JUNE 29 RAPPERS WHO CALL THEMSELVES 'LIL'

JUNE 29  RAPPERS WHO CALL THEMSELVES 'LIL'

The runaway Song of Summer is 'Old Town Road.' An unlikely pairing of Hip-Hop (Lil' Nas X) and Country (Billy Ray Cyrus) has produced incredible results: Eleven straight weeks atop Billboard's Hot 100 Chart. The last two singles by Pop princess Taylor Swift both peaked at #2, unable to dislodge Old Town Road from the top spot. Wow!  An obvious question arises: Who is the most accomplished rapper named Lil'? Let's get started!

Li'l Abner. Although not a rapper, Li'l Abner is the original character to go by the nickname Li'l. The hunk is the main character in a comic strip that bears his name. First printed in 1932, writer Al Capp created a witty slack-jawed yokel. Wildly successful, Li'l Abner comically bungled his way through American newspapers for 43 years.

Lil' Bow Wow. To clarify: Rappers who use the Lil' nickname do so not because they are SHORT, but because the are YOUNG. Shad Gregory Moss began his recording career at age 13. Ambitious Shad wanted to be the Big Dog in the studio, but instead he got the nickname Lil' Bow Wow. It worked. Before turning 16, he notched three top ten hits. Sadly, in 2002, he dropped the 'Lil' and his career was over.

Lil' Jon. The oldest of the Lil' Clan, Jonathan Smith burst onto the Atlanta club scene in 1995. As the lead singer of East Side Boyz, Lil' Jon was smaller than the other John in the band. As a solo artist, Lil' Jon became the 'King of Crunk,' a bass-heavy, funk-infused brand of Hip-Hop. After winning a couple Grammys, Lil' Jon has parlayed his boisterous personality into a successful TV career.

Lil' Kim. By far the most successful artist on the list, Kimberly Denise Jones has sold 15 million albums. Not bad for a short kid from Brooklyn. Her big break came at age 19 when she was a featured artist on Notorious B.I.G.'s breakthrough single 'Player's Anthem.' Since then, she topped the Pop Charts in 2001, headlined numerous tours and launched a successful fashion line.

Lil' Nas X. Montero Lamar Hill was just another kid from the Atlanta suburbs. After High School, he juggled college classes with jobs at Zaxby's burger chain and the Six Flags amusement park. All the while, he kept dabbling in online contests and promotions. His entry in the 'Yeehaw Challenge' went viral and Lil' Nas X had a hit. To add legitimacy, Billy Ray was brought in as a featured artist.

Lil' Wayne. Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was born in New Orleans in 1982. It's a city known for both music and crime...and Dwayne dabbled in both. Thankfully, The Hot Boys, were signed to a contract. The 14 year-old lead singer, Lil' Wayne, was the clear star. In 1999, he released his first of 14 solo albums. In a field known for short careers, Lil' Wayne has been amazingly resilient. His #4 hit 'Uproar' proves he is a Big-Time rapper, whatever his nickname may be!