Top 10 Rappers Who Fell Off The Map

He was a core member of Master P’s No Limit Records during the late ‘90s and disappeared faster than you can say [“uh!”]. Mystikal teamed up with Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes in 2000 to inspire worldwide booty bouncing with “Shake Ya Ass,” but couldn’t make it last after a 6-year prison sentence in 2004 for sexual battery. Once a promising superstar, Mystikal failed to release an album from 2001 to 2014, but his unintelligible lyrics stand the test of time.

She was worth it, and she worked it. But then she hit the brakes suddenly and reversed it. The supremely gifted Missy Elliot began her rapping career with Puff Daddy in the mid ‘90s, and stunned the hip-hop game with her 1997 debut album Supa Dupa Fly. After pumping out several iconic albums during the early 2000s, Elliott was forced into semi-retirement due to a battle with Graves’ disease. Despite a decade away, this former chart-topper plans a return to music, and let’s hope she doesn’t stop.

This Harlem rapper dropped an apostrophe in the middle of his name, along with some serious rhymes in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. After being introduced to the late Notorious B.I.G., Cam’ron instantly earned a record deal and signed with Roc-A-Fella just a few years later. He appeared in several films for the label, and continued to release albums with the Dipset crew, but somehow this fire-spitting MC never experienced a career spark beyond a warm blaze.

Despite a mind built for business as the CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, this Bronx-born lyricist could never match the hype of his 2004 hit “Lean Back.” Fat Joe earned a 2008 Grammy Award nomination for his collaboration with Lil’ Wayne on “Make It Rain,” but ever since the hip-hop mogul has been dropping more weight than he’s been dropping rhymes. Despite a new outlook on life and a fresh look, Fat Joe couldn’t avoid Johnny Law and was sentenced to four months in the clink for tax evasion in 2013.

Once an apparent successor to the late Notorious B.I.G., this former Bad Boy boasts more fingers on one hand than album releases. Mase earned a Grammy Award nomination for his 1997 debut Harlem World, and sported numerous shiny suits while touring with mentor Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs. However, a calling from God distanced the slow-rhyming MC from music during the late ‘90s, until he stepped back on the scene in 2004 with the hit album Welcome Back. Unfortunately for faithful Mase followers, a decade would pass without a new release. Bad boy.

This Atlanta product was making it crunk before his 18th birthday, but slowly drifted away much like his 2007 hit “Crank That (Soulja Boy).” Soulja Boy used to drop hooks like nobody’s business, but was heavily criticized for his overly poppy sound. The southern MC dropped his fourth album at the end of 2014, his first in four years, but also managed to secure a role on VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood,” the real-life state of limbo for hip-hop has-beens.

He reached a generation with the wildly successful MTV show “Pimp My Ride,” but his music remains an enigma - much like his moniker. Xzibit became a household name after joining forces with Dr. Dre in 2000, and after a couple years of poetic prominence on the hip hop-scene, this west coast MC became better known for his hosting skills than his lyrical acumen. Xzibit’s multiple returns to his music career have seen failure, as his last two albums, in 2006 and 2012, bombed financially. Someone needs to “pimp” this guy’s music career.

As DMX once said, “Where my dogs at”? This former boyhood wonder was groomed for the business by Jermaine Dupri, and rocked the mic with sharp rhymes all the way to the bank. But as fate would have it, Lil Bow Wow grew up quickly while fan interest decreased, thus leading the Ohio native to swap music for Hollywood. Although Bow Wow’s discography may no longer be anything special, his stardom continues to grow with lead roles in “Roll Bounce,” “Johnson Family Vacation” and even a spot in the “Fast and Furious” franchise.

Always one to sink his teeth into anything, this former superstar was on top of the world before a steady decline into hip-hop hysteria. With a powerful voice, enormous passion and unparalleled talent, DMX experienced a five-year run during the late ‘90s and early 2000s that earned him a spot among the greats. Unfortunately, the rap sheet of this Bronx native resembles a novel more than a Wikipedia entry. After such a promising start, DMX has managed to spend more time in the slammer than in the studio and released only one album after 2006.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Mims
- Lil’ Kim
- Eve
- Mike Jones
- Ying Yang Twins

This Queens native was once a staple of the Billboard Hot 100; a rapper synonymous with success and hip-hop jams, and destined to become a name that future generations would reflect on with fond memories. Although Ja Rule accomplished great feats during his illustrious career, his current state of affairs can best be described as TBA. As one of the primary figures of hip-hop during the DMX era, Ja Rule fell into lyrical oblivion, while clinging to relevancy through endless feuds. The rules of the game are that you must play the game. Come back to us, Ja; come back.

So, do you agree with our selections? Who is your favorite rapper who fell of the map? For more mind-blowing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.