Represent, Represent: The 25 Most Important Cities in Hip-Hop

25. AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS Rappers Who Rep: Extince, Yes-R, Lange Frans & Baas B City Anthem: Partysquad “Dat Is Die Shit” Unofficial Mayor: Brainpower Why It’s Important: Reefer madness aside, there’s a reason Amsterdam is popular among American rappers (see: red light district). But this Dutch capital houses its own hub for hip-hop beyond our Western influences. Known as “Nederhop,” Dutch rappers are recognized for their competitive MC battles, genre crossovers, and more basically, their seeded passion for hip-hop. Puff, puff, and pass on the knowledge.

23. KANSAS CITY Rappers Who Rep: Tech N9ne, Strange Music, Kutt Calhoun, Krizz Kaliko City Anthem: Tech N9ne “Caribou Lou” Unofficial Mayor: Tech N9ne Why It’s Important: Kansas City isn’t exactly one of the most expected locales to garner a hip-hop following or feature a top rapper. But Kansas City native Tech N9ne is proving that wrong. With over 20 years of experience carving a kooky niche, Tech sold over 1,000,000 albums as an independent artist solidifying his place as a self-made hip-hop entity—word to Maybach Music. Dorothy’s Kansas has gotten a little more edgy.

22. PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA Rappers Who Rep: Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller City Anthem: Wiz Khalifa “Black and Yellow” Unofficial Mayor: Wiz Khalifa Why It’s Important: The land of black and yellow has been quietly bubbling in the shadows of Philly. But Steel City residents are finally getting a moment in the sun thanks to Wiz Khalifa singlehandedly putting the city on the hip-hop and pop radars with a monumental anthem dedicated to his metropolis, plus multiple cult mixtapes (Kush and Orange Juice). As the blonde-coifed rapper once told MTV News, “We always had love for Philly. It was harder for Philly to embrace us because we’re a little bit slower to them or to more East Coast towns. Philly is more East Coast than Pittsburgh. It’s closer to New Jersey and New York, so the vibe is way more fast-paced. Pittsburgh, it’s just laid-back... Midwest, almost on some country stuff.”

19. TORONTO, CANADA Rappers Who Rep: Drake, Maestro, Main Source, K-Os, K’Naan, Kardinal Offishall City Anthem: Drake “City Is Mine” Unofficial Mayor: Drake Why It’s Important: Unbeknownst to some, the T. Dot has been leading and holding the hip-hop scene down since the early ’80s. Although a few deft acts—Maestro, Main Source, and K-Os—have rippled the indie world of hip-hop, not until recently have artists like Drizzy and K’Naan splashed onto the mainstream, officially putting Toronto on the map. Don’t undermine the Canadians. The Biebs isn’t the only good thing that’s come out of the land up North.

15. MEMPHIS Rappers Who Rep: Three 6 Mafia, 8 Ball & MJG, Yo Gotti, Project Pat, Zed Zilla, Gangsta Boo City Anthem: Yo Gotti “Touchdown” Unofficial Mayor: Juicy J Why It’s Important: Known for more than just their finger-licking barbeque, Memphis hip-hop is out of the growing stages. Many would say if it wasn’t for hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia, Memphis would still be a figment in many imaginations. However, we at VIBE beg to differ. Memphis, Tennekeys had a major surge in hip-hop following the release of Hustle and Flow which made room for local talent to break through in 2005. Not to mention the Oscar Three 6 Mafia brought home for “Hard Out Here for a Pimp” #NeverForget

14. TOKYO, JAPAN Rappers Who Rep: King Giddra, Nujabes, Nitro Microphon Underground City Anthem: Teriyaki Boys “Tokyo Drift” Unofficial Mayor: DJ Krush Why It’s Important: There arguably hasn’t been a greater adoption and embracement of hip-hop than in the heart of metropolitan Tokyo. Some of the sickest b-boys to graffiti crafters to beat-boxers now inhabit Japan’s capital. In fact, each year, Crazy-A, a pioneer of breakdancing organizes the event “B-Boy Park” to draw in floods of aspiring dancers in order to pay homage to old school rap music through the street art of “Soul Dancing.” While Tokyo stays obsessed with NYC street fashion, the sartorial fascination goes both ways. Pharrell and Kanye have jacked plenty of swag from designers like Nigo and Murakami.

10. PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA Rappers Who Rep: Beanie Sigel, Will Smith, Cassidy, Freeway, Eve, The Roots City Anthem: Freeway Feat. Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel “What We Do” Unofficial Mayor: Questlove Why It’s Important: Before Will Smith was murking aliens, the Fresh Prince (West Philly, born and raised) and his flashy sidekick DJ Jazzy Jeff brought rap’s first Grammy to P.A. in 1989 for “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” The city’s popular street battle circuit famously birthed the careers of Cassidy and Meek Mills, and on the conscious flip side, OG’s The Roots have made it to primetime TV. Though recognized as the City of Brotherly Love, Philly also co-signed the ladies, developing artists like Eve and Charli Baltimore (and, er, Amber Rose). Meek Mill is the latest Illadelphian to put on for his city, proclaiming it as the “new Iraq,” drawing casualties in rap battle.

8. MIAMI, FLORIDA Rappers Who Rep: Uncle Luke, 2 Live Crew, Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, Pitbull, Ace Hood, Flo Rida, Trina City Anthem:Trick Daddy’s “Take It To Da House” Unofficial Mayor: Rick Ross Why It’s Important: Don’t sleep on the city of sweltering heat and string bikinis. Miami’s sparked more than a few hip-hop waves amidst a lot of booty bouncing. Although hosting a small roster of MCs, this hip-hop haven has birthed the top names in the biz both stateside and across the pond. Miami bass purveyor Uncle Luke nabbed respect by pushing his lyrics to the limit of parental control, sparking a Supreme Court battle. While Rozay reigns as a consummate throne-stealer, Pitbull and Flo-Rida have wrangled in international looks with their Ibiza-style raps. Even outsiders jet to this town to carve their sound—both Lil Wayne and Fat Joe have claimed second homes there.

7. DETROIT, MICHIGAN Rappers Who Rep: Eminem, Big Sean, J Dilla, Royce Da 5’9”, Slum Village, Danny Brown, Black Milk City Anthem: Eminem “8 Mile” Unofficial Mayor: Eminem Why It’s Important: Detroit’s rap roots run deep. Before Eminem introduced the trap to the trailer park and became hip-hop’s most gargantuan MC, before Dilla revolutionized hip-hop production, before Kid Rock’s breakout rap LP Devil Without a Cause moved a gazillion copies, before D-12 popped “Purple Pills,” before Royce Da 5’9” became one-fourth of the supreme hip-hop supergroup Slaughterhouse, before Big Sean grinded Nicki Minaj’s ass—inhale—there was Motown, a bottomless well of soul sampling for records like Erick Sermon’s “Music” and Jay-Z’s “Izzo (H.O.V.A.).” Factor in underground wordsmiths like Elzhi and Black Milk and it’s easy to see that the coldest hip-hop lives in the D.

5. HOUSTON Rappers Who Rep: Scarface, UGK, Bun B, Pimp C, Chamillionaire, Mike Jones, Slim Thug, Paul Wall City Anthem: Mike Jones “Still Tippin’” Unofficial Mayor: Scarface Why It’s Important: The influence of Houston’s languid flows and candy paint swag can be heard from Toronto via the likes of Drake, all the way to New York via Harlem’s trillest, A$AP Rocky. Rap was all about the East and West coasts until The Geto Boys hit the map around 1989. All of a sudden, southern hip-hop bubbled up and H-Town was at the heart of it. Though it wasn’t until 2005 that the city hit the mainstream gold mine with Mike Jones’ “Still Tippin’ and Paul Wall’s “Sittin’ Sidewayz” steering the movement, respect was long overdue.

4. NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA Rappers Who Rep: Master P, Juvenile, Lil Wayne, Birdman, B.G., Jay Electronica, Currensy City Anthem: Juvenile “Nola Clap” Unofficial Mayor: Lil Wayne Why It’s Important: Everyone knows N’awlins is an army, better yet… you know the rest. Weezy’s been dropping extraterrestrial metaphors since his pre-skinny-jean days. But back when “movements” were really movements (circa the late ’90s), No Limit and Cash Money reigned supreme—see: classics like Master P’s “Make Em Say Ughhh!” and B.G.’s “Bling Bling”—while granting much-needed shine to the home of gumbos and Mardi Gras. Not to mention introducing us to bounce music. Insert booty clap.

2. ALANTA, GEORGIA Rappers Who Rep: Goodie Mob, Outkast, Dungeon Family, T.I., Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Lil’ Jon, 2 Chainz, Gucci Mane, Ying Yang Twins City Anthem: Jermaine Dupri’s “Welcome to Atlanta” Unofficial Mayor: Young Jeezy Why It’s Important: Let’s face it. Atlanta is as much of a hip-hop hub as New York at this point, having dominated rap conversations for the past decade. Movements have spread far and wide, stemming from this epicenter where the strip club is like a trip to the grocery store. ATL is the home of all things crunk and turnt up. Its natives have manifested chart-topping club anthems, taking over the music biz with dance moves, ass-appreciation (at an all-time high), the rattle of souped up Chevys and heavy, Southern drawls. Stylistically, their flows have also gone unmatched with spitters like Andre 3000 and Cee-Lo mastering a raw lyricism and storytelling that some have likened to the North. All we can say is welcome.

1. NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK Rappers Who Rep: LL Cool J, Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Nicki Minaj, 50 Cent, Nas, Run DMC, Rakim… City Anthem: Jay-Z Feat. Alicia Keys “Empire State of Mind” Unofficial Mayor: Jay-Z Why It’s Important: Back in 2003, when small town N.C. lyricist J. Cole had merely a dollar and a dream, he enrolled in St. John's University—not Clark Atlanta or UCLA—for a shot at real-lifing his rap aspirations in New York. And why not relocate to hip-hop's most storied city? Justifying why the Rotten Apple reigns the rap map doesn’t really take much explanation: New York mothered this shit (not to mention DJing, graffiti and breakdancing). And since, the city has steered the hip-hop ship for the greater portion of the culture’s 30-plus years. Whether you’re talking iconic masterpiece albums (Nas’ Illmatic, Biggie’s Ready to Die), fashion (Rev. Run’s shell toe Adidas, Fabolous’ Mitchell & Ness collection), deep crews (Wu-Tang, Boot Camp Click), or dances (b-boying, Harlem Shake), all were hatched within the five boroughs. And artists still save their most epic concerts for Gotham (i.e. Nicki Minaj's Times Square takeover in April). Sure NYC has taken a back seat in the past decade, but even without new jacks like A$AP Rocky and Azealia Banks stepping up, New York will forever stand as hip-hop’s capital city.