Favorite Rap & Hip-Hop Albums

Bbymutha

sleep paralysis

Inventive production pairs this Southern rapper's confident flow with breakbeats and unexpected electronic experiments.

Benny the Butcher

Everybody Can't Go

First Def Jam full-length from the Griselda rapper, confirming his status as a major player in the rap industry.

Bladee

Cold Visions

The Swedish rapper creates an unrelenting listening environment that's dense, paranoid, and utterly fascinating.

Cadence Weapon

Rollercoaster

Polaris winner and memoir author Rollie Pemberton addresses online culture with an extensive list of forward-thinking collaborators and producers.

Chief Keef

Almighty So 2

The Chicago drill king's much-delayed fifth studio album skillfully balances boastful aggression, humor, and vulnerability.

Childish Gambino

Atavista

This revamped version of 3.15.2020 sports a new mix, a shuffled track list, and all the daring and unpredictable brilliance of the original.

Common / Pete Rock

The Auditorium, Vol. 1

An inspired and uplifting meeting between two figures crucial to hip-hop for over 30 years.

Denzel Curry

King of the Mischievous South, Vol. 2

Florida rapper pays tribute to the nostalgic and foundational Southern rap sounds that influenced his earliest material.

Dizzee Rascal

Don't Take It Personal

The grime pioneer largely returns to upbeat material, drawing from garage and funky house with a few dips into Afroswing and drill.

Doechii

Alligator Bites Never Heal

A riveting and complex first Top Dawg mixtape from the self-proclaimed swamp princess.

E L U C I D

REVELATOR

The New York-based experimental rapper incorporates more live instrumentation on this frantic, unpredictable, and ultimately hopeful effort.

Future / Metro Boomin

WE DON'T TRUST YOU

The first full-length collaboration between the two longtime creative partners finds both the rapper and producer staying in their respective lanes.

GloRilla

Glorious

With a host of big-name collaborators, the debut studio album from this Memphis rapper delivers on the promise of what came before it.

James Blake / Lil Yachty

Bad Cameo

This collaborative album between the experimental rapper and the electronic songwriter finds each artist playing off of the best parts of each other's established styles.

JPEGMAFIA

I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU

The innovative, confrontational rapper/producer leans into rock influences on one of his most accessible efforts to date.

Ka

The Thief Next to Jesus

The Brooklyn rapper's final work concerns Black Americans' relationship to the Christian faith.

Kendrick Lamar

GNX

The Compton rapper's surprise sixth set delivers fired-up West Coast anthems and meditative reflections.

Kid Cudi

INSANO

The rapper's ninth effort features all the trademark humming, production, and introspective lyrics fans expect.

Kurious

Majician

Focused and fun effort by the New York hip-hop lifer, executive-produced by a longtime associate, the late MF Doom.

Latto

Sugar Honey Iced Tea

The Atlanta rapper cultivates an atmosphere of humid, salacious Deep South swagger on her third studio album.

LL Cool J

THE FORCE

The hip-hop legend reaffirms his legacy with an album of richly musical beats, wide-ranging lyrical themes, and powerful, self-assured performances.

Logic

Ultra 85

Back-to-basics catalog gem that doubles as a soundtrack to the rapper's sci-fi novel of the same name.

Mach-Hommy

#RICHAXXHAITIAN

The prolific rapper/producer goes further into experimentalism on this album that features contributions from Sam Gendel, 03 Greedo, and others.

Mustard

Faith of a Mustard Seed

This expertly produced solo album from the DJ/beatmaking star includes featured appearances from Lil Durk, Quavo, Vince Staples, and many others.

Previous Industries

Service Merchandise

The rap trio's first album reflects on growing up in the 1980s and '90s, with numerous references to old video games and defunct retail chains.

RM

Right Place, Wrong Person [Ver. A]

The BTS leader's second album sees him dive deep into alternative, constantly shifting hip-hop, embracing radical self-acceptance and life's wonkiness.

ScHoolboy Q

Blue Lips

The sixth album from this California rapper effortlessly switches between disparate styles while remaining coherent and focused.

Sexyy Red

In Sexyy We Trust

The St. Louis rapper offers up another mixtape of sex and celebration, with features from Drake and Lil Baby.

Tierra Whack

WORLD WIDE WHACK

The rapper's long-awaited debut album combines inventive productions, dizzying wordplay, and emotional honesty into candid, surprisingly moving songs.

Tyler, The Creator

CHROMAKOPIA

Tyler's seventh LP proves candid and spontaneous as he reckons with age, sexuality, and fatherhood.

Vince Staples

Dark Times

Long Beach rapper is in top form while in introspective loner mode on his sixth studio full-length.

The AllMusic 2024

Year InReview

It was a full-time job keeping up with all of the feuds and drama that dogged hip-hop in 2024, but there was still time to enjoy top-tier records, including releases from Childish Gambino, Tyler, The Creator, Glorilla, and (of course) Kendrick Lamar.

Common / Pete Rock

Future / Metro Boomin

James Blake / Lil Yachty

Year In
Review