Top 20 Rap Groups Of All Time

Outkast was No. 1 on the Billboard Top 20 rap groups in 2023. It got the better of 49 other rap groups in the list to come at the top.

The group comprised rappers André "3000" Benjamin and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. The duo is credited with popularizing Southern hip-hop among the audience.

Their 2003 double album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 20 and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Dre and Big Boi split in 2007 to pursue solo careers but reunited in 2014 for their debut album's 20th anniversary.

Salt-N-Pepa is among the best female rap groups. The group initially consisted of Cheryl “Salt” James, Sandra “Pepa” Denton, and Deidra “DJ Spinderella” Roper.

Today, it is only Salt and Pepa in the group. They have made history as a few of the top women in the male-dominated rap industry, having sold over 15 million records worldwide.

Salt 'N' Pepa has received four Grammy nominations and has won one so far. Their win was for, None of Your Business, in the category of Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1995.

A Tribe Called Quest is one of the top rap groups from the 90s. They were active from 1985 to 1998 and regrouped from 2006 to 2013.

They were again back in 2015 but have ceased performing as of 2017.  Phife's demise in 2016 was a huge blow to his mates though they continued performing.

2018's The Space Program was their last video released.

De La Soul remains one of the best old school rap groups. They are credited for contributing to the evolution of jazz rap and alternative hip-hop subgenres.

The trio of Posdnuos, Maseo, and Trugoy the Dove won a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 2006 for Feel Good Inc.

While the Dove passed away in 2023, his remaining mates have continued to lead the group.

Run-DMC is one of the best rap groups of all time. They are the most influential group in rap for balancing out the MC (rapper) and DJ chemistry in their acts.

Thus, their music not only affected its listeners and fans but also started a new transformation of hip-hop music.

Their 1986 album, Raising Hell, was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. Similarly, they are the first hip hop group to achieve a Gold record after the success of their debut album, named after them.

Public Enemy is one of the famous New York rap groups. They were formed in 1985 in Long Island.

The group's current lineup includes Chuck D, Flavor Flav, DJ Lord, and Sammy Sam. Their latest album release is the 2020's What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?

While the rap group is known for their big number of sales, they have yet to lift a Grammy Award despite being nominated five times.

During the straight-forward rap scene in the early 80s, Beastie Boys was an experiment of hardcore rock artists. However, their new spin on rap made them stars.

Their 1983 comedy hip-hop single, Cooky Puss, helped them find a place in the industry. They remain the biggest-selling rap groups on Billboard's list since 1991 with more than 20 million records.

The Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 with a record of seven platinum albums.

N.W.A is one of the many rap groups that broke up after falling out between its members.

The members of the world-renowned rap group were Arabian Prince, DJ Yella, MC Ren, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, and Ice Cube, some of the famous old school rappers from the 80s.

N.W.A. is one of the pioneers of the gangsta rap subgenre and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

1988's Straight Outta Compton and 1994's Ni**az4Life remains the group's only two album releases so far.

Arrested Development is at the top of Atlanta rap groups list. They were formed in 1988 to create a positive, Afrocentric alternative to gangsta rap.

Its current members are Speech, One Love, Jason "JJ Boogie," and Reichert Fareedah Aleem. Meanwhile, the number of their past members reach 16 as of today.

The group bagged two Grammy Awards in 1993 in the categories of Best New Artist and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for Tennessee.

Hence, their optimism in their acts in contrary to violent rap trend make them a special one in the biz.

FannyPack is one of the few rap girl groups to create buzz. They specialized in Miami bass, electronic hip-hop, and rap during their active days from 2002-2007.

So Stylistic and See You Next Tuesday remain their only two studio albums. Jessibel Suthiwong, Belinda Lovell, Cat Hartwell, Matt Goias, and Fancy were the star members of the group.

The group is also known for releasing Ghetto Bootleg, a set of unreleased tracks and remix songs in 2005.

Eric B. & Rakim is another rap duo to inspire the many young generations of rappers. The two are often called the main figures in the golden age of rap.

Their singles, Eric B. Is President and My Melody remains much influential for their flow of dominating rap words. After their split in 1993, they have come back in 2016.

The duo released four albums, Paid in Full in 1987, Follow the Leader in 1988, Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em in 1990, and Don't Sweat the Technique in 1992.

Wu-Tang Clan currently includes nine members, RZA, GZA, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Raekwon, Masta Killa, and Cappadonna.

The group remains a notable figure for popularizing and developing the East Coast hip hop and hardcore hip hop styles. Their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), released in 1993, remains one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever.

The rap collective was also formed in Staten Island, New York City.

The Roots was formed by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in 1987. The collective currently includes 12 members.

Their past members count comes to 13, making them one of the biggest rap collectives in history so far. Besides their routine to perform on-stage, The Roots members area actively involved in solo projects as well.

They are also known for being the house band of Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show.

Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five became the first hip-hop group in 2007 to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

DJ Grandmaster Flash played an important role in the rap scene to showcase a DJ's importance in hip-hop music.

The group was active from 1978 to 1983 and again from 1987 to 1988. While they are not in the industry together, the past members of the collective are busy with their own works.

Mobb Deep is a hip-hop duo from New York. They were active from 1991 to 2012 and from 2013 to 2017.

Havoc and Prodigy were the stars though the latter passed away in 2017. The two released eight studio albums during their time together.

Moreover, they are known for helping popularize the 1990s Dunn language slang.

The trio of Offset, Takeoff, and Quavo, called Migos, is a notable rap group in recent times. They have hits like Bad and Boujee, I Get The Bag, and T-Shirt.

Migos took a blow on November 1, 2022, when Takeoff was shot outside a private party at 810 Billiards and Bowling in Houston. TMZ shared an exclusive video after the incident where Quavo was in conversation with 911 to help Takeoff.

While personal issues between Quavo and Offset were the reason behind the group's bad days before the incident, the two reunited for a tribute performance to their deceased brother on June 25, 2023, at BET Awards.

Cookie Crew was a female rap duo of Susan Banfield and Debbie Pryce. They released two albums, Born To Die in 1989 and Fade to Black in 1991.

The two created many nightclubs-loved songs and became the early stars of the hip-house genre.

They parted ways from their mainstream career due to indifference to their music label but continued to perform on tours for some time.

MC Remedee and Susie Q's Cookie Crew remains a notable female-led rap group.

Sugarhill Gang is one of the many famous rap groups still active in the business. As of 2023, the group consists of members Wonder Mike and Master Gee.

Former member Big Bank Hank passed away in 2014.

The rap gang is mainly known for their 1979 hit song, Rapper's Delight, the first-ever rap single to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song peaked at No. 36 in 1980.

Sugarhill Gang was formed in 1979 and was active till 1985. They regrouped in 1994 and have been together since then.

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is one of the famous rap groups 2000s. Their fourth studio album, BTNHResurrection, was released and got certified platinum in the US.

The year marked an important event in their career as Flesh was sentenced to 11 years in prison for possessing a weapon. The five-member group continued with the release of their further albums Thug World Order in 2002 and Thug Stories in 2006.

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is still active with their original lineup of members.

Three 6 Mafia started out as a horror-themed group that found success with its debut album. The album, Mystic Stylez, released in 1995, is a cult classic.

Their other two albums, When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1, and Most Known Unknown, are also RIAA-certified platinum.

DJ Paul and Juicy J are the only remaining members of the big group. Lord Infamous, Koopsta Knicca, and Gangsta Boo, all passed away.

With this, our list of the Top 20 rap groups of all time comes to an end.