The 1980s was a decade that saw the emergence of hip-hop music as a dominant force in popular culture. The era produced some of the most iconic rappers in history, many of whom continue to influence contemporary hip-hop to this day.
As we enter the year 2023, it is worth taking a moment to reflect on the enduring legacy of these artists.
In this article, we will be exploring the top 15 classic 80s rappers who left an indelible mark on the genre and helped shape the direction of rap music for decades to come.
From the energetic rhymes of Run-DMC to the political messaging of Public Enemy, these artists broke barriers and paved the way for future generations of rappers to follow.
Join us as we celebrate the timeless classics of the 80s and pay homage to the pioneers who helped bring hip-hop to the forefront of popular music.
Table of Contents
Ice Cube
We are starting things off with one of the best 80s rappers in the industry, Ice Cube, whose real name is O’Shea Jackson Sr. His age is around 54 years as of 2023.
He was born on 15th June 1969 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He officially began his career in 1986 and has been active since then. He has been married to Kimberly Woodruff.
Cube has four kids, and he is the father to a pretty famous rapper, O’Shea Jr. This 80s rapper is also a songwriter, actor, writer, and film producer, besides being a rapper.
His father was a hospital clerk, and his mother was a machinist and groundskeeper. It is unknown whether he was interested in rap from his childhood or not, but when he was in his 9th grade, his friend challenged him to write rap songs.
To everyone’s surprise, Cube won the bet. That is where he might have begun taking his rapping skills seriously. His very first album was “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted,” which came out in 1990.
Some of his other famous albums/songs besides “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted” are “Death Certificate,” “The Predator,” “Lethal Injection,” “Laugh Now, Cry Later,” “Raw Footage,” and many others.
Jackson has more than 22.8 million followers on Instagram at @icecube, more than 11.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify at Ice Cube, and around 124,000+ followers on SoundCloud at Ice Cube.
Dr. Dre
This 80s rapper is around 58 years old as of 2023. He was born on 18th February 1965 in Compton, California, USA. His ALIASES are Brickhard and The Mechanic.
His actual name is Andre Romelle Young. Dr. Dre began his career in 1985 and has been active ever since. He has been married to Nicole Plotzker, and he has eight kids.
Dre began studying in the Junior High School in Compton, California, but the area where the school was located was a bit unsafe. So, he shifted his school at a young age.
Young was interested in hip-hop music from the beginning, and he often used to go to concerts to watch rappers and DJs performing on the stage. Before becoming a rapper, he became a DJ.
Just after one year of officially starting his musical career, he started working with Ice Cube. Together, they used to work with the famous label Ruthless Records.
Andre’s first official studio was “The Chronic,” which came out in 1992. This 80s rapper is also a songwriter, actor, entrepreneur, and music producer, besides being a rapper.
Some of his other famous releases are “2001,” “Compton,” “The Wash,” “The Next Episode,” “Still D.R.E.,” “Forgot About Dre,” “Fuck Tha Police,” and several others.
Dre has more than 6.8 million followers on Instagram at @drdre, more than 24.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify at Dr. Dre, and around 94,100+ followers on SoundCloud at Dr. Dre.
Queen Latifah
Queen has been in the hip-hop industry since 1989 and has released many great albums/songs since then. Her age is around 53 years as of 2023.
Her actual name is Dana Elaine Owens. This 80s rapper was born on 18th March 1970 in Newark, New Jersey, New York, USA. She has one kid.
Some media outlets have even called her the “Queen of Rap.” Her very first/debut album was “All Hail the Queen,” which came out in 1989. Her second album was “Nature of a Sista’,” which was released in 1991.
Latifah’s mother was a school teacher, and her father was a cop. But when she was around ten years old, her parents decided to get divorced. This 80s rapper is also a songwriter, actress, and singer, besides being a rapper.
Some of his notable releases are “Black Reign,” “Order In The Court,” “The Dana Owens Album,” “Trav’lin’ Light,” “Persona,” and several others.
Owens has more than 6.3 million followers on Instagram at @queenlatifah, more than 1.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify at Queen Latifah, and around 2,700+ followers on SoundCloud at Queen Latifah.
LL Cool J
This 80s rapper was born on 14th January 1968 in Bay Shore, New York, USA. His age is around 55 years as of 2023. His ALIAS is LL Cool J, which means Ladies Love Cool James.
His actual name is James Todd Smith. He officially began his career in 1984 and has been active since then. He was in a relationship with Kidada Jones from 1992 to 1994 (for two years).
Then he got married to Simone Smith in 1995, and they are both together till today. They have four kids. Besides being a rapper, this 80s rapper is also a songwriter, actor, and music producer.
James began his career in Queens, New York. Not many know this fact that before LL Cool J, his stage name was J-Ski, but he later changed it due to a serious reason.
Any artist who had the term “Ski” in their stage names was considered to be a rise of cocaine culture in the United States of America. After one year in the hip-hop industry, he released his first album.
This album was “Radio,” which came out in 1985. Some of his other famous releases are “Bigger and Deffer,” “Walking with a Panther,” “14 Shots to the Dome,” “Mr. Smith,” and many others.
Smith has around 2.7 million+ followers on Instagram at @llcoolj, more than 3.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify at LL Cool J, and around 9,100+ followers on SoundCloud at LL COOL J.
MC Lyte
MC Lyte is around 53 years old as of 2023. She has been in the hip-hop industry since 1985 and has remained among the top artists of his time.
Her real name is Lana Michele Moorer. This 80s rapper was born on 11th October 1970 in New York City, New York, USA. Besides being a rapper, she is also a songwriter, model, motivational speaker, and mentor.
She started taking a serious interest in rapping when she was just 12 years old. Today, her official stage name is MC Lyte, but this is not how it began. Initially, her stage name was Sparkle.
Lyte’s very first release was “I Cram to Understand You (Sam),” which came out in 1987 (after two years of officially starting her musical career).
The song “I Cram to Understand You (Sam)” was released four years after being written. This 80s rapper has also released many other great songs like “Lyte as a Rock,” “Eyes On This,” “Act Like You Know,” “Ain’t No Other,” “Bad as I Wanna B,” “Seven & Seven,” and many others.
Moorer has around 1.8 million+ followers on Instagram at @mclyte, more than 416,000 monthly listeners on Spotify at MC Lyte, and around 1,000+ followers on SoundCloud at MC Lyte.
Ice-T
Ice-T’s real name is Tracy Lauren Marrow. This 80s rapper began his musical career in 1982 and has been active since then. His age is around 65 years as of 2023.
He was born on 16th February 1958 in Newark, New Jersey, New York, USA. Ice-T was in a relationship with Darlene Ortiz from 1984 to 2001, for around 17 to 18 years, before getting separated.
Then he tied the knot with Coco Austin in 2002, and they both are still together. They have three kids. He officially began his musical career in the “City of Angels” Los Angeles, California.
Besides being a rapper, he is also a songwriter, music producer, and actor. This 80s rapper lost both of his parents when he was in his teens. He joined the U.S. Army in 1977 to support the finances of his house after the birth of his daughter.
His very first album came out in 1987, named “Rhyme Pays.” Some of his other releases are “Power,” “The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech…Just Watch What You Say,” “Home Invasion,” and many others.
Marrow has more than 1 million followers on Instagram at @icet, more than 412,000 monthly listeners on Spotify at Ice-T, and more than 1,500 followers on SoundCloud at Ice T.
Too $hort
Too $hort is around 57 years old as of 2023. He was born on 28th April 1966 in Los Angeles, California, USA. His actual name is Todd Anthony Shaw.
Besides being a rapper, this 80s rapper is also a songwriter, record executive, and music producer. In his High School, he was a member of Fremont High School in Oakland.
When he was in High School, he used to create and record songs on demand for people from the nearby areas, with his associate, Freddy B.
Shaw officially began his career in 1983 and has been active ever since. In 1983, this 80s rapper released his first music album, named “Don’t Stop Rappin’.”
His most notable releases are “Players,” “Raw, Uncut, & X-Rated,” “Born to Mack,” “Life Is… Too Short,” “Short Dog’s in the House,” “Shorty the Pimp,” and many others.
Todd has more than 989,000 followers on Instagram at @tooshort, more than 2.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify at Too $hort, and more than 10,400 followers on SoundCloud at Too $hort.
Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane has been in the hip-hop industry since 1987 and is still considered a top artist in the industry. His age is around 55 years as of 2023.
He was born on 10th September 1968 in New York City, New York, USA. This 80s rapper is also a songwriter and music producer, besides being a rapper.
His actual name is Antonio Hardy. His ALIASES are B.D.K., Dark Gable, King Asiatic Nobody’s Equal, Blackanova, and Count Macula. He has two kids.
Kane has been married to Shawnette Hardy since 2010. In the early stages of his musical career, Kane became a good friend with Biz Markie in 1984. Later, he wrote many of Markie’s top song lyrics.
This was all before the official start of his career in 1987. Then after 1988, this 80s rapper released his first official album, named “Long Live the Kane.”
Hardy’s other famous albums/songs are “It’s a Big Daddy Thing,” “Taste of Chocolate,” “Prince of Darkness,” “Looks Like a Job For…,” “Daddy’s Home,” “Veteranz’ Day,” and many others.
Antonio has around 895,000+ followers on Instagram at @officialbigdaddykane, more than 397,000 monthly listeners on Spotify at Big Daddy Kane, and around 2,700+ followers on SoundCloud at Big Daddy Kane.
Slick Rick
Rick was born on 14th January 1965 in Mitcham, London, England, UK. His age is around 58 years as of 2023. His ALIASES are Rick the Ruler and MC Ricky D.
His actual name is Richard Martin Lloyd Walters. He officially started his career in 1984 and has been active since then. He has two kids.
This 80s rapper tied the knot with Mandy Aragones in 1997, and they both are still together. He began his musical career in New York City, New York.
Slick released his first album in 1988, named “The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.” Some of his other famous albums are “The Ruler’s Back,” “Behind Bars,” “The Art of Storytelling,” and many others.
He has more than 544,000 followers on Instagram at @therulernyc, more than 1.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify at Slick Rick, and around 200+ followers on SoundCloud at Slick Rick.
Doug E. Fresh
Fresh has been in the hip-hop industry since 1983 and is still active. His actual name is also Doug E. Fresh, but his birth name is Douglas Davis.
He was born on 17th September 1966 in Barbados. But his family moved to Harlem, New York, and that is where he spent his childhood. His age is around 57 years as of 2023.
This 80s rapper released his very first studio album in 1986, named “Oh, My God!” Some of his other notable releases are “The World’s Greatest Entertainer,” “Doin’ What I Gotta Do,” “Play,” and many others.
Doug has more than 519,000 followers on Instagram at @therealdougefresh, more than 67,500 monthly listeners on Spotify at Doug E. Fresh, and around 340+ followers on SoundCloud at Doug E. Fresh.
KRS-One
This 80s rapper was born on 20th August 1965 in New York, New York, USA. His age is around 58 years as of 2023. His ALIASES are KRS, Teacha, The Blastmaster, Big Joe Krash, and The Temple of Hip-Hop.
His actual name is Lawrence “Kris” Parker. Parker began his career in 1986 and has been active since then. When he was just 16 years old, he left his home to pursue his career in rapping.
Lawrence’s first album with Boogie Down Production was “Criminal Minded,” which came out in 1987. But his solo studio album came out in 1993, named “Return to the Boom Bap.”
Some of his other notable releases are “KRS-One,” “I Got Next,” “The Sneak Attack,” “Spiritual Minded,” “Keep Right,” “Maximum Strength,” and many others.
Parker has around 421,000+ followers on Instagram at @teacha_krsone, more than 1.4 million monthly listeners on Spotify at KRS-One, and around 10,000+ followers on SoundCloud at KRS-One.
Biz Markie
His actual name is Marcel Theo Hall. This 80s rapper was born on 8th April 1964, in Harlem, New York, USA. His age is around 59 years as of 2023.
Besides being a rapper, he is also a songwriter, disc jockey, and singer. Biz officially started his career in 1985 and his career ended in 2021 with his life.
Yes! Markie died on 16th July 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland, as a result of diabetes. He released his first solo album on 23rd February 1988, named “Goin’ Off.”
Some of his notable releases, besides “Goin’ Off,” are “The Biz Never Sleeps,” “I Need A Haircut,” “All Samples Cleared!” “Weekend Warrior,” and several others.
Markie has more than 402,000 followers on Instagram at @officialbizmarkie, more than 905,000 monthly listeners on Spotify at Biz Markie, and around 2,700+ followers on SoundCloud at Biz Markie.
Gang Starr
Not precisely an 80s rapper but an 80s rapping-duo. The partners of this duo were Guru and DJ Premier. They began rapping in 1986, but for some reason, in 2003, they halted their career.
Then the duo suffered a tragedy when Guru died on 19th April 2010. That is how the duo, unfortunately, was dismantled. Then in 2019, DJ Premier came back with a single named “Family and Loyalty.”
When the duo was in full form, they released many great albums/songs. Some of them are “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” “Step in the Arena,” “Daily Operation,” “Hard to Earn,” and many others.
Their official Instagram account has more than 236,000 followers at @gangstarr, their Spotify account has 2.4 million+ monthly listeners at Gang Starr, and their official SoundCloud account has more than 14,000 followers at Gang Starr.
Eazy-E
This 80s rapper was born on 7th September 1964 in Compton, California, USA. His age was around 30 at the time of his death. He began his career in 1987, and his career ended in 1995 with his life.
His actual name is Eric Lynn Wright. He died on 26th March 1995 in Los Angeles, California. The cause of his death is considered to be AIDS-induced pneumonia.
Eazy-E released his first solo album in 1988, named “Eazy-Duz-It.” Some of his other notable releases are “Str8 off Tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton,” “Impact of a Legend,” and many others.
Wright has more than 235,000 followers on Instagram at @eazye, more than 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify at Eazy-E, and more than 56,400 followers on SoundCloud at Eazy-e.
Kurtis Blow
Blow has been in the hip-hop industry since 1979 and has released many great albums since then. This 80s rapper is around 64 years old as of 2023.
His actual name is Kurtis Walker. He was born on 9th August 1959 in New York City, New York, USA. Besides being a rapper, he is also a songwriter, DJ, producer, and, yes, minister as well.
Walker’s first album was released on 29th September 1980, named “Kurtis Blow.” His other famous albums are “Deuce,” “Tough,” “The Best Rapper on the Scene,” “Ego Trip,” and many others.
This 80s rapper has more than 123,000 followers on Instagram at @kurtisblow, more than 172,000 monthly listeners on Spotify at Kurtis Blow, and more than 500 followers on SoundCloud at Kurtis Blow.
