20 best Canadian rappers that you should listen to right now

The rap or hip-hop genre of music was born and nurtured in New York City and spread to other parts of the world, including Canada. Canada has rappers whose songs are loved and played globally. Many of them have become famous and made a fortune through music. Discover the best Canadian rappers that you should listen to right now.

Various factors were considered when coming up with this list of the best Canadian rappers. These include the quality of their work, sound, lyrics, and commercial success. The list may be subjective because everyone has their favourite rapper or musician.

Overview of the best Canadian rappers

Canadian rappers that you should listen to

Canada is home to some renowned rappers. They have become famous because of their chart-topping hits. Their songs are played worldwide, which contributes to their ever-growing fame. Below is a list of the best rappers from Canada.

1. Drake

• Full name: Aubrey Drake Graham
• Date of birth: 24 October 1986
• Age: 37 years (as of April 2024)
• Place of birth: Toronto, Canada

Aubrey Drake Graham, alias Drake, is one of the best rappers from Toronto. He is an influential figure in contemporary popular music and has been credited for popularising the R&B genre in modern hip-hop. He started his music career in 2001 and has remained active since then.

2. Kardinal Offishall

• Full name: Jason Drew Harrow
• Date of birth: 11 May 1976
• Age: 47 years (as of April 2024)
• Place of birth: Scarborough, Toronto, Canada

Jason Drew Harrow, alias Kardinal Offishall, is one of the most popular Black rappers from Canada. He has released several studio albums and more than thirty singles. He started singing in 1994 and got recognition with his first album titled Eye & I. He pioneered the blending of dancehall influences into hip-hop.

3. Tory Lanez

• Full name: Daystar Shemuel Shua Peterson
• Date of birth: 27 July 1992
• Age: 31 years (as of April 2024)
• Place of birth: Brampton, Canada

Daystar Shemuel Shua Peterson, alias Tory Lanez, is one of the top Canadian rappers to watch this year. He rose to prominence in 2011 and has numerous hits. His music career started after he was discovered by Justin Bieber.

Sean Kingston then signed him toTime is Money Entertainment. Tory Lanez is currently incarcerated in Delano, California, following his conviction for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot.

4. The Weeknd

• Full name: Abel Makkonen Tesfaye
• Date of birth: 16 February 1990
• Age: 34 years (as of 2024)
• Place of birth: Scarborough, Toronto, Canada

Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, alias The Weeknd, is a singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism. The Weeknd rose to prominence in 2014. He won Canada’s Artiste of the Year for two consecutive years in 2016 and 2017.

5. Nav

• Full name: Navraj Singh Goraya
• Date of birth: 3 November 1989
• Age: 34 years (as of April 2024)
• Place of birth: Toronto, Canada

Navraj Singh Goraya, alias Nav, is one of the top Canadian hip-hop artists. He is a rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a co-producer of rapper Drake's single Back to Back in 2015. He gained mainstream attention in 2016 when his song Myself went viral.

6. Belly

• Full name: Ahmad Balshe
• Date of birth: 11 April 1984
• Age: 40 years (as of 2024)
• Place of birth: Jenin, Palestine

Belly is a Palestinian-Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was born in Jenin, Palestine, and raised in Ottawa. Rapper Belly acquired Canadian citizenship. He started his music career in 2005 and has bagged numerous awards, including three MuchMusic Video Awards and a Juno Award.

7. Pressa

• Full name: Quinton Armani Gardner
• Date of birth: 10 May 1996
• Age: 27 years (as of April 2024)
• Place of birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Quinton Armani Garner is professionally known as Pressa. He rose to prominence after the release of his hit single Novacane. The hit was produced by frequent collaborator Murda Beatz.

8. Classified

• Full name: Luke Boyd
• Date of birth: 13 December 1977
• Age: 46 years (as of April 2024)
• Place of birth: Enfield, Canada

Luke Boyd, alias Classified, is among the top White rappers from Canada. He has been active in the hip-hop scene since 1995. He began his production label, Half Life Records, in 1995. In the same year, he released Time Up.

9. Haviah Mighty

• Full name: Haviah Mighty
• Date of birth: 17 December 1992
• Age: 31 years (as of March 2024)
• Place of birth: Toronto, Canada

Haviah Mighty is a top Canadian female rapper. She rose to prominence in 2016 as a member of the hip-hop group called The Sorority. She released several EPs, most notably Flower City, in 2017. Haviah Mighty released her debut studio album, 13th Floor, in 2019. This album earned her the Polaris Music Prize.

10. PartyNextDoor

• Full name: Jahron Anthony Brathwaite
• Date of birth: 3 July 1993
• Age: 30 years (as of April 2024)
• Place of birth: Mississauga, Canada

Jahron Anthony Brathwaite, alias PartyNextDoor, is a renowned singer, songwriter, and record producer. He was the first artist signed to Drake's OVO Sound record label in 2013. He began his career in 2006 and has released numerous hits and won several awards.

11. NorthSideBenji

• Full name: Jaiden Anthony Watson
• Date of birth: 25 January 1998
• Age: 26 years (as of 2024)
• Place of birth: Brampton, ‎Ontario‎, Canada‎

Jaiden Anthony Watson, alias NorthSideBenji, is one of the Canadian underground rappers. He gained recognition from his certified gold single Levels featuring rapper Houdini. The song was included on his debut EP, Caviar Dreams.

12. Roy Woods

• Full name: Denzel Spencer
• Date of birth: 18 April 1996
• Age: 28 years (as of 2024)
• Place of birth: Brampton, Canada

Denzel Spencer, alias name Roy Woods, is the founder of his own collective, Unlock The Underground. Hi talent was widely recognised in 2015. His debut EP titled Exis instantly became No.27 on US top bar/ Hip-Hop Album billboard.

13. Preme

• Full name: Raynford Avery Humphrey
• Date of birth: 8 January 1986
• Age: 38 years (as of 2024)
• Place of birth: Little Burgundy, Montreal, Canada

Raynford Avery Humphrey, alias Preme, is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He first gained recognition for his guest appearances on Alone Again by Alyssa Reid and Invincible by Hedley.

14. Killy

• Full name: Khalil Tatem
• Date of birth: 19 August 1997
• Age: 26 years (as of April 2024)
• Place of birth: Toronto, Canada

Khalil Tatem, alias Killy, has a melodic, dark, ambient, trap sound which is inspired by Travis Scott. He is best known for his break-out single Killamonjaro, which is certified Platinum by Music Canada.

15. Manu Militari

• Full name: Manu Militari
• Date of birth: 21 May 1979
• Age: 44 years (as of April 2024)
• Place of birth: Quebec, Canada

Manu Militari is a francophone rapper from Quebec, Canada. He started his career in 2006 and has remained active to date, releasing several hits. Manu Militari has numerous chart-topping bangers that you should listen to.

16. Michie Mee

• Full name: Michelle McCullock
• Date of birth: 1 November 1970
• Age: 53 years (as of April 2024)
• Place of birth: Kingston, Jamaica

Michelle McCullock, alias Michie Mee, is a Canadian rapper and actress. She is Canada's first notable female MC and is considered a national hip-hop pioneer. She is known for her unique rap style that combines reggae and dancehall with hip-hop.

17. Eternia

• Full name: Silk-Anne Semiramis Dawn Craig Kaya
• Date of birth: 13 May 1980
• Age: 43 years (as of April2024)
• Place of birth: Ottawa, Canada

Silk-Anne Semiramis Dawn Craig Kaya, alias Eternia, is a rapper who has released several albums of hip-hop music. She released her first full-length album, It's Called Life in 2005. The album was nominated for Best Rap Recording of the Year at the 2006 Juno Awards.

18. Keysha Freshh

• Full name: Keisha Fanfair
• Date of birth: 28 June 1993
• Age: 30 years (as of April 2024)
• Place of birth: Toronto, Canada

Keisha Fanfair, alias Keysha Freshh, is one of the most famous Canadian rappers today. She is one-third of the hip-hop group The Sorority. Did you know Keysha had her first song published at five and began performing locally that same year?

19. Saukrates

• Full name: Karl Amani Wailoo
• Date of birth: 6 March 1978
• Age: 46 years (as of 2024)
• Place of birth: Ottawa, Canada

Karl Amani Wailoo, alias Saukrates, is a rapper, singer, and record producer. He is among the top Canadian rappers from the 90s. He is the co-founder of Capitol Hill Music. He is also the lead singer of the hip-hop/R&B group Big Black Lincoln and is a member of Redman's Gilla House collective.

20. Rich Kidd

• Full name: Ritchie Acheampong
• Date of birth: 28 April 1987
• Age: 37 years (as of 2024)
• Place of birth: Toronto, Canada

Ritchie Acheampong, alias Rich Kidd, is a hip-hop recording artist, record producer /and film/video director. He is a two-time nominee for the Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year as a solo artist.

Who is the most famous rapper from Canada?

Drake is arguably the most popular and successful Canadian rapper of all time. He has numerous chart-topping hits and awards.

Is hip-hop popular in Canada?

Yes, hip-hop has a strong history and is quite popular in Canada. However, many artists complain there is a lack of support and recognition, which continues to stifle the genre's growth.

Is Toronto a rap city?

Yes, it is. Toronto is eclectic and fiercely multicultural. It has a thriving hip-hop scene.

Who started hip-hop in Canada?

Pioneers of this genre in Canada include Maestro Fresh Wes, Choclair, Michie Mee, the Dream Warriors, and the Rascalz.

The best Canadian rappers are known for their sonic versatility and fantastic lyrics. Their songs continue to receive massive airplay worldwide. They are role models to numerous young and upcoming rappers.

Tuko.co.ke recently published a list of famous female country singers of the 1990s with their top songs. The 90s were a pivotal moment in music history.

During this period, various music genres emerged, and people embraced them. Female country singers of the 1990s received a warm reception.

Source: TUKO.co.ke