31 Best Texas Rappers From Houston & Other Cities

Everything is bigger in Texas, and that's certainly true when it comes to music. From legends like DJ Premier and The Geto Boys to newer artists like Travis Scott and Post Malone, Texas is rich with hip-hop history. Today, we're going to take a look at some of the best Texas rappers.

Chamillionaire

Hakeem Temidayo Seriki, better known by his stage name Chamillionaire, is a Houston rap artist with an extensive list of hits, features, and awards. Hakeem founded the legendary Texas rap group Color Changin' Click and performed with the group until they disbanded in 2005, with the members pursuing solo careers.

Chamillionaire's debut featured hit singles “Turn It Up” and “Ridin',” and helped propel the rapper to superstardom. Chamillionaire also had an exceptionally popular mixtape series entitled the Mixtape Messiah series. These days, Chamillionaire has shifted his focus from hip-hop to venture capital, and he's invested in several promising startups.

Bun B

Bun B can make a real case for being one of the best Houston rappers ever. Bun is a founding member of UGK alongside the legendary Pimp C. Outside of the group, he's also had a legendary solo career.

Bun B put out his first solo album in 2005 and began to pursue his solo career more diligently after Pimp C's untimely passing in 2007. He's released five solo albums, with his 2010 album Trill OG earning a rare 5-mic rating from The Source magazine.

Devin the Dude

While Devin the Dude has never achieved mainstream success, he's considered one of the most inventive and influential rappers in hip-hop history. Devin has released eleven studio albums, including his 2002 album Just Tryin' Ta Live, which featured the classic songs “Lacville '79” and “Doobie Ashtray.”

Devin's style and cadence depart from what most of the best Texas rappers are doing, which is the main reason for his critical acclaim as one of the most unique voices in the genre.

Don Toliver

This Houston-born rapper, singer, and producer has become one of the hottest artists in hip hop, and along with friend and label boss Travis Scott, Toliver has released some of the most influential songs of the last five years.

Toliver is best known for his debut album, Heaven or Hell, which featured the smash hit singles “No Idea” and “After Party.” He followed up his debut effort with 2021's Life of a Don, which helped position Don Toliver as one of Houston's most iconic rap artists.

DJ Premier

While he might not be a rapper by trade, no list of Texas rap artists would be complete without mention of Premo. Premier is widely considered one of the greatest producers in hip-hop history, and he's worked with virtually every major rap artist over the last three decades. Beyond his work as a producer, DJ Premier makes up one-half of the iconic duo Gang Starr with rapper Guru.

Premier is widely credited for creating the “boom bap” sound associated with New York hip-hop in the 1990s.

DJ Screw

The most influential figure in Texas hip-hop is, without a doubt, DJ Screw. Screw's iconic chopped-and-screwed mixing style was unique to Texas, and it helped put Houston on the map as one of the country's premier hip-hop destinations.

DJ Screw began DJing at age 12, and in his late teens, he pioneered the infamous chopped and screwed style, which saw records slowed down to around 60-70 BPM and then “chopped” with different DJ techniques.

Tragically, DJ Screw passed away at age 29 from a drug overdose.

Fat Pat

Another legendary Houston rapper taken before his time, Fat Pat managed to leave his fingerprints all over the Texas hip-hop scene before his passing in 1998 at age 27. Authorities have never solved the murder.

Pat was a member of the Dead End Alliance and Screwed Up Click alongside his brother Big Hawk, DJ Screw, and Kay-K. Pat's acclaimed solo projects weren't released until after his passing, with his albums Ghetto Dreams and Throwed in the Game reaching critical acclaim.

Geto Boys

The Geto Boys paved the way for other H-town artists and the more aggressive hip-hop subgenres that developed in the 90s. The most notable version of the group consisted of:

• Scarface
• Willie D
• Bushwick Bill

The group has six studio albums, and they're best known for their iconic hit, “Damn It Feels Good To Be a Gangsta.”

The Geto Boys are credited with pushing the envelope of hip hop and inspiring countless acts, from other Texas rappers like UGK and Chamillionaire to T.I., Lil Wayne, Insane Clown Posse, and Eminem.

Megan Thee Stallion

This Houston superstar has experienced a meteoric rise thanks to equal parts brains, beauty, and talent. Megan capitalized on a grassroots buzz generated on apps like Instagram and TikTok while she was a student at Southern Prairie A&M.

Megan Thee Stallion broke out in 2021 on the strength of several smash hits, including “WAP” with Cardi B. Megan took home three Grammys that year, including Best New Artist honors.

Mike Jones

Few rap artists have captivated an audience like Mike Jones, whose smash hit “Back Then” could be heard bumping from every car from California to New York (and especially in Houston.)

While Mike Jones wasn't able to fully capitalize on the success of that smash single, he's a legend of Houston hip hop and one of the pioneers of the chopped-and-screwed sound that's so closely associated with Texas.

These days, Mike Jones continues to record and produce music.

Paul Wall

A legend of Houston's chopped and screwed scene, Paul Wall's career began in 1998 when he began working with Michael Watts' Swishahouse Records. Shortly after, Paul's credentials as a rapper began to shine through, and he joined the infamous Color Changin' Click with Chamillionaire and Slim Thug.

Wall rose to stardom thanks partly to appearances with other Houston rappers, most notably on Mike Jones' single “Still Tippin'”. Wall's first album, The People's Champ, debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200 and featured the smash hits “Sittin' Sidewayz,” “They Don't Know,” and “Girl.”