23 Best Massachusetts Rappers, From Boston & Other Cities

Massachusetts isn’t as famous in the rap scene as its neighboring state of New York. You’ll hardly hear rappers hailing from the Old Bay State. Nonetheless, numerous talented rappers made a name for themselves in hip-hop over the years.

Here’s a look into the best Massachusetts rappers.

Joyner Lucas

Born in Worcester, there’s no other rapper who’s more famous in Massachusetts than Joyner Lucas. Lucas started rapping early in his childhood, thanks to his father’s influence. However, it was not until 2015, when he released “Ross Capicchioni,” that people started recognizing his songwriting and rapping prowess.

Joyner released another massive hit in 2017 with “I’m Not Racist.” The track instantly went viral and helped him garner more mainstream acclaim. The video received a Grammy nomination for “Best Music Video.” Ever since, he’s worked with numerous artists, including Chris Brown, Young Thug, Logic, and Fabulous.

Bia

Bia is a female rapper from Medford, MA. She first appeared on Oxygen’s reality TV show “Sisterhood of Hip Hop.”  In 2014, she joined Pharrell’s “I Am Other” label in association with RCA Records.

Bia released her debut EP, Nice Girls Finish Last, in 2018. Many culture lovers know her for featuring on J Balvin’s 2016 single “Safari” and Russ’ “Best on Earth.” After signing for a new label in 2020, Bia released her 2nd EP Bia’s breakthrough on the Billboard charts after featuring Nicki Minaj on her remix for “Whole Lotta Money.”

Guru

Keith Edward Elam, widely recognized by his stage moniker Guru, is a Roxbury-born record producer and rapper. Guru co-founded the hip-hop duo Gang Starr along with DJ Premier. Although their first three albums didn’t receive much attention, their later works, including 1998’s “Moment of Truth” and “A Decade of Gang Starr,” received Gold certifications.

Guru’s debut solo record, “Baldhead Slick & da Click,” peaked at #22 on the R&B/Hip Hop album charts. American digital media group, Dotdash Meredith, ranked Guru amongst their Top 50 MCs of this time.

Tha Trademarc

Peabody-born rapper Marc Predka, better known as “Tha Trademarc,” rose to fame after collaborating with his cousin, John Cena, on the album “You Can’t See Me.” Furthermore, he paired with Cena for his WWE entrance theme song, “The Time Is Now.”

Tha Trademarc also starred alongside Cena in the videos for the tracks “Right Now” and “Bad Bad Man.” Before then, he was featured on Cena’s debut WWE DVD, Word Life. Notably, he released his debut solo album, Inferiority Complex, in 2008.

Reks

Reks emerged from the underground rap culture in Lawrence, MA. “Along Came The Chosen,” his first underground album, was nominated by the Boston Music Awards for the “Album Of The Year.” Reks has produced eight more albums and featured on other mixtapes and albums.

In his teenage years, Reks was a breakdancer who was part of the local crew known as “FunkTown Connection.” After establishing himself in the rap scene, he quit Uni to start recording with Brick Records.

Ed O.G.

Edward Anderson was brought up in Massachusetts’s predominantly black working-class district of Roxbury. He initially identified himself as Ed Rock and began his career as a teenager in the late 1980s as part of the crew known as FTI. (Fresh To Impress.)

Edo is one of the best Boston rappers, thanks to how he revolutionized the rap scene in Massachusetts. He was the first to gain popularity in New York and other states across the US Besides, Ed has worked with numerous rap artists worldwide, including Peter Rock, KRS-One, Masta Ace, and more.

Yung Lano

Independent rap artist Yung Lano hails from Hyde Park, Massachusetts. He borrowed inspiration to start rapping from his brother, a rapper, and father, a respectable Boston DJ. Spending the time to learn and perfect his art, he discovered his voice, which revolves around adaptable melodic flows and hip-hop undertones.

Lano’s flexibility blended each facet of his creativity on beats to produce songs that accelerated the growth of his fan following. Lan’s lyrics mastery is evident on his debut album “Revenue II.” 

Termanology

Daniel Carrillo, better known as Termanology, enjoyed his breakthrough in 2006 with the track “Watch How It Goes Down.” Termanology has had co-signs from various East Coast OG from the 1990s, including DJ Premier, Large Professor, Bun B, and MOP.

Termanology’s works mainly center on political elements. He continues to reign in the Boston underground scene with street-savvy lyrics.

Akrobatik

Akrobatik is a Boston, Massachusetts-based rapper from the Dorchester neighborhood. After signing with Boston-based Detonator Records label, he released his debut track, “Ruff Enough.” He also released follow-up tracks like “Say Yes Say Word” and “Internet MCs.”

Akrobatik’s tracks have been featured on TV series like ESPN’s “Playmakers,” HBO’s “The Wire,” and other films. His 2003 album “Balance” ranked #4 on CMJ Holdings Corp. Akrobatik is also a member of the hip-hop group known as “The Perceptionists.”

Slaine

George Carroll, better known as Slaine, hails from Boston, MA. Slaine’s initial goal was to become a filmmaker. Unfortunately, he was expelled from school and started rapping at street corners and open mics. His earlier works borrowed heavily from Kool Moe Dee, the Beastie Boys, and LL Cool J.

Carroll became popular in Boston’s underground rap scene in the early 2000s. He released several mixtapes and, in 2007, worked with his crew “Special Teamz” on the LP “Stereotypez.” In 2011, Carroll released his debut solo record, “A World with No Skies,” which was a massive success on the charts.

Oompa

Growing up in Boston, Oompa was exposed to various genres, including Reggae, Funk, Disco, and Gospel, from a tender age. As she grew older, Oompa progressively fell in love with Hip-Hop. However, Kendrick Lamar’s “good kid, m.A.A.d city” inspired young talent to seek a rap career.

In 2016, Oompa started establishing herself with her fascinating flows. A year later, she clinched the Women of the World Poetry Slam and performed alongside 24KGoldn, Rico Nasty, and Charli XCX. More mainstream success came in 2019 after Oompa released her debut album, Cleo.

Millyz

Boston-based rapper Millyz infuses his life experiences into his raps, presenting them with accuracy and deep emotion. Starting in the late 2010s and heading into the following decade, he gained popularity for his continuous Blanco mixtape.

Millyz ventured into music to respond to a diss track about him. Although he had no rapping experience, everybody who listened to his “response” track urged him to continue. One of his fans later referred him to DJ Set Free, who was working to put together tapes for local hip-hop talent. Since then, Millyz has released several mixtapes and regularly performs at live concerts.

Cousin Stizz

Cousin Stizz hails from Dorchester, MA. He started freestyling as a teenager. The meteoric rise of his fellow Boston mc and friend, Michael Christmas, in 2013 motivated him to pursue rapping as a profession.

Stizz released his debut solo single, “Shoutout,” in 2014. However, it was not until his debut solo album, “Suffolk County,” a year later that he gained real commercial success.

Souleye

Souleye comes from Sturbridge, MA. He started rapping during his high school years. In 2001, Souleye began writing and touring with the Transcendental Alliance, a collective of conscious hip-hop musicians. Souleye later teamed up with underground artist, Campaign, to release the album “Soul Sessions.”

Souleye has independently unleashed ten studio albums, the most recent of which was “Hunting Teardrops” in 2021. He’s recorded and performed alongside BLVD, Bassnectar, and many more.

Big Shug

Big Shug is a rapper from Boston, Massachusetts, and the co-founder of the hip-hop duo “Gang Starr.” Unfortunately, once Shug landed in jail, Gang Starr dissolved. Guru, the other member, relocated to New York, where he recruited DJ Premier.

Upon Shug’s release, he reconnected with Guru and rejoined the Gang Starr. Shug’s first feature was on the group’s 1994 album “Hard to Earn.” He’s also collaborated with many other artists, including M-Dot, DJ Jean, and DJ Krush.

Cazwell

American rapper, songwriter, and producer Cazwell was born in Worcester, MA. He started his career in the late 90s as a member of “Morplay,” a hip-hop duo formed along with Crasta Yo. Cazwell released his debut single, “The Sex I Need,” in 2003.

To date, Cazwell has released three albums and has numerous singles. However, he’s not been short of controversy, primarily because of his sexual imagery in videos and raunchy lyrics.

Chilla Jones

Chilla Jones is a battle rapper and musician repping Boston, MA. As a teenager, Jones reigned in battle raps in Boston. Later, he shifted his attention from battle rapping to songwriting and music production.

Since then, Jones has acquired a local reputation for punchline skills and genuine and innovative song themes. To date, Chilla has released six solo mixtapes in three years. He still features in battle raps across Massachusetts, LA, New York, and Atlanta.

Gio Dee

Gio Dee is the founder of the Boston-based music group “Chef Boyz.” Dee rose to fame after social media influencer Jerry Purpdrank shared his track “Mind Yo Business” on a vine. The vine quickly went viral, receiving over a million YouTube views.

Later that year, Dee released the “Mind Yo Business EP” featuring Metro Boomin, TM88, MadeinTYO, and Lamsu. This EP’s success led Dee to curtain raise for numerous acts, including Lil Uzi Vert, G-Eazy, etc. Dee has since released two studio albums.

Esoteric

Esoteric is a veteran, Boston-based, underground rapper. He started his rap career in the early 90s after teaming up with 7L to create their debut single, “God Complex.” Soon after, the duo released “Secret Wars.” This track became more popular, thanks to Esoteric paying tribute to Marvel Comics’ heroes in well-crafted lyrics.

Esoteric and 7L then released the “Rebel Alliance” LP, which featured Force Five, Mr. Lif, and Virtuoso. In 2007, Esoteric kickstarted a solo career and released 15 albums.

Token

Token hails from Salem, MA. Sadly, Token had a troubled childhood, from being diagnosed with anxiety and depression to dealing with obesity. Nonetheless, Token was exposed to hip-hop at a young age, which inspired him to become a rapper. His outlet of writing poetry in his diary quickly transitioned to hip-hop lyrics by the time he was aged 10.

Token released his first mixtape, “The Mindstate,” in 2014. Token’s breakout video was for the “No Sucka MCs” hip-hop competition. He has since released three albums and several singles.

Dutch Rebelle

Initially from Haiti, Rebelle started rapping at around nine years old. Nonetheless, it was not until college that she decided to pursue a music career. Rebelle’s rap sound borrows heavily from R&B as she speaks about societal issues, love, and everyday struggles.

After releasing her debut album, “Married To The Music,” the Boston-based female MC had thought of relocating to Atlanta. However, she has resolved to represent her city.

Rightfully so, Rebelle can now boast she’s made it to the top, securing opening gigs for Statik Selektah and DJ Premier. In addition, she received a “Best Hip Hop Artist” award at the Boston Music Awards in 2014.

Mr. Lif

Boston rapper Mr. Lif dropped out of University to pursue music in 1994. Mr. Lif borrowed huge inspiration from iconic MCs like Rakim, Chuck D, and KRS-One. Although gangsta and party rap dominated the rap scene in the late 90s, Mr. Lif’s style concentrated on socially conscious and political lyrics.

Mr. Lif’s 1998 debut single, Elektro, drew the interest of labels Definitive Jux and Grand Royal. He worked closely with Definitive Jux to produce “Enters the Colossus” in early 2000 and a series of several popular singles. Mr. Lif also bagged Boston’s “Outstanding Rap/Hip Hop Act” for two consecutive years.

Michael Christmas

American rapper Michael Christmas a Boston Native. He started rapping during his early teenage years. At 19 years old, Michael released his first mixtape, “Is This Art?” In 2014, he constantly made waves locally and in other cities.

Michael’s popularity saw him clinch a spot on Logic’s “The Under Pressure Tour” in early 2015. Ever since, he’s released three albums titled “What A Weird Day,” “Baggy Eyes,” and “Hiding.” Unlike most Soundcloud rappers’ rowdy and trap beats, Michael’s style is more self-conscious, warm, and funky.

Top Massachusetts Rappers, Final Thoughts

Massachusetts is probably not the first state that comes to mind when you think of hip-hop. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean the East Coast state lacks talent! This guide is a comprehensive look into the best Massachusetts rappers that have been impactful in the rap scene over the years.