Despite speculation that hip-hop may be in decline, some rappers are having their glory days, with chart-topping singles and critically acclaimed projects. So, who will be crowned MVP in 2025?
XXL is inviting fans to vote! We’ve partnered with VAZA, the leading online marketplace for monetizing opinions, to launch the “Most Valuable Rapper” awards. The competition features 16 rap artists who have had a major impact on hip-hop music this year.
YoungBoy Never Broke Again, who spent the first quarter of this year in jail, has now made a comeback. After five years without touring, YB launched the sold-out MASA Tour, establishing himself as one of the biggest rappers in the game.
Even though Kendrick Lamar didn’t release an album in 2025, he was everywhere. From his performance at the Grammy Awards in February (where his song “Not Like Us” won five awards) to his record-breaking Super Bowl halftime performance, K-Dot continues to enhance his legacy.
Clipse, consisting of Pusha T and Malice, are back with what may be the most critically acclaimed rap album of the year, Let God Sort Em Out. Pusha T and Malice’s breakout performance at the Vatican and five Grammy nominations show that age is nothing but a number.
Several other artists also had great years, including Playboi Carti, Cardi B, Gunna, JID, and more. But there can only be one winner.
For each game, fans can vote for free or invest in their choice on VAZA. Everyone who bets on the winning selection will be paid by the losing side. This will continue until the finals, where the winner will be crowned the Most Valuable Rapper of 2025. All voting will take place on the VAZA website: www.vazainc.com. Voting begins on November 17 and runs until December 22.
See the full list of contenders below.
YoungBoy never broke down again.
Kendrick Lamar
Praboy Karti
Drake
travis scott
Joey Bada$$
Federation ID
tyler, creator
Cardi B
Pusha T
malicious
nicki minaj
Guna
Big Xtha plug
Yette
G Herb
This editorial is published by VAZA.
