Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word influence as, to affect or change how someone or something develops, behaves, or thinks. By that definition, without question, when it comes to all things that transpires in pop culture regarding trends—there’s not an element on earth that has more influence than hip-hop does.
And while it may feel as though every year seems to fly by, 2024 has most definitely felt that way. Yet as it has continuously done throughout the last three decades—hip-hop has had an immense influence on all things relevant in popular culture this year. Whether it was fashion, retail, sports, entertainment, or even politics—hip-hop has impacted it all.
It is for that reason, at Decryption, we believe that being cognizant of all things hot within hip-hop culture is extremely pertinent information for your brand. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! This is our list of the hottest brands, trends, artists, television shows, podcasts, and social media platforms in hip-hop culture for Q4 2024.
Hottest artists
Unless you’ve been hibernating in a cave for the last few decades and have been totally isolated from civilization, you’re probably already aware of the fact that as an artform, hip-hop music is the driving force that determines what’s relevant amongst today’s youth.
And while some within the culture may choose to debate whether or not it’s now the hip-hop artists who are the ones most responsible for influencing the streets or whether it’s the streets that influence the artist—we all could agree that hip-hop artists are the preeminent representatives of the culture.
These are currently the hottest artists in the culture at the moment:
Bossman Dlow: Speaking of the streets, ever since the genesis of the artform, there have always been artists—that while they may not be household names in mainstream culture or on the Billboard charts—are beloved by a cult following of hip-hop fans in the streets.
For millions of hip-hop fans around the world, Port Salerno, Florida’s own Bossman Dlow is that artist.
The Get In With Me MC flooded the streets and the clubs this summer with a variety of certified slappers. The music video for his latest single, Shake Dat A** (Twerk Song), is currently one of the most watched hip-hop videos across social media.
Future: Even the most coastally-biased hip-hop aficionado would acknowledge that if you had to choose one city in the United States that has had the most impact on hip-hop culture throughout the last decade—that city would be Atlanta, Georgia.
And no hip-hop artist from Atlanta has had a bigger impact on the culture than Future has.
From an album sales perspective, Future had a better year than any male hip-hop artist has. As of this publication date, his collaborative album with Metro Boomin’, We Don’t Trust You, is currently the highest-selling hip-hop album of 2024. The duo would go on to up the score less than a month later with the album’s follow-up, We Still Don’t Trust You.
Both albums debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Not resting on his laurels, on September 10th, Future dropped his highly-anticipated album, Mixtape Pluto, which also debuted No. 1 on the Billboard 200—solidifying Future as the first artist this decade to debut three new No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 in a calendar year.
GloRilla: While it may sound archaic, just a decade ago, if someone were to tell you that female rappers would be the artists most responsible for keeping hip-hop relevant as a genre—you probably would’ve called them crazy. However, a great case could be made that is now true today.
One of the female rappers helping to strongly make the case for that debate is GloRilla.
After dropping two mixtapes that have produced multiple hits like F.N.F. (Let’s Go), Tomorrow, TGIF, and Yeah Glo! The Memphis, Tennessee native is finally gearing up for the release of her long-awaited debut album, Glorious. Set to drop on October 11th.
Ice Spice: MCs like KRS-One, Fat Joe, Slick Rick, and French Montana are just a few of the names that have reminded the world that if it wasn’t for The Bronx—this rap stuff probably never would be going on.
The latest rap superstar to emerge from the mighty BX is Isis Gaston. Better known to the world as Ice Spice.
The summer of 2024 was a lit one for Ice; as fans were finally afforded the opportunity to listen to her much-anticipated debut album, Y2K! And although the album didn’t set the charts ablaze as many industry insiders expected it would (the album debuted at No. 18 on the Billboard Top 200), Ice Spice’s hit singles throughout the last two years have been such bops—she’s still one of the hottest artists in hip-hop at the moment.
Kendrick Lamar: Years from now, when people look back and discuss 2024 in regards to hip-hop—the main topic of discussion will likely be the epic battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. As with all controversial hip-hop battles, the culture has declared a clear and consensus winner of this back-and-forth on wax. And that winner was Kendrick Lamar.
Besides the extra attention that the beef brought to the culture, it also produced what is by far—the biggest hip-hop song of the year, Kendrick’s knockout blow to Drake, Not Like Us.
The song and its music video would go on to break several records like: becoming the fastest rap song to surpass 100 million streams. Receiving the most views for a hip-hop music video in 24 hours on YouTube. And also becoming the first hip-hop song to top the Billboard Hot 100 with a 5-day tracking week.
Not Like Us has kept Kendrick so hot in the streets—he was announced as the headliner for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show.
Latto: If there was any downside to the fact that there are more people who identify as being a hip-hop artist today (thanks to technology and social media) than at any point in the history of the artform, it would be that it has become much more difficult for an artist to become and remain relevant today.
One particular artist that hasn’t had that problem is the ATL's own, Latto.
Following the success of the album’s scorching singles, Put It on da Floor, Put It On da Floor Again (featuring Cardi B), and Sunday Service, Latto released her third album, Sugar Honey Iced Tea, on August 9th of this year. The album’s most recent single, Brokey, has gone viral via TikTok. As tens of thousands of participants have created and submitted short-form videos to win the prize of $10,000 for her Brokey Challenge.
Sexyy Red: Controversy sells. Or at least it generates revenue. If any hip-hop artist of today could attest to that, it would be hip-hop’s current undisputed queen of controversy herself—Sexyy Red.
That's because although the St. Louis, MO, rapper has released a host of hit singles, even her own record label would admit that it’s mainly her controversial image and lyrics that has reinforced her relevancy in the culture.
Having yet to release an official debut album, Sexyy has kept all eyes on her movement through her provocative image, raunchy social media posts, and hit singles (the latest being U My Everything. Released this past June.)
Hottest hip-hop platforms
Whether we’re at the gym, driving on the road, stuck at the airport, or even at work, just about anywhere we go—if we’re not listening to music or an audio book—there’s a good chance we’re checking out some of our favorite podcasts.
According to Marketing Brew, podcast advertising revenue is now on track to cross the $2 billion mark this year. Which a huge number for an industry that is still relatively new—yet on the rise. And like all things hot in popular culture—hip-hop already has, and will continue to play a huge role in the growth of the podcasting industry moving forward.
These are the hottest hip-hop platforms in the culture at the moment:
Club Shay Shay
It Is What It Is
Joe Budden
Million Dollaz Worth Of Game
The Art Of Dialogue
VladTV
Hottest fashion brands
Whether autumn is your favorite time of the year or not, if you consider yourself a hypebeast or fashionista—there isn’t a more exciting time of the year than the fall season. Fall is when the leading fashion designers unveil their latest—and let’s be honest—dopest collections of the year that allow us to really throw that "ish" on and get fresh.
These are the hottest fashion brands in the culture at the moment:
Amiri
Balenciaga
Balmain
Celine
Givenchy
Moncler
Off-White
Hottest television shows
Another industry that tends to flourish more so during the months of fall is the entertainment industry. Particularly the television industry. The reason for that—is fall marks the return of some of our favorite shows that go on hiatus during the summer—but have been so sorely missed.
These are the hottest television shows in the culture at the moment:
Abbott Elementary
Basketball Wives
Bel-Air
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist
Power Book II
Raising Kanan
Hottest social media platforms
If we’re keeping it all the way real, we’ve all got to admit that there are very few things in the world that command our attention these days more than social media does. From the moment that we wake up, to the moment we go to bed, there’s a very good chance that somehow—social media will be on our mind.
These are the hottest social media platforms in the culture at the moment:
Instagram
X
TikTok
Snapchat
Facebook
What’s fading
Actor and comedian Kevin Hart once said that, “Laughter heals all wounds, and that’s one thing that everybody shares. No matter what you’re going through, it makes you forget about your problems.”
Unfortunately, something that most of us have had for most of our lives which has helped make us forget about our problems—appears to now be merely a thought of the past. That thing is sitcoms on television that are catered towards a hip-hop audience.
For decades, those of us within the culture set our clocks around the airing of classic sitcoms that catered towards the culture like: In Living Color, Martin, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Wayans Brothers, My Wife & Kids, and most recently, Black-ish. All of which have helped us laugh away whatever it was that we were going over the years— simply by turning on our televisions and watching them.
Sadly, for whatever reason, despite the proven success of the genre, linear television networks seem to no longer have an interest in producing sitcoms that are catered specifically towards hip-hop audiences.
The reason why this is especially disheartening is because if ever there were a time that we all could use a little more laughter in our lives—it would be today.
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