12 January 1 - 7, 2026 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Hip-Hop Heavy Hitters The top 20 Dallas-Fort Worth rappers right now, ranked. BY BRYSON “BOOM” PAUL D allas-Fort Worth hip-hop has be- come a hotspot for discovering the next superstar. With New Dal- las being the talk of the city, the drill scene’s undeniable popular- ity and boogie music making a comeback, several movements emerged in 2025 to make the fire burning from local music hot- ter than ever. The rise of some of the city’s best also bled into other genres, producing nationally chart-topping hits. Much has changed since last year, though. Some acts have excelled while others have fallen off. Emerging artists have ushered in new energy one bar at a time, while the lega- cies of others continue to echo. BigXThaPlug undoubtedly conquered 2024 with his behemoth of a record, Take Care, but turning a breakout year into a reign takes consistency. This year’s list is more competitive than ever, including artists who had respective victory laps in their own rights in 2025. 20. Cameron McCloud Cure For Paranoia is already one of the hot- test acts across any genre in North Texas. Cameron McCloud, the band’s frontman, has drawn growing attention outside of music with his viral social commentary about mental health, LGBTQ rights and politics. The outlet has allowed McCloud to express himself freely in his lyrics with- out compromising the band’s appeal. As well as headlining festivals, McCloud released a solo single with “Stuck” in 2025. Additionally, he serves as the face of Cre- atives Care Dallas, a mental health initiative. 19. Hashi Senjoo Hashi Senjoo positioned himself to be Texas hip-hop’s next star in 2025. He dropped Ev- erybody Won’t Like This, his debut album, af- ter catching attention in 2024 with the Texas-rooted hit “I Dunn Swung.” The album kept it all the way Texas, featur- ing legends Paul Wall, Lil Keke, Tum Tum, Big Jade and Chalie Boy. He followed it with sin- gles “Country Rap Tune,” “Wicked World” and “UGK Membership,” cementing his range from bounce nods to country-rap blends. 18. Jhonniedamnd Social media brought JhonnieDamnD and the boogie movement back to the surface, and he took full advantage. Everyone from street dancers in Japan to soccer moms in Plano are air-guitaring, bending the back and karate- chopping to Jhonnie’s “Murda Bend.” Jhonnie capitalized on the dance craze with 10 new songs released across 2025. No matter what the subject matter, the repeti- tive, animated rap style never lost its luster. 17. Himothy Chung Himothy Chung is part of the New Dallas movement, which has helped make North Texas a larger hub for hip-hop. In his debut, Year of the Snake, Chung showcased a signature swagger in standout tracks “Minimum Wage,” “Venting to the Mic” and “Super Saiyan.” Rapping about money without redundancy is difficult, but he managed to do so. 16. ZeeTheWizard ZeeTheWizard and Himothy Chung were New Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb and George Pick- ens of 2025. Zee’s streetwise lyrics about flossing on albums Hood Prophet and Words of WIZdom cast a spell over his fans, making him a favorite in the movement. Not surpris- ingly, endorsements from heavy hitters like Rod Wave and Future significantly in- creased his visibility. On social media, fans appreciate Zee’s “authenticity” and “South- ern flair without the gimmicks.” 15. Yakiyn The Arlington native had a breakout year in 2025. Hip-hop gravitated to his multifaceted style on refreshing singles “BACKBOARD,” “Put Dem Boys To Sleep” and “Spread Like Butta.” Yakiyn raps, sings and embodies a gritty underground sound that takes you back to traditional Texas hip-hop. Doechii, School- boy Q and Kal Banks co-signed Yakiyn, while influential outlets like Billboard and Complex dubbed him an artist to watch. 14. Tay Money With Big Tay at the center, women’s hip-hop has remained at the top in DFW. Artists like KaineMusic and Hon3y Bandz have emerged, while established acts such as Kaash Paige have made a noteworthy return, but Tay Mon- ey’s hold has remained consistent. While her recent tracks, including “Donk 2.0” and “Redneck,” haven’t replicated the vi- ral success of “Bussin” and “The Assign- ment,” she has kept fans engaged with six new releases this year. Her latest, “Revenge,” has amassed more than 230,000 streams on Spotify since its release on October 31. 13. Lil 2z Lil 2z may have dropped out of the top 10 since last year, but he has what it takes to make a quick return in 2026. In 2025, he re- leased the standout single “Dear Momma” about family and survival. He then spent the year promoting his beloved 2024 album Fa- ther 2, with new visuals for “Aww Yeah” and “Perk 10style.” Impressively, he has always intrigued lis- teners by building an organic following, which is not supported by crews, co-signs or movements.. 12. LilCJ Kasino Like Lil 2Z, LilCJ Kasino barely fell out of the top 10 this year. Still, he remains one of the most distinctive rap stars in North Texas. In 2025, his music was driven by beef: On the two albums he released this year, he raps the most disrespectful lyrics over the 26 tracks to troll all of his opps, and fans loved every minute of it. The more feuds he endured, the larger his popularity grew. Fans enjoyed the men- acing acts he paired with chaotic songs, as his villainous role was ideal for today’s viral- hungry culture. 11. Ro$ama In 2025, Ro$ama’s created a wow factor on his Orange Tape album with hot songs rather than hot lines, much like the 2024 Meet The 6ixers compilation album. This led him to generate almost 2 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Orange Tape tracks “Microwave,” “Ight” and “Show Me The Money” have be- come fan favorites. BigXThaPlug would reveal that Ro$ama — who taught X how to rap — helped make hit records to transform X into a crossover sensation. With X, Ro$ama won over mil- lions with his energetic presence on the big- gest festival stages. 10. Kal Banx Kal Banx made his formal introduction in 2025 by producing music for his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Stepping from be- hind the board, he released his debut album, RHODA, this summer. The album blends classic Dallas rap with West Coast bounce, while paying homage to the rapper’s mother. Smino, Outlaw Mel, SiR and Maxo Kream are a few rap stars on the guest list — being on the biggest label in hip-hop has its perks. There is no bigger exposure for a new artist than hitting the road with Doechii, whose tour allowed him to convert fans with infec- tious tracks like “Hop Out Cho Feelins.” 9. Trapboy Freddy In North Texas hip-hop, Freddy’s popularity is immortal, as both old and new generations often honor the Oak Cliff native’s legacy. He released three albums in 2025, his most ever in a single year: Clone in January, Just Vibe Twin in May and Freddy B in Au- gust. With his street-savvy rhymes, he added buzzing tracks “Trap Star” and “Having Our Way” to his other standouts. Outside of his solo efforts, he maintains his relevance in collaborations with Yella Beezy, Headhun- cho Amir and Zillionaire Doe. 8. Hustleman Quise Another New Dallas standout, Quise’s hustle paid off in 2025 when he signed a record deal with Capitol Records over the summer. His lyrics, image and spectacles have fasci- nated fans of the movement, as Quise worked on his debut project, collaborating with Zillionaire Doe, Montana 700 and Headhuncho Amir. How I Came In is a 15-track debut that explores personal stories intertwined with a praise of a lavish lifestyle. Breakout songs “AF1” and “Plug Talk” captivated fans with catchy hooks. 9. Headhuncho Amir The Observer profiled Mr. 2700 on multiple occasions in 2025. Amir joined Montana 700 at 300 Entertainment in April. After- ward, he embarked on a nationwide tour with EST Gee and released two albums, Still Ain Nun Bigger and 50 Year Run. Amir would help bring New Dallas into the mainstream with coverage from Million Dollars Worth of Game, Off The Porch and No Jumper. Beyond the music, Amir moti- vated the city through outreach, giveaways and teamwork. On his 50 Year Run, Amir dif- fers from the typical hustling concepts of the New Dallas movement and preaches the im- portance of securing a legacy in hip-hop. 6. FBG Murda You can’t mention Dallas Drill music without FBG Murda. “Real Dallas,” which many con- sider a response to the New Dallas move- ment, has picked up viral steam since its formation. Lil Bayota began 2025 with unde- niable momentum as this year’s artist to watch. Beloved for his chaos, his trio of new songs about mayhem have racked up millions of streams. FBG and longtime collaborator BAK Jay released a groundbreaking joint album titled Youngest In Charge. Murda’s gravelly deliv- ery contrasts with Jay’s melodic urgency across 15 tracks. The combination debunked claims that Dallas Drill was falling off. FYI Brand Group BigXThaPlug, seen here with Post Malone, is still tops among North Texas hip-hop artists.
