Roddy Ricch Reveals The Best L.A. Rappers Right Now

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Roddy Ricch performs onstage at the 2019 BET Experience STAPLES Center Concert Sponsored By Coca-Cola at Staples Center on June 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.

Roddy Ricch details "The Box" inspiration, talks favorite Kobe Bryant moment and reveals which L.A. rappers are dominating right now.

Roddy Ricch is Compton's latest prodigal son so there shouldn't be any surprise that Kendrick Lamar and YG also exist, aside from himself, in who he believes are the top rappers out of Los Angeles right now. Sitting down with Billboard, the rapper was asked who he thinks are the top rappers in Los Angeles right now. "This is opinionated as hell," he said in response to the question. "I'd have to say Kendrick Lamar, Roddy Ricch, and YG."

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In wake of Kobe Bryant's death, Roddy Ricch also detailed his favorite NBA moment of the late Lakers legend's career. "My favorite Kobe Bryant memory is when he scored 81 points in a game," he said before explaining that he watched that very game with his grandfather. As a Compton native, he said it was a crazy moment watching it happen in real time.

On the topic of "The Box," he revealed that it was 6 a.m. and he had already banked in eight or nine songs. As he kept the vibe going in the studio at the wee hours of the morning, he finished the song before sliding in the door noise at the end.

Roddy Ricch's "The Box" is currently sitting at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for the fifth week, blocking Future and Drake from claiming the #1 position on the chart. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.