White rappers are everywhere. You've seen them in suburban parking lots, on Midwestern college campuses, and even on BET. You probably have one in your family. From lyrics and flow, to style and sales, white rappers have become a legitimate force in the hip-hop industry—particularly in the last fifteen years, and exponentially so since 2009.
A note about "whiteness"—since race is basically a fictional concept, our working definition of "white rapper" is not based on family history or DNA mapping, but on appearance. Simply put, if you look white, for all intents and purposes, you're white. If a cop pulls you over and thinks you're white, you're white. If the record company can market you as white... you get the idea.
While major labels have signed a few white rappers, many more have been forgotten. Some are good, some less so, and at least one is Kid Rock. Once ostracized, white rappers transcend categorization in 2012... so we thought why not group them all into one handy guide? Complex proudly presents The White Rapper Encyclopedia.
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