Hip-hop knows no age, but if this week’s Billboard Hot 100 is any indication of “mainstream” rap success, the genre is indeed a sport for the youth.
In total, 28 rap acts appear at least once as the lead artist on the chart dated February 3, 2018, with an average age of 26.6 years and a median age of 28.
Eminem, 45, is the oldest rap act on the Hot 100, clocking in at No. 34 with the Ed Sheeran-assisted “River,” while Lil Pump, 17, is the youngest rap act on the chart, thanks to “Gucci Gang” holding strong at No. 17 after tumbling six spots week-over-week.
In 2016, Billboard analyzed six complete decades of data to determine the average age of every solo artist to reach No. 1 on Hot 100. By decade, the averages were fairly consistent, with a low of 26.8 in the 2010s and a high of 30.8 in the 1980s. Overall, the average age of a lead artist to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100 over its first 60 years was 28.5. (Note: These numbers were compiled regardless of the genre.)
While the average age of a Hot 100-charting rap act is currently 26.6 years, if we were to remove the two greatest outliers—Eminem and Plies—that number would drop down to 25.3 years, which is more than three full years younger than the average age of a No. 1 hitmaker regardless of genre over the past six decades.
Based on our brief analysis, three reasonable conclusions can be formed:
- Becoming a “career artist“—instead of plateauing as a “moment artist”—will greatly increase the likelihood of success past the age of 30.
- The “sweet spot” entry point on the chart is roughly 25 years of age. This means that, for artists who are younger than 25 with aspirations of Billboard success, you still have time. Take some.
- Plies has a greater following than any one of us could have ever imagined.
Here is a complete breakdown of all 28 acts by age:
40s (2)
45 Eminem (“River”)
41 Plies (“Rock”)
30s (6)
37 Gucci Mane (“I Get The Bag”)
34 Macklemore (“Good Old Days”)
33 French Montana (“Unforgettable”)
32 Jay Rock (“King’s Dead”)
31 Drake (“God’s Plan,” “Diplomatic Immunity”)
30 Kendrick Lamar (“LOVE.,” “All The Stars”)
20s (16)
29 A$AP Ferg (“Plain Jane”)
28 Logic (“1-800-273-8255”)
28 G-Eazy (“No Limit,” “Him & I”)
26 NF (“Let You Down,” “No Name”)
26 Quavo (“MotorSport,” “Stir Fry,” “Ice Tray”)
26 Offset (“MotorSport,” “Ric Flair Drip,” “Stir Fry”)
25 21 Savage (“Bank Account”)
25 Cardi B (“Bartier Cardi,” “Bodak Yellow”)
24 Famous Dex (“Pick It Up”)
23 Takeoff (“MotorSport,” “Stir Fry”)
23 Lil Uzi Vert (“The Way Life Goes”)
23 Lil Baby (“My Dawg”)
22 Post Malone (“rockstar,” “I Fall Apart,” “Candy Paint”)
21 6ix9ine (“Gummo,” “Keke,” “Kooda”)
21 Lil Xan (“Betrayed”)
20 Kodak Black (“Roll In Peace,” “Codeine Dreaming”)
Teens (4)
19 Lil Skies (“Nowadays,” “Red Roses”)
18 YoungBoy Never Broke Again (“Outside Today,” “No Smoke”)
18 YBN Nahmir (“Rubbin Off The Paint”)
17 Lil Pump (“Gucci Gang”)