Tupac Amaru Shakur, popularly known as 2Pac or Makaveli, is considered as one of the greatest American rappers of all time. Talent and trouble went hand in hand in Shakur’s journey to fame; the higher Shakur rose in his iconic status, the deeper he became entangled in gang violence and an infamous rivalry, which sadly led to his untimely demise.
Singer-songwriter, dancer, and musician, Prince is is widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of his generation. He was considered a guitar virtuoso and could also play several other instruments. With worldwide sales of over 150 million records, he is ranked among the best-selling music artists of all time. He was also well known for his flamboyant persona.
Creative from a very young age, Kanye West dreamed of becoming a rapper since very early in his life. He became an award winning American rapper whose creativity in music is widely appreciated by critics. However, his outspoken views, comments and behaviour have quite often landed him controversies.
Ice Cube played an important role in contributing to gangsta rap's popularity. His lyrics for N.W.A's album Straight Outta Compton redrew boundaries and shaped West Coast rap's identity. Because of his lyrics, that explain black nationalism and black struggle, Ice Cube went on to influence a host of rappers and is considered one of the greatest rappers ever.
The Notorious B.I.G. was a rapper and songwriter and is considered one of the best ever. His debut album Ready to Die in 1994 was critically acclaimed. He was murdered in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles in September 1996. His album Life After Death was released two weeks after his death.
Kendrick Lamar is regarded as one of the greatest lyricists and rappers of all time. He is also considered one of the most influential celebrities of his generation; such has been his impact on the music industry. In 2016, he was named in Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world list.
Singer-songwriter and author, Bob Dylan, is widely regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Active in the music industry for almost six decades, he is a major pop culture icon who introduced a range of political, social, and literary influences to pop music. He is a Nobel laureate and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Stevie Nicks is a songwriter and vocalist with the British-American rock band, Fleetwood Mac. She also performs solo and is known for her unique voice. She has numerous hits to her credit and her records have sold in millions. She has won many awards, including the Grammy and was named one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time by the Rolling Stone magazine.
Lionel Richie is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and composer whose work with the band Commodores and his solo career established him as a successful balladeer of the 1980s. Having sold more than 90 million records, Lionel Richie is one of the best-selling musicians of all time. Also a philanthropist, Richie helped raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Alanis Morisette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter and actress. Renowned for her mezzo-soprano voice, Morisette has been named by Rolling Stone as the Queen of Alt-Rock Angst. A recipient of 13 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, Morisette has released several successful albums, including Jagged Little Pill, which was named in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
Famous rapper and singer, Lauryn Hill, is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time and a pioneer in the Neo soul genre. The artist whose album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill won five Grammy Awards, is an inspiration for numerous singers and rappers. Earlier, she gained recognition as member of Fugees, an award-winning hip hop group.
English singer-songwriter and musician, Paul McCartney, is one of the most successful composers and performers of all time. He gained worldwide fame as co-lead vocalist and bassist for the rock band, the Beatles. He also enjoyed a successful solo career. Besides music, he has been actively involved in humanitarian causes and animal rights issues.
Tom Jones is a Welsh singer who has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. His life and work inspired the 2016 musical, Tom: A Story of Tom Jones. In 2005, for his services to music, Tom Jones was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
Singer and songwriter, Lana Del Rey broke into the world of music when her debut single, Video Games, became viral in 2011. She then gained international fame with her debut album Born to Die in 2012. Over the years, she has released a numerous chart-topping albums. Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass, a collection of poetry, is her first book.
A nine-time Grammy Award nominee, Blake Shelton is a popular American country music singer. Described as one of the biggest stars of country music over the past decade, Blake Shelton was made an Oklahoma Hall of Fame inductee in 2014. Prominent singer-songwriters, such as Sheryl Crow, have named Blake as their inspiration. Blake Shelton is also a well-known philanthropist.
Regarded as a timeless icon, Kylie Minogue is one of the most popular singer-songwriters of her generation. Referred to as the Princess of Pop and Goddess of Pop, she is the best-selling female Australian musician of all time. Also known as the Mother of Reinvention, Kylie is revered for her contribution to fashion and music.
A well-known singer-songwriter, Lenny Kravitz won the Grammy Award for four consecutive years from 1999 to 2002 under the same category - Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. In 2003, he founded a New York City-based company called Kravitz Design Inc. From being an award-winning musician to a successful entrepreneur, Lenny Kravitz is truly a multi-talented individual.
Kodak Black is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. He gained recognition after releasing hit albums, such as Painting Pictures and Dying to Live. A well-known philanthropist, Kodak Black announced in 2018 that he was in the process of building a school in Haiti. Over the years, he has also donated money for various charitable causes.
G-Eazy’s success as a rapper can be gauged from the performance of his studio albums, such as When It's Dark Out and The Beautiful & Damned. Although a socially responsible person, G-Eazy was arrested in 2018 on suspicion of assault and use of narcotics. He later pleaded guilty to assault against an official, narcotics possession, and violent resistance.
Lisa Lopes, popularly known as “Left Eye,” was a member of the Grammy-winning hip-hop/R&B girl band TLC. Apart from rapping and singing, she also co-wrote songs and managed the band’s outfits, album titles, and artworks. Lopes died in a car accident in Honduras, leaving behind her incomplete second solo album.
Rapper, singer, and songwriter, Trippie Redd, became an overnight sensation in 2017 with the release of his debut mixtape, A Love Letter to You. Many of his singles reached the Billboard Hot 100, further cementing his popularity. He has a troubled personal life and has been involved in numerous feuds and legal issues.
Brian Wilson is a singer-songwriter and record producer. He is credited with co-founding the popular rock band, The Beach Boys. Referred to as a genius, Wilson serves as an inspiration to several indie musicians. Regarded as one of the most significant songwriters of his generation, Wilson is often featured in lists, such as the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.
Kirshnik Ball, better known by his stage name Takeoff, is an American singer-songwriter and rapper. He is known for forming the hip hop trio Migos along with Offset and Quavo. Over the years, Kirshnik Ball has achieved success as part of the Migos. He stirred controversy in 2017 when he refused to use an overhead storage bin in an airplane.
The oldest daughter of Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra established herself as a popular singer and actress during the 1960s and 1970s. At the age of 54, she posed for Playboy magazine, becoming one of the oldest women to do so. In 2006, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Queer icon Boy George gained fame as the lead singer of the pop group Culture Club. He is known for his androgynous dressing style and for pioneering the New Romantic Movement of the 1970s and the 1980s. He has struggled with drug addiction and has written two bestselling memoirs.
Aurora is a Norwegian singer, songwriter, and dancer. Gifted from a young age, she began writing songs at the age of six! She began her career self-releasing her works. She received a favorable response from the audience and was soon able to establish herself as a popular singer. Her music encompasses electro-pop, folk, and art-pop elements.
Gunna is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. On May 22, 2020, Gunna released his second album Wunna, which debuted at number one position on the Billboard 200 chart. Like many other rappers, Gunna has had his share of controversies; he was arrested in 2018 for possession of marijuana and was released the next day on a bond of $2,500.
Swae Lee is an American singer, rapper and songwriter, who is considered as the “Songbird of the Generation” because of the melody he imparts to his songs. Born Khalif Malik Ibn Shaman Brown, Swae Lee, who is part of the popular hip hop duo Rae Sremmurd, was featured in the popular 2017 song Unforgettable. He is also known as ‘Kid The Great’.
Jorja Smith is an English singer-songwriter whose first studio album Lost & Found featured on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at third position. One of the youngest and most exciting talents in the music world, Smith is the recipient of the 2018 Brit Critics' Choice Award. In 2019, she won the Best British Female Artist award at the Brit Awards.
Known for her signature raspy voice and blonde locks, Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler soared to fame with her Billboard-charting track It's a Heartache. The 3-time Grammy-nominated singer has previously also sung for the UK at Eurovision. She is also a philanthropist and invests in property, too.