Rappers from North Carolina

George Perry Floyd Jr. was an African American man who was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest made after a store clerk suspected Floyd had used a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill, on May 25, 2020. One of four police officers who arrived on the scene, Derek Chauvin, knelt on Floyd's neck and back for over nine minutes, fatally asphyxiating him. After his murder, a series of protests against police brutality, especially toward Black people, quickly spread nationally and then globally. His dying words became a rallying slogan: "I can't breathe".

Jermaine Lamarr Cole is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained attention as a rapper following the release of his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in early 2007. Intent on further pursuing a musical career, he signed with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2009 and released two additional mixtapes: The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010) to further critical acclaim as he garnered a wider following.

American singer, rapper, actor and director (born 1970)

Jonathan Lyndale Kirk (born December 22, 1991), known professionally as DaBaby (formerly Baby Jesus), is an American rapper. After releasing several mixtapes between 2014 and 2018, he signed with Interscope Records in January 2019. His debut studio album, Baby on Baby (2019), spawned the single "Suge", which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 a month after its release.

Ronnie Aaron Killings (born January 19, 1972) is an American professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name R-Truth and is one-half of the current WWE Tag Team Champions with Damian Priest in their first reign as a team. It is R-Truth's first individual reign.

American songwriter, record producer, rapper, and music executive (born 1972)

Ashton Nicole Casey (born February 19, 1996), known professionally as Ashnikko ( ), is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Her 2019 single, "Stupid" (featuring Baby Tate), gained viral popularity on the video-sharing platform TikTok and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Ashnikko's debut mixtape, Demidevil (2021), spawned the singles "Daisy" and "Slumber Party" (featuring Princess Nokia). Her debut studio album, Weedkiller (2023), was followed by her second studio album, Smoochies (2025), both of which narrowly entered the Billboard 200.

blanket term for a regional genre of American hip-hop music that emerged in the Southern United States

Cordae Amari Brooks ( Dunston; born August 26, 1997), known mononymously as Cordae (formerly YBN Cordae and Entendre), is an American rapper. He began his career as a member of the hip hop collective YBN.

American record producer

American rapper

Marlanna Evans (born January 21, 1983), better known by her stage name Rapsody, is an American rapper. After signing with music producer 9th Wonder's music label It's a Wonderful World Music Group, she released a series of mixtapes and collaborated with Erykah Badu and Talib Kweli. Soon afterwards Rapsody released her debut album The Idea of Beautiful (2012). She would attain further prominence when she was featured on Kendrick Lamar's 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly, on the track "Complexion (A Zulu Love)".

American actor

American musician (born 2005)

American rapper from North Carolina

Phonte Lyshod Coleman, known mononymously as Phonte (born December 28, 1978), is an American rapper, singer, producer, actor, and voice over artist. He is a member of the North Carolina hip-hop trio/duo Little Brother and one-half of the duo The Foreign Exchange. His music spans multiple genres including R&B, hip-hop, house and electronic music.