Rap's absence from the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023 is officially over.
This week's chart sees Latto become the first hip-hop artist this year to reach No. 1 on the singles chart with "Seven," the new track by BTS member Jung Kook featuring the 24-year-old rapper.
In addition to ending hip-hop's drought atop the Billboard chart, "Seven"—expected to serve as the lead single from Jung Kook's debut solo album—marks the first No. 1 for both Latto and the K-pop star. He's the second BTS member to reign atop the Billboard Hot 100, following in the footsteps of Jimin, who debuted at No. 1 in April with “Like Crazy."
Latto reposted the news on her Instagram Stories, writing, “Oop am I a bora girl now? 🙈 Forever grateful!! Thanks JK for trusting me! Armypots up +10000.”
The news arrives several weeks after Billboard detailed how hip-hop's absence from the Hot 100 in 2023 pales in comparison to the genre's performance over the past few years.
By this time in 2022, three rappers had already scored No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 as a lead artist: Jack Harlow ("First Class"), Future ("Wait For U"), and Drake ("Jimmy Cooks"). Furthermore, five hip-hop artists topped the Hot 100 through the first seven months of 2021: 24kGoldn ("Mood"), Drake ("What's Next"), Cardi B ("Up"), Lil Nas X ("Montero"), and Polo G ("Rapstar").
And by July 2020, a whopping eight rappers had scored No. 1 songs on the chart that year: Post Malone ("Circles"), Roddy Ricch ("The Box"), Drake ("Toosie Slide"), Travis Scott ("The Scotts"), Doja Cat ("Say So"), Megan Thee Stallion ("Savage"), DaBaby ("Rockstar"), and 6ix9ine ("Trollz").
