Lil Baby, Roddy Ricch, & Doja Cat Make Forbes “Top 30 Under 30”

Today marks the arrival of Forbes’ annual “30 Under 30” list (peep last year’s here), a collection of the year’s most successful and influential people who happen to be younger than thirty years of age. And given how thoroughly hip-hop has come to steer the course of pop culture as a whole, it’s entirely unsurprising to see a surplus of artists in the music section. In fact, it’s entirely possible that some might even feel that the judges could have included even more rappers in the final tally, though it’s possible they wanted to keep a relatively even playing field. 

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Criteria for inclusion were outlined as follows: “To be eligible, candidates must be under age 30 as of December 31, 2019, not have appeared on a previous Under 30 list, and show their ability to propel the future of the music industry.” The official “30 Under 30 North America 2021” officially celebrates Doja Cat, Roddy Ricch, Murda Beatz, Brent Fayaiz, Polo G, G Herbo, Lil Baby, London On Da Track, and Saweetie.

As the featured honoree, Roddy Ricch landed a lengthier feature, where he reflected on gaining twenty million dollars in a single year and investing back in his home city of Compton. “Investing in Compton just felt like my duty,” he explains. As for where his money will be going, it’s explained that Roddy will be investing in both real estate and starting “a foundation to teach financial literacy to residents in the city.”

For this batch of inductees, the panel of judges was made up of Taylor Swift, Warner Music Group creative officer Mike Caren, Jill Scott, and Nija Charles. Check out the full list here, and sound off in the comments if you think Forbes hit the nail on the head with their selection. Of course, it’s entirely possible that a few snubs occurred — where do you stand?