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Latto Becomes The First Rapper With A No. 1 Song On The Hot 100 Chart In 2023
Latto just pulled off an audacious feat. In collaboration with BTS member Jung Kook, the rapper’s latest offering, “Seven,” stormed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Not only does this position signal a personal first for both artists, but it also marked the return of hip hop to the pinnacle of the bulletin in 2023.
This milestone comes amid a difficult year for the genre, which until now, had been conspicuously absent from the top slot of the chart. The Atlanta native’s triumph followed a dismal first half of 2023, which only saw one rap album — Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape — reach the summit of the Billboard 200.
Echoing her joy and gratitude, Latto took to Instagram Stories, exclaiming, “Oop am I a bora girl now? Forever grateful!! Thanks [Jung Kook] for trusting me! Armypots up +10000.” Their success reinforces the narrative of the unstoppable rise of cross-genre collaborations, further blurring the boundaries between hip hop and K-pop.
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The “Big Energy” hitmaker’s breakthrough came on the heels of a call to action from Coi Leray, who urged female rappers to band together and clinch a No. 1 hit for the year. Subsequently, Latto’s achievement could be a catalyst for a more united and successful back half of the year for the genre.
Comparatively, by this time in 2022, three rappers — Drake, Future, and Jack Harlow — had already notched No. 1 singles on the Billboard chart. Additionally, in the first seven months of 2021, the genre had already seen five artists top the Hot 100. And in 2020, eight musicians scored hit singles by July.
This week’s list also featured other hip hop songs, including Gunna’s “fukumean” at No. 6, and Lil Durk and J. Cole’s “All My Life” holding strong at No. 10.