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 century, and there won't 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 the themes on this album are varied and interesting.

3 My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West

An understated masterpiece. People fail to realize the effect this album 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's Purple Rain album.

4 The Eminem Show - Eminem

This album allows you 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 are on point for almost the entire album, and most of the songs are classics. You can play them over and over without ever getting tired of them.

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

Best Lil Wayne album by far, and this was when Wayne 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 works out amazingly on the tracks. There are also three 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. It 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 Madvillany - Madvillan

This album is the most creative rap album of all time. I didn't expect this level of genius, especially considering other great albums like Illmatic, 36 Chambers, Me Against the World, and To Pimp a Butterfly.

I've seen a lot of complex rhymes, which I love. Then I listened to the songs and realized that in about eight of them, he isn't being abstract. I learn something new every time I listen to it. Really fun album.

MF DOOM is a great rapper, and Madlib is a great producer. Their collaboration obviously resulted in this masterpiece.

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