Having a diamond-certified record for selling at least 10 million units is one of the highest accomplishments in the music industry and is a true indicator of being a superstar. In hip-hop, only a select number of rappers have achieved such accolades.
Not long after Drake dropped the video for “God’s Plan” in 2018, he said it was one of the most important things he’s ever done. One year later, the Grammy Award-winning lead single from Scorpion helped the megastar earn his first diamond plaque from the Recording Industry Association of America. Not only did “God’s Plan” top the Billboard Hot 100 for more than 11 weeks, but as of 2023, Drizzy’s hit has officially been certified 16 times platinum.
Slim Shady, one of the highest-selling and all-around most successful hip-hop artists ever, has crafted a number of albums and singles that have sold in excess of 10 million copies. He’s earned diamond plaques for the Rihanna-assisted “Love the Way You Lie,” 2010’s “Not Afraid” and his classic anthem “Lose Yourself,” as well as the albums The Eminem Show and The Marshall Mathers LP. It remains to be seen if his 2024 album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace) can spawn any diamond-certified hits, but with a track record as stellar as this, the odds are looking fairly good for Marshall.
In 2023, 50 Cent‘s smash single “In Da Club” went diamond. The most recent member of the exclusive club is Jay-Z, whose Big Apple anthem “Empire State of Mind” with Alicia Keys reached diamond status in July of 2024.
As a result of collaborations with pop stars like Justin Bieber, Robin Thicke and Katy Perry, Southern legends like Ludacris, T.I. and Juicy J have also landed spots in the diamond club. Check out the 52 rappers who have all gone diamond below.
