15 Famous Rappers From South Carolina of All Time

Posted by Carisa Kissane on Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Famous rappers from South Carolina like Jeezy and Renni Rucci prove that they are not overshadowed by North Carolina artists.

South Carolina is often maligned in the rap scene because North Carolina has recently produced more successful rappers. 

However, that is not to say that South Carolina is lacking when it comes to rappers either.

Though it does not have a set identity as its northern cousin, the state has produced some popular rappers, legends, and a host of up-and-comers who are set to make their state known right alongside the North.

From iconic legends like Jeezy to underrated rappers like Pi’erre Bourne and Renni Rucci, South Carolina is a state to look out for.

Here is a list of 15 rappers from South Carolina making noise in the rap field currently.

1. Jeezy

Rapper Name: Jeezy

Real Name: Jay Wayne Jenkins

Age: 45 years

From: Columbia, South Carolina

Best Track: Put On

Famous South Carolina rappers include Jeezy. Jeezy was born on September 28, 1977, in Columbia, South Carolina.

Best known for his song Put On from his 2008 album, The Recession, Jeezy has been making seminal music since the turn of the century. Originally known as Lil’ J, he gained fame as Young Jeezy with the release of his breakthrough third album, Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101.

From then on, Jeezy has been one of the premier rappers in the popular Southern-influenced sub-genre of rap music called Trap. Alongside other Southern pioneers like Gucci Mane and T.I., Jeezy is seen as one of the most important rappers of the 2000s, and easily the biggest rapper to come out of South Carolina.

As of 2021, Jeezy is married to popular television host and stylist, Jeannie Mai, who now goes by Jeannie Mai-Jenkins, and even has a daughter with her who was born on January 2022. The rapper also has three children from his previous relationships, Jadarius Jenkins, his oldest from Tenesha Dykes, Shyheim Jenkins, and Amra Nor Jenkins, whose mother is Mahlet Gebregiorgis.

2. Renni Rucci

Rapper Name: Renni Rucci

Real Name: Courtney Rene

Age: 31 years

From: Columbia, South Carolina

Best Track: Solid Chick

Renni Rucci is the stage name of American rapper Courtney Rene. Rucci was born in 1991, in Columbia, South Carolina.

Rucci is best known for explicit and female empowering songs like Solid Chick, which has amassed over 4.4 million views on YouTube since it was released on July 22, 2020. The rapper also frequently releases freestyles of famous beats on her YouTube channel which has over 356K subscribers.

The rapper started her career in 2017 doing the same sort of freestyle she has continued to perform even now and gained initial success with her 2018 freestyle over the song Freestyle by Lil Baby. Rucci followed up on the success of her freestyle and the attention it garnered by releasing her debut mixtape, Big Renni, on May 24, 2019.

In quick succession, Rucci released her second and most recent project, QuickTape on May 15, 2020, which continued her East Coast-influenced rap styling. Perhaps her biggest and most popular move was joining the cast of the popular reality television show, Love & Hip Hop Atlanta in 2021, which introduced her to a larger audience, which she has further capitalized on by releasing two singles throughout 2022.

3. NGeeYL

Rapper Name: NGeeYL

Real Name: Nigel 

Age: 25 years

From: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Best Track: Off-White 

NGeeYL is an American rapper hailing from Spartanburg in South Carolina. NGeeYL is 25 years old and was born on October 19, 1997.

The rapper first started gaining fame in the early 2020s with songs like Torch, Ganger, Goon, and Tales of YL. However, he started gaining more momentum after he released his best and most famous song Off-White with fellow rapper Lil Uzi Vert.

NGeeYL’s path to rap was a bit different than most due to the fact that the rapper was originally an academic. According to an interview with Halfmoonbk.com, the rapper was a straight-A student with a 3.7 Grade Point Average, but sadly, that didn’t stop him from getting kicked out of school which then ended up in him falling fully into a rap career.

Through help from the popular American producer, JestonMade, the rapper linked up with his current record label, 300 Entertainment, and since then has become one of the hottest up-and-coming rappers out there. So far, he has released a collab EP with Young Icey called So Icey Legend EP in 2017, two mixtapes called Tales of YL in 2018, and Hiatus in 2019, and most recently, his debut album, Live Ammo on July 1, 2021.

4. Speaker Knockerz

Rapper Name: Speaker Knockerz

Real Name: Derek McAllister Jr

Age: 19 years (Deceased)

From:  Columbia, South Carolina 

Best Track: Lonely

Speaker Knockerz is the stage name of the late rapper Derek McAllister Jr. Derek was born on November 6, 1994, in the Bronx, New York.

However, the rapper only spent his first year in New York, and his mother moved him to Columbia, South Carolina after his father had to spend ten years in prison. Since then, the rapper spent his entire life in the city.

Best known for his song, Lonely, Speaker Knockerz is seen as a legend by many in modern rap despite passing away at age 19. The main reason why is due to the fact that the rapper was a frontrunner and pioneer in the melodically driven and hook-based style of rap music that is currently popular in the genre.

Despite being active in music for two short years, the rapper released an EP called Rico Story Trilogy, three mixtapes called Married to the Money and Finesse Father in 2013, and Married to the Money II in 2014, and a posthumous album called Flight Delayed in 2016. The rapper not only rapped but also produced his own music, which has made his passing all the sadder as he was a singular talent in the game.

5. Lil Ru

Rapper Name: Lil Ru

Real Name: Sylvester Samuel

Age: 37 years

From: Ridgeway, South Carolina

Best Track: Don’t Look Good

Lil Ru is the stage name of American rapper Sylvester Samuel. Lil Ru is 37 years old and was born on October 12, 1985, in Ridgeway, South Carolina.

Best known for his song, Don’t Look Good, released in 2007, the rapper has been active since 2001 and has been associated with various labels like Def Jam Recordings and Capitol Records.

In a career that spans over twenty years, the rapper has released over eleven albums of varying degrees of success starting with 2005’s Hustle Hard: 500 Grams all the way to 2019’s For Her. However, out of all these albums, he found the greatest mainstream recognition with his sixth album, 21& Up which he released on August 25, 2009.

His major label debut, the album sadly failed to make the rapper’s career as it only sold 1,456 copies in its first week, and is seen as a stain on Def Jam Recordings’ career. Clearly undeterred, the rapper has continued to make music, and launched his own label, Presidential Music, in 2015, and has released all of his music from his ninth album Key His Mind onwards, from his label.

6. Young Scooter

Rapper Name: Young Scooter

Real Name: Kenneth Edward Bailey

Age: 36 years

From: Waterboro, South Carolina

Best Track: Work

Young Scooter is the stage name of rapper Kenneth Edward Bailey. Scooter was born on March 28, 1986, in Walterboro, South Carolina.

Best known for his song Work featuring Atlanta legend Gucci Mane which has amassed over 10 million views on WorldStar, Scooter is a well-known figure in the Atlanta hip-hop scene. The rapper has had many collaborations with fellow Trap rappers like Chief Keef, Waka Flocka Flame, and Future. 

The reason why the rapper has such a well-connected network in Atlanta is due to the fact that he moved there with his family when he was nine years old. Scooter quickly fell into crime at a young age, but inspired by his childhood friend, Future, the rapper started making music as a way to distance himself from crime.

Since he started his career in the early 2010s, the rapper has gone on a legendary mixtape run which includes 20 mixtapes to his name including collaborations with rappers like Gucci Mane, and producers like Zaytoven. As for albums, the rapper has released two so far including his 2019 debut, Trap Hero, and his second collab with Zaytoven, Zaystreet, which came out in 2020.

7. Danny!

Rapper Name: Danny!

Real Name: Daniel Keith Swain

Age: 39 years

From: Columbia, South Carolina

Best Track: Fly, Pt. 2

Danny! is the mononym of the American rapper Daniel Keith Swain. Danny was born on August 18, 1983, in Killeen, Texas.

His family prompted moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where he was raised. The rapper’s best song, Fly, Pt. 2 is one of the few songs that he has promoted as a music video for, as the rapper is notorious for not promoting his music.

However, Danny! has an extensive discography despite his fear of promotion as he has released five studio albums, an EP, three instrumentals albums, and three compilation albums. Only one of his albums, an original movie soundtrack for Danny’s own movie, has charted on the Billboard 200 at number 164, but the fact that the album, and almost all of his work, is self-released makes it more impressive.

Aside from rapping, Danny is equally lauded in a variety of other fields like production, for example, and has produced for prominent artists like Danny Brown, Lil B, Wale, and Cody ChestnuTT. His music has also been used in a variety of prominent movies and television shows like Bob’s Burgers, Breaking Amish, Jersey Shore After Hours, and Snooki & Jwoww to name a few.

8. Pi’erre Bourne

Rapper Name: Pi’erre Bourne

Real Name: Jordan Timothy Jenks

Age: 29 years

From: Columbia, South Carolina

Best Track: 4U 

Pi’erre Bourne is the stage name of rapper and producer Jordan Timothy Jenks. Bourne was born on September 19, 1993, in Fort Riley, Kansas.

As with others on this list, though he was born in Kansas, he was raised in Columbia, South Carolina. Though he raps, he is best known for producing Magnolia by Playboi Carti, among other songs, and is one of the most prominent rappers of the current age.

Despite being known mostly as a producer, Bourne has a separate, more dedicated fanbase surrounding his rapping, especially through his The Life of Pi’erre series, the name of which was inspired by Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo. Over the course of the five albums in that series, Bourne has displayed his mastery over not only production but rapping too, though the latter still does not get enough mainstream credit.

As a producer, Bourne has produced for a variety of the hottest rappers of the current day such as Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, Playboi Carti, Tekashi 6ix9ine, Trippie Redd, and even Kanye West. Aside from music, it is also a popular fact that Bourne is cousins with another esteemed rapper, Papoose, who most know for his skills and for being married to Remy Ma.

9. Blacc Zacc 

Rapper Name: Blacc Zacc

Real Name: Zachary Chapman

Age: 32 years

From: Columbia, South Carolina

Best Track: Richest Rapper in SC

Blacc Zacc is the stage name of American rapper Zachary Chapman. Zacc was born on December 17, 1990, in Columbia, South Carolina.

A popular figure in South Carolina, the rapper is best known for his song, Richest Rapper in SC, which has over 1.3 million views on YouTube. According to Allmusic, the rapper has been rapping since he was only 13 years old.

The rapper started rapping with his stage name in 2010 and soon released his first mix tape, 1st Round Draft Pick soon after. Since then, he has gone on to release nine mixtapes with a release every year since 2016, with his most recent mixtape release being the 2019 release, Trappin Like Zacc.

Since then, seeing a boost in following and mainstream recognition, the rapper has been releasing albums, with his first one being Carolina Narco which he released on March 6, 2020, featuring famous rappers like Yo Gotti, DaBaby, and MoneyBagg Yo. Later in the year, he released another album called 803 Legend and followed that album up two years later with his most recent project, Life of a Trapper.

10. PG RA

Rapper Name: PG Ra

Real Name: Rendall

Age: 24 years

From: Orangeburg, South Carolina

Best Track: PFK

PG Ra is the stage name of South Carolina rapper Rendall, Rendall was born on April 16, 1998, in Orangeburg.

The rapper is best known for his 2019 single PFK which was produced by Jetsonmade and Neeko Baby. The PG in his rap moniker PG RA stands for Playboy General while the Ra comes from his birth name.

Despite only recently seeing success, the rapper has been grinding away in Hip Hop since 2016 and started his YouTube channel on October 15, 2018. Since then, Rendall has amassed over 46.8K subscribers on the channel and has released three music videos including PFK that have reached or surpassed a million views as of the writing of this article.

As for releases, the rapper released his first album, Blowing Candles on August 12, 2019, and since then has released four more projects, with a project per year, in quick succession. Rendall followed up his debut with 2020’s God’s Gift, then 2021’s Rare Breed, 2022’s Heavy Motion, and his most recent project KANDLEMAN, which came out just a couple of days ago on February 24, 2023.

11. Midwxst

Rapper Name: midwxst

Real Name: Nathanial Sarratt III

Age: 19 years

From: Columbia, South Carolina

Best Track: trying

Midwxst is the stage name of American rapper Edgar Nathanial Sarratt III. Midwxst was born on June 5, 2003, in Columbia, South Carolina.

Best known for the song, trying, the 19-year-old rapper has been active in the Hip-Hop, EDM, and hyper-pop scene since 2018, when he was only 15 years old. The rapper has stated that he grew up listening to various R&B from his mother’s side, and rap music from his father’s side.

Midwxst has been releasing projects since 2010, with his debut EP, Secrets, being self-releasing on October 16, 2020. Since then, the rapper has released another independent project on March 26, 2021, called Summer03, and then three more projects through Simple Stupid, and the prominent recording label, Geffen Records called Back in Action in 2021, and Better Luck Next Time and Back in Action 3.0 in 2022.

Despite being a skilled rapper, Midwxst is best known for meshing the genres of Hip-Hop with the experimental stylings of the alternative pop genre, Hyper Pop. The rapper has distinguished himself from the crop of generic modern-day rappers by crafting a style all his own that has garnered him a loyal fanbase, and the respect of fellow underground artists like Denzel Curry, who he has also collaborated with.

12. Lil Mexico

Rapper Name: Lil Mexico

Real Name: Lafazio Jones

Age: 22/23 years

From: Grays Court, South Carolina

Best Track: Trap Jumpin

Lil Mexico is the stage name of American rapper Lafazio Jones. Lil Mexico was born in 2000 in Grays Court, South Carolina.

Best known for songs like Trap Jumpin and Trap boys, the young artist has collaborated with many big artists of the day like Jetsonmade and Lil Durk. Concerning the latter, the rapper is affiliated with Durkio’s OTF group.

The rapper has stated that he is greatly inspired by North Carolina rapper DaBaby, and has attempted to emulate the famous rapper’s flow and danceable characteristics in his music. Though he wears the influence on his sleeve, Lil Mexico has amassed 51.1K+ subscribers on his YouTube channel through his own talent and has even surpassed over a million views on two songs on the channel.

As for projects, the rapper has released four studio albums so far in his career, with his debut being Trench Baby 2.5 which he released on August 5, 2019, and quickly followed up with Life of an Outlaw half a year later on December 11, 2019. Since then, he has released two more projects with 2020’s Against All Odds, and his most recent album, 2022’s Letter to the Trenches. 

13. Slime Dollaz

Rapper Name: Slime Dollaz

Real Name: N/A

Age: 26 years

From: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Best Track: Evil

Slime Dollaz is a South Carolina rapper who was born in the town of Spartanburg. Slime was born on April 1, 1996, and is best known for his song Evil.

The song, Evil came out on August 2, 2018, and saw a huge boost in engagement through its accompanying music video. The video was directed by famous director Cole Bennett and released on his popular Lyrical Lemonade channel.

The video has since amassed over 2.1 million views and is easily Slime’s biggest song. Due to the success of the song, he won the Top New Artist award at the Jetlag TV awards in 2018.

Since then, the rapper has released two albums, both in 2023, with a collab album called Red Slime and a solo album called The Life of Slime. His collab album is with fellow rapper T.JayRed.

14. Mook TBG

Rapper Name: Mook TBG

Real Name: Sirod Medrell McDaniels

Age: 28

From: Columbia, South Carolina

Best Track: Cross Me

Mook TBG is the stage name of rapper Sirod Medrell McDaniels. Mook was born on April 21, 1994, in Fort Riley, Kansas.

However, the rapper moved to Columbia, South Carolina, and was raised there. The rapper is best known for his song, Cross Me, which he released back in 2019.

The rapper is also known for being a close friend of the late Speaker Knockerz, and the two not only grew up together but also played basketball regularly. In fact, the rapper chose to shift his focus from basketball to music following Speaker Knockerz’s passing.

Since then, the rapper has been releasing his music through the label, Talibandz Entertainment. The label was founded by his father, who is also an influence behind his decision to rap.

15. Shawn Scrilla

Rapper Name: Shawn Scrilla

Real Name: Dashawn Eugene Holly

Age: 25 years

From: Rock Hill, South Carolina

Best Track: Militia

Shawn Scrilla is the stage name of rapper Dashawn Eugene Holly. Shawn was born on October 15, 1997, in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

A legend in the underground, Shawn is best known for his song Militia with Baxkwood Bloody, produced by Jetsonmade. Though the rapper hasn’t gained much mainstream fame, those in the South Carolina rap scene consider him one of the best rappers currently in the game.

Shawn’s raps have been co-signed by various popular rappers like Playboi Carti and Stunna 4 Vegas. The rapper has also collaborated with popular North Carolina rapper, DaBaby on Sing, his most played track on Spotify.

So far, the rapper has released five albums starting with 2019’s Slatt Pack up until his most recent album, BakDoe Business which came out on August 19, 2022.

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