"Latto above JID is slander fr: Fans erupt as Complex's Top 50 rappers from Atlanta list leaves internet unconvinced

Complex Magazine has released a new "Best Rappers of All Time" list, ranking 50 of Atlanta's best hip-hop artists. This list includes artists like Lil Nas X (No. 50), J.I.D (No. 27), 21 Savage (No. 11), and more, with descriptions of each rapper's discography and reasons that explain why they were included in the feature.

The story was posted on August 15, 2024, and has since gone viral across news media outlets online, with Atlanta's diverse hip-hop culture joining the discussion on social media platforms like X.

Although a few were seen praising the list for celebrating Atlanta's contributions to the culture, many fans appeared upset with the magazine's ranking, with one user citing that Complex placing Latto over J.I.D was "slander".

More reactions followed with fans and critics discussing Latto's placement on the list, that said, she is currently dominating the city's music scene after the release of her third studio album Sugar Honey Iced Tea, which was distributed to all DSPs last week.

"Latto and yatchy ahead o JID" - A user quipped.

"Lil Baby not better than JID and Latto is not better than Big Boi" - An individual stated.

"Latto shouldn’t be above Sean Paul, Childish Gambino or JID lmao" - Stated one critic.

J.I.D fans stormed comment sections to express their opinion on the rapper's being placed at No. 27. Many fans were seen defending his artistry, with one user referring to the placement as a "crime" and calling him a "top 10" ATL rapper.

Negative reactions to the new "Best Rappers" list were seen with individuals across fanbases, with netizens seemingly unconvinced with the magazine's latest ranking.

That said, there were a few who praised Complex's new list with many also sharing where they believed their favorite Atlanta rapper should've been placed.

"Ludacris is not even on this list so the entire list is grabo," a "Ludacris" fan said.

"I don’t completely disagree with this list. It’s a valid take, I personally would put future at 1 though" - A "Future" fan joins the discussion.

"As long as Andre 3K is 1 I'm chilling" - An "Andre 3000" fan states.

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Revisiting Atlanta's influence on hip-hop culture, music, rappers, and more

ATL's influence and legacy have been a major talking point across hip-hop in 2024. Even Kendrick Lamar called Drake out for using Atlanta's influence to "stay relevant" during their iconic beef, which ended only a few months ago.

Atlanta is home to some of the greatest rappers of modern-day hip-hop, who were influenced by the likes of André 3000 who, at the height of the "East Coast vs West Coast" war in 1995, during his acceptance speech for "Best New Artist" at that year's Source Awards declared:

"The South got something to say."

André 3000 with band New Blue Sun performs on stage during Syd For Solen on August 9, 2024, in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Photo by Matt Jelonek/Getty Images)

With Atlanta's induction of trap music in the early 2000s credited to the likes of T.I., Gucci Mane, alongside frequent collaborator and record producer Zaytoven, brought to stage the city's growing underground hype.

By the 2010s, Atlanta's hip-hop culture had widened with a large array of rappers and musicians carving a name for themselves. One of the more notable icons from this generation would be Future, who blended themes of an excessive lifestyle with traditional trap productions to create timeless records like Tony Montana.

The appearance of the Migo's and their signature triplet delivery flow pattern, which many usually refer to as "mumble rap," were a critical turning point in hip-hop culture as a whole. This style gave rise to artists like 21 Savage, Cardi B, Metro Boomin, and more, who contributed to the heavy commercialization of this flow.

Offset, Quavo, and Takeoff of the group Migos attend the BET Hip Hop Awards 2016 Green Carpet at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center on September 17, 2016, in Atlanta, Georgia (Prince Williams/Wireimage)

While trap music was becoming significantly more commercial in the late 2010s, rappers like J.I.D. and EarthGang would appear amongst ATL's growing hip-hop landscape delivering strong lyrical wordplay and enticing flows.

Playboi Carti would appear on the scene as well, blending what appeared to be rage, punk, and trap music, seemingly creating a new genre of rap. Alongside were rappers like Lil Baby and Gunna, whose melodic flows are still dominating the charts.

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Tyler the Creator recently called out "white rappers" for appropriating Atlanta's hip-hop culture during an interview with Spring Hill. Tyler reportedly alludes to upcoming rapper Ian when claiming the 19-year-old artist's music "mocks" Gucci Mane and Future.