"The Rap Game" Season 2 Stars: Where Are They Now?

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ATLANTA, GA - JULY 22: A general view of the atmosphere during the private screening of Lifetime's "The Rap Game" at Suite Food Lounge on July 22, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for Lifetime)
Season 2 had a lot more youngsters vying for the gold!

Following the success of the first season of The Rap Game, Season 2 involved a lot of anticipation and excitement about which teen was going to be the next rap star. This season also included more contestants than the previous season, so naturally, the stakes were high and the competition was strong. Each week, the contestants put their best foot forward for the chance to sign with Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def Label. While Mani was the winner of the second season, there were many contestants with great potential. Let’s see how far The Rap Game stars have come and what they are currently doing with their lives past season 2. 

Mani (Amir Mitchell-Townes)

Not long after winning The Rap Game season 2, Mani released a debut single, “You Thought,” produced by Jermaine Dupri and featuring Phresh Ali, Latto & Deetranada. He remained active online and later, created his own record label, Fly City Entertainment, in 2016. In 2020, Mani released another single, “Get It,” after changing his stage name to Mani Da Don. The following year, he put out his debut album, Had A Talk Wit Da Streets, And I Forgive You. The South Central LA native has thousands of views on YouTube and an active following on Instagram, where he keeps his fans updated about his music. Finally, his latest single, “Brrkin & Heelz,” has more than 20,000 views on YouTube already. 

Lil Key (Keon Myers)

Even before starring in Season 2 of The Rap Game, Lil Key music began making waves across Baltimore and the country. Lil Key originally became famous after the release of his 2013 mixtape, My Life Vol. 1. After starring in the show, he continued doing what he had always done - making music and remaining involved with his community. While the Baltimore-based rapper has not released a full album since he left the show, he has released multiple songs that have gone on to gather thousands of streams on various platforms. Some of his most popular songs are “Dub,” “Love 2 Hate Me,” and “Close Friends” ft. Luh Kel. Moreover, Lil Key maintains a following of over 400k on Instagram. His latest single, "Days Like This,” has thousands of views on YouTube. 

Nia Kay (Nia Kay Neal) 

Nia Kay is one of the contestants who have become even more popular after the show. Since finishing The Rap Game season 2, she has released multiple singles with millions of streams on Spotify and YouTube Music. The Duchess Of Chicago, as she is popularly called, released her first project in 2018– the EP Duchess. Some of her most streamed songs are, “Ignored,” “Go Best Friend,” and “Yeah H*e.” She also has about 1.5 million followers on Instagram, where she regularly uploads snippets of her music, and shows her progress as an artist. 

J.I The Prince of NY (Justin Irvin Rivera)

J.I The Prince Of NY is another contestant who has made a name for himself in the rap scene. However, the New York-based rapper of Puerto Rican descent took a hiatus from rap after The Rap Game. Nonetheless, he came back even stronger in 2019, releasing a mixtape, Hood Life Krisis, Vol. 1. The following year, he followed up with Welcome To GStarr Vol. 1. Today, he has multiple projects that have done quite well. His biggest single so far, “Need Me,” has over 200 million plays across multiple platforms. Furthermore, he has collaborated with top artists like Lil Tjay, Lil Durk, and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. “Need Me” also received an RIAA platinum certification in May 2021.

Jayla Marie (Jayla Mare McQueen)

Jayla Marie hasn’t released a lot of music since concluding season 2 of The Rap Game. Regardless, she maintains a following of over 500k on Instagram and has 182k subscribers on YouTube, where she released several covers. On Instagram, she shares her latest music but also posts general lifestyle content, including fitness content. Her latest single, “Summer Crush,” has thousands of streams on Spotify and YouTube Music. 

Mini Barbie (Manariah Nicole White)

Mini Barbie has not been involved in making music in a while outside of the release of 2021's "Ruthless". However, she has rebranded as a fashion entrepreneur on Instagram. The Atlanta-based entrepreneur and model regularly posts pictures of herself on social media and publicizes her business on various platforms. So far, she has amassed almost a million followers on Instagram and frequently collaborates with fashion businesses.

Tally Raps (Talia Sagginario) 

Tally Raps is another former contestant who isn’t making a lot of music nowadays. According to her Instagram account, she recently got married and went to Mexico for her honeymoon. She’s also into beauty and fashion. In the past, Tally Raps made a lot of covers alongside her sister, Jasmine Sagginario. Together, they formed 2XO, an R&B group, and have released songs like “Summer Love” and “Blame It on You.” 

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About The Author
Demilade Phillips has been a Features Writer for HotNewHipHop since 2023. The self-proclaimed music fanatic deals with most things Hip Hop and RnB, while also covering film, television, and the entertainment industry at large. When he’s not working, the International Relations graduate is either binging anime, immersing himself in the underground EDM scene, or crafting up original pieces.
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