Eminem has earned yet another accolade. Rolling Stone has bestowed the rap titan with its current King of Hip-Hop title based on his album sales, YouTube views, and social-media scores.


Not far behind Marshall Mathers is Lil Wayne, who claims second place based on his album and ticket sales, online rankings, and awards, while his Young Money cohort Drake comes in third.

The list is not a ranking of all-time greatest MCs. Instead, the magazine selected 20 solo rappers who have dropped an album from 2009 through the first seven months of 2011. The positions were determined by album sales, rankings on the R&B/hip-hop and rap charts, YouTube views, social media, concert grosses, industry awards, and critics’ ratings.

Contenders included Big Boi, B.o.B, Diddy, Drake, Eminem, Fabolous, Lupe Fiasco, Gucci Mane, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Nicki Minaj, Pitbull, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg, T.I., Waka Flocka Flame, Kanye West, and Wiz Khalifa.

Despite the “king” title, Nicki Minaj is the sole female on the list, beating out some of her male peers for the No. 6 spot. See the full list below.

Rolling Stone’s “Kings of Hip-Hop” List

1. Eminem
2. Lil Wayne
3. Drake
4. Kanye West
5. Jay-Z
6. Nicki Minaj
7. Rick Ross
8. Ludacris
9. Gucci Mane
10. T.I.
11. Snoop Dogg
12. Diddy
13. Pitbull
14. Fabolous
15. Wiz Khalifa
16. B.o.B
17. Waka Flocka Flame
18. Lupe Fiasco
19. Kid Cudi
20. Big Boi

Lupe Fiasco teams with Trey Songz in the Gil Green-directed video for “Out of My Head” off his No. 1 album Lasers.

Lupe Fiasco brought his Lasers to late night. The 29-year-old MC performed “The Show Goes On” on Monday’s “Late Show with David Letterman,” rocking the stage with his band and singer Sarah Green. The show continues at MTV’s inaugural O Music Awards, where he will perform later in the week.

After landing his first No. 1 album with Lasers, Lupe Fiasco is hitting the road. The Chicago rapper has announced dates for his spring tour, with plans to visit a handful of college campuses and nightclubs on the 16-date trek.

The “Words I Never Said” performer sets out on March 27 at Los Angeles’ DUB Car Show at the L.A. Convention Center, making stops at Duke, Miami University, Yale, Penn State, and more. Lupe will shine down on NYC’s Roseland Ballroom and join a band for a gig at New Orleans’ Congo Square before completing the journey at Bates College on May 11 in Lewiston, Maine.

Check below to see if the tour swings your way.



Lupe Fiasco’s Spring Tour Dates

March 27 – Los Angeles, CA – DUB Car Show – L.A. Convention Center
March 31 – Durham, NC – Duke University
April 1 – Ann Arbor, MI – University Of Michigan
April 13 – Albany, NY – SUNY Albany – Washington Ave. Armory
April 16 – Keene, NH – Keene State College
April 19 – Oxford, OH – Miami University
April 21 – Phoenix, AZ – Mesa Amphitheater
April 24 – New York, NY – Roseland Ballroom
April 25 – New York, NY – Roseland Ballroom
April 26 – New Haven, CT – Yale University
April 28 – Bristol, RI – Roger Williams University
April 29 – University Park, PA – Penn State University
May 1 – Baltimore, MD – Meriweather Post
May 6 – New Orleans, LA – Congo Square
May 7 – Boise, ID – Boise State University
May 11 – Lewiston, ME – Bates College – Grey Gym

Lupe Fiasco is beaming. The Chicago rapper has scored his first No. 1 album and best sales week yet with his third LP Lasers, which debuts atop the Billboard 200 chart.


The “Show Goes On” MC managed to sell 204,000 copies in his first week, the most units throughout his career despite label drama and his indifference toward the populist record. His last album, The Cool, bowed at No. 15 with 143,000 in 2007, while his debut Food & Liquor entered at No. 8 with 81,000 sold the year prior.

Elsewhere, Marsha Ambrosius slides from No. 2 to 8 with her debut Late Nights & Early Mornings, selling an additional 41,000 units. Justin Bieber also takes a hit with Never Say Never: The Remixes, which drops from No. 4 to 9 (40,000)

Lupe Fiasco put on a thrilling show on Wednesday’s “Lopez Tonight.” The crowd embraced the 29-year-old rapper as he performed the first single from his newly released album on the late-night program.

Lupe has reason to celebrate as Lasers is on track to debut with big numbers in its first week. Early sales predictions have the album coming in at No. 1 on next week’s Billboard 200 with 220-240,000 copies, giving it the second biggest debut of the year behind Adele.

Lupe Fiasco’s long-delayed Lasers is finally due out March 8, and the album’s electrifying cover art is striking — we guess all you need to transform from a loser into a laser is a little bit of anarchy. We’re digging the cover — let’s hope the music is worth the arduous battle of finally getting it released.

Lupe Fiasco has sold millions of records and even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, but one goal not on his checklist is to follow in Jay-Z’s footsteps.


While many artists aspire to Mr. Carter’s level of success, the Chicago rapper is not interested in elevating his star. “I don’t want to be Jay-Z and be worth $400 million and perform on every awards show,” he tells Australian paper The Age.

Lupe’s plan is a little different. “It’s getting in touch with somebody who needs to improve their self-esteem, as opposed to driving a Bentley and putting some chains on.”

While they have collaborated previously, it’s safe to say Hov won’t be featured on Lupe’s third album Lasers, which was completed and submitted to his label Atlantic Records last month. “It’s an album we both feel comfortable putting out,” he says. “I’m somebody saying the things that maybe 98 percent of the music industry is not.”

Although he’s three albums deep, he still doesn’t consider himself a superstar. “There’s a misunderstanding with my fanbase. People [at Atlantic] feel they know my fans more than I do. They want me to step out of my comfort zone and step into theirs,” he reveals. “I don’t have necessarily the celebrity success they want me to have, but it’s more social success and being able to speak at a college about world affairs. That’s a success to me.”

Lupe will embark on his “Steppin Laser” tour with opening act B.o.B next Friday, March 5, in Claremont, Calif.