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Pop Rap · ranked by score

Best Pop Rap Albums, Ranked

60 albums reviewed

We have reviewed 60 Pop Rap albums released between 1997 and 2026, averaging 6.6 out of 10. The highest score so far goes to Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. (8.4). Jay-Z (9), Drake (8), Eminem (4) appear more than once.

Life After Death by The Notorious B.I.G. album cover
8.4

The top of the pile

Highest-rated Pop Rap albums

  1. 1
    Kendrick Lamar – DAMN. (2017, 8.4)
    8.4
  2. 2
    The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death (1997, 8.4)
    8.4
  3. 3
    Kanye West – Graduation (2007, 8.1)
    8.1
  4. 4
    Kanye West – Late Registration (2005, 8.1)
    8.1
  5. 5
    50 Cent – Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003, 8.0)
    8.0

Through the years

By decade

What defines Pop Rap

Pop rap aims at the radio: big sung hooks, polished production and verses built for wide appeal. It runs from MC Hammer and Will Smith to Drake, Post Malone and the streaming era, where the line between rap and pop has mostly disappeared.

How we score it

Hooks and replay value are the natural strengths here, and the scorecard credits them. It is harder for pop rap to score high on writing and cohesion, so albums that pair the hooks with real songwriting and a clear album shape stand out. See the scoring methodology.

Ranked discographies

Jay-Z albums rankedDrake albums rankedEminem albums rankedLil Wayne albums rankedNelly albums rankedNicki Minaj albums rankedRod Wave albums ranked50 Cent albums rankedKanye West albums rankedSnoop Dogg albums rankedWale albums ranked2 Chainz albums ranked

Every record, best first

All Pop Rap reviews

Life After Death by The Notorious B.I.G. album cover8.4

Life After Death

The Notorious B.I.G.

Hip-HopEast Coast
DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar album cover8.4

DAMN.

Kendrick Lamar

Hip-HopConscious
Graduation by Kanye West album cover8.1

Graduation

Kanye West

Hip-HopPop
Late Registration by Kanye West album cover8.1

Late Registration

Kanye West

Hip-HopPop
Get Rich or Die Tryin’ by 50 Cent album cover8.0

Get Rich or Die Tryin’

50 Cent

Hip-HopGangsta
Invasion of Privacy by Cardi B album cover7.9

Invasion of Privacy

Cardi B

Hip-HopPop
Miss E... So Addictive by Missy Elliott album cover7.9

Miss E... So Addictive

Missy Elliott

Hip-HopPop
Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne album cover7.9

Tha Carter III

Lil Wayne

Hip-HopSouthern
Saturation III by BROCKHAMPTON album cover7.8

Saturation III

BROCKHAMPTON

Hip-HopAlternative
Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life by Jay-Z album cover7.6

Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life

Jay-Z

East CoastPop
So Far Gone by Drake album cover7.6

So Far Gone

Drake

Hip-HopPop
Nothing Was the Same by Drake album cover7.5

Nothing Was the Same

Drake

Hip-HopPop
Attention Deficit by Wale album cover7.3

Attention Deficit

Wale

Hip-HopAlternative
Vol.3.. Life and Times of S. Carter by Jay-Z album cover7.2

Vol.3.. Life and Times of S. Carter

Jay-Z

East CoastHip-Hop
Long. Live. ASAP by A$AP Rocky album cover7.2

Long. Live. ASAP

A$AP Rocky

East CoastAlternative
Country Grammar by Nelly album cover7.2

Country Grammar

Nelly

PopSouthern
Watch the Throne by Jay-Z album cover7.2

Watch the Throne

Jay-Z

Hip-HopPop
Pretty Girls Like Trap Music by 2 Chainz album cover7.2

Pretty Girls Like Trap Music

2 Chainz

Hip-HopSouthern
Thank Me Later by Drake album cover7.2

Thank Me Later

Drake

Hip-HopPop
Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$ by Snoop Dogg album cover7.0

Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$

Snoop Dogg

West CoastPop
The Dynasty: Roc La Familia by Jay-Z album cover7.0

The Dynasty: Roc La Familia

Jay-Z

East CoastHip-Hop
The Blueprint 3 by Jay-Z album cover6.9

The Blueprint 3

Jay-Z

Hip-HopPop
Nellyville by Nelly album cover6.9

Nellyville

Nelly

Hip-HopPop
The Pinkprint by Nicki Minaj album cover6.9

The Pinkprint

Nicki Minaj

Hip-HopPop
Awaken, My Love! by Childish Gambino album cover6.9

Awaken, My Love!

Childish Gambino

AlternativePop
SoulFly by Rod Wave album cover6.8

SoulFly

Rod Wave

SouthernPop
Pink Friday by Nicki Minaj album cover6.8

Pink Friday

Nicki Minaj

Hip-HopPop
Dark Sky Paradise by Big Sean album cover6.7

Dark Sky Paradise

Big Sean

Hip-HopPop
Pray 4 Love by Rod Wave album cover6.7

Pray 4 Love

Rod Wave

Hip-HopPop
The Marshall Mathers LP 2 by Eminem album cover6.6

The Marshall Mathers LP 2

Eminem

Hip-HopHardcore
In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 by Jay-Z album cover6.6

In My Lifetime, Vol. 1

Jay-Z

Hip-HopEast Coast
Love Sick by Don Toliver album cover6.6

Love Sick

Don Toliver

Hip-HopPop
The Art of War by Bone Thugs‐n‐Harmony album cover6.6

The Art of War

Bone Thugs‐n‐Harmony

Hip-HopPop
The Blueprint²: The Gift & The Curse by Jay-Z album cover6.5

The Blueprint²: The Gift & The Curse

Jay-Z

Hip-HopEast Coast
Everything Is Love by The Carters album cover6.5

Everything Is Love

The Carters

Hip-HopPop
Ambition by Wale album cover6.5

Ambition

Wale

Hip-HopPop
Pink Friday 2 by Nicki Minaj album cover6.5

Pink Friday 2

Nicki Minaj

Hip-HopPop
R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece by Snoop Dogg album cover6.4

R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece

Snoop Dogg

West CoastPop
Til the Casket Drops by Clipse album cover6.4

Til the Casket Drops

Clipse

Hip-HopEast Coast
Views by Drake album cover6.4

Views

Drake

Hip-HopPop
I Am Not a Human Being by Lil Wayne album cover6.2

I Am Not a Human Being

Lil Wayne

Hip-HopPop
Beautiful Mind by Rod Wave album cover6.2

Beautiful Mind

Rod Wave

SouthernPop
Suit by Nelly album cover6.2

Suit

Nelly

PopHip-Hop
Recovery by Eminem album cover6.2

Recovery

Eminem

Hip-HopPop
Kingdom Come by Jay-Z album cover6.2

Kingdom Come

Jay-Z

Hip-HopEast Coast
Tha Carter IV by Lil Wayne album cover6.0

Tha Carter IV

Lil Wayne

SouthernPop
Magna Carta… Holy Grail by Jay-Z album cover6.0

Magna Carta… Holy Grail

Jay-Z

Hip-HopPop
The Massacre by 50 Cent album cover6.0

The Massacre

50 Cent

Hip-HopEast Coast
B.I.B.L.E. by Fivio Foreign album cover5.9

B.I.B.L.E.

Fivio Foreign

Hip-HopEast Coast
Back for Everything by Kodak Black album cover5.8

Back for Everything

Kodak Black

TrapSouthern
Scorpion by Drake album cover5.8

Scorpion

Drake

Hip-HopPop
Iceman by Drake album cover5.7

Iceman

Drake

Hip-HopPop
Encore by Eminem album cover5.6

Encore

Eminem

Hip-Hop
Certified Lover Boy by Drake album cover5.5

Certified Lover Boy

Drake

Hip-HopPop
For All the Dogs by Drake album cover5.2

For All the Dogs

Drake

Hip-HopPop
Universal Mind Control by Common album cover5.1

Universal Mind Control

Common

Hip-HopAlternative
Blue Slide Park by Mac Miller album cover4.8

Blue Slide Park

Mac Miller

Hip-HopPop
Authentic by LL Cool J album cover4.5

Authentic

LL Cool J

Hip-HopPop
Revival by Eminem album cover4.3

Revival

Eminem

Hip-HopPop
Crown Royal by Run‐D.M.C. album cover3.9

Crown Royal

Run‐D.M.C.

Hip-HopEast Coast

Related Genres

TrapAlternative Hip HopHip Hop