13 rappers who can tell you firsthand about redemption and comeback
The world of Hip Hop is rich with stories of redemption and comeback, where artists who faced adversity managed to turn their careers around in remarkable ways. These narratives not only underscored the resilience of the artists but also highlighted the transformative power of music. From legal battles and decreasing unit sales to rebranding and creative rebirths, these rappers have redefined what it means to bounce back in the music industry.
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One of the most iconic comeback stories belongs to Gucci Mane, who, after spending time in prison, emerged as a changed man. His return was marked by a noticeable shift in his lifestyle, from adopting a healthier way of living to focusing more on his music and business ventures. Gucci Mane’s redemption arc was a testament to his ability to reinvent himself and maintain relevance in a fast-changing industry. Similarly, Meek Mill became a symbol of resilience after his own battle with the legal system. His incarceration sparked widespread discussions on criminal justice reform, and his subsequent release and the success of his album Championships marked a powerful return to the forefront of rap.
Lil Wayne also exemplified a powerful comeback story — one where he fought to reclaim his spot in the rap world. Weezy's journey through label disputes and legal issues culminated in the release of Tha Carter V, an album that was both commercially successful and critically acclaimed. Remy Ma illustrated how the Hip Hop community often embraced those who have faced significant challenges, especially when they return with a renewed sense of purpose and artistry. Her release from prison and subsequent musical success reinvigorated her career.
REVOLT compiled a list of 13 artists who overcame extreme obstacles to find their way back to the forefront. These stories of redemption are about personal victories and the cultural impact these artists continue to have. Simply put, no matter the setbacks, there is always a path back to greatness in our culture.
1. Tyga
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Tyga has managed to reinvent himself more than once, which allowed him to adapt in evolve in the music industry. Originally aligned with the likes of Gym Class Heroes and Fall Out Boy, the Los Angeles talent managed to connect with a pre-fame ScHoolboy Q and GaTa before joining Lil Wayne’s Young Money imprint. Unfortunately, that partnership with the Cash Money subdivision soured, and – after the independent The Gold Album: 18th Dynasty failed to chart – Tyga would release several mixtapes intermittently.
Perhaps as a testament to his refusal to give up, Tyga struck lightning sometime later with “Taste,” a collaboration with Offset that scored a Top 10 placement on the Billboard 200 and a 9x platinum certification. He has since remained on the charts with catchy club cuts and high-profile collaborations with the likes of Nicki Minaj, Blxst, Marshmello, DJ Snake, Doja Cat, YG, and more.
2. Nas
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Nas’ comeback story remains one of the greatest in Hip Hop. Considered a young prodigy in his early years, the Queensbridge emcee delivered the iconic Illmatic as a debut LP – one that is arguably the greatest ever created within the culture. Unfortunately, that project cast a shadow over subsequent albums, and projects like Nastradamus left many wondering if Nas was nearing the end of his successful rap career.
Fast-forward to Nas’ highly publicized battle with JAY-Z, which spawned the scathing diss track “Ether.” Not only did that song’s title enter Hip Hop’s lexicon (to describe one’s destruction of another, whether musically or not), “Ether” and the subsequent Stillmatic release brought Nas back to glory. One look at his discography reveals just how long Nas continued his legendary reign.
3. 2 Chainz
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Before he was 2 Chainz, Tauheed Epps was known professionally as Tity Boi, who – as one half of Playaz Circle with Dolla Boy – was a recording artist under Ludacris’ Disturbing Tha Peace roster. After releasing a slew of mixtapes and scoring a hit with “Duffle Bag Boy,” he would eventually break free from that label in search of his next move. Notably, Epps would later explain to REVOLT’s “Drink Champs” how complicated that split initially turned out to be.
After switching to his current moniker and delivering the well-received T.R.U. REALigion, Chainz eventually positioned himself near Kanye West, which proved beneficial via appearances on several songs with Ye and G.O.O.D. Music artists. His debut solo album, Based on a T.R.U. Story, topped the Billboard 200 and scored a platinum plaque. Chainz hasn’t lost the crown since.
4. Chris Brown
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For all intents and purposes, Chris Brown’s extensive rap history earned him a placement on this list. What also got him here is one of the biggest controversies in music history – his relationship and subsequent fallout with Rihanna, which led critics and fans alike to believe that, after achieving so much success, his career was all but over at that point.
As an example of unwavering resilience, Brown fought his way back to musical prominence. Following the critically panned Graffiti and accusations of being blackballed from the industry, Brown found his first Billboard 200 No. 1 with F.A.M.E. While there have been a few controversial moments now and then (some of which were legal-related), several successful albums that followed helped to put the Virginia talent back in everyone’s GOAT discussions.
5. Lil Wayne
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Even a virtually unanimous GOAT had his fair share of setbacks. For starters, Lil Wayne went from playing a supporting role with the Cash Money dynasty to taking the wheel following the departure of Mannie Fresh and members of the Hot Boys. This led to the beginning of both Tha Carter series and mixtape Weezy, along with a wealth of show-stealing collaborations with artists across genres. Soon, Wayne was being compared to his idol, JAY-Z, and even engaged in a Cold War-esque beef-on-wax with the Brooklyn giant.
Unfortunately, trouble began brewing at Cash Money. Things boiled over with public disses and a lawsuit that Wayne filed against his father-figure boss, Birdman. He was able to release the Free Weezy Album and a few mixtapes during that rift, but it was clear that label issues put a huge damper on his success at that time (ex. See his first ColleGrove effort with 2 Chainz). Eventually, Wayne and Birdman reconciled and, years later, the former returned to the top of the charts with Tha Carter V.
6. Meek Mill
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Meek Mill’s talents as an emcee were undeniable from his early battling days. Following his partnership with T.I. and Grand Hustle, the Philly rhymer found massive success as part of Rick Ross’ Maybach Music collective. Albums like Dreams and Nightmares and Dreams Worth More Than Money received commercial and critical acclaim.
Unfortunately, personal issues like a public falling out with Nicki Minaj would begin to get more attention than the music. A highly publicized rap battle with Drake didn’t help matters, either. His biggest obstacle of all? A longstanding legal issue that began when he was a teenager followed him throughout his career and led to multiple stints behind bars. Even through all of that, Meek maintained, and – after finally being freed from the court system – he returned to delivering the hard-hitting tunes that’s made him one of Hip Hop’s brightest stars.
7. Dr. Dre
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Dr. Dre’s legendary career is more layered than most, beginning with his contributions as part of the World Class Wreckin' Cru. He would then move on to become a critical member of iconic gangsta rap collection N.W.A. After a moment where most artists would have plateaued, Dre entered the next stage of music alongside Death Row head honcho Suge Knight, and – together – the two would turn the label into a dynasty with help from artists like Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur. It was here where the Compton legend crafted The Chronic, a blueprint for a subgenre that became known as G-Funk.
Unfortunately, good times didn’t last at Death Row, and Dre split from Knight following a contract dispute and allegations of corruption. Essentially starting from scratch, Dre formed Aftermath Records, a subsidiary of Jimmy Iovine’s Interscope Records. While there, he would discover a fledgling Eminem, who – following his success – recruited 50 Cent (also, Kendrick Lamar). The rest, shall we say, is Hip Hop history.
8. Gucci Mane
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Gucci Mane has been through a lot, to say the least. Following his previous stint as a drug dealer, the Atlanta-based star pursued music and found success with “So Icy” alongside (Young) Jeezy. Things soured between the two after, and their conflict escalated to the point of death within Jeezy’s camp. Since then, Gucci would continue to grow his loyal fanbase while fighting his demons and spending periods in and out of prison.
During his last time behind bars, Gucci decided to make a change and worked on himself mentally and physically. With the aid of his now-wife, Keyshia Ka’oir, he returned to freedom a changed man – many even began speculating whether or not he was cloned due to his new look. Now, his career and financial status are as bright as ever.
9. Royce Da 5’9”
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Royce Da 5’9” will tell you himself – despite his early successes, he's a long-recovered alcoholic who set his world on fire repeatedly via his addiction. “It was just so many years of just – excuse my language – f**king up,” he said to HipHopDX. “Just doing bad stuff, doing, making really bad decisions, having myself in situations that quite honestly I just felt like I was better than.”
With help from Eminem, the Detroit emcee found sobriety and that very world has been exponentially greater ever since. Musically, he’s been at the top of his game, both as a solo artist (ex. Book of Ryan was met with universal acclaim and he fully produced its follow-up, The Allegory) and as part of PRhyme with DJ Premier.
10. Eminem
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Similar to his longtime friend and collaborator Royce Da 5’9”, Eminem fought his addiction battles throughout his career – even as he topped charts left and right across the globe. In addition, one of his many beefs with former The Source boss Benzino, led to the leak of a controversial song that the Shady head honcho recorded following an apparent break-up (Nick Cannon would later remind listeners of the track during his own conflict with the Detroit star). After what he later revealed to be a drug overdose, Em regrouped and got clean after being largely out of the spotlight.
A renewed Eminem returned with Relapse, which brought his Slim Shady persona back to life, and Recovery, an album that shed light on his past struggles. Those albums and ones that followed brought him back to the forefront of rap and music, and he’s now a positive inspiration for anyone looking to overcome addiction and adversity.
11. 50 Cent
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Truth be told, 50 Cent’s rags-to-riches story is a proper tale of redemption in itself. Once a drug dealer, he would befriend the late Jam Master Jay, who set him on a course to musical success. Even after finding some fame in Hip Hop, apparent beef would find him in the form of nine shots, and one song – “Ghetto Qu’ran” – allegedly landed him on an industry blacklist.
After being dropped from Columbia Records, he found his way to Eminem and Shady Records, and his debut studio LP, Get Rich or Die Tryin', became one of the most commercially and critically successful albums in music history. He further shattered expectations with its follow-up, The Massacre. Even after facing bankruptcy, 50 was able to bounce back and better than ever – he is now even one of Hollywood’s most sought-after producers with his own entertainment studio in Shreveport, LA.
12. Remy Ma
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Remy Ma faced a lot of adversity and struggle during her youth in the Bronx, which was rife with drug abuse and abandonment. At some point, her talents with a pen caught the attention of Big Pun, and – following Pun’s passing – Fat Joe took Remy under her wing. What came from that was a spotlight-stealing verse on “Lean Back” and her debut LP, There's Something About Remy: Based on a True Story. The sky was the limit, with an anticipated follow-up and supergroup alongside Shawnna and Jacki-O.
Everything came to a halt after she was arrested for and convicted of a shooting in Manhattan, and she ended up behind bars for six years. Upon departing, she became a mainstay on “Love & Hip Hop” and reconnected with Joe to craft new hits. One of those hits, Plata O Plomo’s “All The Way Up,” scored a platinum certification and multiple Grammy nominations. Not only does she have more heat coming, but she has also become a heavyweight as an executive on the battle rap scene.
13. T.I.
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T.I. did not immediately find fame in rap. After the subpar success of his debut, I’m Serious, he was dropped by Arista and back at square one. Through a joint venture with Atlantic Records, he re-upped and found his footage with Trap Muzik and sparked a new slang term as a result. He continued to expand in music and even became an accomplished actor, making him one of the biggest figures within the culture.
Even after dealing with legal issues in the past, T.I. got in his own way at the height of his career on multiple occasions. First, he got set up after trying to purchase weapons hours before the BET Hip Hop Awards (he’s a convicted felon). After serving a year in prison, he got caught up again on drug charges, leading to another year behind bars. Despite having to do the time, he and his team worked to keep his career active, and he subsequently rebounded thanks to albums like Paper Trail and No Mercy (along with a slew of other ventures).
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