Complex magazine names Detroit one of world's top 10 rap cities

Complex magazine ranked rap's 10 best cities in the world right now, and the Motor City made the cut.

Detroit ranked 9th on the list, ahead of Philadelphia but behind cities like London, Houston and Chicago. No. 1 on the power ranking is Atlanta.

As for Detroit, the mag notes the significance of hip-hop heavyweights such as Eminem and Big Sean, as well as Royce da 5'9" and Tee Grizzley. "There is an argument to be made that at the turn of the decade Detroit has only become more prevalent in hip-hop," the mag notes, while tipping its cap to fresh faces such as Sada Baby, Babyface Ray, Icewear Vezzo, Peezy, 42 Dugg, BabyTron and Vezze.

"Detroit has a rich history in hip-hop, and has maintained its place as a staple over the course of three decades," writes staffer Kameron Hay, in the list which was published Monday.

The rap city ranking is a first for Complex, and is part of its celebration of hip-hop's 50th anniversary. In making its determinations, the mag weighed factors such as impact and influence, measured through statistics of each city's most popular artists and their effect on the genre at large.

The full top 10 Best Rap Cities Right Now, according to Complex: Atlanta (No. 1), New York (No. 2), Chicago (No. 3), Los Angeles (No. 4), Memphis (No. 5), Miami (No. 6), Houston (No. 7), London (No. 8), Detroit (No. 9) and Philadelphia (No. 10).

See the magazine's full write-up here.

agraham@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @grahamorama