Drake, Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj have further solidified Young Money’s place in Hip Hop history by becoming the three most decorated rappers on the Billboard Hot 100 — in terms of top 10 hits, anyway.
On Monday (July 3), Nicki secured her 23rd top 10 hit on the chart thanks to her “Barbie Girl” collaboration with Ice Spice, which debuted at No. 7 on the chart, matching the success of Aqua’s 1997 hit of the same name which it samples.
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It means the Queens, New York native now sits in third place on the list of rappers with the most top 10 hits in Hot 100 history, surpassing Eminem and JAY-Z, who both have 22.
In second place is Lil Wayne, who narrowly edges his Young Money protégé with 25 top 10 hits over a prolific career that has spanned almost as many years. His most recent came in 2020 with Jack Harlow’s “Whats Poppin (Remix).”
Leading the way by a large margin, however, is the 6 God, who boasts a staggering 68 top 10 hits and counting. That figure also puts him atop the entire music industry, with even pop juggernaut Taylor Swift trailing behind with 40.
Drake’s record-breaking streak dates back to 2009 when “Best I Ever Had” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was extended this past April when his latest single “Search & Rescue” cruised to a No. 4 debut.
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Drizzy’s chart dominance will no doubt deepen when his forthcoming album, tentatively titled For All the Dogs, arrives later this year. The project was announced by surprise last month and will serve as his fourth full-length release in a two-year span following Certified Lover Boy, Honestly, Nevermind and Her Loss with 21 Savage.
Nicki and Wayne are also currently prepping new projects of their own with Pink Friday 2 (out November 17) and Tha Carter IV (release date TBA), respectively.
Drake, Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj’s chart prowess only extends one of the most successful runs in Hip Hop history, not to mention vindicates Weezy’s decision to sign the two artists to his fledgling Young Money imprint back in 2009.
During a recent appearance on the I AM ATHLETE podcast, the New Orleans rap legend reflected on first discovering Drake and Nicki, and explained how he oversaw their early success.
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“I saw way more than just potential,” he said. “When Drake’s music was brought to me from the homie Jas [Prince], it was about rap. I was like, ‘This dude sounds different.’ What I loved about him, he was sounding just as dope as we were. When I say we, I’m talking about the streets and what we came from.
“I told him, ‘You could make working in the cubicle sound like the dopest thing in the world. Don’t stop.’ Then one day I heard, [singing voice]. Like, ‘What the fuck was that?’ I remember asking Mack [Maine], ‘Who is that on the hook?’ He’s like, ‘That’s him too.’ You gotta be the ultimate artist.”
