27 Best German Rappers
Are you a fan of German rap music? From classic old-school beats to modern hard-hitting lyrics. German rap has something for every lover of hip-hop music. Get to know some of the most influential musicians from the German rap scene. Sit back and enjoy as we take you through our list of the best German rappers.
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Apache 207
Apache 207, born in 1997, is a rapper from Ludwigshafen. He rose to fame with his hit Roller in 2019 and has had several Top 10 hits since then.
In 2017, after high school graduation, he released his debut single, Kleine Hure.
He released his EP, Platte, in October 2019 and became famous with two number-one hits in Germany.
Kontra K
Kontra K is a rapper from Berlin inspired by American rap artists like Nas and Notorious B.I.G.
He dropped out of school at age 16 and released a mixtape with a duo. He then started a solo career with his label.
His album “Labyrinth” reached number one in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland charts.
Farid Bang
Farid Bang started rapping at 19 and released his first album, “Jung, brutal, gutaussehend,” in 2009.
In 2018, he released Jung, brutal, and gutaussehend with Kollegah. Gutaussehend won the Echo Award for the highest-selling album later that year.
Ufo361
Ufo361 is a German rapper from Berlin, known for his 2015 hit single “Ich bin ein Berliner.”
He released his second studio album, “808,” in 2017, and it reached number one on the charts.
He released his fourth album, “Wave,” in 2019. Ufo361 continues to be a prominent figure in the German hip-hop world.
Gzuz
Gzuz is a German rapper from Hamburg who is a member of the hip-hop crew 187 Strassenbande.
He went to prison in 2020, and after his release, he unveiled two solo albums. The albums “High & hungrig” and “Ebbe & Flut” were very successful.
He won two awards in 2016 for ‘Ahnma' with Beginner & Gentleman.
R.A.F. Camora
Raphael Ragucci (R.A.F. Camora) was born in Switzerland to parents from Austria and Italy.
He released his debut album, “Family Bizz,” with Assaut Mystik and Balkan Express in 2006. He released two albums in 2010 and 2013 under his stage name R.A.F.
Bonez MC
Bonez MC is a rapper and music producer and a member of the hip-hop gang 187 Strassenbande.
His most successful releases are “Palmen aus Plastik” and “Ohne mein Team with R.A.F. Camora.”
He also released a debut album, “Krampfhaft kriminell.”
Mero
Mero is a German-Turkish rapper who rose to prominence in 2018.
His debut single, “Baller los,” topped the German and Austrian single charts. He has released three albums – Ya Hero Ya Mero, Unikat, and Seele – and featured in the hits Ferrari and Kein Plan.
Kurdo
Kurdo is an international rap star from Heidelberg, Germany. He was born to an Iraqi-Kurdish family and immigrated when he was eight.
In 2011, he started his musical journey with his YouTube channel. In 2014, KJ-52 launched its label Beefhaus. The label released his first album, “Slum Dog Millionaer.”
Kurdo has become famous worldwide with his hits Alles Coco and Ya Salam.
Bushido
Bushido is a German rapper, hip-hop producer, and entrepreneur.
Bushido released his first album, “Carlo Cokxxx Nutten,” in 2002. He has gone on to release other influential albums.
These include “Vom Bordstein bis zur Skyline,” “Electro Ghetto,” and “Staatsfeind Nr. 1.”
Fler
Patrick Losensky, better known as Fler, was born in Bonn, Germany, in 1982.
He started his career in 1999. He has since released many successful albums and songs.
His famous songs include “Jump jump,” “Eine chance,” “Ich sing nicht mehr fur dich,” and “Zu gangsta.”
Peter Pangerl
Peter Pangerl, or Chakuza, was Born on 22 February 1981 in Linz, Austria. He has been a significant force in German rap and hip-hop since 2005.
His sophisticated lyrics have established him as a critical figure in the scene. He has also produced tracks for other artists.
His biggest hits include “Charlie Brown,” “Unter der Sonne,” “Eure Kinder,” and “Dings.”
Haftbefehl
Haftbefehl is a successful rapper from Offenbach am Main.
He dropped out of school at 14 and released his first album, “Azzlack Stereotyp,” in 2010.
He released his second album, “Kanackiş,” featuring Jan Delay and Sido in 2012. In 2015, his single “Chabos wissen wer der Babo ist” entered the German single charts.
Marteria
Marten Laciny, came to light in 2012 with his Miss Platinum & Yash collaboration, Lila Wolken. It reached number one on the German music charts.
He has released several albums under his alter ego, Marsimoto. These include “Base Ventura,” “Zum Glück in die Zukunft,” and “Roswell.”
Haiyti
Haiyti is a German rapper, producer, and entrepreneur born Ronja Zschoche. She released her debut single, “gold,” in 2013 and gained a loyal fan base and critical acclaim.
Her sound is hip-hop, but she also experiments with other genres. Some of her notable tracks include “Sunny Driveby,” “Mafioso,” and “100.000 Fans.”
Sido
Sido is a renowned rapper from East Berlin who started his career in 1997. His popular songs like “Strassenjunge” and “Nein” have become classics.
His music has a political and social message. He has collaborated with many other artists.
His influence and respect in German rap and hip-hop scenes are undeniable.
K.I.Z
K.I.Z is a German hip-hop group from Berlin known for dark humor, ironic lyrics, and sociocritical content.
The group comprises three rappers, Nico, Tarek, and Maxim, plus former D.J. Craft. K.I.Z began their career in the Reimliga Battle Arena.
Their fifth studio album, “Hurra die Welt geht unter”, was released in 2015.
Eko Fresh
Eko Fresh is a German rapper with Turkish and Kurdish roots. He began rapping at age 14, but he took a job at the shoe store to make ends meet.
From 2010 to 2013, he released four albums. 2013's “Eksodus” topped the German charts.
He is also known for his public feud with Optik Records, Kool Savas, and Aggro Berlin.
Kollegah
The rapper Felix Blume AKA Kollegah was born in 1984 in Friedberg, Germany. He released his first mixtape, “Zuhältertape,” in 2005. Besides that, he created four collaborative albums with Farid Bang.
In 2016, his label Alpha Music Empire released several albums, such as “Engel mit der A.K.” and “Imperator.”
Nimo
Nima Yaghobi, known as Nimo, is a German rapper with Iranian roots.
At 15, he went to juvenile detention. His discography includes “K¡K¡,” “Nimoriginal,” and the collaborative album “Capimo” with Capo. He also has two mixtapes, “Habeebeee” and “Steinbock.”
Nimo is the founder of Moonboys Entertainment.
Azet
Azet is a rapper who has achieved great success with his three studio albums. These are “Super Plus” (2019), “Fast Life” (2018), and “Fast Life 2” (2020).
His single “Qa Bone” is gold certified. Another collaboration with Zuna, “Nummer 1”, is platinum certification in Germany.
22. 187 Strassenbande
Strassenbande is a German hip-hop and urban music formation founded in 2006.
Its members include Bonez MC, Gzuz, LX, Maxwell, Sa4, and other taggers, graffiti artists, and producers.
In 2015, they toured with Wu-Tang Clan; in 2017, their “Sampler 4” album was a chart-topper.
Alligatoah
Alligatoah, aka Lukas Strobel, is a rapper-singer, producer, and D.J. signed to Trailerpark.
He has released three albums, two certified gold, and one platinum. In addition, he created two alter egos, Kaliba 69 and DJ Deagle.
He has released mixtapes and albums and gone on two tours. The PeppNoseDay Tour in 2011 and the Himmelfahrtskommando Tour in 2016.
Ade Bantu
Ade Bantu is a Nigerian-German artist and producer. He is also the founder of Brothers Keepers, an Afro-German collective.
His band won the Kora Award for their album “Fuji Satisfaction” in 2005.
Ade has released several albums, such as “BANTU” and the most recent, “Everybody Get Agenda.”
Kay One
Kay One, also known as Prince Kay One, is a German rapper. He started rapping at 13 and won a contest at 16.
After signing to two labels, financial issues caused him to return from abroad to home in Germany.
In 2010, his debut album came out. In 2012, he released his album “Prince of Belvedair” and released a single with Mario Winans.
Capital Bra
Capital Bra (Vladislav Balovatsky) was born in Siberia and raised in Ukraine.
He immigrated to Berlin in the early 2000s, starting his rap career at 11.
His four studio albums charted in the top 5 in German-speaking Europe. He also has 22 number-one songs in Germany.
Bausa
Julian Otto (Bausa) is a rapper, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer.
He has released many hit collaborations and solo albums. His most notable was his 2017 album “Dreifarbenhaus.”
His single “Was du Liebe nennst” was a massive hit. It stayed atop the German and Austrian Singles Chart for eight weeks and earned him 7x Gold certification in Germany.
Top German Rappers, Final Thoughts
We've covered some of the most influential German rappers of all time. From Apache 207 to Mero and Capital Bra, these artists have made their mark in the German rap scene. Each artist has a unique style and has contributed to the genre in their own way. From political statements to cloud rap, German rap has something for everyone.
