The last few years have seen rap dominate not just the culture, but also the music industry marketplace. 2017 marked the first year that hip-hop took home the largest market share of yearly music earnings (24.5 %). This was the first time that rock had been knocked to second place in decades.

It hasn’t stopped there, however, seven of the top ten selling albums from last year were hip-hop projects and this year may even eclipse those numbers. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, the genre has now been responsible for the number one single in the country for a staggering 34 weeks, this record is still extending as Drake‘s “In My Feelings” has been atop the charts for ten straight weeks as he now holds the record for most weeks spent at #1 on the charts in a calendar year, and it’s only September.

All around, rap has gone from counter-culture to becoming the culture itself and shows no signs of slowing down as the genre continues to expand internationally