fbpx

21 Fastest Rappers: Who’s The Fastest Rap Artist?

Modern rap and hip hop are increasingly full of examples of world record-shattering combinations of words and syllables. Rap artists are pushing the traditional boundaries of the genre. These rappers have used their artistic skills and experiments to go beyond the ordinary. Here are the 21 fastest rappers of all time who have each reached the top by their originality and skill. 

1. Twista

Twista is one of the most influential rap artists of the 1990s and a driving force in the popularization of the “chopper” method of rapping. In 1992, he broke the Guinness World Record for Fastest Rapper Alive for rapping 598 syllables in 55 seconds—breaking down to roughly 11.2 syllables every second. 

His stage name derives from the phrase “Tung Twista,” and the rap artist’s real name is Carl Terrell Mitchell. True to his reputation, he is widely considered to be the fastest rapper in history. His speed and talent have earned him featured appearances on many popular songs. 

Over the course of his career, he has released many solo albums. He has also collaborated with some of the most famous names in hip hop, including Chance the Rapper, Busta Rhymes, Tech N9ne, Kanye West, and Ludacris.

Next: The fastest rap songs ever recorded

2. Twisted Insane

Twisted Insane and Lady Insane - OUTSIDE (Official Music Video)

The rap artist known professionally as Twisted Insane—real name Michael Johnson—is based in San Diego. He is known as one of the fastest rappers in the hip hop industry. Over the course of his career, he has released 11 studio albums and founded the record label, Brainsick Muzik. 

He began practicing writing rhymes when he was only 12 years old. While still in his teens, he performed live for the first time and found the experience euphoric. Though he was already succeeding in music, success did not come easily; he was living on the street when his first album, Shoot For The Face, was released in 2006. 

He is one of the most technically skilled “chopper” rappers in history. One of the biggest breaks of his career came when fellow rap artist Tech N9ne invited him to take part in the 2011 single Worldwide Choppers alongside Twista, Busta Rhymes, and many other great rappers. 

3. Eminem

Eminem - Not Afraid

Eminem is a Detroit-based rap artist known for his blunt lyrics and presentation; he is widely considered one of the most talented and innovative rappers in the world. Over his 20-year career, the rap artist—whose real name is Marshall Mathers III— has gained attention for his writing and performing abilities, particularly his hard-hitting content. He employs a quick, biting wit combined with even quicker rapping.

He has an uncanny ability to execute a mind-boggling number of syllables in a single second. His 2013 single, Rap God, elevated him to the Guinness Book of World Records for the Most Words in a Hit Single. He managed 1,560 unique words in just over six minutes. This breaks down to about 4.28 words per second. 

The Real Slim Shady broke his first record in 2000 with The Marshall Mathers LP. It sold 1.76 million copies in its first week, more than any hip hop album ever released.

Next: The world’s greatest white rappers of all time

4. Busta Rhymes

Busta Rhymes - Gimme Some More (Official Video) [Explicit]

Busta Rhymes is one of the most famous and innovative rappers of the modern era. Born in Brooklyn, his real name is Trevor George Smith Jr. When he broke into the world of hip hop, he earned his stage name because of his rapid style of rapping as well as his unique rhyming methods. 

He also gained attention throughout the 1990s for his unique physical style, but it was first and foremost his musical skill that set him apart. He is a skilled freestyle rap artist, a technique he displayed frequently throughout the beginning of his career. 

Over a multi-decade career, he has received 12 Grammy Award nominations. Works like Look At Me Now, Break Ya Neck, I’ll Hurt Ya, and Touch It, all display his signature technique. He uses both internal rhyme and half rhyme coupled with a breakneck speed. This combo puts him in the top tier of legendary rapid rappers. 

Next: The greatest rappers of all time (full feature)

5. Tech N9ne

Tech N9ne - Like I Ain't - Official Music Video

Tech N9ne is an accomplished rapper in the chopper style; born in Kansas City, Missouri, he was interested in rap from an early age. His real name is Aaron Dontez Yates, and he taught himself to spell it by rapping the letters. 

He began his professional career in the early 1990s; his stage name came from the name of a semi-automatic handgun, which he was gifted in honor of his rapid rapping style. In addition to his successful solo career, he is a co-founder of the record label, Strange Music. 

He is known for his chopper technique with a clean pronunciation down to the individual letter. He recorded Takin’ Online Orders alongside Brotha Lynch Hung, where he laid down 12 words per beat—at an astonishing 76 beats per minute and breaks down to about 15.2 words per second. He changes flow patterns on the fly, so it’s nigh impossible to keep up. 

6. Aesop Rock

Aesop Rock x Blockhead - Pumpkin Seeds (feat. Lupe Fiasco) [Official Audio]

Aesop Rock is the stage name of Long Island-based rapper Ian Matthias Bavitz. He developed an interest in hip hop through his exposure to the underground rap culture in New York City during the late 1990s. He later became a key artist in the alternative hip hop scene of the turn of the century. 

He has been called the rap artist with a wider vocabulary than William Shakespeare. He is renowned for incredible, diverse lyrical techniques that make your jaw drop. He comes in at about 7,979 unique words used—this is over 3,000 more than the average rapper.

He has said he reads many news and science articles in search of new words to fill his songs. He often writes down new words that he discovers and finds appealing. He has come under fire for his extensive vocabulary, which some critics have said relies on homonyms rather than authentic vocabulary changes.

Next: The top rappers from the East Coast

7. Tonedeff

Tonedeff - "Crispy (192)" - 14 SYLLABLES PER SECOND

The rap artist known as Tonedeff—whose real name is Pedro Antonio Rojas, Jr.—rose to fame with his rap battle skills. While taking part in the underground hip hop scene of Miami in the 1990s, he gained a reputation for winning many rap battles and rapping faster than most of his opponents. 

He opened for a few well-known acts including Royce Da 5’9” and Common. He also had two verses on Substantial’s song, Velocity. It was there that Tonedeff first achieved the supersonic speeds of rap. Along with his successful solo career, he also founded his own label, QN5. That label’s roster includes Substantial, Pack FM, and CunninLynguists. He is held up as a prominent underground artist within the rap industry. 

He continues to perform in rap battles and was Lollapalooza’s Last Best Standing winner in 2006. He performed his first mainstream show there and went from an underground favorite to a widely renowned rapper. He is known for his lightning-fast variations of rhythm and tone—according to some reports, he averages 7.32 syllables per second across his music—so you might have to hit rewind to hear what he said.

8. Krayzie Bone

The rapper known as Krayzie Bone, whose real name is Anthony Henderson, rose to prominence as a member of the group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. After working in an ensemble for several years, he broke into a successful solo career. His first solo album was Thug Mentality 1999. It featured collaborations with many of hip hop’s biggest stars, including Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey, E-40, Kurupt, and many more. 

His second album, Thug On Da Line, was released in 2001. This was a major breakthrough for his career, with his single Ridin’, earning a Grammy Award For Best Rap Performance by a Duo or a Group. He performed the song alongside rap artist Chamillionaire; the single went to the top of the hip hop charts and is widely considered one of the best rap tracks in history. 

He is known for his speedy verses. Some of his most famous songs include Clash Of The Titans, Flow Motions, and Heated Heavy.

Next: Top motivational/inspirational rap songs

9. Dizzee Rascal

Dizzee Rascal - Bassline Junkie (Explicit) [Official Video]

Dizzee Rascal is the stage name of Dylan Kwabena Mills, a British rapper who has worked extensively in the grime subgenre. He was also highly influential in the British garage rock renaissance of the early 2000s. 

Born in London, he was one of the first commercially successful grime MCs. His 2003 album, Boy In Da Corner, brought him to stardom across Britain and laid the genre’s foundations. He typically clocks in at about 3.5 words each second. This makes him one of the fastest MCs in the industry. He has said he taught himself to rap quickly by practicing over percussion tracks rather than traditional vocal tracks. 

Perhaps because of his preference for niche genres, he is not as widely known as some of the other rap artists on this list. Nevertheless, his long and influential career speaks for itself. He has produced five number-one singles on the UK charts. He has also been an important voice in calling out racism in the British hip hop industry.

10. Crucified

Crucified is a rapper hailing from New Braunfels, Texas. He raps independently and has worked with many other choppers including D-Loc, Twisted Insane, and Bizzy Bone. 

He is a polarizing figure in the hip hop industry. He has been widely criticized for rapping too fast to be understandable; many argue his chopping takes away from his music more than it brings. His rap has been accused of sounding too much like gibberish and not enough like rapping. Since he also likes to mumble during his songs, his lyrics can be tough to understand. 

His distinct performance method has led some fans as well as the Guinness Book of World Records to discount his work as a chopper. Nevertheless, he currently raps up to 28.9 syllables per second as of his track, Power Up, an achievement that has earned him respect from a dedicated fanbase. 

11. El Chojin

El Chojin Ft. Teyou - No hay mariposas (Vídeo oficial)

El Chojin is a rapper and songwriter from Madrid, Spain, whose true name is Domingo Edjang Moreno. He is the current holder of the Guinness World Record for most syllables rapped in a single minute—he managed a whopping 921 syllables in a minute alone. He started out as part of the Wild For Da Night (WFN) group and another called 995, with whom he released four albums together. 

He began his solo career with tracks focused on social themes, including racism, anti-migrant discrimination, drug abuse, and equality. He continues to produce highly-relevant content to this day. His single Mi Turno is widely considered to be his most radical song. Many of his other well-known tracks include social commentaries, such as Lola and El Final Del Cuento De Hadas. 

He is also an avid poet and composer; he has written what he calls the first Spanish-language rap opera, entitled Rimas Para Todos Los Publicos. In 2008, he partook in a televised attempt to break the world record for most syllables rapped per second; he won second place with 15 syllables per second.

12. NoClue

Fastest Rapper - NoClue

NoClue is a Seattle-based rap artist, songwriter, and video producer. His real name is Ricky Raphel Brown. He had an early interest in music thanks to the influence of his grandfather, who was a member of The Singing Galatians. While still a child, he began reciting raps, writing his own lyrics by the time he turned nine. 

In 2005, his track New West earned him the Guinness World Record title of Fastest Rap MC. The track featured him rapping a stunning 723 syllables in just 51.27 seconds. Averaging just over 14 syllables per second, he is easily one of the fastest rappers in the world. 

In addition to his work as a rap artist, he also works in video production; he is a founder of the companies Cinema 28 and Long Live LLC. In this capacity, he produces and directs music videos and other digital media.

13. Outsider

Outsider - Loner, 아웃사이더 - 외톨이, Music Core 20090627

Outsider is one of the fastest rappers alive. He hails from South Korea and is widely believed to be the fastest Korean rap artist in history. He got his start in the underground rap scene but began to climb the ranks after signing with the label, Sniper Sound. He achieved mainstream success in 2009 with the title track, Loner.”He became one of the fastest rappers to achieve number one on the Korean music charts. 

He claimed that Sniper Sound didn’t properly compensate him for his work. They countersued and removed his songs from the market. He founded his own label, ASSA Communication, in response. He released a mini-album, Rebirth Outsider. He holds a record of 721 syllables in 21 seconds, at 22 words per second. He does not hold any Guinness World Record titles at this time because the organization does not count rap in Korean.

14. R.A. the Rugged Man

R.A. the Rugged Man - Legendary Loser (Official Music Video)

R.A. The Rugged Man is the stage name of New York rapper R.A. Thorburn. A musical prodigy, he began his rap career when he was only 12 years old. While still a teenager, he was already making a name for himself on the local rap scene in Suffolk County, New York. At the age of 18, he signed his first major label, Jive Records. 

The company never released his debut album, but this didn’t slow him down. He went on to collaborate with many other artists in the industry throughout his career. He has rapped with Mobb Deep, Notorious B.I.G., and numerous other members of rap royalty. He appeared in multiple films including Three Thug Mice in 2008 and Skid Row in 2013. His fast rapping is well-displayed in the song Gotta Be Dope, where he lays down 11.14 syllables every second.

Next: The top rappers from New York of all time

15. Rebel XD

Rebel XD's - L.U.C.S. - (Life Under Chaotic Skies)

Rebel XD is one of the fastest rappers in the hip hop industry. A prominent figure to his countless fans, he has amazingly kept his real name and private life a total mystery. He was born in Chicago, but the public knows little else for sure. 

Nevertheless, he has led a long and record-breaking career, winning Faster Rapper from the Guinness Book of World Records on three separate occasions. He first won the award in 1992, recording 667 syllables in 54.9 seconds. Six years later, he surpassed his record at 683 syllables in 54.5 seconds. Just under a decade after that, he blew past his previous records at 852 syllables in just 42 seconds. 

The rap artist credits his success to a “secret method” that he developed at the beginning of his career. He has shared some details of his rapping techniques on his social media accounts. He has received criticism from some who find his chopping style too difficult to understand, and they dispute his records on these grounds. 

16. Watsky

Watsky- Sloppy Seconds [Cardboard Castles]

George Virden Watsky, known simply as Watsky, is a rap artist from San Francisco who started his career at just 15. As a teen, he began performing slam poetry, winning a number of Bay Area competitions. He competed with a team at the 2006 National Youth Poetry Slam, winning the grand prize. 

He started his rap career three years later with the self-published hip hop album, Watsky, released while he was still in his teens. He achieved notoriety after going viral in 2011 on YouTube. That year, he released a video where he rapped an original piece to an instrumental of Break Ya Neck by Busta Rhymes. This impressed millions of fans around the world.

He is one of the fastest rappers in the industry and the one with the most endurance. He holds the title for Longest Rapping Marathon from Guinness World Records, a record which he broke after rapping for 33 hours, 33 minutes, and 19 seconds without stopping.

17. Ab-Soul

Ab-Soul - Do Better (Official Video)

Ab-Soul is the stage name of Herbert Anthony Stevens IV, a rapper and songwriter based in Carson, California. He was influenced by music from a young age because his family owned a record store. He developed an interest in rap while still a child and began to teach himself how to do it, exploring online chat forums during the 1990s to learn how to freestyle.

In 2007, he signed with the indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment and went on to form the West Coast hip hop group, Black Hippy. He collaborated on the group with other Californian rap artists including Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, and Jay Rock. In addition to his amazing technical skill and ability to freestyle, he has become known for his contemplative, philosophical lyrics. He has said that he pays close attention to vocabulary, rhyming, and cadence in his raps, treating them as though they are poems.

When measured by the average number of syllables in his tracks, he is one of the fastest rappers in the industry, coming in at an average of 8.31 syllables per second. He has released five independent albums under TDE: Herbert, Do What Thou Wilt, These Days…, Control System, and Longterm Mentality

18. Chance the Rapper

Chance the Rapper ft. 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne - No Problem (Official Video)

Chance the Rapper is the stage name of Chancelor Bennett, a rap artist, songwriter, and record producer from Chicago. He released his debut mixtape, 10 Day, in 2012 and shortly after began to gain notoriety.

His second mixtape in 2013, Acid Rape, and his third, three years later, Coloring Book, gained him widespread acclaim and critical attention. He received three Grammy Awards, including an award for Best Rap Album. It became the first streaming-only album to win a Grammy. It peaked at number eight on the US Billboard 200. He released his debut studio album in 2019, The Big Day

He has been praised for his ability to combine rap with other genres such as gospel, blues, and jazz. In addition to being a skilled rapper, he is a gifted singer, which he often incorporates in his tracks. As a rap artist, he has done some extremely fast rapping, coming in at an average of 7.8 syllables per second. 

Next: The top rappers from Chicago of all time

19. 2Pac

2Pac - Ambitionz Az a Ridah

Tupac Shakur, also known as 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper considered one of the most influential in the genre’s history. Born in New York City to politically active parents—both were members of the Black Panther Party—he and his mother relocated to San Francisco in 1988. 

He is one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, selling over 75 million records around the world. His music contains deep references to contemporary social problems plaguing inner cities. He remains a symbol for millions of activism in the face of social inequality. 

The rapper became a key figure in West Coast hip hop upon releasing his 1991 debut album, 2Pacalypse Now. His follow-up album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z… in 1993, and Me Against The World two years later brought him immense critical and commercial success. Tragically, he was murdered in a drive-by shooting in 1996 at the age of just 25 years old.

Of course, many of Tupac’s songs had slowed down lyricism, but you’ll find some gems from his discography in which he really dials up the tempo of his flow.

20. DMC

DMC is an American rapper and founding member of the hip hop group, Run-DMC; his real name is Darryl McDaniels. Both as a solo artist and a member of an ensemble, he is considered one of the foremost leaders in early hip hop. 

The rap artist grew up in Queens, developing an interest in hip hop as a child when he heard Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five. Throughout the late 1970s, he taught himself to DJ in his parents’ basement using a mixer and turntables he had bought. 

His professional career began in the mid-1980s; his group Run-D.M.C. was one of the biggest influences on the development of modern hip hop. They matured and changed with the genre, eventually turning to more rock-inspired material. Nevertheless, he remains one of the most respected and well-known rappers in the history of hip hop; he is even one of the fastest, averaging 6.98 syllables per second in his work. He has also been credited with sharing his personal struggles with depression, which inspired much of his music.

21. Redman

Redman - Slap Da Shit Outcha [Official Video]

Redman is the stage name of Reginald Noble, a rapper, DJ, and record producer. He got into music as a teenager after being kicked out of his home, first DJing and freestyling. Eventually, he began touring with the group EPMD as a roadie but was noticed for his intense freestyling talent. 

He began his professional career in the early 1990s and was praised for his technical skill underscored by influences of reggae and funk. He remained highly successful throughout the 1990s and 2000s, with many of his singles placing on the Billboard charts

He is also known for collaborations with his fellow artist and personal friend, Method Man. Together, they make up the rap duo Method Man & Redman. They have starred together in films and sitcoms as well as collaborated on musical projects. Redman was also a member of the Def Squad in the last half of the 1990s. He remains one of the most famous and talented freestyle rappers in the industry, averaging 6.81 syllables per second.

Leave a Comment