Rappers Who Haven't Figured Out They Aren't Famous Anymore
It's not always easy for hip-hop stars to stay on top of the rap game. For starters, there's the always tricky balance of keeping it real versus keeping it so real they end up behind bars for actually living the glorified gangster life featured in so many rap songs. Then there's the simple fact that hip-hop has endured through the years by remaining one of the most rapidly-changing music genres. By the time you're down with the latest Southern trap, there's a slew of Chicago drill mix tapes to contend with.
If you think that's tough to keep up with as a fan, imagine how difficult it is for a content creator. This list is full of such hip-hop has-beens, rappers relegated to the dustbin of pop culture for a variety of reasons, including everything from unsettling criminal behavior to creative flameout.
From Flavor Flav to Da Brat and Foxy Brown to Fetty Wap, these lyrical gangsters are clinging to a tiny speck of fame. Keep reading to find out who needs to spit some truth about their fading place in the rap game.
Soulja Boy is 'an actor now'
Soulja Boy hasn't scored a victory on the charts since his 2007 breakout hit "Crank That (Soulja Boy)." He achieved moderate success with follow-up singles, including "Turn My Swag On" in 2008, but the rapper's personal life sabotaged his music career.
In January 2017, Soulja Boy was hit with "two felony weapons possession charges and a misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property," reported Rolling Stone. He took a plea deal, agreeing to five years of probation and 240 days of community service, according to TMZ. "He's not allowed to threaten anyone or possess any deadly weapons, not even [a] replica or toy gun," noted TMZ. Shortly after that snafu, the "Pretty Boy Swag" rapper faced another public issue with fellow bad boy Chris Brown. The pair reportedly agreed to duke it out in a boxing match, but the deal crumbled. Brown claimed "all the wrong people got in the way," per Billboard. The event would have been Soulja Boy's biggest audience in years.
After beefing with a number of other rappers, including Drake, the star revealed plans for a career shift. "Being Draco, new TV show January 21, 2022, we going into the year with all positive energy, you know what I'm saying?," Soulja Boy announced on Instagram Live (via Independent). "I ain't got no beef with nobody." He added, "I ain't got no smoke, no problems, no nothin'. All I'm doing is TV show and movies, I'm an actor now."
Khia's many feuds may have harmed her career
Does anyone remember one-hit wonder Khia? Her claim to fame is the freak-nasty song "My Neck, My Back" from 2002's Thug Misses, but since then, she's better known for her loose lips and penchant for starting drama.
In March 2017, she inserted herself into the Nicki Minaj-Remy Ma feud by taking to social media (via BET) to express her interest in Remy Ma's husband, Papoose. "It's something about that Papoose," she said in a steamy and raunchy Instagram video. "I got so much respect for that Papoose, you know. Mmm... that's a black king right there." She added, "And since I have so much respect, Papoose, I think it's best for me to keep my comments to myself, so I can keep him happy at all times." Khia didn't stop there, she added several sexual hashtags to the post. Oh. Yes. She. Did.
Instead of promoting new music, Khia also found time to diss Blac Chyna, Rob Kardashian, Saweetie, Tamar Braxton, Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Jermaine Dupri, and many other celebs. It seems that Khia's antics might be an attempt to remain in the headlines, but this plan isn't helping her sell records. Her most recent album as of this writing is "QueenDomCum," which was released in 2016. The project didn't gain much attention and wasn't well received.
Rap is stressful for Bow Wow
Bow Wow embarrassed himself in 2017 when he was caught lying about his lavish lifestyle. According to People, the former child star posted a picture on Instagram of a private jet and two Mercedes with the caption "Travel day. NYC press run for Growing Up Hip Hop. Lets gooo. I promise to bring yall the hottest show EVER." The problem: Bow Wow (real name Shad Moss) used a stock photo. He was later photographed on a commercial plane with all of us regular folks.
The rapper's faux fame sparked an embarrassing new game dubbed the #BowWowChallenge. Participants share snaps of false scenarios to try to boost their images. Just weeks later, Bow Wow was caught allegedly feigning fame and fortune again. This time, he posted a video of him running down a street in Charlotte, N.C. because he's being pursued by "fans." The caption said, "On tour and I'm still getting chased."
Bow Wow has since walked away from releasing new music, but he didn't leave fans in the dark. He explained why he's no longer rapping in a video posted to Instagram in 2021. The star shared he was super stressed while preparing for his rap performance on music competition show "Verzuz." "This is the reason why I do movies and I do so much other s**t it's because the rap s**t brings stress," he said in part.
Azealia Banks is mostly known for drama
Some might say that Azealia Banks is more well-known for her many feuds and internet antics than she is for her music. Banks may have produced more beefs than beats over the years. According to Complex, she's traded virtual jabs with Iggy Azalea, T.I., Lil Kim, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Jim Jones, Pharrell, Rita Ora, and on and on.
One of the star's most bizarre feuds involved Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his then-girlfriend, musician Grimes. Banks got Musk in trouble after she alleged he tweeted about taking Tesla private while under the influence. The SEC later hit the billionaire with charges because he reportedly failed to properly inform investors of his plans for the company to go private.
Banks even got into it with acclaimed actor Russell Crowe at a party in his hotel room in October 2016. Banks took to Facebook to claim the Oscar-winner choked her, called her the N-word, threw her out of the suite, and spit on her. "Last night was one of the hardest nights of sleep I've had in a long time," she wrote in a since-deleted post (via E! News). Crowe was not charged with anything; authorities reportedly determined Banks was the aggressor, according to UPI. It seems Banks' best known album, "Broke With Expensive Taste," could become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Ja Rule promoted a shady festival
There was a time in the 2000s when Ja Rule's music was inescapable, but he's since fallen off the radar and hasn't released an album since 2012. That could have something to do with his legal troubles. Ja Rule (real name Jeffrey Atkins) was slapped with a 2-year prison sentence in 2011 after pleading guilty to three counts of tax evasion. He also agreed to pay the government $1.1 million in back taxes, reported Billboard.
In an attempt to revive his career, Ja Rule and others put on the ill-fated Fyre Festival in April 2017. Instead of welcoming millennials to a weekend of living like stars in the Bahamas for a cool price of nearly $13,000 for a four-ticket pass, the event disintegrated into chaos. Ticket holders likened the experience to The Hunger Games and refugee camps. Ja Rule, who was one of the more notable names attached to the event, felt the brunt of the backlash. In a message to fans he said he was "heartbroken" about how the event turned out. Ja Rule and festival co-founder Billy McFarland were slapped with a $100 million class-action suit in May 2017. However, a judge later let Ja Rule off the hook. Plaintiffs couldn't prove that the rapper's social media promos converted into ticket sales, according to The Guardian.
Chingy is still trying to maintain his career
In the early 2000s, Chingy was changing the scene with his fresh lyrics and catchy hooks. His debut album, Jackpot, went triple platinum, bolstered by hit singles "Right Thurr" and "Holidae Inn," but a high-profile feud with label-mate Ludacris and Disturbing Tha Peace records was the beginning of the end.
In recent years, Chingy (real name Howard Bailey, Jr.) has been trying to keep his name afloat. "I'm performing on the road and working on a new project called Dead Rose," he told HotNewHipHop.com in July 2017. "I've been traveling and making this new music. That's what it's been about for me... I was put here to make music and paint my vision through art of speech. So that's what I do."
Chingy's music took a turn in 2022 when he decided to get more vulnerable in his lyrics. Instead of his typical party anthems, the rapper released tracks that explored his career struggles. He spoke all about his tell-all single, "Can't Blame Me," during an interview with People that year. "The fans all know my party records and how I can make music for them to have a good time, but I also want them to know about the trials and tribulations I've been through," the rapper explained. "This single is giving listeners insight to the sabotaging people did to me in this industry."
Charli Baltimore was busy supporting her daughter's career
Charli Baltimore was one of the few female rappers who set the charts on fire in the late '90s and early 2000s. She was often seen alongside Ja Rule and Ashanti as she spit bars on popular tracks "Down 4 You" and "Down A** Chick." As of 2013, Jet magazine reported that she was still making music and had released a mixtape called Hard2Kill, but apparently it was also hard to listen to because it failed to make a splash.
"I write all of my music. I've always considered myself a better writer than rapper," she told the magazine. "Poetry segued into writing rhymes. Writing is actual therapy for me." When quizzed about today's current crop of rappers, she didn't drum up any beef about the new crop of leading femcees. "I think it's great," she said. "There are so many genres of hip-hop, lyricists and entertainers that there's something for everybody."
Charli Baltimore opened up about stepping away from music to raise her daughter during an interview "Sway in the Morning" in 2013. She explained that she stopped rapping to be there for her as her modeling career took off. "So, for four years I basically took off and, you know, did what I'm supposed to do as a mother," the rapper said. "Which is basically set her up, stabilize her. I put my career on the back burner to do that." The star went on to share that she dabbled in work behind the scenes after her daughter turned 18.
Twista is doing features these days
Speed was the name of the game and it was Twista's claim to fame back in the '90s and 2000's. According to the Chicago Tribune, Twista (real name Carl Terrell Mitchell) was awarded the fastest rapper alive title by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1992. At the time, he was able to spit out a stunning 598 syllables per minute. His quick lips produced songs such as "Overnight Celebrity" and "Slow Jamz." Today, his career takes after the latter.
"The memory of the youth today is amazing. I would walk around ready to battle anybody, with about 30, 40, 50 verses in my head to just shatter your world," he told the Tribune. "Now I'm walking around, and it's just harder to remember certain verses. I find it easier to memorize my lyrics with less syllables in 'em." Twista also faced trouble with the law. He was arrested in March 2016 for possession of marijuana, but those charges were dropped, per Chicago Tribune.
While Twista might not be on the same level as he once was, he's still making music. The rapper released his "Lifetime" EP in 2020. He was also featured on "Rubi's Rose" by The Game in 2022. Twista teamed up with Do Or Die and Scotty Music to release "Hotel Room" in 2021. While the rapper is still in the industry, he has faced challenges. "In the middle of my career, I would always get lost and refind myself," he told DJ Booth.
Tyga's popularity was short-lived
It's amazing what the power of the Kardashian-Jenner family can do for a rapper. Tyga made a mark when "Rack City" blew up, but he became truly famous after hooking up with Kylie Jenner of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," and then he became truly infamous.
Their relationship came under fire because Jenner may not have been 18 when she started dating Tyga. Adding to the bad press, Tyga (real name Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson) built up a heap of financial problems. According to People, he's been accused of dodging child support payments, failing to make car payments, not paying overdue jewelry bills, and not paying his rent. When the rapper and Jenner split in 2017, what little notoriety he had left fizzled quickly, though he seems to be fruitlessly mining for attention. In June 2017, Tyga posted (and then deleted) a photo on social media of Jenner sitting on a bed with the cryptic message, "They always come back..."
In 2019, Tyga signed with Sony's Columbia Records after a brief stint as an independent artist. "I have a lot of fans worldwide — in places I've never been like South America, and in places I have been like Asia and Europe," the rapper told Variety at the time. "[Sony] can help bring that to a larger scale." Tyga jumped back into music after the new record deal, but some might say that he's not nearly as popular as he was during his "Rack City" days.
Vanilla Ice changed career paths
Since his huge hit, "Ice, Ice Baby," Vanilla Ice's rap career has been put on ice. In 2011, he tried to reemerge on the scene flipping houses on a show for the DIY network called The Vanilla Ice Project. "I've had a great success in real estate, that's how I've made my investments, how I've held on to my money, that's how I didn't end up like MC Hammer," he told HuffPost. Alongside house flipping, the rapper has a line of lighting fixtures with Florida's Capitol Lighting.
Vanilla Ice (real name Robert Matthew Van Winkle) did end up like a lot of other rappers on this list when he landed in legal trouble in 2015. According to Deadline, police discovered stolen property — bicycles, a pool heater, furniture — on one of Ice's properties. He was reportedly charged with burglary and grand theft, but the charges were later dismissed in exchange for nine months of good behavior, reported TMZ.
Ice reportedly had no chill in August 2016 when he threw a tantrum after missing a flight. The meltdown was broadcast by TMZ and shows the rapper serving up an earful of frustration after missing the boarding call, despite being at the terminal well in advance of the flight. It sounds to us like a certain someone did not collaborate and listen.
Mystikal may have ruined his image
Mystikal (real name Michael Lawrence Tyler), was well on his way to being one of the most recognized rappers of our time in the late '90s and early 2000s. According to Billboard, his fourth album, Let's Get Ready, sold 2.2 million copies, and he also moved bodies with hits "Danger (Been So Long)" and "Shake Ya A**." But Mystikal's steamy career came to a grinding halt in 2004 when he was sentenced to six years in prison for sexual battery, per MTV News. In 2012, he faced another 81 days in jail for violating his probation with a misdemeanor domestic battery charge, according to MTV News.
"Disappointed isn't the word for it — ashamed," he told Billboard, addressing his second trip behind bars. "I can tell myself all kinds of things, I can sit there and mope, or I can get out and thank those fans the way I'm supposed to, the way they deserve to be thanked."
Alas, when he attempted to release new music, few people cared. Fast forward to 2017, and Mystikal is once again facing legal trouble, this time charged with first-degree rape. According to TMZ, the rapper turned himself in to Louisiana authorities after a woman claimed she was assaulted by him at a casino in 2016. At the time of publication, he was being held on $2 million bond. In 2022, a jury indicted Mystikal on first-degree rape charges in connection with the alleged incident, per NBC News.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Chamillionaire is an investor now
Chamillionaire is best known for his hip-hop songs "Ridin'" and "Good Morning," which were huge during the ringtone era, but today he's put music aside to become a venture capitalist. In 2015, big-name businessman Mark Suster announced Chamillionaire (real name Hakeem Seriki) would be joining investment firm Upfront Ventures. The financially savvy rapper reportedly owns a tour bus company, launched a modeling business, and is invested in a car dealership. "Chamillionaire has a way more refined sense of what customer behavior is like than most ivy league graduates with nice Powerpoint slides that I meet," Suster said in his blog.
When Chamillionaire was spotted courtside at the NBA finals in 2017, it momentarily set the internet ablaze with questions and jokes. How did this has-been score tickets to the hottest sports event of the season? Though he may not be making waves in the music biz, this guy's other investments are apparently paying off. While the star is more concerned with investments these days, he actually hasn't retired from rap. "People always tell me I'm retired," Chamillionaire said in an interview with HipHopDX. "I never said I'm retired. I still feel like I'm gonna put music out whenever I feel like it, on my own terms, when I have something to say." In this case, maybe we're the ones who need to realize that Chamillionaire is doing just fine sans fame.
Paul Wall is still performing
Houston-based rapper Paul Wall (real name Paul Michael Slayton) has kept a low profile of late. Sure, he released some new music, including 2017's "Somebody Lied," but for the most part, no one lent an ear until Wall was arrested in late 2016 on felony drug charges. According to USA Today, Wall and several other men were charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell. Wall's attorney released a statement: "We are confident that after a thorough investigation of these allegations Mr. Slayton [Paul Wall] will be proven not guilty." Indeed, a grand jury decided not to indict in March 2017, per USA Today. Another sign that this rapper's notoriety is not what it once was? No one batted an eye when he dropped 130 pounds following gastric sleeve surgery in 2010.
Wall is still traveling and performing these days. He even brought his son along on the way to a concert in Austin, Texas in 2018 but they didn't make it to the show unharmed. Wall took to Instagram to reveal a van crashed into his vehicle on the way to the venue. "It's incredible that I'm able to write this out right now," he penned in part in a now-deleted post, per People. "I'm so grateful to God that my fellow passengers were all safe and especially that my son's life was spared. Anybody that has ever known me- knows how much my son means to me. I'm still in shock that we survived."
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
M.C. Hammer went bankrupt
In the '90s, M.C. Hammer was everywhere with his massive hits "U Can't Touch This" and "2 Legit 2 Quit." According to Forbes, his net worth at the time was a staggering $33 million, but by 1996, Hammer (real name Stanley Kirk Burrell) was broke and filed for bankruptcy, claiming more than $13 million in debt.
"I didn't just take the money and say, 'I want to be a blessing to myself,'" Hammer said (via HuffPost). "I took my money and employed 200 people in my community. I had a payroll of a million dollars a month at times." He also said he wouldn't change a thing. "I really believe in the butterfly effect. Meaning that if I change one thing, everything else changes. I lose the kids I have now. I lose the relationships I have now. I lose the peace I have now. So I'm very happy with my decision." While the rapper might not be the most financially savvy, he once owned his own record label by the name of Bust-It Records. Though we don't predict a comeback in the rap game, this former mega millionaire did land a self-deprecating gig starring in a commercial for Command picture hanging strips.
Da Brat is focusing on motherhood
Da Brat (real name Shawntae Harris) didn't do herself any favors when she landed behind bars in 2008. According to CNN, the "Funkdafied" star was sentenced to three years in prison for attacking a woman in an Atlanta night club. She didn't produce any music while incarcerated, but she did pen a book loosely based on her life, reportedly with the hopes of turning it into a feature film. Meh.
She joined Dish Nation in 2016, and talked about the fresh opportunity with Vibe. "Like 20 years ago people would say 'you should do radio, you should do radio, have you ever thought about doing radio?' I always said no, but it just came natural every time I went on, with whomever, at whatever station! I would always take over and ask them questions because it was fun for me," she said. "I just didn't think that I would be doing it later down the line."
Da Brat seems to be mostly focused on starting a family these days. In 2023, she and wife Jessica Harris-Dupart revealed they were expecting a son. The rapper spoke to People about being excited about motherhood after thinking it wasn't a possibility for her. "I just thought it wasn't in the cards for me," she told the magazine. "I've had a great career, a full life. I felt like, because I didn't get pregnant earlier on, then it just wasn't going to happen for me."
Foxy Brown faced legal trouble
Brooklyn-based rapper Foxy Brown hasn't put out an album since 2008, but that didn't stop her from inserting herself into a beef between Nicki Minaj and Remy Ma in the spring of 2017. After Ma slammed Minaj on the track "ShETHER," Brown stepped in and released a short diss track in response. It was a valiant effort, but no one cared. Brown (real name Inga DeCarlo Fung Marchand) appeared to be drumming up attention in a battle she wasn't invited to. (We've got a hunch that Minaj can take care of herself.)
Brown's reputation has also been harmed by her many arrests. The rapper was arrested after an altercation with a neighbor in 2008. She was arrested again in 2010 for reportedly violating a protection order, per NBC New York. The star might have to clean up her act if she wants to revive her career. Adding to the embarrassment, Brown was blocked from getting into a Brooklyn party in June 2017.
The rapper also experienced sudden hearing loss, which likely threatened her career. "It was 100 percent gone, overnight," Brown said (via Hearing Aid Know). "They don't even know why. I have the best surgeon in the world who specializes in ear problems and the operations and surgeries and Wednesday night [in 2005], I was out shooting the cover of XXL with Jay-Z, Kanye West and LeBron, and Thursday morning I woke up and couldn't hear anything."
Flavor Flav's business ventures failed
Let's face it, Flavor Flav hasn't been famous since his ridiculous reality show Flavor of Love went off the air in 2008. Although he's done some other reality TV work, he's better known for failed business ventures and drama with the law than he is for fresh music.
Remember that time Flav (real name William Jonathan Drayton Jr.) tried his hand at the fried-chicken restaurant biz? Despite some initial success in Iowa in 2011, the budding chain shuttered just months after launching for alleged bounced paychecks and management drama. He opened another chicken joint called House of Flavor in Las Vegas in 2012, but that venture went belly up within six months.
Though his culinary dreams failed to take flight, Flav did make headlines in Vegas for all the wrong reasons. According to CNN, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence charges in 2014, accepting a plea deal that kept him out of jail. He added to his rap sheet in 2015 when he was charged with driving under the influence of cocaine in Vegas, per Daily Mail. According to TMZ, he was back in the news again in the summer of 2017 for trying to unload a bronze statue of O.J. Simpson for six figures. It seems that Flav can't get a break because his car was nearly hit by a boulder in 2021. "He is very fortunate to be alive and realizes it was an extremely close call," his manager told E! News.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Lil Dicky is focusing on his TV show
Rapper Lil Dicky found fame with hit songs like "Freaky Friday" and "Professional Rapper," and it seems that his music career was off to a great start in the beginning. When the star released "Freaky Friday" in 2018, it spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He went on to release the charity single "Earth" ahead of Earth Day in 2019. The music video featured the voices of stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Miley Cyrus among many others.
Lil Dicky has two albums under his belt as well as an EP. Most wouldn't expect the star to have slowed down on releasing music so early in his career, but that appears to be exactly what he's done. His most recent project as of this writing, "Professional Rapper," was released in 2015. The rapper briefly reentered the music scene in 2020 when he collaborated with Justin Bieber on his track "Running Over."
So, why did Lil Dicky seemingly put his music career on pause? He's busy taking on the lead role in a show based on his life. The star plays "Dave" in the hit FX comedy of the same name. "Dave" has lasted for three seasons as of right now, so it doesn't appear to be losing its momentum. When asked about the possibility of releasing a third album in a 2023 interview with The Wrap, Lil Dicky shared, "I'm not giving up on that. I'm still working on that every day. It's coming together really well."
Waka Flocka Flame retired
Waka Flocka Flame was one of the most talked about rappers of 2010. The artist's breakout single, "No Hands," spent 32 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart when it was released that year. Waka Flocka Flame last released new music in 2019, but it turns out that he may have lost his passion for rap before then. The star announced his retirement during a 2018 interview with BET's "Raq Rants." "I been gave it up," he confessed. "They bookin' me. I don't wanna rap." He also shared that he was allegedly being "forced" to make new music.
He went on to explain why he was ready to move on with his life. "Everyone I started with is rich," the rapper shared. "Everybody's happy. Everybody got kids. I don't got nothing else to do." He added, "Life changed for me. People want me to be 'Hard in Da Paint' Waka, but I'm 32 years old. I'm a grown a** man."
Waka Flocka Flame might not be famous anymore, but it looks like most of that has been his own choice. In that same interview, the star revealed he was ready to start a family with then-wife Tammy Rivera. However, the couple split in 2022. Luckily for fans, Waka Flocka Flame announced he was set to perform at Michigan's Ferris State University in 2023 so it looks like he hasn't walked away from music entirely.
Logic came out of retirement
Logic's breakout hit "1-800-273-8255" not only raised awareness for mental health, but it also helped him dominate charts and gain recognition. The song's title is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and it reportedly had a positive impact given it may have resulted in fewer suicides, according to a study released by British Medical Journal.
It seems that Logic accomplished exactly what he set out to achieve when he released "1-800-273-8255" back in 2017, so fans were likely shocked to find out that he planned to retire after he released his sixth album, "No Pressure." The rapper took to social media to break the news. "Officially announcing my retirement with the release of 'No Pressure' executive produced by No I.D. July 24th...," he penned in part in an Instagram post. "It's been a great decade. Now it's time to be a great father."
After welcoming a son with wife Brittney Noell, Logic returned to music as an independent artist in 2022. He spoke about his brief retirement in an interview with NPR that same year. "Continuing to chase things like number ones, on this hamster wheel that inevitably never stops unless you step off of it consciously," he explained. "I wanted to be there for his birth. I wanted to be there for his first steps, his first words." Will Logic be able to replicate the success he once had? It looks like we'll just have to wait and see.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Jadakiss took a six-year break
New York native Jadakiss began his career as a member of the hip-hop group The Lox. He went on to maintain a successful solo career for years until he took a six-year hiatus. The rapper explained why he decided to take a break during an appearance on "The Real." "I was trying to learn the internet thing, the whole get my digital savvy up," he explained. "Get my team prepared. You know, get my followers up. Get my social media outlets, you know, to work in my favor." Jadakiss went on to explain that he also became a father to twins during his break. He shared he spent time working through legal troubles with his label, Def Jam.
The rapper previously opened up about renegotiating his contract with the label. During a 2022 interview with Complex, Jadakiss shared that his future with Def Jam changed after his appearance on the music competition show "Verzuz." "My numbers went up for hostings and walkthroughs, for shows, and TV cameos," he explained. "Just in general, my numbers went up. It also showed Def Jam that they got to do the right thing [and] restructure my contract. It really showed the world my true worth, what I can do." There's a chance that this renegotiation process also played a role in the star's hiatus. Jadakiss made his comeback with his fourth album, "Top 5 Dead or Alive," in 2015.
Fetty Wap's hardships impacted his career
Rapper Fetty Wap found fame in 2015 when his hit single "Trap Queen" climbed to the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It seemed that he had a lengthy career ahead of him at that point. However, some might say that Fetty Wap has faded into obscurity in recent years.
Legal trouble and a shift in priorities led the star to step away from the spotlight. He was arrested on federal drug charges in 2021, per TMZ. The rapper later opened up about why he took a break from music during an appearance on "The Fat Joe Show." "The people I had around me wasn't experienced," he explained. "Nobody was experienced, honestly." He added, "What happened, it was just like, in the process ... I'm tryin' to figure out why this goin' on, why that's goin' on, and then you know, the finance part, like yo, what's up with this, what's up with that." Fetty Wap went on to reveal he had to fund much of his career himself, including tour expenses.
He also opened up about the tragic death of his daughter. The four year old died of heart defect complications in 2021. Unfortunately for fans of the rapper, he might not be returning to music anytime soon. After his 2021 arrest, he was arrested once again in August 2022 for an alleged death threat via FaceTime, per NBC News.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).