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

San Marino in particular love a guest star, from Boy George's blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance this year to US rapper Flo Rida helping the country make the final in 2021.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

Afrika Bambaataa, the influential rapper and DJ who helped shape the culture of hip-hop with his legendary Zulu Nation block parties in the South Bronx, has died.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

On the front line, young soldiers asked Kovalskiy for selfies, his children’s friends quizzed them about their father and chart-topping U.S. rapper Yeat posted his picture on social media.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

“I’ve always listened to Drake—in the middle of the beef, now, whenever,” said Fat Joe, the rapper and podcaster.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

“You want me to be a rapper while you’re a baller so we could be a dynamic duo stereotype?”

From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi