Is hip-hop dead? For the first time in 35 years, there are no listings for a rap song in the Billboard charts
For the first time in nearly 40 years, there are no hip-hop/rap songs in the Billboard Hot 100. A recent rule change to the music body’s criteria ended a thriving 35 year streak for the genre.
Here’s What Happened
A recent shift in the way songs are charted — a particular number of weeks — sees them listed as “recurrent”. Once this threshold is reached, they’re removed from the Hot 100 listings. The new framework is as follows:
- Below No. 5 after 78 weeks on chart → recurrent.
- Below No. 10 after 52 weeks on chart → recurrent.
- Below No. 25 after 26 weeks on chart → recurrent.
- Below No. 50 after 20 weeks on chart → recurrent.
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This meant after 46 weeks of a high to mid-tier placement, Luther by Kendrick Lamar & SZA fell to No. 38. This triggered Billboard’s ‘below 25 after 26 weeks’ rule.
Low Quality Music
Many in the culture blame low quality music, citing autotune and an obsession for clout and fame rather than artistry and skill.
Isaac Hayes III chimed in on Threads saying:
“I can’t help but see a direct connection between the Kendrick and Drake beef and this exact moment in hip-hop.
Drake alone helped elevate countless artists to number one records, and his absence in the game this past year is being felt more than ever.”
One commenter responded to his claim saying: “You know Drake has put out 25 songs and been featured on several others all in 2025 right? He hasn’t been absent,” while another said: “This is a good thing. Hip hop is bigger than numbers.”
One of his followers stated that it’s “a matter of hip-hop Survival that we quit clout chasing and get back to the art of rap.”
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