Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, also known as the “Steel City,” is home to countless celebrities and famous individuals that have made their mark on the world—such as the vocal powerhouse Christina Aguilera, Mark Cuban from the hit show “Shark Tank,” and actor Jeff Goldblum. The rap scene may seem lacking when compared to other cities, but there have been many memorable artists that were born in the ‘Burgh.
In this article, we compiled a list of ten famous rappers from Pittsburgh that you might be familiar with already, as well as rappers that are on the up and coming that have a unique sound and purpose to their music. Read on to learn more about these artists and who knows, you might discover someone new that will take over your liked songs on Spotify.
Malcolm McCormick, mostly known as Mac Miller, was a shining light in the rap industry. In 2018 he tragically passed away at the younge age of 26 due to an overdose. His career took off before he graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School as he was releasing upbeat rap music at a steady pace. Originally going by the name “EZ Mac” he teamed up with another Pittsburgh-based rapper Beedie to temporarily create the group “The Ill Mind” before pursuing their careers separately.
Mac Miller’s music changed with him as he grew older and began to deal with mental health and substance abuse issues. Nonetheless, his thought-provoking lyrics never failed to captivate his massive following of loyal fans. Years after his death, the world continues to celebrate his music and the beautiful life he lived.
After coming into the spotlight in the mid-2000’s, Wiz Khalifa would go on to make music that would go viral worldwide. His talents aren’t limited to the rap scene by any means, with hit songs like “See You Again” featuring Charlie Puth being featured in the Fast and Furious (billion dollar) franchise. Despite being born in North Dakota, the rapper established the foundation for his fan base in Pittsburgh due to spending his formative years there. Khalifa references Pittsburgh in many of his songs as an homage to his time there and to the rich culture.
At the age of only 38 years old, Frzy has an accomplished music career to boast about.Throughout his career he has performed countless shows with songs that are original works created completely by him. The effort put into making his work authentic has not gone unrecognized. In 2018, Frzy won an Emmy Award from his performance that was meant to honor the Mr. Rogers show and to break the stigma against hip-hop artists. What makes this rapper so special is that aside from his music career, he gives back to his community and truly wishes for its members, especially aspiring artists, to be successful.
Chevy Woods knows what it is like to hustle in order for your dreams to take flight. Hailing from the Hazelwood neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Woods originally had his energy focused on sports until fully shifting his gaze to the rap scene. From that moment onward, he has never looked back, even making meaningful connections along the way with larger artists like Wiz Khalifa and going so far as to create the song “Alive” together. Chevy Woods currently has 436k followers on Instagram and he continues to share his passion for rap.
This woman is a jack of all trades! From a very young age it was clear that she would grow up to share her music with the world as she danced and sang for her family. Just like many other artists in the world she used her art as an outlet to express her feelings and as a way to reach out to others that might feel the same way. She gains inspiration from various spiritual teachings and incorporates them into her music. Kellee Maize has years of experience in the music industry under her belt and she now focuses more so on entrepreneurial ventures that work to positively affect the world around her.
Beedie, born as Brian Benjamin Green, is based out of Pittsburgh and has worked with several other big names such as Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa (people in the ‘Burgh seem to be pretty close knit!) In 2019 he released his latest album Good Things Take Time after taking a break from the music scene. Success takes time and after years of pursuing his dream, it is clear that Beedie has earned his position in the rap industry. Between introspective lyrics and catchy beats, there is no question as to why Beedie is so admired by the Pittsburgh hip-hop community.
Jimmy Wopo made his first big break with his hit song “Elm Street” in 2016. He went from uploading his music onto the SoundCloud platform to performing with high-profile rappers such as 21 Savage, Wiz Khalifa, and Rae Sremmurd. Wopo’s career ended too soon as he suffered a fatal gunshot wound during a shooting in 2018. Despite being in the industry for a short amount of time, his distinctive rapping style has left an impact on the rap scene and his fans' hearts for years to come.
This artist creates music that shares their experiences and dreams that involve social justice and spirituality. Whenever they are not focusing on music, they are working as an activist, abolitionist, and mentor. M.A.D.U.S.A. stands for “making a difference using skills and activism” and this artist is the embodiment of this message. Empowering marginalized communities by sharing music that connects everyone regardless of race, color, and background is Blak Rapp M.A.D.U.S.A.’s life's work.
Clara Kent is breaking stereotypes that are often associated with black communities. Having been raised in the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, she shares her stories of when she was growing up. It was considered as an unsafe place where only fighting existed but that is untrue, it is actually a strong community where neighbors support one another. Kent’s music carries a calm, spiritual, sensual aura that feels healing with its beautiful lyricism. She is paving the way for other underground artists as the CEO of Bounce House Studio and Productions, LLC.
Growing up with fellow musicians in his family, Benji can proficiently play several instruments while also being one of Pittsburgh’s beloved rappers. His love for the city is no secret as he mentioned Ju-Ju Smith Schuster, a player for the Pittsburgh Steeler football team, in his song “Tamale.” Check out his music on YouTube where his song “Spillage Village” has reached over fourteen-thousand views!
The City of Bridges is home to numerous rappers that often shout-out the city in their songs. There is something special about the artists that come from Pittsburgh specifically, not only are they exceptionally talented but they give back to the community that raised them. People that have dreams of one day becoming a famous artist will now have more opportunities than ever before thanks to these prominent rappers that see the value in helping and connecting with others; whether it be through activism or their music!
