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You can learn a lot about integration between the blockchain music industries by studying the top 10 NFT hip-hop artists. Hip-hop remains a popular genre that has a global audience of young listeners. As such, it’s the ideal community to introduce new tech to the market.

Modern Hip Hop originated in the Bronx and has since become a worldwide phenomenon, with many artists expanding past music into other business ventures. From festivals to energy drinks and everything in between, the hip-hop music industry doesn’t leave anything on the table.  These artists have upped the ante through innovation and willingness to push the status quo. Here are the Top 10 NFT hip-hop artists you need to know, in no particular order.

1. Doja Cat

Doja Cat has been turning heads ever since she hit star status following the release of her first national single, “Moooo!” in 2018. Since then, she has dropped four successful albums with multiple billboard rankings. When asked how she came up with her iconic name, she explained that it combined her favorite pet and strain.

Impressively, Doja Cat has received a Grammy, 16 nominations, 5 American music awards, and was listed in Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people worldwide. Her blend of pop and hip-hop continues to draw more listeners from across genres. This cross-genre attention has been capitalized on by the artist in a way that would make any blockchain supporter proud.

In September 2021, Doja Cat released her NFT collection named Doja World. This limited edition collection features 26K collectibles split into two categories, gold and diamond. During the release, each gold-level collectible acted as a lottery ticket with a chance for fans to win VIP tickets to her events and other cool prizes. Notably, The diamond package included flights, VIP, and much more.

Doja World launched on the popular music-focused NFT market Oneof. This marketplace lists Quincey Jones as one of its founders and offers users the ability to purchase NFTs with fiat, credit, and debit cards. Notably. The launch was successful for the artist, who officially labeled her supporters “Kittens.”

2. Nas

New York hip hop legend Nas remains relevant with +30M records sold over 8 platinum albums. This Queensbridge native was catapulted into international fame following his debut album release titled “Illmatic” in April 1994. Since then, he has continued a legacy of success that includes 13 Grammy nominations, ranking on many of the top MCs of all-time lists, successful business ventures, and establishing a fellowship fund with Harvard University.

Nas has proven his business sense on numerous occasions. In one instance demonstrating how he isn’t scared to embrace tech back in 2013, the rapper invested in an app startup company, Proven. He also invested in Pill Pack, which was later sold to Amazon. The deal secured $40M in profit for the artist.

In January 2022, Nas sold out at an NFT auction on Royal.io. The Ultra Black collection included 1,870 collectibles that featured art and photos of the Rapper and entrepreneur. Notably, the release occurred over two events, which helped to drive the demand higher. The auction concluded in minutes, with the artist netting $560,000 in revenue from the venture.

Ultra Black token holders are entitled to a percentage of the album’s streaming rights. There were 3 classes available with the highest diamond, including VIP concert tickets, a signed Vinyl, and more. This unique strategy has paid off, and secondary sales of these collectibles briefly caused OpenSea to crash.

3. Eminem

Detroit native and hip-hop superstar Eminem is a household name. His first album, “The Slim Shady LP” debuted at #2 on the US Billboard 200 charts. From there, he became the best-selling artist of the 2000s and is one of the most celebrated of all time, with 13 Grammys.

Eminem has strongly supported NFT technology since it first entered the music sector. He has made several highly published NFT purchases, including Bored Ape Yacht Clubs and Mutant Ape Yacht Clubs tokens. He even went as far as to partner with the Bored Ape Yacht Club team and fellow hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg to create a collection and accompanying song.

The song titled “From the D to the LBC” features the artist and their accompanying NFTs on an adventure through a virtual universe. This strategy marked the first time that a major selling artist made a song directly integrating NFTs into their marketing and revenue strategy.

The first BAYC NFT release secured Eminem $1.78M in 2021.  It also places him alongside a growing number of celebrities who have joined the Ape community. Today, he remains one of the best-selling and strongest supporters of NFT technology in the game.

4. Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg began his illustrious career in 1992 and has since become one of the most recognizable figures in the world.  His first album went quadruple platinum and from there his success continued. Today, he is more than a rapper. Snoop Dogg is an entrepreneur who has supported NFT technology for many years.

Snoop Dogg isn’t just in the blockchain space to leverage his name. He’s also an avid NFT investor. The artist is reported to hold +$17M in NFT collectibles. As such, it makes sense that he decided to get in on the action by releasing his own NFT collection, Snoopverse.

Snoop has a strong digital presence, including a residence in the metaverse that features a sign that shows off his many NFTs to visitors.  Notably, the artist released a collection called “Snoopverse”. These NFT land plots enable users to build and access unique digital benefits like car collections, music, and exclusive content.

The Snoop and auction included 122 NFTs. These virtual properties included 67 premium LANDS and were bundled with 3 bonus NFTs. The auctions were a success, expanding Snoop’s digital footprint further. Notably, in December 2021, someone paid +$450K to become Snoop Dogg’s virtual neighbor on SandBox.

5. TakeOff

As the youngest member of Migos, a top 10 hit hip-hop group with multiple billboard spots, Takeoff was no stranger to the limelight. His career has been one of excitement, success, and tragedy. Notably, Migos has received multiple Grammy nominations and has collaborated with some of the greatest in the game on numerous occasions.

Sadly, this shining hip-hop star’s career was cut short. In November 2022, a shootout that occurred in front of a Houston bowling alley resulted in Takeoff being struck and ultimately succumbing to his wounds. His death was a major loss for the community, but his legacy lives on in his music and his other ventures.

Takeoff was a strong NFT supporter. He even joined other celebrities in releasing a series called Apes in Space. The project features carefully crafted artwork and other benefits. The release occurred in December 2021 and included 9,999 collectibles. The starting price for these tokens was 0.03 ETH.

Takeoff supported the launch and even wore Apes in Space merch to help raise awareness of the new brand. Notably, one lucky NFT holder was going to get to ride with Takeoff into space on one of the commercially available options today. While the space trip never occurred, token holders still received a host of other notable benefits, such as VIP concert tickets and other rare memorabilia.

6. Kanye West

Kanye West is one of the most recognizable names in entertainment. This outspoken and often controversial figure is consistently in the news cycle for his actions and remarks. Despite the rise in controversial rhetoric, the artist remains one of the best-selling musicians of all time across all genres.

Kanye makes the list because he is an example of an artist who initially disliked NFT technology before embracing its unique capabilities. In an Instagram post, Kanye displayed a handwritten note that dismissed what he called “non-real products”. However, his anti-NFT views would change.

News of his change of heart broke in January 2022 after he filed 17 different NFT trademarks for tokens.  The filings list new tokens, toys, apparel, music, and even an amusement park as part of the business strategy. Notably, all filings were under the Yeezus brand.

Kanye quickly followed up this NFT series with an auction that netted $75k for his iconic bulletproof vest worn during the Donda release party. The combo sold at Christie’s auction as part of the “Handbags and Hype” series. Notably, this was the first one-of-one NFT sale of its type conducted at the world-famous auction house.

7. Method man

Method Man is one of the top members of the Wu-Tang clan, and his NFT strategy is unique for many reasons. He has been a strong influence in the scene since the early 90s when his group took the music scene by storm. Wu Tang’s album “36 Chambers” featured hard-hitting, well-thought-out lyrics that inspired countless other rappers.

His debut solo album, “Tical,” launched under Def Jam Records in 1994 and is still considered one of the best hip-hop solo albums of the time. Method Man built on this success. He became an actor and entrepreneur and has even appeared in video games.

In October 2021, Method Man joined the NFT market via the Flow blockchain. The artist released an NFT collection called “Tical World,” which featured comic-inspired art, animations, and unreleased music. Interestingly, these NFTs are part of a larger game that enables collectors to create and follow storylines.

8. Jay-z

Jay-Z became one of the most successful rappers of all time due to his business mindset and street-smart lyrics. Jay Z’s original album “Reasonable Doubt” dropped in 1996 and is still credited with starting a movement in the genre.  Notably, Jay-Z was the first rapper to become a billionaire and has helped launch multiple musicians’ careers and businesses.

In June 2021, Jay-Z offered his fans something new via a Sotheby’s auction. The auction celebrates 25 years of the artist’s brand, Roc Nation. The event featured a work that was commissioned by Jay-Z directly and created by world-famous artist Derrick Adams. The auction netted $139,000 for the collectible. Notably, a percentage of the proceeds were donated to The Shawn Carter Foundation.

9. JuL

JuL is the only international rapper to make the NFT top 10 this go around. The Marseille-based artist dropped an NFT collection to support the release of his second album titled “Extraterrestrial”. His collection features 23 custom-designed collectibles. Each represents tracks from his album.

Notably, token holders also receive discounts on his website for life. They also receive copies of the album’s gold certificate. Lastly, the token entitles you to a percentage of his YouTube streaming revenue.

JuL launched the collection on the Polygon Ethereum sidechain. This maneuver provided the project with scalability and performance. Another cool aspect of the launch was that the tokens were only awarded to album purchasers who signed up for the pre-release to qualify.

10. A$AP Rocky

A$AP Rocky is another big name in the game that embraced NFT technology and has actively helped promote adoption. A$AP, who also goes by Pretty Flacko, raised eyebrows after partnering with Nifty Gateway in April 2021 to offer NFT collectibles to fans.

A$AP Rocky’s auction went off successfully, with the artist netting $50k for the token. The artist also auctioned off $2000 in 3D scans to the fans. Notably, the launch limited purchasers to 57 per person. The event was successful, and A$AP Rocky remains a strong advocate for the tech.

The NFT Hip Hop Movement is On

You don’t need to be into hip-hop to see how the artist has leveraged this technology to provide more opportunities for fans and their team. You can expect to see more rappers get in on the trend as they secure better returns and more fan engagement and help drive up the value of their collections. For these reasons and many more, NFT hip-hop is officially here to stay.

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