Atlanta named best rap city in the world
ATLANTA - Move over New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, the South's got something to say.
Atlanta is now the top rap city in the world.
That's according to the media and entertainment website Complex, which ranked the best rap cities across the globe in June.
In writer Jewel Wicker's argument about why the city deserves the top spot, she points out that Atlanta has been home to both mainstream and underground acts from the start. Throughout the years, the tastes and styles may have changed from Outkast and Goodie Mobb to crunk to trap, but the one constant thing is the number of rap icons who are constantly come from the city.
"Thanks to rappers like 2 Chainz, the trap now extended beyond the bando and into yoga classes. The subgenre officially got an entire museum dedicated to its influence, too," Wicker writes. "And, for every mainstream hit record Atlanta has had along the way, artists such as Kilo Ali, Rich Kidz, and Bankroll Fresh have made classic rap songs that have inspired rappers throughout the country and beyond."
Rapper Future performs during Future & Friends "One Big Party Tour" at State Farm Arena on January 14, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
The article cites dominant artists like Future, Young Thug, Latto, 21 Savage, Gucci Mane and more.
Complex also notes that one-third of Georgia's music industry is located in Fulton County with hundreds of recording studios, rehearsal spaces, and music performance venues.
Following Atlanta on the list are New York City at No. 2 and Chicago at No. 3.