Hip Hop Hiatus: Artists Who (Temporarily) Stepped Back From Successful Careers

The vigorous demands of the industry only increase as an artist’s popularity rises, leading many of our favorites to back away from the limelight. This can come in many forms—retirement announcements, disappearing from social media, or simply letting the world know that they need time off. The most recent Hip-Hop-Affiliated artist to announce a break was SZA. The Top Dawg Entertainment songbird took to Xitter to share the news, which didn’t bode over well with her diehard fanbase.

“Yesterday was my last show for a while,” said SZA. “Finally bout to get my life together thank u God.” She didn’t specify what that meant, but SZA has been going almost nonstop since she took over the charts with her hit 2017 debut album, Ctrl. It would take over five years for SOS, her equally successful sophomore effort, to arrive—and there were plenty of frustrated updates from the singer about its execution. Her sold-out tours and packed festival performances have kept her busy, and it seems like SZA is ready for some “me” time.

Many of SZA’s peers have also felt the pressure of successful careers, opting for a hiatus. Many of these rappers returned to their professions to earn greater accolades, solidifying themselves as legends. Others remained in the industry in different capacities, while some chose new vocations altogether. Which rapper on hiatus do you want to make a triumphant return?

Sure, the Roc Nation mogul has appeared on a few tracks here and there in recent years, but Jay-Z has taken a step back from releasing albums to focus on other billionaire ventures. There was that time in 2003 when Hov shared he was officially retiring, but that only lasted a few years before he dropped Kingdom Come. “I was really burnt out that time. I was releasing an album every year — ’96, ’97, ’98. And then in between that, soundtracks, other people’s albums, Roc-A-Fella, touring back-to-back,” he recalled, according to PEOPLE. “And you know, I just looked up one day and I was like, ‘I’m tired.’ I had never been on a vacation until like, I want to say 2000. Like my whole life. And I was just really burnt out at that moment.”

She is hailed as a Rap GOAT and has a slew of hits under her belt, but after releasing Queen in 2018, Nicki Minaj went silent. Fans begged her for a follow-up, but the Head Barb-in-Charge was taking time to nurture and grow her family. She and her husband, Kenneth Petty, married in 2019, and in 2020, they welcomed their son, affectionately and publicly known as “Papa Bear.” In 2021, Minaj was back on Xitter answering fans’ questions, and someone wanted to know if the time off benefited her mental health.

“Great question. Yes. It was soooo needed for me,” the rapper responded. “I appreciate u guys so much for waiting. But yea, very much needed that zen for important bonding time w|my son, getting back fluid w|writing & smthn else I don’t want to discuss yet. If u know u know. 🙏.”

An artist who has been transparent about his personal life struggles has been Eminem. Whether he’s opening up old wounds on wax or sitting down for compelling interviews, the Detroit icon has long shared how drug addiction curtailed his life plans for short periods. However, even during his sober journey, Em retreated from releasing music on several occasions. There was a five-year gap between Encore and Relapse, and three years between Recovery and The Marshall Mathers LP 2. It would be another four years before he arrived with Revival, and after dropping Music to Be Murdered By, Eminem waited another four years to give us The Death of Slim Shady, which hit streaming services last month. Some speculate that this most recent album may be his last.

She is currently taking over stages on her Out of This World Tour, continuing to amaze fans after successful decades in the industry. Missy Elliott is celebrated as a top-tier Hip Hop innovator, even being recognized with an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She hasn’t necessarily taken a hiatus from music altogether, as her hotmaking production skills have remained essential for many of today’s top-selling artists. However, the last time she dropped a full-length album was 2005’s The Cookbook, and fans may have to wait a tad bit longer for her next arrival.

“When I create something, it’s gotta be special and it can’t just be to throw something out there because I feel like I’m Missy,” Elliott revealed while on The Yo Show. “I gotta feel like what I’m giving fans is 100 percent and that it’s game-changing. I don’t just throw out microwave records.” Nevertheless, Missy promised that new music is on the way. “I just ain’t telling nobody when.”

A beloved, yet controversial figure in Hip Hop is music maven Ms. Lauryn Hill. Emerging as the only woman emcee in The Fugees alongside Pras and Wyclef Jean, Hill would reach greater heights when she went solo. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, her debut and only full-length release, continues to be hailed as the greatest Hip Hop album of all time. That title has been argued for decades, but Hill’s talents stay unmatched. While she has continued to perform worldwide, Hill’s reputation for canceling shows or showing up hours late has permeated the music industry. Most recently, The Fugees announced the cancelation of their tour just days before it was to begin. It’s unclear if Hill will deliver another record anytime soon, but with all that has transpired, some fans aren’t holding their breaths.

Former Bad Boy rapper Ma$e was at the top of his game in the late 1990s. His debut album, Harlem World, included some of his most memorable hits. Mase’s follow-up record, Double Up, didn’t reach the same success, but it was instrumental in his discography. Only two months before the sophomore album’s arrival, Mase announced his retirement from Rap. He would turn to religion, becoming a pastor and leading a congregation. However, Mase couldn’t stay away and returned to the mic in 2004 with his last album, Welcome Back. Rifts with Sean “Diddy” Combs about music rights would spill over for years, and it looks as if that tension has been settled. These days, Mase continues to enjoy his life outside of music, hosting a sports-centered podcast with former Hip Hop rival, Cam’ron.

Further, in an interview with Complex in March 2024, Mase reflected on his decision to escape the Rap game. Immediately, he said it was the best choice for his life. “Everything now that we see playing out was all the things I escaped. The car, the shine, the Loon, Puff Daddy… The Craig Mack, the Biggie Smalls. So even though I made those decisions and it cost me money, that’s why I got with Killer [Cam] and they gave me the money back. I didn’t lose no money. Destiny.”

To say that 2024 thus far has been rough for Drake is an understatement. The Pop-Rap icon has dominated the charts from the moment he stepped on the scene with co-signs from Lil Wayne, and he’s developed a career as one of the best in the game. Yet, his beef with Kendrick Lamar became an international moment, resulting in the Pulitzer Prize winner towering with his hit diss track single, “Not Like Us.” Prior to the K.Dot vs. Drizzy Drake whirlwind, the latter had expressed wanting to take a break.

“I probably won’t make music for a little bit,” Drake said while visiting Table for One in October 2023, per Forbes. “I’m going to be real with you. I need to focus on my health, first and foremost, and I’ll talk about that soon enough.” He added, “I’ve been having the craziest problems for years with my stomach,” and shared he will “focus on my health, and I need to get [that] right… I’ma lock the door in the studio for a little bit.”

As one of the biggest stars in the world, it’s only natural that Beyoncé would retreat every so often. The superstar releases a new project every two to three years, working diligently to maintain her reputation as one of the hardest-working entertainers in the business. Her schedule keeps her moving around the world with her entourage in tow—but the mother of three admitted balancing her career and parenthood has been a struggle. The mother of three and her husband, Jay-Z, are billionaires with several other money-making efforts. In 2019, Beyoncé explained to Elle why she needed a year to regroup.

“After having a difficult pregnancy, I took a year to focus on my health,” she revealed. “I have researched information on homeopathic medicines. I don’t just put any prescription in my body. My diet is important, and I use tools like acupuncture, meditation, visualization, and breathing exercises.” Beyoncé added, “The more I mature, the more I understand my value. I realized I had to take control of my work and my legacy because I wanted to be able to speak directly to my fans in an honest way. I wanted my words and my art to come directly from me. There were things in my career that I did because I didn’t understand that I could say no. We all have more power than we realize.”

Another rapper to pull a pump fake on his retirement is Logic, who elaborately shared with the world in 2020 that he was withdrawing. However, like many of his peers, this retirement was short-lived. Less than a year later, Logic was back to making music. Then, he finished his contract with Def Jam with the release of Vinyl Days. “I really just wanted to be off Def Jam, to be frank,” he told Variety in 2022.

“I did retire, for a little bit, at least in my mind, from the bullsh*t of the music industry. Then, I came to realize that none of this sh*t matters, that I can make music on my terms. So, let’s do that. That’s when I decided to come back from retirement. Last year, I released Bobby Tarantino III, just to get together songs I had, and put them out, then released this new album because I needed to fulfill my deal with Def Jam. With Vinyl Days, I did it in 12 days, and just wanted to have fun.”