Top 10 Best Rap Albums of the 21st Century

Rap music has become one of the most influential and popular genres of music in the 21st century. It has evolved from its roots in the African-American communities of the Bronx and Brooklyn in the 1970s to become a global cultural phenomenon. Over the years, rap music has produced some of the most iconic and groundbreaking albums in music history.

In this list, let's identify the top ten best rap albums of the 21st century. The albums that represent the pinnacle of creativity, innovation, and cultural impact within the rap genre. Albums that will continue to be celebrated as masterpieces of the art form. Let's celebrate the incredible artistry and impact of rap music in the 21st century, and to pay tribute to the artists who have shaped the genre into what it is today.
The Top Ten
1 The Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem

Definitely the best rap album of the whole century, and there wont be a better hip hop album than this one.

Say what you will about Eminem in more recent times but in 2000 he was epic.

2 Good Kid, M.A.A.D City - Kendrick Lamar

This album is amazing. The beats and lyrics are incredible and themes on this album are varied and interesting.

This album sucks horribly compared to TPAB. He even has a Drake feature on here!

3 My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West

An understated masterpiece. People fail to realize the effect this album has has on hip hop culture, and even more so the homage it pays to the MUSIC community through its intricate production/samples and pop culture references.

Why is Recovery here? That was a terrible album, it was pop music. This is the greatest rap album of the 21st century by far.

This album was music at its recent finest. The title track was perfect! The album was like a rap version of Prince purple rain album

4 The Eminem Show - Eminem

This album allows you to have the ability to have one solid run-through and have every track be amazing.

5 To Pimp a Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar

Greatest Rap album ever. One of the best albums in any genre of music. Should be first.

The best Hip-Hop album of the 21st century, by some margin too.

This is the greatest rap album of all time after J. Cole's 2014 Forest Hills Drive

6 Recovery - Eminem
7 The Blueprint - Jay Z

It's very simple.. This is the blueprint. Of rap music. This is how it should be done. This is HOV at his very best. The best rap album by the best rapper ever, is it even a question?

8 Relapse - Eminem
9 Graduation - Kanye West
10 Doubt Me Now - Lil Wyte

One of the best albums to come out of Memphis, as well as southern rap albums period. The production and rapping is on point for almost the entire album, and most of the songs are classics that you can play over and over without ever getting tired of.

The Contenders
11 Hell: The Sequel - Bad Meets Evil
12 Lupe Fiasco's the Cool - Lupe Fiasco

It's a disgrace that GKMC and Kanye's overrated trash is higher than this.

13 The Documentary - The Game
14 Watch the Throne - Jay-Z and Kanye West
15 Below the Heavens - Blu & Exile
16 Encore - Eminem

This album is horrible, how in the world is it higher than the Carter III, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, and Stankonia.

17 Paper Trail - T. I
18 Tha Carter III - Lil Wayne

Best lil wayne album by far, and this was when wayne was ruled the game.

19 Relapse: Refill - Eminem
20 The Blueprint 3 - Jay-Z
21 Bad Azz - Lil Boosie
22 B.O.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray - B.O.B

This is a grammy nominated album from one of the most underrated rappers in the world. The combination of rapping and singing work out amazingly on the tracks. There are also 3 top 10 singles on this one album along with features from T.I, Bruno Mars and Eminem.

23 2014 Forest Hills Drive - J Cole

Honestly one of the greatest pieces of hip-hop legend. Shows J Cole as an individual artist who can tell a story so well in an album that flows from start to finish with not a single rhyme out of place.

24 The Maven - K-Rino
25 Nothing Was the Same - Drake
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