EsDeeKid Dominates Emerging Artists Chart with Increasing Catalog Streams
EsDeeKid has been making waves in recent weeks, and his success continues to soar as he secures the top spot on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart, a first for the U.K. rapper. This achievement is fueled by a significant increase in streaming across his entire music catalog.
The Emerging Artists chart factors in an artist’s weekly streams, radio airplay, album sales, and paid song downloads, similar to the Billboard Artist 100 but excluding those who have reached the top 25 of the Billboard Hot 100 or Billboard 200. In the most recent tracking week, EsDeeKid’s tracks accumulated 16 million official U.S. streams, slightly lower than the previous week but still surpassing his usual stream levels from 2025.
The chart-topping success is largely attributed to his hit songs “4 Raws” and “Phantom,” especially the latter featuring Rico Ace. “4 Raws” saw 7 million streams, rising from 64 to 38 on the Hot 100 chart, marking EsDeeKid’s first top 40 hit. Meanwhile, “Phantom” garnered 5.4 million streams and climbed from 81 to 67 in its second week on the chart.
EsDeeKid’s influence extends to the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where he currently has five titles charting, including “4 Raws” at No. 10 and “Phantom” at No. 15. His debut project, Rebel, which houses all his charted songs, also reached a new peak at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 with 17,000 equivalent album units sold.
EsDeeKid’s rapid rise began in late November when rumors surfaced that he might be the alter ego of actor Timothée Chalamet, a speculation that gained traction on social media. The mystery was resolved on December 19, with Chalamet joining EsDeeKid on a remix of “4 Raws,” accompanied by a music video featuring the Hollywood star delivering his own verses.
The collaboration generated substantial buzz and significantly impacted EsDeeKid’s streaming numbers, culminating in a significant surge in U.S. streaming totals from November to January. This surge in popularity solidified EsDeeKid’s position at the top of the Emerging Artists chart, showcasing his growing influence and talent in the music industry.