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The Best Rap Albums of 2018

10 albums · Updated

2018 had something for every side of rap. Kanye West produced five short albums in five weeks in Wyoming, Pusha T's Daytona among them; Drake and Travis Scott put up the year's biggest streaming numbers; and Earl Sweatshirt and Noname made quiet, personal records that grew in stature afterwards.

Ten albums from 2018 are reviewed on the site. They are ranked here by scorecard.

How this list works: Albums released in 2018 and reviewed on the site, ranked by current score. Scores come from each review's six-part scorecard; see the methodology.

  1. 1
    DAYTONA by Pusha T album cover

    Pusha T – DAYTONA (2018)

    Score: 9.3 · Read the review · Pusha T albums ranked

    Seven tracks, twenty-one minutes, every beat by Kanye West: no filler and no wasted bars.

  2. 2
    Room 25 by Noname album cover

    Noname – Room 25 (2018)

    Score: 9.0 · Read the review · Noname albums ranked

    Noname's debut studio album sets conversational poetry over live jazz-soul production from Phoelix.

  3. 3
    Victory Lap by Nipsey Hussle album cover

    Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap (2018)

    Score: 8.7 · Read the review

    Nipsey's long-awaited debut studio album, a celebration of independence and Crenshaw, released a year before his death.

  4. 4
    ASTROWORLD by Travis Scott album cover

    Travis Scott – ASTROWORLD (2018)

    Score: 8.7 · Read the review · Travis Scott albums ranked

    Named after Houston's closed Six Flags park, it moves through beat switches and guest verses as if through rides.

  5. 5
    DiCaprio 2 by J.I.D album cover

    J.I.D – DiCaprio 2 (2018)

    Score: 8.7 · Read the review · J.I.D albums ranked

    JID's Dreamville major-label debut showcases his elastic, fast flows over beats from Christo, Hit-Boy and others.

  6. 6
    Some Rap Songs by Earl Sweatshirt album cover

    Earl Sweatshirt – Some Rap Songs (2018)

    Score: 8.7 · Read the review · Earl Sweatshirt albums ranked

    Twenty-five minutes of warped, looped samples; Earl's grief for his father shapes the album.

  7. 7
    Die Lit by Playboi Carti album cover

    Playboi Carti – Die Lit (2018)

    Score: 8.0 · Read the review · Playboi Carti albums ranked

    Pi'erre Bourne's bright, chirping production and Carti's baby-voice ad-libs turned "vamp" and mosh-pit rap into a scene.

  8. 8
    KOD by J. Cole album cover

    J. Cole – KOD (2018)

    Score: 7.8 · Read the review · J. Cole albums ranked

    A short concept album about addiction in its many forms, with Cole appearing under the alias kiLL edward.

  9. 9
    Milky Way by Bas album cover

    Bas – Milky Way (2018)

    Score: 7.8 · Read the review · Bas albums ranked

    The Dreamville rapper's third album is relaxed and melodic, with J. Cole and The Hics among the guests.

  10. 10
    Scorpion by Drake album cover

    Drake – Scorpion (2018)

    Score: 7.3 · Read the review · Drake albums ranked

    A double album split into a rap side and an R&B side, with "God's Plan", "Nice for What" and "In My Feelings".

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