rapper

American  

[rap-er] / ˈræp ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that raps or knocks.

2. the knocker of a door.

3. Slang. a person who chats or talks, especially freely.

4. a person who performs rap music, especially professionally.

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rapper British  

/ ˈræpə /

noun

1. something used for rapping, such as a knocker on a door

2. a performer of rap music

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Etymology

Origin of rapper

1605–15; 1970–75, rapper for def. 3; rap ¹ + -er ¹

Explanation

A rapper is a musician who drops rhymes to the beat. “Rapper’s Delight,” the first rap to hit the Top 40, starts with “…to the hip, hip hop, and you don't stop” and ends 15 minutes later. The story is that the first rappers were MCs who talked between songs to entertain the crowd while the DJs changed records, then the MCs started talking with the beat, and then boom: rap was born. It came together as a music genre in the late 70s in New York City, but “rappers” didn’t suddenly pop up — rap emerged from African American traditions that had been around. The first rapper to sign to a major label was Kurtis Blow, in 1980.

Example Sentences

Rapper Rob Base, one-half of the hip-hop duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, died on Friday after a battle with cancer.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

Rapper Chris Brown’s touring company received the $10 million maximum, of which $5 million went directly to Mr. Brown.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

Rapper Lil Wayne and former chief strategist Steve Bannon were also pardoned at the same time, on Trump’s final day in office during his first term.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

Appeared in the February 6, 2026, print edition as '‘Pharma Bro,’ Rapper Battle Over Rare Album'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

“Of course. I’ve already talked with Mr. Hernandez. We’re going to analyze songs by Chance the Rapper and Kendrick Lamar and compare the lyrics to poems written during the Harlem Renaissance.”

From "Watch Us Rise" by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan