ReviewsListsDiscographyArtistsGenresCover ArtAbout
Discography Ranked

All Boldy James Albums Ranked Best to Worst (2026)

Boldy James's Wikipedia discography lists 24 studio albums, and all but two are full-length collaborations with a single producer, so this page ranks eight: his two solo-credited albums, The Versace Tape (2020) and Permanent Ink (2025), plus the six producer albums that have their own Wikipedia articles — My 1st Chemistry Set, The Price of Tea in China, Bo Jackson and Super Tecmo Bo with the Alchemist, Manger on McNichols with Sterling Toles and Real Bad Boldy with Real Bad Man. His other producer albums (with Nicholas Craven, Conductor Williams, Harry Fraud, Futurewave and others), his mixtapes and his Griselda group work are not ranked.

Boldy James8 albums10 min readUpdated October 2026Hip-Hop

Quick Take

Consensus PeakBo JacksonThe Alchemist partnership at its peakBest Entry PointThe Price of Tea in ChinaLean, focused and under forty minutesMost AmbitiousManger on McNicholsLive jazz recorded over a decade

Why it ranks here

His fourth project with the Alchemist, who produced every track and hand-made the cover art, Bo Jackson is the fullest showcase of his storytelling. Benny the Butcher, Earl Sweatshirt, Roc Marciano, Stove God Cooks, Curren$y and Freddie Gibbs all appear. Pitchfork gave it 8.0, Beats Per Minute called it as grave as it is grand, and it appeared on 2021 year-end lists from Consequence, The Fader and Paste.

Context

Released August 13, 2021 through ALC Records; it reached No. 94 on the UK Album Downloads Chart.

Highlights

  • Double Hockey Sticks
  • Brickmile to Montana
  • Photographic Memories
  • Fake Flowers
  • Diamond Dallas

Weak Spots

  • Fourteen tracks of steady tempo can blur
  • The guest list occasionally pulls focus

Production

The Alchemist

Influence

Widely seen as the peak of the Boldy James and Alchemist partnership.

Replay Value

Very high.

Why it ranks here

Produced entirely by the Alchemist, The Price of Tea in China is lean at under 39 minutes, with Vince Staples, Benny the Butcher, Freddie Gibbs and Evidence as guests. Pitchfork gave it 8.0 and HipHopDX 4.2 out of 5. It opened the run of 2020 releases that turned Boldy into one of the busiest and most respected rappers in the underground.

Context

Released February 7, 2020 through ALC Records, nearly seven years after their first album together.

Highlights

  • Carruth
  • Giant Slide
  • Surf & Turf
  • Run-Ins
  • Grey October

Weak Spots

  • A couple of late tracks feel like sketches
  • Less variety than Bo Jackson

Production

The Alchemist

Influence

Kicked off a four-album year that also brought his first Griselda release.

Replay Value

Very high.

Why it ranks here

Recorded with Detroit producer Sterling Toles between 2007 and 2018, Manger on McNichols stands out for its live jazz instrumentation and its personal, almost autobiographical sequencing. Dej Loaf and Louie P. Newton are the only guests. Pitchfork gave it 7.7, and AllMusic's Andy Kellman praised it highly.

Context

Released July 22, 2020 through Sector 7-G, after more than a decade of on-and-off recording.

Highlights

  • Medusa
  • Welcome to 76
  • Middle of Next Month
  • Requiem
  • Birth of Bold (The Christening)

Weak Spots

  • Its loose, live arrangements will not suit every Boldy fan
  • Some interludes feel unfinished

Production

Sterling Toles

Influence

Showed that Boldy's voice could carry far more experimental music than sample loops.

Replay Value

High — it rewards repeat listens.

Why it ranks here

His first release on Griselda, The Versace Tape is a ten-track album produced by Jay Versace, with Westside Gunn and Elcamino among the guests. It is shorter and lighter than the Alchemist records, but Jay Versace's warm loops suit him, and Pitchfork reviewed it on release.

Context

Released August 14, 2020 through Griselda; Wikipedia's discography lists it as one of his two solo-credited studio albums.

Highlights

  • Maria
  • Nu Wave
  • Brick Van Exel
  • Monte Cristo
  • Bentayga

Weak Spots

  • Feels slight next to his best albums
  • Few songs break from the mid-tempo mood

Production

Jay Versace

Influence

Formalized his place in the Griselda collective.

Replay Value

High — it rewards repeat listens.

Why it ranks here

Produced and arranged by Real Bad Man, the Los Angeles streetwear brand and label, this was Boldy's fourth album of 2020. Meyhem Lauren and Stove God Cooks are among the guests. Pitchfork gave it 7.6 and Consequence a B+, and BrooklynVegan called it more proof of his consistency.

Context

Released December 11, 2020 through Real Bad Man Records, with a video for "Light Bill".

Highlights

  • Real Bad Boldy
  • Light Bill
  • Failed Attempt
  • Held Me Down
  • Champion

Weak Spots

  • Under thirty minutes, so some ideas pass quickly
  • Less distinctive production than his best work

Production

Real Bad Man

Influence

Started a long partnership; Killing Nothing and Conversational Pieces followed with the same producer.

Replay Value

Moderate to high.

Why it ranks here

His first studio album was produced entirely by the Alchemist and features Action Bronson, Domo Genesis, Earl Sweatshirt, Freeway, King Chip and Vince Staples. Pitchfork gave it 7.4, noting that none of the guests eclipse him, and Complex named it among the best albums of October 2013. It is rougher than the later Alchemist albums but already shows his calm, detailed style.

Context

Released October 15, 2013 through Decon and Mass Appeal, after his EP Grand Quarters.

Highlights

  • Moochie
  • Consideration
  • Reform School
  • Cobo Hall
  • Give Me a Reason

Weak Spots

  • Fifty minutes with a few weaker tracks
  • He had not yet found the restraint of his later work

Production

The Alchemist

Influence

Its reputation grew after his 2020 resurgence, as listeners went back to the start of the partnership.

Replay Value

Moderate.

Why it ranks here

Released four months after Bo Jackson, Super Tecmo Bo is a nine-song, 26-minute set with cover art styled like a video game cartridge and one guest, ICECOLDBISHOP. Four of the songs had already appeared on a physical-only deluxe release, so it plays more like an extension than a new statement.

Context

Released December 17, 2021 through ALC Records.

Highlights

  • Level Tipping Scales
  • No Laughing Matter
  • Hot Water Tank
  • Moth in the Flame
  • Francois

Weak Spots

  • Partly recycled material
  • Too brief to stand on its own

Production

The Alchemist

Influence

Rounded out his most acclaimed year.

Replay Value

Moderate.

Why it ranks here

Permanent Ink is one of his two solo-credited studio albums, a thirteen-track record released through Royal House Recordings, with production credited to Roger Goodman. It arrived three weeks after another album and was one of several Boldy releases in early 2025, and it drew far less attention than his producer albums.

Context

Released January 24, 2025 through Royal House Recordings, two years after a serious car accident in Detroit that required surgery.

Highlights

  • Permanent Ink
  • Single File Line
  • Jacksonville
  • James Bond
  • No Facade

Weak Spots

  • Little critical coverage
  • Production lacks the identity of his best partnerships

Production

Roger Goodman

Influence

Too new and too lightly covered to judge.

Replay Value

Moderate.

Essay

The Complete Picture

The Alchemist albums are the core of Boldy James's catalog: Bo Jackson and The Price of Tea in China are his two best records, and Manger on McNichols is the most ambitious detour. The solo-credited albums and the shorter projects are solid but secondary.

Start with Bo Jackson, then The Price of Tea in China, and treat the rest as a deep catalog to explore by producer.

Read next
More discographies →Latest reviews →

Boldy James Albums in Order

  1. 2013My 1st Chemistry SetRanked #6
  2. 2020The Price of Tea in ChinaRanked #2
  3. 2020Manger on McNicholsRanked #3
  4. 2020The Versace TapeRanked #4
  5. 2020Real Bad BoldyRanked #5
  6. 2021Bo JacksonRanked #1
  7. 2021Super Tecmo BoRanked #7
  8. 2025Permanent InkRanked #8

Boldy James Albums: Common Questions

What is the best Boldy James album?
We rank Bo Jackson (2021) as the best Boldy James album, with a score of 8.8/10: Grave, grand and his most acclaimed album.
How many Boldy James albums are ranked here?
This ranking covers 8 Boldy James projects, released between 2013 and 2025.
What is the earliest Boldy James album in this ranking?
My 1st Chemistry Set (2013) is the earliest release in this list. We rank it #6.
What is the most recent Boldy James album in this ranking?
Permanent Ink (2025) is the most recent release in this list. We rank it #8.
Which Boldy James album is ranked lowest?
Permanent Ink (2025) sits at #8 with a score of 6.8/10.