Rap is moving more quickly than ever, with artists building sizable followings before the masses have even heard their songs—or learned how to pronounce their names. Which is why you almost certainly know someone who's asked you what you think of the new "Extension" album. Don't want to be that person? Here are 13 artists whose names are easy to get wrong.
Wifisfuneral
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Correct pronunciation: 'Wi-Fi's funeral'
Common mispronunciation: 'wee-fee's funeral'
Before he was Wifisfuneral, Isaiah Rivera rapped under names like Mozart LaFlare. Having a hard time remembering how his current moniker is pronounced? Think of the ceremony you'd have to plan for a dead router.
Saweetie
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Correct pronunciation: 'sweetie'
Common mispronunciation: 'sah-weetie'
The "Icy Grl" rapper got her name from her grandmother, who called her Sweetie. "Everybody had their nicknames on Myspace," she told Tidal, "so I was like, 'OK, I like Sweetie, but I don't like the word 'sweetie,' so I'm going to spell it this way.''
Bhad Bhabie
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Correct pronunciation: 'bad baby'
Common mispronunciation: 'bawd bawbee'
Fifteen-year-old Danielle Bregoli turned viral fame into a music career. Her rap name turned two extra Hs into a source of confusion for many. For the record, both are silent.
Nolanberollin
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Correct pronunciation: 'Nolan be rollin'
Common mispronunciation: 'Nolan barrellin'
The creator of GLone and Gapaholics is more self-aware than most rappers, so an unconventional moniker like Nolanberollin suits him pretty well.
XXXTentacion
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Correct pronunciation: 'ex-ex-ex-ten-tah-see-own'
Common mispronunciations: 'extension,' 'ex-ex-ex-tashion'
So many people had problems pronouncing XXXTentacion's name that Genius made a whole video breaking it down. That piece of content has over 2 million views. The rapper born Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy has said that his name means "unknown temptation." Right now, he's facing charges including aggravated battery of a pregnant woman and domestic battery by strangulation.
Zillakami
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Correct pronunciation: 'zill-uh-kah-me'
Common mispronunciation: 'xy-lah-kay-me'
Zillakami is taking rap to brutal extremes. His videos are among the craziest things we've ever seen, but his name is only hard to say at first glance.
SahBabii
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Correct pronunciation: 'sah-baby'
Common mispronunciations: 'sah-bee-bee,' 'suh-baby'
SahBabii—whose song "Marsupial Superstars" was featured on Atlanta Robbin' Season—is becoming a household name. His name's not that complicated, but the extra I throws people off. Sometimes it's said more like "suh-baby," but the Atlanta rapper has confirmed that it's "sah-baby."
6ix9ine
![Correct pronunciation: 'six nine'
Common mispronunciation: 'six-ix nine-ine'
The Brooklyn rapper's career has been colored by controversy, starting with the revelation that he pleaded guilty to the use of a child in a sexual performance. What does his name actually mean? He offered this explanation on IG: "Just because you're right doesn't mean I'm wrong YOU JUST HAVENT [sic] SEEN LIFE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. Turn the 6 upside down it's 9 but remains the same in a different perspective."](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gAs9HZC9c7Y/mqdefault.jpg)
View this video on YouTube
Correct pronunciation: 'six nine'
Common mispronunciation: 'six-ix nine-ine'
The Brooklyn rapper's career has been colored by controversy, starting with the revelation that he pleaded guilty to the use of a child in a sexual performance. What does his name actually mean? He offered this explanation on IG: "Just because you're right doesn't mean I'm wrong YOU JUST HAVENT [sic] SEEN LIFE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. Turn the 6 upside down it's 9 but remains the same in a different perspective."
Jacquees
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Correct pronunciation: 'jah-kwees'
Common mispronunciations: 'jack-wheeze,' 'jack-keys'
In early 2014, Jacquees, almost three years removed from the release of his debut album, hit Twitter to remove any ambiguity as to how his name is pronounced: "Jacquees," he wrote. "(Jah-qwees)."
Rae Sremmurd
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Correct pronunciation: 'ray shrem-murd'
Common mispronunciations: 'ray ser-murd,' 'ray shrim-mer'
Save for the consecutive consonants that open the second part of it, Rae Sremmurd's name isn't hard to pronounce. "You have to remember," Slim Jxmmi said in a Fader video, "there's a silent H between the S and the R."
MadeinTYO
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Correct pronunciation: 'made in Tokyo'
Common mispronunciations: 'made-in-tie-yo,' 'made-in-tee-oh,' 'made-in-tee-why-oh'
The "TYO" in MadeinTYO's name is short for Tokyo. The "Uber Everywhere" rapper spent his formative years in Yokosuka, Japan, hence the inspiration for his moniker.
Smooky MarGielaa
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Correct pronunciation: 'smoo-key mar-jell-uh'
Common mispronunciation: 'smokey mar-jee-ell-ah'
This one's easy, but the two Os and extra A might make you second-guess yourself. It's "Smooky," not "Smokey," and the "MarGielaa" is pronounced the same way as the fashion house.
6lack
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Correct pronunciation: 'black'
Common mispronunciations: 'six-lack,' 'slack'
6lack's name was so commonly misspoken that he dedicated a whole campaign to instructing people on how to say it. Plenty of them still get it wrong.
