Drake Tops Complex’s ‘100 Hottest Rappers Alive’ List for November

Drake is No. 1 on Complex’s “100 Hottest Rappers Right Now [November 2026]” list, updated on November 4. The ranking is based on the last 30 days of music and culture, which means it is a snapshot of who is actually hot right now — not a career achievement award, and not a prediction about next year.

The top 10 reads like a roll call of the moment: 1. Drake, 2. Jay-Z, 3. Don Toliver, 4. Ye, 5. Playboi Carti, 6. Rod Wave, 7. Travis Scott, 8. BigXthaPlug, 9. Yeat and 10. Lil Baby. It is a mix of streaming-era giants, veteran legends and newer names who have kept their foot on the gas through the autumn, and every one of those ten has a case for being exactly where they are — or for being higher.

What jumps out first is the top end. Jay-Z at No. 2, ahead of a whole field of artists half his age in rap years, is a reminder that presence and influence still count for a lot in a 30-day window. Don Toliver at No. 3 and Ye at No. 4 keep the upper half crowded, while Playboi Carti at No. 5 and Rod Wave at No. 6 show how different kinds of heat — cult devotion on one side, streaming consistency on the other — can land in the same neighbourhood.

The back half of the ten is just as interesting. Travis Scott at No. 7, BigXthaPlug at No. 8, Yeat at No. 9 and Lil Baby at No. 10 are all artists with a real claim to be further up the list on a different week — Lil Baby, for one, is in the middle of a major album moment of his own, with his new album Fresh tracking toward a strong first week. That is the nature of a monthly list: the margins are thin, the timing is everything, and a single release can move the whole picture.

So, cop or drop? Is Drake the right No. 1 for November, does Jay-Z belong that high, and who in the top 10 is the most underrated name on the list? That is the argument Complex is inviting, and it is a good one — a list like this is only worth reading if you are ready to disagree with it. Have your say: who would you move up, who would you move down, and who is missing the heat they deserve?