The 40 Best Rap Albums Of 2025

Ranking the best rap albums of 2025 is no easy task. This is something we repeat every single year, but it's true. This past year, we got some massive albums from some of rap's biggest stars. We also got a ton of albums from hip-hop legends. Overall, this has made it even more difficult for us to rank the year that was. Thankfully, our staff was able to lock in, and come through with a list that truly feels representative of everything that happened in 2025. From mainstream pop rap, to underground cult classics, HotNewHipHop presents to you, the Top 40 Best Rap Albums of 2025.

Larry June, 2 Chainz, and The Alchemist deliver tracks full of personality and the chemistry to match.

When you have one of the best songs of the year on your album, your album is automatically a success.

FearDorian continues to showcase his talent, and Leaving Home is a crowning achievement.

Mike Shabb is a Montreal legend, and Fight The Power! is another dope addition to his growing discography.

GTA Vice City music. Sounds like a great album to us.

Dave is one of the best artists in the UK rap scene, and The Boy Who Played The Harp is yet another great example of the artist rising to the occasions and being a master of his craft.

G Herbo is a beacon of consistency, and his new album Lil Herb shows us that he has not lost his step.

De La Soul are absolute legends, and their new project Cabin In The Sky is the perfect homage to their past, present, and future.

Pinball 2 was the perfect sequel to MIKE and Tony Steltzer's collaborative album. This version is great, and it shows both artists bating 1.000.

Central Cee is the biggest artist in the UK right now, and Can't Rush Greatness is proof that he will be a star for years to come.

Cardi B finally gave us her sophomore album, and it did not disappoint. It is one of the best commercial successes of the year, and for very good reason.

Wale came through with anthems, poetic ballads, and everything in between on his new album. This project just cements his status as one of rap's greatest auteurs.

Backwxsh has always been a favorite here at HotNewHipHop, and Only Dust Remains proves why we're right.

NBA YoungBoy came home from prison and had the biggest year of his career. Make America Slime Again was a perfect distillation of his comeback, and it just so happens to have some great songs.

Armand Hammer, consisting of billy woods and ELUCID, teamed up with The Alchemist for a new album called Mercy, and as you can imagine, it was an album of the year contender.

OsamaSon is an underground darling who has the ears of the youth. Jump Out is his magnum opus, and brings those underground sounds into the mainstream, once and for all.

Nino Paid kicked off the year the right way with Love Me As I Am, a project that has left a lasting impression on hip-hop this past year.

JID's album God Does Like Ugly was one of the most anticipated releases of the year, and if one thing is for sure, it is that there are plenty of dope collaborations and anthems to go around.

Mobb Deep is one of hip-hop's greatest duos, and with Infinite, they came back with a vengeance and delivered a project that long-time fans can be proud of.

Bruiser Wolf has become a powerhouse over these past few years. His style may not be for everyone, but the creativity is just undeniable.

Not Tyler's best by any means, but one of the most fun albums of the year. Tyler, the Creator wanted his fans to dance, and this album certainly accomplishes that goal.

Saba and No ID are masters of their craft, and when their talents get combined, you end up with a terrific album that is going to be one of the most enduring of 2025.

Open Mic Eagle is an underground legend who deserves his respect and his flowers. Neighborhood Gods Unlimited is a testament to his dedication to his craft, and a project worth listening to. Over and over again.

MIKE appears on this list for a second time and for very good reason. Showbiz! was a gorgeous record, and one that is going to forever stand out in an already immaculate discography.

There are few records as beautiful as Navy Blue's The Sword & The Soaring. The kind of album that grips you from the very first track and takes you on a journey until the very end.

Chance the Rapper took six years to give us his comeback record Star Line, although it was well worth the wait. An album full of emotional, introspective tracks that will grip you from start to finish.

Offset's solo albums always have big hits on them, and that is especially true with KIARI. One of the best pop rap albums of the year, and an album that is going to bombard you with hit after hit.

Mac Miller's estate has treated his vault with extra love and care. Balloonerism is a perfect example of this. The project was recorded years before Mac's passing, and it was unclear whether or not it would ever be released. However, his family got the right people together, and delivered something beautiful.

Rio Da Yung OG was released from prison at the top of the year, and he immediately got to work with Rio Free. A project that his day one fans have been blasting on repeat since it dropped.

Jim Legxacy is one of the best new artists coming out of the UK. Black British Music is a masterclass in both versatility and nostalgia. An album you can't help but love.

Key Glock is one of the most consistent artists in hip-hop. Every album is full of bangers, and you can't help but tap in every single time, knowing the quality is going to be there.

Pulling an all-nighter just for Carti to drop MUSIC at 7 AM was an experience. While the album is not as good as Whole Lotta Red, you can't deny the audacity of this album. Carti is on another plain of existence on tracks like "Radar" and "Crank," making this a true delight to listen to, despite the 34-track runtime.

Che's Rest In Bass remains one of the best new underground albums of the year. While this sound is not everyone's cup of tea, this album remains one of the best examples of this sound that you will find.

Ghais Guevara's come up has been exceptional to watch. While he remains an underground artist, his songs have found their way to NBA broadcasts. Goyard Ibn Said is a marvelous album from the young MC, and one that you should give a listen to.

McKinley Dixon has been praised for his epic albums that are picked with lavish and jazzy instrumentals. On Magic, Alive! we get exactly that and then some. Dixon is oftentimes overlooked, but if he keeps dropping albums like this, that won't be the case anymore.

Little Simz is one of the best rappers in the world. Full stop. Every single album has been special, to say the very least, and Lotus is no exception. She is one of rap's best album-makers, and we cannot wait to hear her evolution over the course of the upcoming decade.

When you put Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist together, you're going to get something incredible. While it doesn't reach the same heights as the first Alfredo, this remains one of the year's biggest highlights.

Billy Woods is a master when it comes to concept records. His storytelling is intense, and his production choices border on horror. Woods had our best album of the mid-year, and for very good reason. This is an album we will never forget.

Clipse's comeback record Let God Sort Em Out is easily one of the best albums of the year. Malice and Pusha T deliver some of their best work, and it's hard to believe they haven't rapped together in 15 years. Unfortunately, some mediocre Pharrell singing passages keep this from being our number one album.

Earl Sweatshirt is one of the best rappers in the world, and it's time to stop pretending that he isn't. Every single album is an album of the year contender, and his pen only gets better with time. Live Laugh Love is yet another opus from Earl. A true achievement in rap, and an album that will be adored and talked about for many years to come.

Let us know your favorite rap albums of 2025, in the comments below.