Top 50 Hip Hop Albums of All Time

Hip hop is an exceptionally varied and interesting genre. It first emerged in the late 1970s, quickly becoming a staple of African American culture and interests. Over time, it evolved and became especially prevalent from the late 1980s to the 1990s. Today it is among the most popular genres of music, not only in African American communities - it has devoted fans across the world.

Typical attributes of the music: rhythmic, lyrical (often political), and conscious. A certain level of hedonism is also common. It should be noted that, though spoken word and rhythm are extremely important and vital to the genre, melody is also incorporated in various ways, including background and supporting singers and instrumentals that focus on melody rather than purely rhythm. 

There are a wide variety of subgenres of hip hop. My favorites include jazz rap, industrial, and experimental hip hop.

Below is a ranked list of my 50 favorite hip hop records. If you choose to listen to the playlist on Spotify, shuffling is particularly gratifying I think.

50. slowthai - UGLY  ||  Post-Punk, UK Hip Hop  ||  2023  ||  self-hatred, sarcastic

49. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030  ||  West Coast Hip Hop, Abstract Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop  ||  2000  ||  epic, mysterious

48. Death Grips - The Powers that B  ||  Experimental Hip Hop, Industrial Hip Hop, Glitch Hop, Noise Rock  ||  2015  ||  noisy, avant-garde

47. M.I.A. - Kala  ||  UK Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop  ||  2007  ||  eclectic, sarcastic

46. MF DOOM - MM..FOOD  ||  East Coast Hip Hop, Abstract Hip Hop  ||  2004  ||  playful, quirky

45. Kanye West - The College Dropout  ||  Chipmunk Soul, Pop Rap  ||  2004  ||  humorous, conscious

44. Injury Reserve - By the Time I Get to Phoenix  ||  Experimental Hip Hop  ||  2021  ||  surreal, death  

43. Doctor Flake - Paradis Dirtyficiels  ||  Instrumental Hip Hop, Trip Hop  ||  2007  ||  rhythmic, surreal

42. Nujabes - Modal Soul  ||  Jazz Rap, Instrumental Hip Hop  ||  2005  ||  peaceful, ethereal

41. OutKast - Aquemini  ||  Southern Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop  ||  1998  ||  lush, warm

40. Blue Sky Black Death - NOIR  ||  Downtempo, Instrumental Hip Hop  ||  2011  ||  mellow, atmospheric

39. The Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique  ||  East Coast Hip Hop  ||  1989  ||  energetic, humorous

38. Ağaçkakan - Uyuyan Adam  ||  Abstract Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop, Industrial Hip Hop  ||  2013  ||  anxious, atmospheric

37. Nas - King's Disease III  ||  East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Conscious Hip Hop  ||  2022  ||  triumphant, boastful

36. A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here... Thank You 4 Your Service  ||  Conscious Hip Hop, East Coast Hip Hop, Jazz Rap  ||  2016  ||  urban, sampling

35. Big K.R.I.T. - 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time  ||  Southern Hip Hop  ||  2017  ||  bittersweet, melancholic 

34. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2  ||  Hardcore Hip Hop  ||  2014  ||  energetic, angry

33. Lil Ugly Mane - Mista Thug Isolation  ||  Memphis Rap, Southern Hip Hop  ||  2012  ||  vulgar, misanthropic

32. Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back  ||  Political Hip Hop, East Coast Hip Hop, Hardcore Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop  ||  1988  ||  political, protest

31. Nas - Illmatic  ||  East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Hardcore Hip Hop  ||  1994  ||  introspective, conscious

30. Denzel Curry - TA13OO  ||  Southern Hip Hop, Trap  ||  2017  ||  dark, aggressive

29. Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain  ||  Abstract Hip Hop, East Coast Hip Hop  ||  2003  ||  ominous, nocturnal

28. Kanye West - Yeezus  ||  Experimental Hip Hop, Industrial Hip Hop  ||  2013  ||  vulgar, boastful

27. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)  ||  East Coast Hip Hop, Boom Bap, Hardcore Hip Hop  ||  1993  ||  aggressive, boastful

26. McKinley Dixon - Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?  ||  Jazz Rap, Conscious Hip Hop  ||  2023  ||  orchestral, conscious

25. Danger Mouse & Black Thought - Cheat Codes  ||  East Coast Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop  ||  2022  ||  philosophic, poetic

21. billy woods - Aethiopes  ||  Abstract Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop, East Coast Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop  ||  dark, ominous

20. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy  ||  Pop Rap, Hip Hop  ||  2010  ||  epic, passionate

19. Backxwash - I Lie Here Buried With My Rings and My Dresses  ||  Horrorcore, Industrial Hip Hop  ||  2021  ||  heavy, aggressive

18. Tyler, the Creator - Flower Boy  ||  West Coast Hip Hop  ||  2017  ||  lonely, lush

17. J Dilla - Donuts  ||  Instrumental Hip Hop  ||  2006  ||  bittersweet, playful

16. Sa-Roc - The Sharecropper's Daughter  ||  Conscious Hip Hop, East Coast Hip Hop  ||  2020  ||  protest, conscious

15. P.O.S - Audition  ||  Conscious Hip Hop, Hip Hop  ||  2006  ||  humorous, conscious  

14. Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert  ||  UK Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop  ||  2021  ||  eclectic, orchestral

13. Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein  ||  Abstract Hip Hop, East Coast Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop  ||  2001  ||  cold, futuristic

12. Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city  ||  West Coast Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop  ||  2012  ||  conscious, introspective

11. billy woods & Kenny Segal - Maps  ||  Abstract Hip Hop, Jazz Rap, Conscious Hip Hop, East Coast Hip Hop  ||  2023  ||  melancholic, atmospheric

10. Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition  ||  Experimental Hip Hop, Hardcore Hip Hop  ||  2016  ||  manic, drugs

9. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing.....  ||  Instrumental Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop, Plunderphonics  ||  1996  ||  mysterious, nocturnal

8. Little Simz - Grey Area  ||  UK Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop  ||  2019  ||  rhythmic, introspective

7. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly  ||  Conscious Hip Hop, West Coast Hip Hop, Jazz Rap  ||  2015  ||  lush, conceptual

6. Backxwash - His Happiness Shall Come First Even Though We Are Suffering  ||  Horrorcore, Experimental Hip Hop, Political Hip Hop  ||  2022  ||  angry, disturbing

5. Dälek - Absence  ||  Industrial Hip Hop, Conscious Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop  ||  2005  ||  dark, political

4. Death Grips - The Money Store  ||  Industrial Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop  ||  2012  ||  noisy, angry

3. Noname - Telefone  ||  Jazz Rap, Conscious Hip Hop  ||  2016  ||  mellow, warm

2. The Roots - Things Fall Apart  ||  East Coast Hip Hop, Jazz Rap  ||  1999  ||  boastful, nocturnal

1. Madvillain - Madvillainy  ||  Abstract Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop  ||  2004  ||  humorous, cryptic