Through the decades, hip-hop has always been one of the main driving forces behind contemporary fashion. In 2024, plenty of artists gave us memorable style moments, whether through music videos, stage fits, fashion show appearances, or exclusive merch drops. A common theme this year was paying homage to the genre’s past, from backwards sports jerseys to vintage Ecko Unltd., by way of rappers such as Playboi Carti and Lil Yachty.
The 10 best-dressed rappers in this ranking each bring their own unique and versatile style to the table. But beyond just dressing well, they parlay their fashion sense into business ventures like brand campaigns and collaborations that prove just how important style is.
Admittedly, many fly artists didn’t make the cut for our top 10, as we had to limit our focus to solely this year. Rather than assessing a long, prior history of setting trends, we prioritized those who made more of a splash in the past 12 months. With that said, here are our picks—and justifications—for the 10 best-dressed rappers of 2024.
Travis Scott’s style can be broken down into two categories. The first is his everyday wardrobe, which mixes coveted luxury pieces from the likes of Balenciaga and Rick Owens with more attainable items like a Supreme thermal or a Kappa soccer jersey. You can count on his own Cactus Jack gear to flawlessly weave its way into his outfits, whether it’s his Jordan Jumpman Jack sneakers or a camo fleece pullover. The final result is a big reason he’s become arguably the most marketable rapper in the world. His fans have fully bought into his style, which is easy to replicate. People don’t wait in line for nearly nine hours to cop your merch if you are poorly dressed.
His second style category is his on-stage looks for Circus Maximus. The dystopian garb, courtesy of Greg Ross, looks like something straight out of Mad Max. With the help of styling duo Nick Royal and Peri Rosenzweig, the looks feature dramatic shoulder pads, futuristic Oakley shades, and leather moto shorts that perfectly accompany the raw and unconventional sound of Utopia.
No matter the setting, everything about Travis Scott’s style is incredibly cohesive. It may not be revolutionary, but it is well-executed. –Mike DeStefano
This was the year Tierra Whack cemented her status as one of the best-dressed rappers by blending high-fashion with her eclectic storytelling. In February, she attended her first-ever fashion show during New York Fashion Week in a custom Thom Browne suit, styled with the brand’s dachshund-shaped Hector bag and red eyeglasses that matched her bright red hair.
Her over-the-top looks are not everyone’s cup of tea, but they demand appreciation for their authenticity. In a March interview with W, she named Erykah Badu and Tracee Ellis Ross as her style inspirations, and their influences are prominent in Tierra’s play with vibrant colors, bold patterns, and dramatic proportions. It is a sophisticated formula that only few can pull off, and what undeniably sets her apart. –Shinnie Park
You can count on Smino for outside-of-the-box flows, pockets, and melodies—and his sense of fashion is just as unique. From smashing together colors that shouldn’t work (but somehow do) to wearing monochrome suits, Smino has a knack for putting together unexpected combinations, something that’s echoed in his music. One of Smino’s most underrated qualities is how versatile he gets with his hair and headwear.
One of our favorite outfits from him this year is his look from KidSuper’s Spring/Summer 2025 show. He sported a matching sweatsuit, and in typical Smino fashion, added an extra flair with a silk scarf necktie and a gigantic fur ushanka. More than anything, what makes Smino’s style so good is his confidence. –Jamal Desroches
In 2024, not only was Doja Cat nominated for three Grammy awards, she became the first female rapper to headline Coachella. She also had some of the most talked-about style moments of the year. From attending the Grammys in a sheer gown and head-to-toe faux tattoos to walking the Met steps in a drenched T-shirt by Vetements, Doja’s ensembles are a reflection of the captivating and bold artist she truly is.
In April, Doja delivered at Coachella, with her on-stage outfits gaining attention across the internet. Brett Alan Nelson worked on the styling and creative direction for Doja’s unconventional looks, the most memorable of which was when Doja and her dancers were covered in hair. Hairstylist Charlie Le Mindu had created 23 blonde “hair suits”—it was unlike anything we’d seen before.
Our personal favorite of Doja’s recent looks is her more elusive, occasional street style that’s always clean, classy, and edgy. She has mastered her aesthetics and found the perfect balance between streetwear, high fashion, and the avant-garde. –Breeana Walker
Cardi B is a queen at blending glamour with camp, a point she proved once again this year by pulling looks from both couture runways and streetwear brands. Her outfits are as bold and unapologetic as her personality.
During Paris Fashion Week in February, Cardi was a front-row favorite. At Balmain, she donned a floor-length green faux-fur coat with sky-high platforms and a latex headband. At Vivienne Westwood, she channeled the Dame’s punk influences with an ultra mini-dress paired with fishnet tights. Our favorite Paris Cardi moment was her Mugler ensemble: a little black dress with a plunging neckline, styled with a sharp, slicked-down bob haircut.
No discussion of Cardi’s style is complete without mentioning her Met Gala appearances. Each year, her gowns become bigger, and the trains longer. This year’s showstopper was a giant gown by Windowsen, crafted from endless yards of tulle encrusted with diamonds and emeralds. Cardi B surely delivers drama. –Shinnie Park
Playboi Carti ended up not dropping his long-awaited album in 2024, but he did give his fans plenty of new style moments. There was a lot more than his usual punk-fueled Opium fare of skinny black leather pants and drapey tops with druid-like hoods. Many of Carti’s best looks of the year came when he experimented with popular hip-hop styles from the 2000s.
Pelle Pelle leather jackets were in his frequent rotation. His Opium label even dropped an official collection with Pelle Pelle at ComplexCon 2024. Diamond-encrusted wallet chains hung from his belt, à la Jim Jones and Juelz Santana. He even revisited trends that we never thought we’d see again when he started rocking throwback NBA jerseys backwards. Of course, his fans followed suit.
As referential as his looks were throughout the year, with the help of creative director SEXISDEATH, Carti was able to put a refreshing spin on all of them. He also kept to his representative aesthetic through chunky Balenciaga boots, Junya Watanabe hooded drawstring dresses, and the Anonymous Club Dunce Caps that have become coveted by his fanbase. Beyond just putting together great outfits, Carti is cultivating an entire movement. –Mike DeStefano
No one does preppy better than Tyler in the rap game, and in 2024, he continued his reign. He kicked off the year with a collection with Louis Vuitton filled with his design codes: pastel colors, wavy shoe soles, hand-drawn monograms, and even a chess board with warped chess pieces. When dropping the LV collection campaign video on Instagram, Tyler wrote, “I was not nervous, I did not feel pressure, I was beyond ready.” From Odd Future to Golf Wang and le Fleur*, in addition to his collaborations, we agree that Tyler was more than ready for a venture into luxury.
In August, we were blessed with his very own iconic Supreme portrait tee. Tyler’s love for Supreme is long-standing and well-documented. In the behind-the-scenes video of the portrait shoot, he cites Supreme as the Louis Vuitton of his teenage years, a full-circle moment for him going from super fan to brand muse. A month later, le Fleur* released the Darryl Chuck 70 with Converse in 10 colorways, which sold out within days.
Tyler’s style is embedded in everything else he puts out into the world. For his Chromakopia roll-out, he took a darker, more formal visual approach. Whether it’s a music video, footwear collab, or a luxury collection, style is something that goes beyond the surface for Tyler. –Shinnie Park
Kendrick Lamar didn’t just dominate the hip-hip conversation in 2024, he also had people talking about his great sartorial choices. He’s certainly stood on business ever since he proclaimed himself as the “best-dressed moving forward” on “The Hillbillies” in 2023.
The biggest driver of this was his continued obsession with Martine Rose. Most notably, K-Dot wore various designs by the British designer in his “Not Like Us” video, from cropped track tops to twist-seam cargo pants. He also used the video to platform local LA designers such as Ghetto Rodeo. When he wasn’t celebrating his rap war victory in the streets of Compton, he was repping his city at the front row of Chanel by pairing the brand’s signature tweed clothing with Adidas Crazy 8s (word to Kobe). And for his victory lap at The Pop Out show, he hit the stage in a $1,000 The Row hoodie and Nike Shox sneakers. Now, you can’t look at the polarizing sneaker design without thinking of K-Dot.
Kendrick’s outfits for GNX were also full of easter eggs—he’s never shy about wearing his West Coast pride on his sleeve, including an ERL belt, made entirely of LA-centric pins. It was featured on the album cover and the music video for “squabble up.”
While we respect Kendrick’s more reserved aesthetic compared to some of the other acts on this list, we can’t help but wish he popped out just a bit more frequently to show off his personal style. Lucky for us, there’s the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show, his North American stadium tour, and hopefully some more GNX visuals to look forward to in 2025. –Mike DeStefano
The internet loved to hate Lil Yachty in 2024. Whether you write his style off as jacking 2000s New York City swag, you can’t deny that a lot of people are doing fit checks in baggy jeans and Timberlands right now because of him. He isn’t the originator of that look, but he’s succeeded in taking his favorite elements of years’ past and showing them off through a modern lens.
Admittedly, the rapper, who we crowned best-dressed in 2023, hasn’t evolved his style much since. But that’s hard to do when your wardrobe is already so eclectic. You can always expect a healthy dose of vintage gear, from hockey jerseys to Ecko Unltd. hoodies. Luxury items like Chrome Hearts denim or archival Margiela get mixed in with ease. And Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton Speedy bags? He’s got them on deck in every color.
There’s a fair share of risk-taking too, like with cowhide chaps or a gigantic fur ushanka. Insane jewelry is the cherry on top of most of his looks, whether it be his signature Concrete Boys logo chain or the million-dollar worth of diamonds implanted in his teeth. Yachty is a collector at heart, and his genuine appreciation for his pieces shines through.
Boat’s style influence was further validated this year through official campaigns with Supreme, Denim Tears, Cactus Plant Flea Market, OVO, and PDF. He is also the most recent rapper to put his stamp on the Nike Air Force 1 (Nike, if you’re reading this, drop a Concrete Boys varsity jacket, too). Love him or hate him, Lil Yachty is undeniably one of the flyest rappers in the world. –Mike DeStefano
We know, this isn’t a surprise, but sometimes the obvious answer is also the right one. ASAP Rocky took his place as a style icon years ago, and he retained his throne throughout 2024.
When he wants to embrace his dad swag, he steps out in clean looks incorporating leather Oxford shirts and ties from his luxury brand of choice, Bottega Veneta. Make no mistake about it, Rocky is one of the major reasons why the Italian fashion house is having such a big moment right now. And on nights out with Ri, he keeps it suave in tailored Saint Laurent suits.
When he favors something flashier, he leans on New York City street staples like Vanson leather jackets and Yankees fitteds, but remixes them with vibrant color palettes and custom embellishments. His accessories stay on point too, whether they’re a classic pair of black Ray-Ban shades, gold slugs, pearl-covered Beats headphones, or one of his many insane jewelry pieces from Alex Moss. He’s also a walking billboard for his ongoing collaborative efforts with Puma, where he turned racing jackets and sneakers into fluorescent, oil-stained statement pieces.
No matter the vibe Rocky chooses, he wears it well, and makes sure to take advantage of it. Nobody dressed better than ASAP Rocky in 2024. –Mike DeStefano
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