In 2022, there’s arguably no better app for music discovery than TikTok. After a few years of artists, critics, and music industry executives questioning its validity, the fan-favorite social media platform has been integral for breaking countless new artists and helping established artists effectively bring attention to their latest releases. No longer belittled as a corny or gimmicky means of promotion, TikTok is slowly becoming a necessity for artists in Hip-Hop and beyond.
Last summer, HNHH embraced Donald Trump’s least favorite app by highlighting 17 rap songs that had garnered immense success after going viral on the social media platform, and it featured well-known acts like YNW Melly and K Camp, exciting newcomers-turned-stars like Coi Leray and Pooh Shiesty, and everyone in between. Yet in just eight months, the entire landscape of TikTok has changed, as an entirely new wave of artists and songs have become viral sensations. As the platform continues to evolve, the way in which songs go viral on TikTok has as well. Many of the songs featured in this latest roundup still gained traction on the app through popular dance challenges, but an increasing amount of tracks have been able to go viral thanks to new creative trends and the recommendations of rising TikTok tastemakers.
For an entertaining recap of some of the most memorable TikTok trends from late 2021 and early 2022 as well as a great introduction to plenty of incredible new artists, scroll down below for another round of rap records that blew up on TikTok.
Nardo Wick - “Who Want Smoke”
Nardo Wick has established himself as an exciting newcomer in rap with high-profile features from Future, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, G Herbo, 21 Savage, and more, but around this time last year, the Jacksonville, Florida-born artist wasn’t on most fans' or critics' radars. That all changed when animated “Who Want Smoke” videos off on TikTok, as fans made light of the unforgettable “What the fuck is that?” refrain. Having already signed with Flawless Entertainment and RCA Records, Nardo Wick was in the perfect position to drop his debut album, Who Is Nardo Wick?, following his big viral moment, and with a huge breakout year now crossed off his checklist, anticipation is at an all-time high for the sensational 20-year-old rapper.
@thekidke_ They vibin tho.💀😭 #fyp #foryoupage #thekidke ♬ Who Want Smoke? - Nardo Wick
Coi Leray - “TWINNEM”
Coi Leray is a TikTok darling, and with every viral moment, she continues to become an even more recognizable force within the music industry. Following the success of “No More Parties” and “Big Purr,” Coi Leray struck gold once again with “TWINNEM,” a bubbly track with a relentlessly infectious vibe. The song’s dance — which essentially calls on fans to gradually squat lower and lower as the hook progresses — was equally as catchy, and soon everyone from everyday TikTok users to celebrities like Reginae Carter, Toya Johnson, and Lil Baby was seen doing it. Considering that “TWINNEM” currently boasts 28 million views on its music video alone, it’s safe to say that TikTok helped Coi Leray land yet another hit.
JNR CHOI - “TO THE MOON”
The United Kingdom’s Jnr Choi is one of the most surprising entries on this list because prior to his runaway hit song “To The Moon” going viral on TikTok, he was more widely known as an established model in high fashion. However, his Pop Smoke-esque vocal performance over a smooth sample of Bruno Mars’ “Talking to the Moon” definitely established him as both a TikTok star and a viable musical artist. Jnr Choi’s breakout song is the perfect mix of drill and mood music, and at the time of publishing, it has already surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify. The Gambian-born artist announced his signing to Epic Records and Sony Music UK’s Black Butter Records in March, so hopefully, fans will be able to hear more from Jnr Choi very soon.
@agbap_s thats what boys do #gbaps #naijaanimation ♬ TO THE MOON - Jnr Choi
Saucy Santana - “Here We Go”
In his 12 Days of Christmas interview with HNHH last winter, Saucy Santana confidently proclaimed, “All the new TikTok songs that are blowing up got the Saucy Santana dance.” And he was right. The hilarious and beloved rapper has been breaking down barriers for LGBTQ+ Hip-Hop artists, and somewhere along the line, he also became one of the most influential users on TikTok. The dance that he described as the “Saucy Santana dance” first appeared on the platform after he shared a clip of the dance with the audio from his Tre Trax-produced Outside single “Here We Go,” and in addition to helping that song blow up, Santana’s dance also became the go-to dance for countless other hot records throughout the rest of 2021. It wasn’t the only time that he went viral on TikTok either, as “Walk” and “Material Girl” both prove that Saucy Santana is one of the few dominating the popular social media platform.
My crew VS. your crew!!! HERE WE GO!!!!
FelixThe1st & Dreya Mac ft. Finch Fetti - Own Brand Freestyle
TikTok has definitely put users onto a lot of new U.K. Hip-Hop as of late, and thankfully it has because Dreya Mac, FelixThe1st, and Finch Fetti’s hard-hitting “Own Brand Freestyle” is far too good to go overlooked. Both Dreya Mac and FelixThe1st snap over Finch Fetti’s eerie production, but the former’s hook is what really helped it go viral on TikTok. “Like, I ain't ever been with a baddie/She calm, so I add her to the tally” ushers in the earworm of a hook, and its subsequent lines easily informed the dance that made it one of the most popular TikTok trends at the turn of the New Year.
@ravensymone 1:1. Smh getting my life in the trailer! #lgbt🌈 #switch #🏳️🌈🦾 ♬ Own brand freestyle transition - Nijah
Kali - MMM MMM
Kali is currently one of the most important rising female rappers to watch in 2022, and although she first started making a name for herself with her 2020 buzzer-beater single “Do A Bitch,” the hype behind the Georgia native grew significantly over the last year following the release of “MMM MMM.” Structured around the ubiquitous unspoken vocal expression “Mmm Mmm,” Kali’s minimal single made expert use of the distinct timbre of her voice, and the playful hook also made for the perfect TikTok trend. In the song, Kali bounces back and forth between “Mmm Mmm” and “Mmm-Hmm,” and TikTokers used that no/yes dichotomy in a variety of creative ways. After going viral, “MMM MMM” caught the attention of several people in the music industry, which eventually led to MoneyBagg Yo and Latto hopping on the official remix last winter.
@mayadabraat #fyp hair from @alipearlhair_official installed by @johnnythehairstylist123 ♬ MMM MMM (feat. ATL Jacob) - Kali
YungManny - Bitcoin
As we’ve seen with songs like Tyler, The Creator’s “WOLF” and Saucy Santana’s aforementioned “Material Girl,” TikTok users have a knack for bringing back older songs for trends and challenges, and as a result, big records are able to extend their shelf life even more. At the start of 2022, that exact thing happened to YungManny’s 2018 track “Bitcoin.” For those who didn’t catch it the first time around, now is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with the rising Maryland artist, who just released his “MURDAMAN!” and “BSU (Shut Up!)” singles last month.
VIOR ❄️
Ben Reilly - “Maytag (Tax Free)”
Last summer, Atlanta-based artist Ben Reily released an incredibly solid and conceptual project titled FREELANCE, and while it received a strong amount of local support, it wasn’t until one of its songs went viral on TikTok that Ben was able to sneak onto the mainstream radar. Shortly after posting the video for “Maytag (Tax Free)” onto his personal TikTok account, Ben Reily’s numbers skyrocketed, and in contrast to most viral TikTok trends, no dancing was necessary to get people interested in his music. Many of the TikToks that featured his original “Maytag (Tax Free)” sound came from the platform’s music critic authorities, and as a result, Ben Reily’s work has already been highlighted by EARMILK, Pigeons & Planes, and DJ Akademiks. The New York-bred emcee is one of the most talented artists to pop from TikTok, and if you’re just now hearing about him for the first time, don’t worry — you’re still early.
This Sounds like Kendrick, Keem, & Kenny Mason mixed together!🔥
Yeat - “Sorry Bout That”
Photo provided by the label. Photo credit: Matt Ty
Within the last 12 months, Yeat has released four full-length projects: 2021’s Alivë, 4L, and Up 2 Më as well as last month’s 2 Alivë. His hard work has definitely made him a popular rising act amongst young Hip-Hop fans, and last fall, his 4L cut “Sorry Bout That” made the Portland rapper a viral sensation on TikTok. The creative trend saw TikTok users employing a wide-sweeping camera transition to show off everything from clothing hauls and hairstyles to pets and friend groups.
@thekingmonaire Trust Da Process !! 🤌🏾 And Yes That’s My Real Hair… #kingmonaire ♬ original sound - Jaydamo
Monaleo - “Beating Down Yo Block”
In her recent interview with HNHH, Atlanta rapper Omerettà the Great went on record and said that Texas female rappers “ got the shit on lock right now,” and Monaleo is living proof that she was right. Monaleo’s viral song “Beating Down Yo Block” reimagines YungStar’s iconic 2000 track “Knocking Pictures Off Da Wall,” and by paying homage to her hometown roots, the Houston-bred rapper inadvertently created one of the most popular songs on TikTok in 2021. Monaleo’s fan-favorite lines from “Beating Down Yo Block” — “'Cause for this next line you gotta look me in my eyes/If you think I'ma sweat you, you out your motherfucking mind” — became the basis of a TikTok trend that saw users slapping their phones around. The fun challenge attracted listeners to the full song and helped bring the official video up to its current tally of 14.3 million views.
@younggmar NEW CHALLENGE !! 🔥 @drewfacebabyy #fyp #trending #viral #beatingdownyoblock ♬ original sound - Monaleo
Comethazine - “Spinback”
When Comethazine released “Spinback” ahead of Comethazine The Album last fall, the 2019 XXL Freshman made it clear that he’s always down to up the score with his enemies, and apparently, that vengeful sentiment was something that thousands of TikTok users could get behind. However, instead of bringing Comethazine’s hook — “I got my gun, so please spin back, please spin back/I had my gun when they tried to attack, please spin back” — to life with real weapons, the comical TikTok trend found users pretending to tote guns while holding non-threatening, and often ridiculous, objects.
please spin back😈
Cochise - “Pocket Rocket”
Image provided by label
Palm Bay, Florida-bred artist Cochise has had multiple tracks go viral on TikTok, from “Hatchback” to the $NOT-assisted “Tell Em,” and last fall, “Pocket Rocket” marked yet another victory for him on the popular social media platform. At this point, it’s clear that the Columbia Records artist has a strong grip on the youth and a penchant for hit-making, and now that he has finished his run on Aminé’s The Best Tour Ever Tour, fans can look forward to more infectious tracks on his forthcoming follow-up to 2021’s Benbow Crescent.
Surprised no one used this filter 4 dis
SpotemGottem - “Got A Lil Older”
When SpotemGottem’s Pooh Shiesty-assisted “Beatbox 2” went viral on TikTok at the turn of 2021, it was in part due to the Florida rapper’s catchy hook, but many could argue that TikTok creator Junebug’s #Junebug challenge was equally, if not more, impactful in the song’s astronomic rise. Well months later, the Most Wanted rapper’s leaked “Got A Lil Older” freestyle took off on TikTok, proving that SpotemGottem didn’t need a dance attached to his music to gain viral notoriety. Due to the popular “Got A Lil Older” trends that saw people sharing their glow-ups on TikTok, he went on to release an official version of the song last November, and it ultimately served as the final track on his December album, Back From The Dead.
Proud is an understatement
Destroy Lonely - “Bane”
Destroy Lonely is a newcomer that you may not have yet had on your radar, but thanks to his 2019 single “Bane” going viral on TikTok, the Atlanta native and Opium artist’s stock has gone up even more. Similar to how K. Camp’s “Lottery (Renegade)” blew up, Lonely’s “Bane” gained steam from TikTokers using the beat’s intro to make creative, reverse-style videos. Regardless, the streams for “Bane” have since hit over 1.1 million on YouTube alone, and combined with his recent experience as an opener for Playboi Carti’s King Vamp Tour, Destroy Lonely is on track to really make his presence known in the near future.
😂😂 got hella excited 🤩
Doja Cat - “Get Into It (Yuh)”
Although Doja Cat’s “Get Into It (Yuh)” only just received the single treatment on March 11, the most Hip-Hop oriented cut on her Grammy-nominated album Planet Her has been receiving tons of love and support from her fans since its release. In fact, the song became one went viral on TikTok as last summer came to an end, and the increased numbers from the fun TikTok choreography is likely what helped inspire the push to make “Get Into It (Yuh)” Planet Her’s fifth single.
@yasminheroo Get into it yuhhhhhhh dc @davidvooo #fyp #fy ♬ Get Into It (Yuh) - Doja Cat
Young M.A. ft. Fivio Foreign - “Hello Baby”
Last summer, Young M.A. came correct with her 11-track project Off The Yak, and while the title track was definitely one of the project’s highlights, the Fivio Foreign-assisted “Hello Baby” was a real gem as well. The song’s low-key vibe and slick lyrics combined for hard-hitting collaboration, and soon after its release, multiple lines from “Hello Baby” had gone viral on TikTok. Users who specialize in dance trends found a particular interest in the “I swear I'm a son of a bitch for this sun on my wrist, uh, good morning” bar while the more comedic TikTok users — like the one below — incorporated the “Boom-baow, that's how you fix that” line in funny scenarios.
Kodak Black - “Super Gremlin”
Kodak Black is without question one of the most polarizing and controversial artists in Hip-Hop, but fans and critics alike put their qualms about the Florida rapper aside once they heard “Super Gremlin.” Originally tucked away on the Sniper Gang compilation album Sniper Gang Presents Syko Bob & Snapkatt: Nightmare Babies, the solo Kodak Black cut quickly gained traction on the Billboard Hot 100, and it also went viral on TikTok, as many fans used the song to jokingly highlight rifts between them and their former friends. Yet as seen by the more recent TikTok below, fans of all ages simply couldn’t resist the How To Loot Brazil-sampling tune. Kodak Black’s recently released fourth studio album, Back For Everything, was his highest selling and charting album since 2018’s Dying To Live, and its success can largely be attributed to “Super Gremlin.”
@gyrlmelody 😂🤣🤣🤣🤣 every time he post her I’m laughing.. such a joy #mississippitiktok #mississippicheck #storytime #fyp #kidsoftiktok ♬ original sound - Princess-Charline