Drake and Cardi B Break New Records
Drake and Cardi B are reported to have broken significant records in streaming and radio play, maintaining their dominance in the hip-hop charts. Meanwhile, Young Thug's recent projects have underperformed relative to his past success, highlighting the volatility of audience tastes in the genre.
Drake's streaming dominance in early 2026 is marked by unprecedented milestones. By late January, he became the first rapper to surpass 1 billion Spotify streams for the year, a feat accomplished in just 20 days. This was followed in February by him becoming the first artist in history to have 300 different songs exceed 100 million streams each on the platform. This momentum builds on a record-breaking 2025, where Drake amassed over 17.6 billion Spotify streams—the biggest year ever for a rapper—without releasing a new solo album. The sustained interest in his back catalog was further highlighted in January 2026 when he became the first rapper to place ten different albums on the Billboard 200 chart in the same week. Cardi B's recent success stems from her sophomore album, "Am I the Drama?", released in September 2025. The single "Errtime" topped Billboard's Rhythmic Airplay chart in February 2026. The track also hit number one on the Rap Airplay chart, giving Cardi her tenth career leader on that tally. With her tenth No. 1 on the Rap Airplay chart, Cardi B now ties with Ye for the third-most chart-toppers in that ranking's history, trailing only Lil Wayne and Drake. Furthermore, the album "Am I the Drama?" debuted at number one, making Cardi B the only female rapper in history to have her first two albums debut atop the Billboard 200. Young Thug's album "Uy Scuti," released in September 2025, was his first full-length project since his release from jail in October 2024. The rapper was released on probation after facing significant RICO charges that had kept him incarcerated since 2022. Despite anticipation, "Uy Scuti" sold approximately 48,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. Hip-hop commentator DJ Akademiks labeled the performance a "complete flop," suggesting that Thug's increased social media presence while addressing his legal issues had eroded the "mystique" that once surrounded him.
