Books have been written about the " South Got Something to Say" moment in that catapulted OutKast and the Rico Wade-led Dungeon Family into the collective consciousness, helping put an entire region on the map.
The mids, however, finally saw Atlanta emerge as a real commercial force. Crunk music, snap music, and then trap music were no longer the sounds of the city. They were becoming the sounds of hip-hop. Even as Atlanta surged to become a dominant force in hip-hop, the criticisms persisted. Jeezy wasn't lyrical. D4L was a minstrel act. Gucci Mane was crazy. Soulja Boy killed hip-hop. Migos were a gimmick. Lil Yachty was mumble rap. All these insults missed the mark.
Over the last decade, Atlanta has become the epicenter of hip-hop, the most important city in the most important genre. For this list we used three determining factors: 1 skill as a hip-hop artist, 2 strength of their catalog, and 3 the lasting influence and commercial impact of their music.
How are we defining an Atlanta rapper? An Atlanta rapper, by our definition, is someone who came to creative life in the city and actively represented the ethos of the A in their music.
Commercial success: 3 Billboard No. Lil Nas X is a troll, but his inclusion on this list is anything but. If his run ended there,with a record-breaking 19 weeks atop the Billboard Hot , Lil Nas X would be forever certified as perhaps the greatest one-hit wonder ever, a karaoke mainstay who pissed off music segregationists but captivated many, many others including Billy Ray Cyrus, who hopped on the remix.
