noun
-
something used for rapping, such as a knocker on a door
-
a performer of rap music
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Manchester rapper has been pursuing some of these tasks to raise awareness and money for the Down's Syndrome Association in honour of his younger sister Gracie, who has the condition.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Then the rapper Drake visited Chicago in the summer of 2023 and posted a photo of a bottle of the spirit on Instagram with the caption: “There’s no way Chicago enjoys this…”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
“It was like 10,000 people outside, and they closed all the doors and somebody rushed the doors,” the rapper said, according to Variety.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Fans prasied the singer and rapper as being an artist who is 'so fun' and brings 'such good vibes'
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
A limousine drove past us slowly, and I wondered if there was a famous rapper inside.
From "Miracle's Boys" by Jacqueline Woodson
During a dance class for the prisoners, a crew of rappers took over the microphone and began freestyling.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Part of that building inspired the next generation of rappers to incorporate their love of other aspects of Asian pop culture, such as anime, into their prose and performance style.
From Salon ● May 31, 2026
There are no up-and-coming rappers nipping at their heels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
They are among 26 bands, singers and rappers who have been chosen to share the first instalment of cash.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
Hip-hop heads consider them pop stars, not real rappers.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
