Are you looking to buy the best headphones for hip hop?
It’s possible that you’ve scoured the Internet up to this point and you’re having a hard time finding a great pair of headphones that you can use to listen to your favorite rap artists.
You’ve searched high and low online and you’ve unfortunately come up empty thus far.
You can put an end to your search right now as I’m going to share the top nine headphones for hip hop with you below.
In fact, I’ve separated them into six different categories so you can find the perfect headphones based on your specific needs.
So whether you’re looking for the best headphones for mixing, the best for listening, and more, keep reading to find the ideal earphones to meet your needs.
Quick List: Top 9 Headphones for Hip Hop In2024
- V-MODA Crossfade M-100 Headphones – Best for Mixing
- Bose SoundLink II Headphones – Best for Listening
- Beats Solo Pro Wireless Headphones – Best for Rap & Hip Hop
- Sony WHCH700N Bluetooth Headphones – Best Bluetooth
- Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Headphones – Best for Bass
- Koss Porta Pro Headphones – Best Budget Option
- Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Headphones
- Skullcandy Crusher ANC Headphones
- Fostex T60RP headphones
Researching Headphones for Hip Hop
As my reader, I want you to know that I’ve spent hours upon hours of my time researching the ultimate headphones for hip hop.
Why?
I only want my readers to know about the best headphones available. Anything less than the best means I’m not doing my job.
With that said, I like to focus the research in a number of different areas. Besides the categories that I mentioned above like the best budget option, the best bass, the best Bluetooth, and the best for rap and hip hop, I also focused on the features and the technology as well.
As an example, some people have no problem using a high quality wired headphone set, especially when they’re DJing or mixing. But other readers may prefer a wireless headset that they plan to take with them to work, to school, or while they’re out for their morning run.
Either way, you need to know the right headphones to meet your needs. That’s why I looked at so many different categories and features.
The areas I focused on the most include wired or wireless, Bluetooth technology, comfort and style, compact design for easy transport, microphone or no microphone, battery life and longevity, quick charging, and more.
The Best Headphones for Hip Hop in2024
1. V-MODA Crossfade M-100 Headphones – Best for Mixing
- Award-winning M-Class sound tuned by over 200 audiophile aficionados. Connectivity Technology: Wired
- Patented 50mm Dual Diaphragm Drivers to separate bass from mids and highs
- Compact design for easy transport
The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 Headphones are a great choice for mixing and DJing because of their award-winning M-class sound, excellent connectivity, and compact design.
✔️ What we like: Patented 50 mm dual diaphragm drivers
❌ What we don’t like: They do not sell replacement plastic clips
Standout Features
- Over ear and foldable design
- Immersive 3-D soundstage
- Comfortable ergonomic design
The Crossfade M-100 headphones are incredibly popular because they are virtually indestructible because the headband is made from steel, yet they are environmentally conscious because they use leather covers made of vegan leather to protect the animals and the environment. This is much better than cheap plastic headbands that you usually come with other headphones of this type.
Hip hop lovers will really appreciate the ultimate sound. The immersive 3-D soundstage creates an experience like you’re listening to a live performance where the vocals come to life, the bass is deep and booming, and the cymbals and high hats are crystal clear and crispy. Anyone and everyone with these headphones will be the envy of the neighborhood.
One reviewer was upset that they didn’t sell replacement clips for the area that holds in the ear cups. He owned these headphones for 3 or 4 years and absolutely loves them so much that he wants to continue using them. But unfortunately the plastic clip broke, and since V-MODA doesn’t sell a replacement he has no way of fixing his broken headphones.
So if anyone from V-MODA is reading this, you have to hook up your customers and create replacement plastic clips for the ear cups because they do wear out after a while and buying brand-new headphones can get very expensive.
Overall, it’s my absolute pleasure to recommend the V-MODA Crossfade M-100 Headphones because of the incredible comfort, the super soft foam ear cushions and the metal build with exotic materials, the durability and resistance elements, and the amazing sound make these headphones an absolute gem in my opinion.
2. Bose SoundLink II Headphones – Best for Listening
- Deep, immersive sound, improved EQ best in class performance for wireless headphones. Connectivity technology: WiredWireless.Charging time: 3 hours
- Latest Bluetooth technology for easy connectivity and seamless audiovideo syncs
- Advanced microphone system, HD voice for clear calls in windy or noisy environments
The Bose SoundLink II Headphones are my favorites for listening to hip hop music because they deliver a deep and immersive sound, they improved the EQ for excellent performance, and they are wireless or wired.
✔️ What we like: Advanced HD microphone system
❌ What we don’t like: Microphone doesn’t work while talking outside
Standout Features
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Multiple Bluetooth device pairing
- 30 feet of wireless range
One of my favorite things about the SoundLink II headphones from Bose is that you can use them wirelessly and the battery lasts for as much as 15 hours, or you can plug them in directly to your audio device via 3.5 mm headphone jack. Sometimes wireless connectivity isn’t an option depending on the device, so having the choice between wired or wireless is definitely a good thing in my opinion.
And most people will agree because not every device connects to Bluetooth, although it’s becoming more and more common these days.
But the real reason to love these headphones is they are great for listening because they deliver an immersive sound and use exclusive technology to make sure that the audio you hear is crystal-clear and perfect. So when you’re listening to your favorite hip hop albums, you’ll be able to hear the rapper perfectly while he or she is singing, and you’ll also hear the bass drums, the sampled music, and everything else will sound undeniably stunning because they took the time to make these headphones great.
On a down note, one reviewer purposely bought these headphones because she wanted to use them outside while walking her dog. The audio part works perfectly fine, but the microphone seems to have run into trouble. Every time she tries to make a phone call using these headphones while walking her dog, the audio completely cuts out and nobody can hear her and she has a difficult time getting her conversations across.
This is a weird problem that doesn’t seem to happen to everybody. She even tried contacting Bose but they couldn’t come up with a good answer as to why this kept happening.
All in all, the Bose SoundLink II Headphones are a great choice for listening because of their lightweight design, their comfortable fit, their wireless connectivity, and the fact that they connect to just about every Bluetooth enabled device on the market today.
3. Beats Solo Pro Wireless Headphones – Best for Rap & Hip Hop
- Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) blocks external noise
- Up to 22 hours of listening time (up to 40 hours with ANC and transparency turned off)
- Features the Apple H1 Headphone Chip and Class 1 Bluetooth for extended range and fewer dropouts
The Beats Solo Pro Wireless Headphones are my favorite choice for rap and hip hop music because they have active noise cancelling tech and Class 1 Bluetooth connectivity.
✔️ What we like: 22 hours of battery life
❌ What we don’t like: Live Listen feature creates loud static noise
Standout Features
- High-performance wireless noise cancelling
- Android and iOS compatible
- 22-40 hours of battery life
These on ear headphones from Beats are incredibly popular and they are available in six colors including black, gray, red, dark blue, ivory, and light blue. So you’ll always have the perfect color to match your clothes and your style. Besides that, you’re also going to really appreciate these headphones because of their high performance wireless noise cancelling features.
They have active noise cancelling (ANC) that uses microphones to block out noises from your awareness. You’ll never have to miss another line of your favorite song or have a poor listening experience again because of too much background noise.
Although this is an Apple product because they bought out Beats from Dr. Dre a few years ago, it’s still possible to connect these headphones to Android and iOS devices. A lot of people think that because it’s Apple that it only works with Apple products like the iPhone or the iPad but nothing could be further from the truth.
If you have an Android phone, you could use the Bluetooth Class 1 tech to connect to your favorite Android devices and really improve your overall hip hop and rap listening sessions.
According to one reviewer, the Live Listen feature isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. This person tried to turn on their Live Listen feature because they were looking for the experience of feeling like they were listening to a live concert, but as soon as they turned it on they had this incredibly loud and annoying hissing and static noise buzzing in their ear.
They had to rip the headphones off of their head because the noise was so loud and uncomfortable. Thankfully this person is the only one to complain about this problem, so it doesn’t seem to happen across the board.
I wholeheartedly recommend the Beats Solo Pro Wireless Headphones because of the long battery life, the hands-free calling on iOS devices, and the other excellent features.
4. Sony WHCH700N Bluetooth Headphones – Best Bluetooth
- Digital Noise Cancelling: Blocks Out Distracting Background Noise for a Better Music Experience
- AI Powered: Hold the NC Button for Uniquely Tuned Noise Cancellation Courtesy of Next Gen AI Tech
- Hands Free Calling: A Built in Microphone Lets You Take, Make Calls and Access Your Voice Assistant
The Sony WHCH700N Bluetooth Headphones are the best Bluetooth option because of their excellent connectivity, the long 35 hours of battery life, and rapid recharging capabilities.
✔️ What we like: 10 minute charge gets additional three hours of battery life
❌ What we don’t like: Difficulty connecting to a PC
Standout Features
- Perfect for distance learning
- Excellent choice working from home
- Digital noise cancelling
Everyone has different reasons for picking up a particular headset. I recommend these headphones because of their excellent Bluetooth connectivity. But that’s only part of the equation because they also utilize digital noise cancelling, which is perfect if you’re using them in a normally distracting environment. It’s great for kids practicing distance learning because the headphones will block out the background noise so they can focus more on their studies.
On the other hand, if you happen to work from home you’ll also like these headphones for work or for play. You can put them on during the day and use them to take calls in the office or go to a Zoom meeting without any difficulty. And when you’re finished with work, you can turn on your favorite hip hop groups and listen to their latest tracks in the comfort of your own home while rocking out to this exhilarating music using these unbelievable headphones.
Without being too negative, one reviewer had a tough time connecting these headphones to her PC. She swears they do not have any PC support and that certainly could be the case. Maybe she was having a tough time connecting to the Bluetooth on her computer.
It could have had something to do with a faulty set of headphones or the Bluetooth wasn’t working right on the PC. No one else seems to have this complaint so it doesn’t seem to be a cause for real concern.
At the end of the day, the Sony WHCH700N Bluetooth Headphones are an awesome choice because of the Alexa enabled Voice Assistant features, the hands-free calling and built-in microphone, and the AI powered noise cancellation technology.
5. Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Headphones – Best for Bass
- Frequency response - 10 - 24, 000 Hz and impedance - 16 ohms.
- Custom sound slider to change the sound anytime (closed, semi open, Open design)
- Customizable style: Easily change color of the headband, ear pads, ear cups plates design, Detachable cable.
The Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Headphones is the number one pick for bass because of the custom sound slider, which makes these headphones open, semi open, or closed depending on your tastes.
✔️ What we like: Adjustable sound slider creates deeper bass
❌ What we don’t like: Headphones sound tinny after a year
Standout Features
- Customizable style
- Built-in microphone
- Variable noise reduction
Obviously the reason you may want these headphones is because of the booming and deep bass that they produce. This is all due to the adjustable sound slider that allows you to use these headphones with a closed back, open back, or semi open back. Depending on how much bass you like with your hip hop, you can adjust the slider to meet your personal preferences.
Besides the excellent bass, you’ll also like these headphones because of the variable noise reduction possibilities. Some people like to completely slip into their own world while listening to hip hop on their headphones and they will eliminate all the background noise from their awareness.
Other people need to hear background noise when they are wearing headphones because they might be at home with the kids or using them at work and need to hear what’s going on around them. Having the ability to vary the noise reduction is incredibly popular and very useful to say the least.
The one major negative is one reviewer said that the headphones became tinny sounding after one year and she could no longer use them because the audio was just too horrible to listen to. That’s obviously not a ringing endorsement for these headphones, but thankfully it doesn’t seem to be a normal problem for everyone.
Only one reviewer mentioned this issue so they likely ended up purchasing a defective set of headphones, which hurts, or they may have accidentally broke them by turning them up to loud.
In the end, the Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro Headphones are a fine choice because of the high quality design, the built-in microphone, the ability to connect to Android and iOS devices, and other admirable qualities.
6. Koss Porta Pro Headphones – Best Budget Option
No products found.
The Koss Porta Pro Headphones is the Best budget option because they are inexpensive at around $40, incredibly comfortable and fit securely on your head, and fold into an attractive carrying case.
✔️ What we like: Foldable and collapsible for easy transport
❌ What we don’t like: Broke in less than two weeks
Standout Features
- Designed for deep bass performance
- Secure and comfortable fit
- Adjustable comfort ear pads
Hip hop lovers will absolutely dig these headphones because they were designed to perform by pumping out deep bass tones. One of the coolest things about hip hop is the pounding bass lines that accompany the slick lyrics. If you love bass and you love comfort, you’ll definitely appreciate these headphones from Koss.
On another note, the ear pads are made with two adjustable temporal comfort zone pads, which ultimately means that if you shift the pressure from one ear to another, it will balance on the ear plates and provide maximum comfort. And the material that the ear pads are made with is so soft that it’s almost cloudlike. These comfortable headphones are a secure fit and have a fully adjustable headband and you have a design made in heaven.
I’d love to tell you that these headphones are perfect in every way, but one person unfortunately bought a pair that broke in less than two weeks! What a huge disappointment to say the least. They were heartbroken that their headphones stopped working so quickly.
Guess what? This is obviously a faulty set of headphones and if they let the manufacturer or the retailer know about the problem they will definitely get a new pair for their troubles.
I want everyone to know about the Koss Porta Pro Headphones because they are so inexpensive, they have a 3.5 mm jack and a wireless connection, they’re as comfortable as anything, they’re ultra-portable and have their own carrying case, and you can connect them to just about every device that plays audio.
7. Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Headphones
- Critically acclaimed sonic performance praised by top audio engineers and pro audio reviewers
- Proprietary 45 millimeter large aperture drivers with rare earth magnets and copper clad aluminum wire voice coils
- Exceptional clarity throughout an extended frequency range with deep accurate bass response
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Headphones are a nice choice because they are made with proprietary 45 mm large aperture drivers and they have excellent sound isolation.
✔️ What we like: 90° swiveling ear cups
❌ What we don’t like: Bluetooth connectivity issues after one month?
Standout Features
- Critically acclaimed sonic performance
- Extended frequency range
- Circumaural design
These are the perfect headphones for people that love listening to hip hop and spend time in the studio DJing or mixing tracks. The headphones provide exceptional clarity throughout extended frequency range. This delivers accurate bass responses that are deep and meaningful and they truly enhance the overall audio quality of hip hop tracks far and wide.
The way these headphones are designed leads to excellent sound isolation. They’re completely contoured around your ears to keep all of the sound isolated in your awareness. This is great for people who love getting lost in their favorite songs in the hip hop musical genre because they can sit back, close their eyes, rap their favorite lyrics, and ultimately have a great time grooving to the music.
In one of the reviews that I read, the reviewer said that these headphones had Bluetooth connectivity troubles after owning them for one month. This seems hard to believe because these headphones have critical acclaim and were praised by pro audio reviewers and audio engineers far and wide. Plus they use the latest Bluetooth technology, which means the person obviously had faulty headphones that needed to be returned for a replacement.
When all’s said and done, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Headphones are a great choice because of the comfortable fit, the professional audio and critically acclaimed sound performance, the swiveling 90° ear cups and collapsible space-saving design.
8. Skullcandy Crusher ANC Headphones
No products found.
The Skullcandy Crusher ANC Headphones are awesome hip hop headphones because of the active digital noise cancellation, the adjustable sensory bass, and the long battery life.
✔️ What we like: 24 hours of battery life
❌ What we don’t like: Status lights stopped working after a month and a half
Standout Features
- Active noise cancellation
- Bluetooth wireless technology
- Built in Tile Tracker
The main focus of these headphones is the active noise cancellation and it’s the reason that they are so special. Some people prefer to be able to control the amount of noise that bleeds through into their awareness while wearing headphones.
Active noise cancellation gives you that ability because you control how much noise enters into your sphere of understanding. You can let some of the background noise in if you prefer or keep all of it out if you like to really hone in on the music. The choice is yours and it’s a beautiful option to have and one that I really cherish in this day and age.
These headphones are also Bluetooth enabled, which means I can connect them to any and all of my favorite Bluetooth devices whenever I want. I personally keep them connected to my PC, my smart phone, and my favorite MP3 player.
I never have to worry about carrying around a bulky and cumbersome wire like in the old days that you would need to connect your headphones to your favorite devices. Those days are long gone and Bluetooth is definitely the wave of the future and a future that I personally truly appreciate.
Now I have to give you the bad news and I wish it wasn’t true but one of the reviewers said that after a month and a half her status lights stopped working. Some people would easily ignore this because they do not care about the lights. Other people love the lights and want them working all the time.
Regardless of where you stand on the issue, the lights shouldn’t break after a month and a half. She purchased a defective device that needs to be replaced by the manufacturer. If I were her I would contact them right away and let them know about the problem. I’m sure they would send a replacement immediately.
Overall, the Skullcandy Crusher ANC Headphones are a fine choice because of the rapid recharge, the 24 hours of battery life, and the attractive carrying case.
9. Fostex T60RP Headphones
- Fostex RP diaphragm made of polyimide film with copper foil etching; neodymium magnet realizes wide frequency reproduction, superior transient characteristics and high input tolerance
- Beautiful Wooden housing made of African Mahogany even helps give depth to the fine sound of RP diaphragm
- Detachable connector offers unbalanced connection, plus balanced connection for recent balanced-connection-ready DAPs; headphone amps realize clear audio reproduction with noise-free, high separation
The Fostex T60RP headphones are a great choice for hip-hop music lovers because the audio is outstanding, the headphones are made of a beautiful wooden African mahogany housing, the ear pads are made of genuine leather, and the sound quality is incredible.
✔️ What we like: Comes with an attractive carrying pouch
❌ What we don’t like: 3.5 mm cable missing from box
Standout Features
- 4-pin XLR cable
- 2.5 mm balanced cable
- 3.5 mm unbalanced cable
- 4.4 mm balanced cable
- Replacement ear pads
I believe every hip-hop fan will really enjoy using the Fostex T60RP wired headphones for so many different reasons, but in particular these over ear headphones keep the audio trapped in your headspace, which provides a crystal-clear beautiful sound. These tightknit headphones eliminate all background noise, so you’ll always have a personalized listening experience.
I also like the fact that they give you so many different types of cables that are balanced and unbalanced, which provides an even more amazing listening experience. Overall, they deliver whole frequency range speedy and high-resolution sound and noise free reproduction, which makes the audio clear, the headphones loud, and the balance connection perfectly suited to meet your needs.
On the flipside, one customer was very upset when he first purchased these headphones and took them out of the box. He found out that his 3.5 mm unbalanced cable was missing and he tried to contact customer service about it. He said his experience was far from stellar, but he ultimately resolved his problem even though he wasn’t happy with his overall customer experience.
When all’s said and done, you’ll love the Fostex T60RP headphones because of the wide frequency reproduction, the beautiful African mahogany wooden housing, the balanced and unbalanced sound, the detachable connectors, the extra leather ear pads, and the awesome and amazing sound quality that these headphones provide.
A Guide to Choosing Headphones for Hip Hop
Some people read my reviews and absolutely adore my recommendations. Other people look over my reviews and even though they see how much hard work I put into them, they don’t always find the perfect headphones for hip hop or other musical genres and they have to continue to search for their ideal choice.
Is this you? Do you need to continue your search? If so, I’d like you to focus on the following areas when looking for headphones for hip hop. By using this handy guide, you’ll know the precise best features to keep in mind when making your overall choice.
Noise Cancellation Capabilities
Many of us absolutely despise background noise. Others hate headphones that black out all of the background noise in its entirety. If you fall on either side of the spectrum, you need to look for headphones for hip hop with noise cancellation capabilities.
Why is this so important? It’s different than noise isolation because the noise cancellation feature allows you to adjust the amount of background noise that you will let into your awareness. You can block out all of the noise, some of the noise, or none of the noise if you prefer. It’s your choice when you use noise cancellation headphones so keep that in mind.
Battery Longevity
At this point in time, most people are focusing their search for the perfect pair of headphones for hip hop with Bluetooth and wireless connectivity. They are tired of wires and old-style headphones that get in their way. They want wireless headphones and they want them now.
Guess what? Not all wireless headphones are created equally. Some wireless headphones have poor battery life and tend to die very quickly. You want to focus on headphones with long battery life that last anywhere from 18 to 40 hours or more. This ensures that your battery will always have juice available whenever you want to use them to listen to your favorite hip hop tunes.
Stereo Quality Sound
The quality of the audio is also of the utmost importance. You want immersive HD sound and stereo surround sound quality to ensure that you have a high quality listening experience every time.
How do you find awesome headphones for hip hop with stereo quality sound? I personally like to focus on the reviews. I like to read reviews about headphones that concentrate on the quality of the audio.
These reviews will let you know if the audio is good or bad or if they are totally indifferent to the quality of the sound. By reading these reviews, you can always discover the best headphones with top-quality hi-fi or high definition sound that will always deliver a high quality listening experience.
Get Lost in Your Favorite Rap Songs with the Ultimate Headphones for Hip Hop
Thanks for taking the time to read these reviews.
I always try to find the best headphones for hip hop to meet your needs and I hope you feel that the recommendations I made live up to your high expectations.
I chose headphones with excellent Bluetooth, high quality HD and hi-fi sound, noise cancellation tech, the best for mixing, the best for hip hop and rap, the best for bass, and the best budget headphones overall.
Use these recommendations to choose the perfect pair of headphones to meet your needs, or follow my handy guide to find the best hip hop headphones on your own.
I’m glad you’re here! Good luck with your headphone purchase!
Further Reading:
- Taotronics SoundLiberty Pro P10 Earbuds Review
- Over The Ear vs On-Ear Headphones Compared – Which Is Best For You?
- Noise Isolating vs Noise Cancelling Headphones – What’s The Difference?
- How To Make Headphones Louder – 6 Proven & Easy Methods
- Dolby Surround Sound vs DTS Headphone X (Whats the Difference?)
Trent is a music lover, musical instrument player and passionate audio afficionado.