Hip-hop hooray! The best right-hand men and women in hip hop

There is no denying how much Flavor Flav is recognized as the ultimate hype man in hip-hop. Being a member of Public Enemy alongside Chuck D helped showcase each of their different, yet enticing personalities. Flavor Flav will always make his presence known, especially with his signature outlandish clothing such as an oversized clock around his neck.

One half of the rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, it only made sense that one of their albums was titled "He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper." In contrast, the Fresh Prince, aka Will Smith, started as the hype man for Jazzy Jeff before the two decided to pursue music as a career. Jazzy Jeff also played Smith’s best friend in the TV sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

Jam Master Jay rounded out the group Run-D.M.C. as the DJ. Although he was in the background, he still was a major force on the turntables and helped the group become one of the most iconic acts in hip-hop. 

When hip-hop enthusiasts think about iconic rap duos, Eric B. & Rakim are always on the list. Rakim is typically regarded as one of the greatest MCs to touch the mic, but his status among hip-hop's elite must also give credit to Eric B. for the slick production. 

Spinderella is the DJ for rap girl group Salt-N-Pepa. She produced a number of the group’s tracks and helped it become the first female rap act to win a Grammy. 

Dame Dash is a hip-hop mogul who is most notably known as the co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records and Jay Z’s former manager. Although not a rapper, he can be seen in a number of Jay’s videos like “Big Pimpin.'" 

Detroit rap wasn’t always prevalent, and Eminem helped changed that. However, Proof was instrumental in putting Eminem in open mic and rap battle showcases. Once Eminem established his name in the hip-hop game, he added Proof to his rap collective D-12.

When 50 Cent came into the rap game and introduced his G-Unit crew, there was always one member that stood out —Tony Yayo. He wasn’t always heard on raps, but he was definitely seen on stage and in music videos.

Pintsized rapper Bushwick Bill first started off as a dancer for the Geto Boys before becoming an official group member. Throughout his career, he was known for showcasing horror and graphic imagery in his raps.

Lil Cease was a rapper as a member of Junior M.A.F.I.A. but was also known as a hype man to the Notorious B.I.G. He was also featured on one of Lil' Kim’s biggest singles “Crush on You.”

Sean "Diddy" Combs may be the richest hip-hop mogul today; however he started his career in the music business as a dancer for Heavy D. He then became a producer and songwriter for artists like Jodeci, Mary J. Blige and the Notorious B.I.G. Whether he was seen dancing in the music videos or shouting “Bad Boy” in a track, Diddy’s presence was always seen or heard.

Memphis Bleek was considered Jay Z’s protégé as one of the first signees on Roc-A-Fella Records. He gained exposure by being featured on some of Jay’s biggest albums such as Reasonable Doubt and Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life before eventually releasing his debut album.

Although a rapper and producer, Spliff Star is notably known as the hype man for Busta Rhymes. He can be seen as the right-hand man in a number of Busta’s videos, including “Break Ya Neck” and “Pass the Courvoisier.”

Producer, songwriter, hip-hop mogul: Jermaine Dupri holds a number of titles. Although he released two studio albums of his own, he’s mostly known for discovering acts like Xscape, Bow Wow, Kris Kross and Da Brat. He’s also known for creating Grammy Award-winning hits for artists like Usher and Mariah Carey.

Fonzworth Bentley started off in the music business as the personal assistant to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. His personality and stylish fashion sense landed him in videos alongside Outkast and Kanye West.

DJ, producer, and rapper: Lil Jon is known for many talents with a distinctive voice for catchphrases like “OK!” and “Yeah!” He was instrumental in the rising crunk sound of the south and has collaborated with acts such as Usher, DJ Snake, Ludacris and Pitbull.

Crunchy Black was a rapper and hype man for Three 6 Mafia before going solo in 2006. One of the group’s biggest songs “It’s Hard Out Here For a Pimp” won an Academy Award in 2006, making Three 6 Mafia the first rap group in Oscar history to win for Best Original Song.

Fatman Scoop is known for having such a raw and distinct voice, that it’s easy to pinpoint his sound on any record. Over the years, he’s worked with artists like Missy Elliott, Mariah Carey, Skrillex and Ciara.

Swizz Beatz got his start in the business back in the ‘90s producing for Ruff Ryders artists like DMX and Eve. However, he didn’t win his first Grammy Award until 2011 for his hit song “On To The Next One,” a coming of age collaboration alongside Jay Z.

DJ Khaled got his start in the music industry as a radio host before Fat Joe's crew Terror Squad hired him as a tour DJ. Once he started curating albums, fans became familiar with his catchphrases like “We the best!” and “We taking over!” Over the years he’s created party anthems alongside T-Pain, Ace Hood, Drake, Justin Bieber and Rihanna.