham Rappers (UK / West Midlands)

Often called England's Second City, the Birmingham and West Midlands area is a hotbed of creativity. Hip-hop music is no exception, with the region producing both grime and drill hits.

Today we’ve a round-up of the top Birmingham rappers, so read on to learn more!

1. Jaykae

Janum Khan, better known as Jaykae, helped bring Birmingham grime to the mainstream.

Jaykae was born in 1991 to a Pakistani father and an Irish mother. He grew up in Small Heath, started rapping at a young age, and was soon involved in the local grime scene.

He's best known for his singles “On Top” and “Birmingham Anthem.” He has also released two albums, “Where Have You Been?” in 2016 and “The Long Way Home” in 2019.

2. Lady Leshurr

Lady Leshurr, aka Melesha Katrina O'Garro, is a British rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer from the West Midlands.

Leshurr was born in Kingshurst, Solihull, on August 2nd, 1987. She began rapping at 11 and released her first mixtape, “100% Pure,” in 2009.

Leshurr's breakthrough came in 2015 with the release of her Queen's Speech series of freestyles, when she became known for her sharp wit and clever wordplay.

3. Dutchavelli

Dutchavelli, real name Stephan Allen, is a British rapper from Birmingham. He is best known for his singles “Burning,” “808”, and “I Dunno,” a collaboration with Stormzy and Tion Wayne.

The rapper was born in Birmingham on November 11th, 1993, and later lived in the Netherlands and London. He began his career as Dutch in 2016, releasing songs such as “New Jack City” while appearing on Rinse FM.

Dutchavelli began to gain recognition in 2020 with “Only If You Knew” and released his debut album, “Dutch from the 5th,” in 2021.

4. Stefflon Don

Stefflon Don, real name Stephanie Allen, is a British rapper and singer of Jamaican descent.

She was born in Birmingham, England, in 1991 to a family with eight kids. One of her siblings is the rapper Dutchavelli.

Fluent in Dutch, Stefflon Don has lived all over Europe but settled in London to pursue a music career.

She began her music career in 2014 and launched her debut studio album in 2017. It reached number 11 on the UK Albums Chart and featured the singles “Hurtin' Me,” “16 Shots,” and “Can't Let You Go.”

5. Topps Chanzo

Topps Chanzo, also known as just Topps, is another one of the best rappers from Birmingham. He was born in the city in 1995 as Brandon Watts and is the son of Birmingham reggae singer Ray Watts.

Topps began his career as an actor, appearing in BBC's Line Of Duty, but ventured into music with a 2018 single, “Social.”

His premiere track was successful, and Topps continued making rap and dance music, following up with several singles in 2021 and 2023.

6. Mike Skinner

Mike Skinner was born on November 27th, 1979, and grew up in West Health, Birmingham.

He got into music at age five, when he played the piano but started experimenting with garage and hip-hop in his teenage years. Skinner launched his first music project, The Streets, in 1994 and gained acclaim for his wordplay and ability to blend reggae, indie rock, and hip-hop.

Skinner started a new group, The DOT, and launched two albums with them, “And That” in 2012 and “Diary” in 2013, and published a memoir about his years in the Birmingham music scene in 2012.

7. Jaja Soze

Jaja Soze, born Elijah Kerr on February 16th, 1980, in Birmingham, is famous for co-founding the music group PDC.

He grew up in the Handsworth area, north of the Birmingham city center, and listened to music from a young age. Soze started in music in 2008, with a hit debut, “Streetboy,” and launched a second album in 2009, “I Love Music.” He also distributed an album independently titled “Illegal Download” in 2010.

Jaja Soze's music is often political and socially conscious. He raps about poverty, gang violence, and police brutality and is a powerful voice for change.

8. M1llionz

M1llionz is a rapper of Jamaican descent from Handsworth, Birmingham, West Midlands. He was born on February 6th, 1997, as Miguel Rahiece Cunningham.

The rapper is famous for his poetic flow and themes about violence, injustice, and international poverty.

M1llionz hit the top 40 charts in the UK with his song “B1llionz” and launched “Provisional License,” his debut mixtape, in 2021. He gained national attention for his collaborations with Headie One, Jevon, and AJ Tracey.

9. Mayhem NODB

Mayhem NODB is a rapper from the West Midlands who works primarily in the grime genre. He was born in Handsworth, Birmingham, as Ojay George Miller and has lived his whole life in the city.

The rapper helped found the group NODB, which landed a spot on BBC Xtra, becoming the first Birmingham grime group to do so.

He launched a hit solo album, “Mr. Splash,” in 2012 and collaborated with other Birmingham talents like Mike Skinner and Jaykae, and Sir Spyro from East London.

10. Hard Kaur

Hard Kaur is an Indian immigrant who built a hip-hop career in Birmingham. Born in 1979 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, she moved with her mother to Birmingham when she was 12.

Kaur is known for her unique music style, which blends elements of hip-hop, bhangra, and Punjabi folk music. She dropped her first three albums, “P.L.A.Y. – Party Loud All Year,” “Kismet Konnection,” and “Vanakkam Chennai” in the 2000s and 2010s.

11. Juice Aleem

Juice Aleem is a British rapper, producer, and DJ. He was born in 1971 in the heart of Birmingham. He's known for mixing religious imagery in his lyrics, creating songs with grime and UK electronic styles.

Aleem began his music career in the early 1990s when he formed New Flesh with his brother, DJ Krust, and released “The Incomplete Truth” and “Understanding.”

In 2009, Aleem launched his debut solo album, “The Space Between Words,” which solidified Aleem as an important MC in the national UK scene.

12. S-Endz

Casey Rain is a funk-rock rapper from Birmingham. He makes music under the names S-Endz and Turi and is best known as a member of the UK collective Swami and as co-founder of the media group The Violet Reality.

Rain was born in Birmingham, England, to an Indian father and a white British mother.

He began his career in the early 2000s, releasing an album in 2004 with Swami. In addition to his music career, Rain is also a successful YouTuber and radio presenter.

13. Dapz on The Map

Dapz on the Map is a British rapper and singer born in Birmingham in 1992. He's famous for his poignant lyrics, melodic vocals, and unique sound, blending grime, R&B, soul, and hip-hop.

The rapper started his career in his teens and signed to independent record label Insanity Records. He released his first mixtape, “Froggy,” in 2014.

Dapz has continued to release music and tour extensively in recent years.

Top Birmingham Rappers, Final Thoughts

The UK West Midlands region has influenced the national hip-hop scene for decades, from Juice Aleem's classics in the ‘90s to young up-and-comer Topps Chanzo. Add the best Birmingham rappers to your playlist today, and get listening!