Welcome To The South: Southern Rap/HipHop

From the club to the car, from mixtape culture to major labels and radio airplay, Southern rap’s sound and slang have permeated rap music since the late 1980s. The Third Coast, spanning from Houston and New Orleans over to Atlanta, Miami, and Raleigh-Durham, has been home to some of rap’s greatest artists, producers, and a number of successful independent record labels churning out rap hits year after year. This playlist pays homage to the artists that laid the foundation of Southern rap, such as Houston’s The Geto Boys and Port Arthur’s UGK, while also introducing listeners to the new artists, such as Curren$y and Big Krit, that continue the Third Coast rap tradition.

Check back each week for an updated list of the best rap music from the South - Legendary pioneers alongside the newest Southern artists currently working their way into mainstream America’s consciousness.