The South Got Something To Say: A Celebration Of Southern Rap (2015-2019)
At the 1995 Source Awards, André 3000 issued a proclamation, or a prophecy: "The South got something to say." Inspired by his words, this list represents some of the most impactful songs, albums and mixtapes by Southern rappers. It was assembled by a team of Southern critics, scholars and writers representing the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana and Virginia.
We offer this list not as an authoritative canon but as an enthusiastic celebration that recenters the South's role as a creative center of hip-hop and presents the region for all that it has been and given to us.
2015
Birthed from the collaborative minds of EarDrummers, Mike WiLL Made-It's in-house production team, the Mississippi hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd's euphoric aura informed their zealous approach to their debut SremmLife, positioning themselves as ones to watch in Atlanta's dominance of contemporary hip-hop. Despite their youthful attitude, the duo's rockstar persona was criticized by hip-hop traditionalists who saw the pair's music as lacking artistic merit, yet their ability to express jovial innocence at the strip club breathed life into the genre. Their presence was a welcome refresher; in a field brimming with rappers competing for the title of king of their cities, Rae Sremmurd just wanted to have a "good-f******-time." Their singles were tailored to achieve viral status on social media through visual and lyrical content that lent itself to memes, captions on Instagram and short videos on platforms such as Vine and Snapchat. Despite earning their popularity in Atlanta, the Tupelo brothers are an addition to Mississippi's hip-hop legacy. —Taylor Crumpton
Future's 2015 run was so great that everything after it has really just been the garnish placed on top of an already exceptionally prepared meal. Everything he touched that year turned to gold (starting with January's ), and the culmination of that victory lap is "March Madness," a song that doesn't feel right unless you recite it with your arms outstretched and your face directed at the sky. It's a song tailor-made for celebration. On the hook, Future has everything you need for a good time: a cup full of his potion of choice (dirty soda in this case), mashing the gas on the highway and the lingering reminder that he and his inner circle have been solid from day one in spite of the foolishness they've had to endure over the years. Though maybe not to a T, many people's greatest nights incorporate some semblance of this combination, even down to reminiscing on how you've always run with the right people. With such euphoric and infectious energy — thanks in large part to producer Tarentino's exhilarating synth hits, bell peals and rolling 808s — it's a wonder that the song's's Bubbling Under Hot 100 list. The lack of chart-measurable "success" only adds to its lore; the most valuable accounts of its impact will be those of the people who were in the streets, the clubs and festival grounds during its reign.
