@Zulkif Khan

Discover new music from artists we think you'll like. Refreshed every Friday.

With a hypnotic, laid-back voice and charisma to match, Snoop Dogg emerged as one of gangsta rap’s most compelling characters, evolved into one of music’s most versatile artists and wound up a pop culture icon. Born Calvin Broadus in Long Beach, California, the rapper known as Snoop Dogg was discovered by freshly solo N.W.A star Dr. Dre. He soon appeared on “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” on Dre’s genre-shifting 1992 debut, <i>The Chronic</i>. Snoop’s ’93 debut, <i>Doggystyle</i>, paired lewd, narcissistic lyrics with Dre’s dense soundbeds on “Gin and Juice” and “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?”. After leaving Death Row Records, Snoop crept into the mainstream with 2002’s Pharrell-featuring “Beautiful” and 2004’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot”, swapping his violent, charge-dodging image with an easy-going, pimpish persona. As Snoop transitioned into reality TV as a family man and Martha Stewart cohost, he experimented with other genres, releasing 2013’s reggae album <i>Reincarnated</i> (as Snoop Lion), and the same year’s <i>7 Days of Funk</i> with keytar hero Dām-Funk. Snoop celebrated his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with his 17th album, <i>I Wanna Thank Me</i>, in 2019, and released another full-length team-up with Dre, <i>Missionary</i>, in 2024.

The Game has never been shy about lifting ideas from the hip-hop legends he admires. His gruff depictions of L.A. are inspired by uncompromising street-rap cuts like N.W.A.'s “Straight Outta Compton” and 2Pac's talkbox-heavy West Coast anthem “California Love”, both of which feature his mentor Dr. Dre behind the boards. The rough, tough syllables of New York's Kool G Rap, meanwhile, set an important precedent to Game's own gravelly delivery.

Zapp and Roger Troutman created digital grooves in an analogue era, and their work has been influencing scores of funky rappers and groovy R&B singers ever since. Dr. Dre used their talk-box vocals, buzzing synths and huge handclaps when forging G-funk beats both for himself and the likes of Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg, too. Into the ‘10s, Bruno Mars still works the group's electronic riffs and slap-happy drums into his throwback funk.

Grime's second act has accelerated a golden age for London hip-hop. Its uncompromising authenticity has been key: To survive and thrive in this scene means proudly repping your city and culture, not looking covetously across the Atlantic. The result is a hyperlocal and progressive movement that might have its roots in grime but is constantly spawning fertile subgenres. Road rap and UK drill offer unvarnished documentation of London life, Afro-swing adds the infectious, sunnier effervescence—and that's just for starters. It's a melting pot that has provided British music with some of its most inventive, compelling and successful artists. Our editors regularly update this playlist—if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

Welcome to UK Rap List, where elite MCs represent the essence of UK rap culture. This week, that means pure football bars from rising East London star Kidwild. He’s teamed up with Blanco for “Remontada”, a song that acts as a metaphor for their shared resilience, on or off the pitch. It’s hard to second-guess Kidwild’s commitment when you hear him rap bars like this: “Yo, the proof is here, we ain’t got to say no more/Ref gave extra time, like, come, let’s play some more/You gotta one up, there’s no point settling scores/The job’s not done, so what would I get complacent for?” Listen to them break down the game in “Remontada” on the UK Rap List, and if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

Culturally diverse, progressive and buzzing with local pride, MCR is a natural breeding ground for UK rap to develop into exhilarating new forms—and today’s rising wave of MCs and producers is impacting well beyond the city limits. As comfortable spitting street-corner freestyles as he is featuring on an Ed Sheeran chart-topper, Aitch has quickly muscled into British hip-hop’s elite. On his shoulder, IAMDDB’s fearless invention bagged her a support slot with Lauryn Hill, Just Banco is rewiring trap and Afro-swing with 0161 swagger, and Black Josh’s maverick spirit comes Skepta-approved. Our editors regularly update this playlist—if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

Much like the rest of the world, Australia responded to the growing prevalence of hip-hop by exploding with young, diverse artists from every corner of the continent. Manu Crooks and Carmouflage Rose are bringing trap to the region; Sampa the Great delivers powerful poetry over flowing jazz; Indigenous artist Baker Boy spits in Yolngu Matha language—the first to rap in his native dialect; Kwame is burning up dance floors with a gravelly flow and deep bass. Our editors regularly update this playlist—if you hear something you like, add it to your library.