Rap is by far one of the biggest, most popular music genres out there. Since it was first introduced in the ’70s by early rappers like The Sugarhill Gang, DJ Kool Herc, and Gil Scott-Heron, rap has evolved into a universe of its own. Now, rappers boast armies of diehard fans, and some have collected quite the cult following. Of course, being a talented and popular rapper is going to attract the ladies—many of whom would be happy to have their baby!
Some rappers have a reputation for being “family men” (or women!)—strictly based on the number of kids they have. So, which rappers actually have the most kids, and are they from the same partner? We found 15 rappers with a seriously impressive family tree who are leaving behind quite the legacy.
15. Lauryn Hill
Grammy-award-winning Lauryn Hill broke onto the scene with her group The Fugees and she’s had a successful (if sometimes controversial) career ever since. The famous female rapper is the mother of six beautiful children—five of them with Rohan Marley, son of Bob Marley, and one with an unknown father.
14. Fetty Wap
Fetty Wap, born Willie Junior Maxwell, is by far one of the most well-known names in the rap game. He broke into the scene when his debut single “Trap Queen” reached number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2015. Fetty Wap has six children with multiple different women; his list of ladies includes Ariel Reese, Lehzae Zeona, Elaynna Parker, Masika Kalysha, and Turquoise Miami.
13. Future
Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn, better known by his stage name Future, is from Atlanta, Georgia, and is known to be one of the most influential rappers and hip-hop artists of the 2010s thanks to his trap music creations. As far as we know, Future is the father to at least seven children, each with a different woman (including Jessica Smith and Ciara).
In 2019, two other women sued him for paternity, claiming that he was the father of their respective children. However, one of the two women dropped her suit in 2020. The lawyer of Elizabeth Seraphin, the other woman filing suit, claims that a DNA test confirmed Future’s paternity.
12. Flavor Flav
Another famous rapper with a big family is Flavor Flav, a.k.a William Jonathan Drayton Jr. The iconic rapper is known for his quirky personality, large clock necklaces, and founding Public Enemy with Chuck D. Flavor Flav has reportedly fathered eight kids with four different women—Karen Ross, Angie Parker, Elizabeth Trujillo, and Kate Gammell.
11. Moneybagg Yo
DeMario DeWayne White Jr., better known as Moneybagg Yo, has spawned an impressive litter with eight children (four sons and four daughters). The American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee, got his start when his early mixtapes were issued in 2012. Since then, he’s clearly been very busy, with both music and babies.
10. Boosie
Also making the list with eight kids is Lil Boosie—also known as Boosie BadAzz and by his real name, Torrence Ivy Hatch Jr. Boosie started his rap career back in the 90s with hip hop collective Concentration Camp and along the way, he found multiple women to father his eight children.
9. Master P
Percy Robert Miller goes by the stage name Master P and has been on the scene since the late ’80s. After founding the record label No Limit Records, Master P has gone on to create numerous successful rap albums and was even the CEO of a short-lived online television network called Better Black Television. The New Orleans native has fathered nine children, although his daughter Tytyana tragically passed up in May 2022.
8. The-Dream
Born with the name Terius Youngdell Nash, he is better known today as The-Dream—a rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He’s worked with artists such as Britney Spears, Rihanna, Beyonce, and Kanye West. The-Dream is the father of nine children with four different women, Nivea Hamilton, Christian Milian, Lydia Nam, and Lalonne Martin. His oldest child was born in 2005, and his youngest was born in 2017.
7. Chief Keef
Another rapper with nine children is Chief Keef. Born Keith Farrelle Cozart, he is from Chicago, Illinois. First becoming a dad at the young age of 16 in 2011, four of Chief Keef’s children were born over a five-year span from four different mothers.
6. Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre, full name Andre Romelle Young, was one of the founding members of rap group NWA. Now, he’s not only a rapper, but an audio engineer, record producer, and entrepreneur as well. The famous rapper is rumored to have fathered nine children with six different women.
5. NBA Youngboy
Building a following since 2015 by releasing his own independent mixtapes, NBA Youngboy, who was born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, is now a regular on the Billboard charts. Although he’s only in his early 20s, NBA Youngboy is the father of ten children with eight different women. Two of his kids (Kayden and Kacey) appeared in the music video for his single, “Kacey Talk.”
4. Peter Gunz
Peter Gunz is a Grammy award-winning rapper known for his time with the duo Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz. Based out of New York City, this old-school rapper has ten children, five girls and five boys, with at least four different women. The confirmed mothers include Tara Wallace, Amina Buddafly, and two women named Gina and Erika (last names unknown).
3. Shawty Lo
Carlos Rico Walker was better-known by his rap name—Shawty Lo. A founding member of hip hop group D4L, Shawty Lo has a very large family with 11 children, nine daughters and two sons. He fathered his children with ten different women, having his first child at the age of 17, but there’s relatively little information about them because he kept his personal life very private before passing away on September 21, 2016.
2. Ol’ Dirty Bastard
Ol’ Dirty Bastard made his mark in the rap world as a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan from Staten Island, New York. Born Russell Tyrone Jones, ODB was known for his profane, half-rapped, half-sung lyrics and style. Ol’ Dirty Bastard has had long-time rumors about having 13 children; however, three of his children were with Icelene Jones, and she claims they’re the only kids he has. His first son now carries on his father’s legacy going by the nickname “Young Dirty Bastard.” ODB passed away at the age of 36 on November 13, 2004.
1. DMX
DMX tops our list as the rapper with the most kids with a whopping 15 children. The late rapper passed away in 2021 but was married to Tashera Simmons from 1999 to 2014. During that time, they welcomed four kids together, and he fathered a son with Desiree Lindstrom. The other mothers of his children are not known because he tried to keep his personal life private.
