The Best Rap Albums Of 2024: Ranked

2024 in Hip Hop may be best remembered for its diss songs (namely those fired back and forth between Kendrick Lamar and Drake), but it also produced a slew of standout albums that showcased the genre’s beauty, diversity and continued evolution — and in some cases shook up the game.

More than 30 years after first stealing the crown from Hip Hop’s birthplace of New York, the West Coast put itself back in front thanks to blockbuster projects from Kendrick Lamar and Tyler, The Creator, as well as efforts from ScHoolboy Q, Vince Staples, Ab-Soul, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, Mustard and Ice Cube, among others.

Down in Hip Hop’s former long-reigning cultural capital, Atlanta, Future went on another monster run by dropping a trifecta of chart-topping albums, including two with close collaborator Metro Boomin — the first of which helped light the fuse for what’s been dubbed by many as the greatest rap beef of all time.

Although J. Cole controversially bowed out of that battle, he too had a trick up his sleeve with the surprise mixtape Might Delete Later (which fortunately hasn’t yet been scrubbed from streaming services, with the exception of one particular track, of course).

In addition to Future and Metro and Snoop and Dre, 2024 saw the birth of another dynamic duo in Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign, who delivered two of three promised Vultures projects, while veterans Eminem, LL Cool J and Common returned with reinvigorated efforts.

Elsewhere, GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion, Sexyy Red, Latto, Rapsody, Ice Spice and Tierra Whack all ensured the female rap wave did not fizzle out and new stars were born thanks to stellar releases from Doechii, BigXThaPlug and BossMan Dlow, among others.

Although 2024 was without new albums from two of Hip Hop’s biggest commercial behemoths, Drake and Travis Scott (the former of whom took a rare year off, perhaps to nurse his wounds), there was no shortage of impressive and impactful projects from the past 12 months that deserve to stay in rotation as we begin the new year.

Here are the 20 best rap albums of 2024, as ranked by HipHopDX.

20. Chief Keef — Almighty So 2

Chief Keef had been teasing Almighty So 2 for half a decade. It was worthy of the wait, and in true Keef fashion, it both met and upended expectations. The project marks a new Keef: sonically clearer, with no doublings and minimal ad-libs. You can focus on his lyrics, which are often riotously funny and occasionally moving and vulnerable.

Musically, there’s plenty of vintage Keef turn-up, but there’s also more than enough variation to keep things interesting. It’s encouraging that a decade-plus into his career, Keef is still taking big swings — and connecting. — Shawn Setaro

19. Ab-Soul — Soul Burger

2024 was TDE’s year — even the biggest Toronto-based hater would admit that. Aside from more headline-grabbing releases from Kendrick Lamar and SZA, the label’s deep roster of talent threw up their shots and consistently hit their targets.

A tribute to his late friend, Doe Burger, who passed away in 2021, Ab-Soul’s sixth album also doubles as an homage to his rap forefathers. The two most obvious examples are lead single “Squeeze 1st 2,” a sequel to JAY-Z’s The Dynasty anthem, and album opener “9 Mile,” which borrows Eminem’s flow from 8 Mile’s climactic freestyle over a haunting sample of Soul II Soul’s “Back to Life” wedded to Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones Pt. 2.” — Sam Moore

18. J. Cole — Might Delete Later

J. Cole’s Might Delete Later got more attention for the Kendrick Lamar diss track that was taken off of it than the songs that remain, but the project as it stands serves as a great teaser for his long-promised LP The Fall Off. These aren’t considered, thoughtful, big-statement album cuts.

There’s some bragging, one song’s worth of singing (unfortunately), and in general a loose, relaxed feel that serves Cole well — though we could live without the one transphobic “joke” that rears its head. The highlight by far is “Pi,” where Daylyt and Ab-Soul’s masterful back-and-forth inspires Cole’s sharpest performance. — S.S.

17. Big Sean — Better Me Than You

Like many of his blog rap peers, Big Sean is all grown up these days. The now-36-year-old MC is a father, in a committed longterm relationship and has embarked on a journey of self-care, therapy and spirituality in recent years.

This maturity radiates throughout his first album in four years, Better Me Than You, as Sean Don attempts to break the cycle of bad habits and forge a happier and healthier path forward, all over some of the best and most varied beats of his career. The only thing that hasn’t changed is Sean’s belief that he’s better than you at rapping. — Andy Bustard

16. BigXThaPlug — Take Care

BigXThaPlug is a Dallas rapper who’s hit upon a powerful musical idea: soul music-influenced beats, but with modern trap drums. All of Take Care sticks to that template to great effect, and X’s voice is striking.

However, there is one major drawback: he sticks to a Migos-esque triplet rhythm through the entirety of every song, which makes for monotonous listening. If BigX puts as much thought and energy into his rhythms as his beats in the future, the sky is the limit. — S.S.

15. Benny The Butcher — Everybody Can’t Go

Though the world has hardly been starved of music from Benny The Butcher in recent years, his Def Jam debut felt like the start of something new. While the album did fail to light up the charts in a way most would have hoped, Everybody Can’t Go is a swaggering example of what Griselda on a big budget sounds like.

There’s an ensemble of mercurial Alchemist beats, one of Lil Wayne’s best verses in years and Benny’s natural talent for street storytelling. — S.M.

14. Freddie Gibbs — You Only Die 1nce

The world has been Freddie Gibbs’ playground since the gangsta rapper/actor/comedian first burst into the public consciousness over a decade ago. From George Michael samples to tongue-twisting guest verses, Big Rabbit has reinvented what a gangsta rapper is and can be.

On his latest album, released with help from his namesake Freddy Krueger, Gibbs is at his wittiest and sharpest. “Rabbit Island,” in particular, encapsulates his wit as a lyricist and sharp ear for beats. There are shots at J. Cole, references to Mike Tyson’s infamous pet tiger and, of course, some lurid lines about getting head while driving. — S.M.

13. Future & Metro Boomin — We Still Don’t Trust You

While We Don’t Trust You shook the rap world to its core, We Still Don’t Trust You followed up with its own kind of heat. Largely shirking ominous Atlanta trap in favor of harmonious R&B, The Weeknd is the standout player across Future and Metro Boomin’s second collaborative LP. The title track in particular stands near the top of Metro’s catalog with its hypnotic repetition and sly sexuality. — S.M.

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12. Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign — Vultures 1

Arriving amid a chaotic era in Kanye West’s life, Vultures 1 stands as one of the more cohesive projects from the Chicago native in some years. Ty Dolla $ign’s soulful melodies pair well with Ye’s unfiltered raps and offer up some hits like “Carnival” and “Fuck Sumn.” While it doesn’t hold a candle to the “old Kanye,” Vultures 1 is a nice reminder that he’s not completely lost. — Marisa Mendez

11. GloRilla — Glorious

GloRilla silenced the critics with her debut LP Glorious, showcasing her star power over high-energy anthems and even a venture into gospel. Along with an array of high-profile features, the album strikes a perfect balance, satisfying Millennials’ nostalgia for Dirty South bangers while catering to the shorter attention spans of younger generations with a runtime just under 42 minutes. — M.M.

10. Vince Staples — Dark Times

The follow-up to 2020’s Vince Staples and 2022’s Ramona Park Broke My Heart, Dark Times not only closes out Vince Staples’ decade-long chapter on Def Jam, but caps off one of the best three-album runs in recent Hip Hop history.

His most melodic and rock-oriented release so far, the project further cements the Long Beach native as a modern-day ghetto griot as he illuminates the otherwise bleak world from which he comes while attempting to find glimmers of light in it. Life’s hard, but Dark Times is a reminder to go harder. — A.B.

9. Eminem — The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)

Eminem’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) is a raw, introspective farewell to the chaotic alter ego that defined his early career. Balancing his signature lyrical mastery with newfound maturity, the album explores the impact of Slim Shady on his life while showcasing hard-hitting tracks like “Fuel” and “Guilty Conscience 2” alongside deeply reflective moments like “Temporary” and “Somebody Save Me.”

It’s a bold and poignant milestone, marking the end of an era and the start of a new chapter for one of rap’s most iconic voices. — M.M.

8. Rapsody — Please Don’t Cry

Returning with her first album in over five years, Rapsody’s Please Don’t Cry is a soulful and deeply personal offering, blending poignant storytelling with impeccable lyricism that has often been overlooked among the women in rap. The album’s standout moments, like “Bridges Burn” and “Phoenix Rising,” showcase her unmatched ability to balance vulnerability with strength.

It’s an emotionally rich and inspiring body of work that solidifies Rapsody’s place among Hip Hop’s elite — even if she doesn’t always receive her rightful flowers. — M.M.

7. LL Cool J — The FORCE

LL Cool J admitted earlier this year that he’s made some “bad” albums (no pun intended), but The FORCE is not one of them. With Q-Tip supplying some of the most eclectic production of his career, James Todd Smith sounds reinvigorated, razor sharp and more racially conscious than ever on his first project in 11 years.

If channeling the spirit of Black Panther founder Huey Newton on “Huey in the Chair” doesn’t make it clear what type of time LL is on, he opens the album by rapping from the perspective of “Black vigilante” cop killer Christopher Dorner.

The FORCE contains bold political statements from a man who has twice lit the White House’s Christmas tree alongside President Biden and proves that Hip Hop’s radical streak is still alive, even as an alarming number of LL’s peers have embraced right-wing politics. — A.B.

6. Common & Pete Rock — The Auditorium Vol. 1

The Auditorium Vol. 1 makes you wonder why it took Common and Pete Rock so long to join forces for a full album. Despite only collaborating a handful of times in the previous decades (most notably on Common’s blistering 1996 Ice Cube diss “The Bitch In Yoo”), the rap veterans sound like a natural born duo as Pete’s true school beats mesh perfectly with Common’s spiritual lyrical sermons. Let’s hope a volume two is on the way. — A.B.

5. ScHoolboy Q — Blue Lips

ScHoolboy Q took five years between albums, but it seems like he used the time well. Blue Lips is a thoughtful record by someone stuck in the middle — old and established enough that he can rap about his family’s favorite sports (golf for himself, soccer for his kids), but still young enough to look back on his rough upbringing, and to include plenty of raunchiness and tough talk throughout the project. The TDE stalwart finds a thoughtful balance between extremes that doesn’t forget to be catchy and fun. — S.S.

4. Doechii — Alligator Bites Never Heal

The breakout star of 2024 and the justifiably self-proclaimed future, Doechii’s gorgeously idiosyncratic Alligator Bites Never Heal, which blends old school sensibilities with new school inventiveness, makes her the natural successor to Kendrick Lamar if he ever wants to King Lear his crown.

“Boom Bap” is the Swamp Princess’ own acknowledgement that she cannot be forced into any box as she raps: “Say it’s real and it’s rap / And it boom and it bap / And it bounce and it clap / And it’s house and it’s trap / It’s everything / I’m everything!” Meanwhile, “Nissan Altima” is a lyrically verbose example of Doechii’s ability to play with flow and cadence while injecting humor and sexuality onto a song. — S.M.

3. Future & Metro Boomin — We Don’t Trust You

We Don’t Trust You had been over a year in the making and beset by numerous delays. When the album eventually dropped in March, few would have thought it would set off an earthquake across Hip Hop and the wider music industry. Nothing was the same after listeners got to Kendrick Lamar’s blistering verse on “Like That.” Battle lines were drawn, trenches were dug and shots were fired with laser precision.

Even away from the nuclear bomb of Kendrick’s verse and the various other shots at Drake on the album, We Don’t Trust You is a mighty fine project, comprised of decadent luxury trap, a revitalized-sounding Future and Metro working the boards like the rent’s due. — S.M.

2. Tyler, The Creator — Chromakopia

Tyler, The Creator has been inviting fans into his wildly creative and somewhat twisted mind since the very beginning of his career (just listen back to the audio therapy sessions on his 2009 debut Bastard), but Chromakopia is his most personal album yet.

Over 14 sonically gorgeous, seamlessly-sequenced songs, Tyler opens up about his thoughts on fatherhood and marriage, a pregnancy scare with a casual lover and the lingering heartache left by his absent father (who he learns through his narrator mother actually wanted to be in his life). Accompanying the soul-baring revelations is a clear and powerful message to listeners: take off your own mask and embrace your true self, in all its chromatic glory.

In addition to its musical brilliance, Chromakopia was also a commercial triumph as it cruised to the top of the Billboard 200 chart with almost 300,000 first-week sales — the largest of Tyler’s career and the third biggest in Hip Hop this year, despite not even having a full tracking week. Ain’t no “mysterious” music over here, DJ Khaled. — A.B.

1. Kendrick Lamar — GNX

Capping off one of the best years any rapper has ever had in Hip Hop’s 51-year history, GNX was Kendrick Lamar’s victory lap over Drake and a middle finger to the lames who had the audacity to wacc out his murals. From recapping TDE’s streets-to-the-suites journey on “Heart Part 6” and penning a love letter to the art of rapping on the “I Used to Love H.E.R.”-esque “Gloria” to embodying the spirit of his hero 2Pac on “Reincarnated,” the airtight album is K.Dot to the core.

But the Compton native also shifts gears on his sixth LP, embracing Bay Area hyphy, a number of underground L.A. rappers and the “nervous” music that the late Drakeo The Ruler pioneered, while also sweetening his creative chemistry with soon-to-be-tourmate SZA.

With a much-discussed Super Bowl halftime show on the horizon, Kendrick Lamar is only set to solidify his status as the undisputed Best Rapper Alive and a serious contender for the Greatest of All Time crown, as he ponders on “Man at the Garden.” Squabble up with ya mother. — A.B.