Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop by seeing some masters of the craft and today’s newest hip-hop stars on tour. What began as a small back-to-school party thrown by two teen siblings living in the Bronx, would become the catalyst for the creation of hip-hop music and culture. From early records spun by a young Clive Campbell aka DJ Kool Herc to the award-winning artists of today, this music genre created a space that recognizes and celebrates African-American art, fashion, media and culture overall. Check out the wide range of 2023 hip-hop concerts that have kept the legacy alive.
Hip-Hop Classics
Early hip-hop in the ‘70s was influenced by jazz and R&B artists like Nat King Cole and Nina Simone along with funk and disco stars like James Brown, Chaka Khan and Donna Summer. Early hip-hop figures like Grandmaster Flash and Jazzy Jay inspired a new wave of hip-hop to emerge in the ‘80s. Check out some hip-hop legends that are going on tour in 2023.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop has been an iconic rapper and songwriter for almost 30 years. When his debut album, Doggystyle, was released in 1993, hits like “Gin and Juice” and “Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)” instantly pushed Snoop into the spotlight. Since then, the rapper has recorded 19 studio albums, 25 mixtapes and 175 singles. His newest album, BODR, was released in 2022, which was the same year that Snoop was selected to perform at the Super Bowl along with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Kendrick Lamar. Make sure to get your Snoop Dogg tickets and catch his High School Reunion Tour with Wiz Khalifa, Warren G, Too $hort and Berner. With hits like “Snoop’s Upside Ya Head” and “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” Snoop Doggy Dogg’s tour is one that you will not want to miss.
LL Cool J
LL’s music career took off with his breakout single “I Need a Beat” and debut album, Radio, in 1985. His later albums like Bigger and Deffer (1987), Mama Said Knock You Out (1990) and Mr. Smith (1995) gained further success and prestige. His work has earned him multiple nominations and awards, like two Grammy Awards for Best Rap Solo Performance and three Soul Train Music Awards. More recently, he became the first rapper to receive the Kennedy Center Honors in 2017 and was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame for Musical Excellence in 2021.
After 30 years, LL Cool J is back with a headliner tour to the delight of his fans. He will be teaming up with DJ Jazzy Jeff, The Roots and DJ Z-Trip, along with a slew of special guests like Queen Latifah, Rick Ross and Ice-T on this star-studded tour. In a July Billboard interview, LL commented on the tour’s lineup saying “There’ll be hits, and there’ll be just rhymes and beats happening.” Grab LL Cool J tickets before they’re gone and jam out to hits like “Mama Said Knock You Out,” “Doin’ It” and “Ill Bomb.”
50 Cent
Catch award-winning rapper 50 Cent on The Final Lap tour, a global expedition to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his debut album, Get Rich Or Die Tryin.’ The 2003 release kickstarted 50 Cent’s success and was ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the “100 Best Albums of the 2000s.” His tour will feature his best hits like “In Da Club,” “Candy Shop,” and “P.I.M.P.” Joining 50 Cent on tour will be special guests Busta Rhymes (“Break Ya Neck,” “Gimme Some More”) and Jeremih (“Birthday Sex,” “Down on Me”). See one of Billboard’s best rappers of all time live with 50 Cent tickets.
New Class of Hip-Hop Stars
The hip-hop music of today has evolved from its roots and branched out into genres like freestyle, hip-hop soul, pop rap and snap rap music. From the late ‘90s to the 2000s, the world saw a new wave of artists like Jay-Z, Missy Elliot, Eminem and Nicki Minaj. Their contribution to the music scene has helped hip-hop to evolve further into trap music and mumble rap. The following artists are newcomers to the game that are going on to continue the innovation of hip-hop music.
YG, Tyga
“Rack City,” “Best Friend” and “Go Loko” are all hits you’ll hear with tickets to the Str8 To The Club Tour. Beginning this fall, YG, Tyga and Saweetie will embark on a joint headliner West Coast tour. Fans got a sample of the joint album by YG and Tyga with the June release of “Platinum.” The Compton-based rappers paid tribute to their roots with the single, which has been hailed as a “defiant, California-inspired anthem” (RAP-UP, 2023). The duo has teamed up several times in the past on songs like “West Coast Weekend” and “Run” with 21 Savage and BIA.
This tour will be Saweetie’s first headliner, giving the “Icy Grl” rapper an opportunity to promote her music. The 2017 single “Icy Grl” brought Saweetie mainstream attention, with critics from publications like XXL and the LA Times praising her freestyle skills. She dropped the EP, Icy, in 2019 with the single, “My Type” becoming a Billboard Mainstream Top 40 hit. Her debut album, Pretty Bitch Music, is coming soon and was preceded by the 2020 singles “Tap In” and “Back to the Streets.” Get your Saweetie tickets now and see this rapper who made the 2021 Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.
Playboi Carti
The Atlanta-born rapper first made his mark on the scene with the debut of his self-titled mixtape in 2017. His single “Magnolia” made the Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart and became a multi-platinum hit. Carti’s next album, Whole Lotta Red, dropped in 2020 and immediately hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The time between these two albums saw Playboi Carti as a featured artist on a number of songs by industry stars like A$AP Rocky, Lil Uzi Vert, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Tyler the Creator and others.
Playboi Carti founded his record label, Opium, in 2019, and has taken the initiative to promote new talent within the rap and hip-hop scene. These newcomers include Ken Carson, Homixide Gang and Destroy Lonely, who will all be joining Carti on his tour. Enjoy hits like “Wokeuplikethis,” “Sky” and “@ Meh” live on the Antagonist tour when you get your Playboi Carti tickets today.
Victoria Monet
Her compositional work with artists like Lupe Fiasco, Nas and Ariana Grande, as well as solo creative projects, has brought to light Victoria Monet’s success. Her first EP Nightmares & Lullabies: Act 2 was released in 2014 and featured tracks like “90’s Babies” and “See the Light.” As her popularity grew, Monet joined artists like Fifth Harmony on tour and composed additional albums, like Life After Love Pt. 2 (2018) and Jaguar (2020). The release of 2020 singles, “Moment” and “Dive,” earned her recognition as Apple Music’s Up Next artist in February. Watch this rising singer perform live with Victoria Monet tickets.
Join Victoria Monet on The Jaguar Tour following the August release of her debut studio album, Jaguar II. The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter will embark on her first headliner tour in late September. Monet released the lead single “Smoke” in March 2023, receiving praise in a Hypebeast article on her style and ability to “balance between groove, seduction and smoothness.” Fans were thrilled when she followed up with the release of the singles, “On My Mama” and “Party Girls,” a few months later.
Trippie Redd
Born and raised in Ohio, Redd shot to fame with his 2017 debut single “Love Scars” from the album, A Love Letter to You. Since then, songs like “Taking a Walk,” “Topanga” and “Dark Knight Dummo” have all made it onto the Billboard Hot 100. Trippie Redd is an artist who has been commended for his inclusion of heavy metal and rock & roll elements into his music. He has leveled from a Soundcloud rapper to a powerhouse performer with more than 19 million Spotify streams each month. Seven consecutive works made the Top 5 of Billboard’s 200 Albums chart, with hits like “Miss the Rage,” “Hurts Me” and recently “Took My Breath Away” (ft. Sky Morales) boosting his success. Experience one of hip-hop’s new versatile creators live with Trippie Redd tickets.
Doja Cat
Forever bold and unapologetic with her music, the “Attention” singer is going on a nationwide tour, joined by Doechii and Ice Spice. Doja Cat became a viral internet sensation in 2018 when she released “Mooo!” The cow-print-styled music video that accompanied the single gained millions of views and gave the L.A. rapper a boost when she released her album, Hot Pink (2019). Her next album, Planet Her (2021) was packed with a number of popular hits like “Best Friend,” “Kiss Me More” and “Streets.” The latter single inspired the viral “silhouette” challenge on TikTok, where users mimicked Doja’s appearance in the “Streets” (Silhouette Remix) music video. Enjoy a visually bold concert experience live on The Scarlet Tour, which marks the Grammy-award-winning rapper’s first North American arena venture.
Lil Tjay
Lil Tjay’s music is a true form of self-expression and calls back to one of hip-hop’s purposes in creating a space to freely speak on the violence and hardships experienced in life, particularly by Black men. After recovering from a traumatic shooting last June, Lil Tjay is back and setting off on his Beat The Odds tour. The rapper will be promoting his newest album, 222, while touring North America, New Zealand and Australia. The album highlights his survival and struggles with vulnerability and grief after the shooting. “Project Walls” and “June 22nd” are popular tracks from the album that fans can expect to hear on tour along with hits like “Calling My Phone,” “Run it Up” and “F.N.” Don’t miss out and get your Lil Tjay tickets today.
Latin Stars Bringing a New Sound to Hip-Hop
When hip-hop culture began spreading throughout New York, it naturally influenced the music of neighboring communities, particularly those with Latin and Caribbean roots. This created a path for famous New York rappers like Fat Joe and Angie Martinez, who have Puerto Rican origins. Reggaeton, a music style popularized in Puerto Rico, was influenced by Jamaican music, just like hip-hop. This intersection helped people like Daddy Yankee and Don Omar become acclaimed figures in the global music scene. Check out the following Latin singers and rappers that are bringing a new sound to hip-hop.
Pitbull
Armando Christian Pérez aka Pitbull is an iconic Cuban-American rapper and singer-songwriter whose music career took off in the 2000s. While his debut album, M.I.A.M.I., was released in 2004, it was Pitbull Starring in Rebelution (2009) that made Pérez a breakout artist. The lead singles, “I Know You Want Me(Calle Ocho)” and “Hotel Room Service,” shot to the Top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100 and succeeded abroad in several European nations. Pitbull has collaborated with artists like Ying Yang Twins, DJ Khaled, Shakira, Ne-Yo and dozens more. He has won upwards of 48 awards from Billboard and the US and Latin Grammys, in categories like Top Rap Song, Best Urban Performance and Latin Song of the Year.
Get Pitbull tickets and catch this superstar on The Trilogy Tour alongside global Latin stars Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias. The trio will put on unique sets during each stop, showcasing their versatile styles. Fans can expect a thrilling mix of rap, reggaeton and dance hits like “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” “Bailando” and “Give Me Everything” with tickets to The Trilogy Tour.
Peso Pluma
Peso Pluma has become a prominent figure in the “corridos tumbados” movement. The movement revitalized regional Mexican music, fusing it with trap, hip-hop and urbano styles. Tracks like “Ella Naila Sola” and “Luna” made Pluma one of Billboard’s Latin Artists on the Rise, with three of his singles making it to the Top 10. The Guadalajara-born rapper received nominations for awards like Viral Anthem and Artist to Watch at the 2023 MTV Millennial Awards. He has worked with Latin artists like Becky G and Yng Lvcas, whose single “La Bebé” (Remix), won the pair the Remix of the Year award at the 2023 Premios Tu Música Urbano.
Get your Peso Pluma tickets now and see him embark on his first US tour. Beginning in July and through late October, the Mexican singer-songwriter will be making stops in 17 major US cities.
Jhayco
At 16, Jhayco, formerly Jhayco Cortez, began writing songs for artists like Tito El Bambino and Zion & Lennox. His work paid off and Cortez signed with Universal Music Latino in 2017. Jhayco released his debut album, Famouz, in 2019. It featured the single “No Me Conoce,” which shot to the top of Latin music charts and became a multi-certified US hit.
Jhayco’s success continued with his sophomore album, Timelezz, which secured the No. 2 spot on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart. His collaboration with Bad Bunny on “Daikiti,” earned both Puerto Rican rappers a Best Urban Song nomination at the 2021 Latin Grammy Awards. Enjoy addictive dance tracks like “Medusa” and “Mami Chula” on the Vida Rockstar tour with Jhayco tickets.
Myke Towers
A Latin artist currently taking over the charts, Towers became No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay charts in May. His second album, Easy Money Baby, spawned multi-platinum hits like “La Playa” and “Si Se Da.” Myke Towers is an artist with international rapport in the Latin, afrobeat, reggae and alt-pop music communities. He has teamed up with some of the best in the Latin music industry like Bad Bunny, Piso 21 and Daddy Yankee. The latter collaboration resulted in the “Gasolina” (Safari Riot Remix) which was featured in the movie, Fast X.
Following his fourth album debut, La Vida Es Una, Towers is embarking on The La Vida Es Una tour. Enjoy songs like “Caramelo,” “Bandido” and “LALA” with Myke Towers tickets.
Top Hip-Hop Celebrations in 2023
Can’t decide which of these tours to see live? Catch a music festival celebrating all things hip-hop and the creators that have revolutionized the culture. Check out artists like Mary J. Blige, Nicki Minaj and 21 Savage live.
Take it back to where it all began 50 years ago in the Bronx with Hip Hop 50 Live tickets. The concert takes place Aug. 11 at Yankee Stadium with a stellar lineup featuring Run DMC, Eve, the Sugar Hill Gang and Ice Cube as well as Lil Kim, A$AP Ferg and Trina. Get Hip Hop 50 Live tickets to be part of an unforgettable celebration of the birth of hip-hop music and culture.
Or head to the West Coast with Lights On Festival tickets. The event will feature Grammy award-winning singer H.E.R. along with Jazmine Sullivan, Don Toliver, Toosii and other R&B and rap stars. The festival kicks off Sept. 16 and 17 at the Shoreline Festival Grounds in Mountain View, Calif.
With ONE Musicfest tickets you can catch Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Megan Thee Stallion and Brent Faiyaz at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. TEMS, Coi Leray, Kodak Black and others will also be performing at the Southeast’s biggest urban music and arts festival.
2023 Hip-Hop Concerts
Browse hundreds of hip-hop tickets available through TicketSmarter and experience a show of a lifetime. If you plan to head out of town, discover all of the exclusive travel deals available through HotelPlanner.
