The Billboard Music Award winners for Top Rap Artist:. Distinguished people that have won the award include Drake, Kanye West, Mase, Winky D, T.I., Lil Wayne, and NLE Choppa. In 2018 the category was split into top Male and Female rap artists.
| Year | Artist | Nominees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Sean Combs[1] | Ma$e The Notorious B.I.G. MC Lyte | |
| 1998 | Ma$e[2] | Busta Rhymes Wyclef Jean Sean Combs | |
| 1999 | Jay-Z[3] | Busta Rhymes JT Money Solé | |
| 2001 | Lil Romeo[4] | City High Bow Wow Outkast | |
| 2002 | Nelly[5] | Fat Joe Ludacris Ja Rule | |
| 2003 | 50 Cent[6] | Chingy Fabolous Sean Paul | |
| 2004 | Kanye West[7] | Jay Z Ludacris Twista | |
| 2005 | 50 Cent[8] | Ludacris T.I. The Game | |
| 2006 | T.I.[9] | Sean Paul Yung Joc | |
| 2011 | Eminem[10] | Drake Lil Wayne Ludacris Nicki Minaj | |
| 2012 | Lil Wayne[11] | Wiz Khalifa Nicki Minaj Drake LMFAO | |
| 2013 | Nicki Minaj[12] | Drake Flo Rida Pitbull Psy | |
| 2014 | Eminem[13] | Drake Jay Z Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Pitbull | |
| 2015 | Iggy Azalea | J. Cole Drake Rae Sremmurd Nicki Minaj | |
| 2016 | Drake[14] | Fetty Wap Future Wiz Khalifa Silentó | |
| 2017 | Drake | Desiigner Future J. Cole Rae Sremmurd | |
| 2018 | Drake[15] | Drake Lil Uzi Vert Migos Post Malone | |
| 2019 | Drake | Cardi B Juice Wrld Post Malone Travis Scott | |
| 2020 | Post Malone | DaBaby Juice Wrld Lil Nas X Roddy Ricch | |
| 2021 | Pop Smoke | DaBaby Drake Juice Wrld Lil Baby | |
| 2022 | Drake | Juice Wrld Lil Baby Moneybagg Yo Polo G | |
| 2023 | Drake | 21 Savage Lil Baby Metro Boomin Travis Scott |
The following individuals received three or more Top Rap Artist Awards:
The following individuals received two or more Top Rap Artist nominations: 50 Cent and Eminem won all their nominations.
| Nominations | Artist |
|---|---|
| 11 | Drake |
| 4 | Ludacris |
| Nicki Minaj | |
| Juice Wrld | |
| 3 | Post Malone |
| 2 | 50 Cent |
| Sean Combs | |
| DaBaby | |
| Eminem | |
| Jay Z | |
| Lil Baby | |
| Lil Wayne | |
| Wiz Khalifa | |
| Mase | |
| Sean Paul | |
| Busta Rhymes | |
| Pitbull | |
| T.I. | |