André 3000 is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and actor known for his work as part of the hip-hop duo OutKast.
1975-
Big Pun was a Latino hip-hop artist whose album Capital Punishment went to No. 1 on the R&B/hip-hop charts. He died in 2000 from obesity related heart failure.
1971-2000
Biggie Smalls, also known as Notorious B.I.G., was a revered hip-hop artist and face of East Coast gangsta rap. He was shot and killed on March 9, 1997.
1972-1997
1959-
Entrepreneur Sean Combs has produced big-name artists like Mariah Carey, created the Sean John clothing line, and recorded his own platinum albums.
1969-
Hip-hop artist and actor LL Cool J made it big with Def Jam Records in the late 1980s and '90s with albums like Mama Said Knock You Out.
1968-
Born December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, this acclaimed rapper and actor is known for his socially conscious hip-hop music as well as for his performances in Monster's Ball, The Italian Job and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
1973-
A member of the Beastie Boys, Mike D has demonstrated his talents as a rapper, crafting clever quirky and often humorous lyrics.
1966-
Snoop Dogg is a West Coast rapper who evolved under the tutelage of Dr. Dre, and has received fame for albums such as Doggystyle, Tha Doggfather and Reincarnation.
1971-
TV and rap star Drake is best known in Canada for playing wheelchair-bound Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi: The Next Generation, and for hit songs like "Best I Ever Had" and "Take Care."
1986-
Missy Elliott is a Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist. A rapper and producer, she won the BET Award for best female hip-hop artist numerous times.
1971-
Eminem is an American rapper, record producer, and actor, who is known as one of the most controversial and best-selling artists of the early 21st century.
1972-
Cee Lo Green is a singer-songwriter who has found success as frontman of the duo Gnarls Barkley and as a solo artist, and has appeared as a judge on The Voice.
1974-
MC Hammer brought rap music to the mainstream audience with his album Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, the biggest-selling rap album of all time.
1962-
Adam Horovitz, also known as "Ad-Rock," was a co-founder and member of the Beastie Boys, the popular rap-rock group.
1966-
Rapper and hip-hop entrepreneur Jay-Z has won Grammy Awards, helmed Def Jam Records, created a clothing line, and married Beyoncé Knowles.
1969-
Atlanta-born rapper, producer and DJ Lil Jon is known for performing a style of hip-hop called "crunk."
1971-
Chris Kelly is best known for making up one half of the rap duo Kris Kross, who had a No. 1 hit with their 1992 song "Jump."
1978-2013
Ke$ha is and American singer-songwriter whose big break came from an uncredited and unpaid cameo on rapper Flo Rida's 2009 No. 1 hit "Right Round."
1987-
Lil Wayne is a Grammy Award-winning rapper known for his hit albums, mixtapes and singles, including "A Milli" and "Lollipop."
1982-
Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was a singer and rapper known for her work with the 1990s group TLC.
1971-2002
1977-
Damian Marley is a Grammy Award-winning reggae musician and the son of Bob Marley. His biggest hit is the song "Welcome to Jamrock."
1978-
Master P is a rapper and hip-hop mogul who founded No Limit Records.
1970-
Hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj was featured in seven songs on Billboard's Hot 100 at the same time, even before the release of her debut album in 2010.
1982-
East Coast rapper Nas made it big with albums Illmatic (1994), It Was Written (1996) and Stillmatic (2001).
1973-
Standing 7 feet tall and weighing 315 pounds, Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most dominant players in the NBA. After his 2011 retirement, he became an on-screen league analyst.
1972-
Queen Latifah is an American rapper, record producer and actress known for her roles in the films Set it Off, Bone Collector, Last Holiday and Chicago.
1970-
When it came to musician Kid Rock, record labels weren't quite sure how to promote a white rapper who blended heavy metal and country rock.
1971-
Ja Rule is one of the biggest rappers from the early '00s, known for hits like "Between Me and You," "Always on Time" and "Put It on Me."
1976-
Andy Samberg is a comedian, actor, singer and a star of Saturday Night Live. His comedy troupe "The Lonely Island" is known for its humorous digital shorts.
1978-
A hip-hop legend, with explicit and controversial lyrics, Tupac Shakur was embroiled in a feud between East Coast and West Coast rappers.
1971-1996
Jaden Smith is an actor best known for his starring role in the remake of The Karate Kid, and as the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith.
1998-
Will Smith was on the TV show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and has had a successful career as a film actor in several blockbusters since 1992.
1968-
Ice-T is best known for his raps about street life and violence, and his influence on the gangster rap genre.
1958-
Timbaland is a rapper and music producer known for smash hits like "Cry Me a River," "4 Minutes," "The Way I Are" and "Give It to Me."
1972-
1967-
Mark Wahlberg got his start headlining the musical group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, later going on to a modeling career and acting success in Hollywood.
1971-
Kanye West is a Grammy-winning rapper and sought-after producer who is as well known for his outrageous statements as he is for his broad musical palette.
1977-
Adam Yauch (aka MCA) was a co-founder and member of the Beastie Boys, the popular rap group.
1964-2012
Rapper-producer Dr. Dre first made it big with hip hop group N.W.A. in 1980s. He has also enjoyed success as a solo act and worked with Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent.
1965-