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All the Number One Hip-Hop Albums Ever – A djrobblog exclusive!

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Rap legends from top left (clockwise): Jay-Z, Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, and Eminem.  Between them, they’ve had 32 Number One albums.

(Updated July 15, 2019).  Here’s an exclusive listing of all 198 rap and hip-hop albums that have reached Number One on the Billboard 200, from the first one in March 1987, the Beastie Boys’ Licensed To Ill, to the most recent as of the chart dated July 20, 2019 (Revenge of the Dreamers III by the acts on J. Cole’s Dreamville label).

You won’t find a more complete and accurate listing of rap/hip-hop albums that have topped the album chart anywhere but here on djrobblog.

Rap music first appeared in commercial recordings and on the Billboard charts in the late 1970s, but didn’t cross into the mainstream until nearly a decade later when icons like Run-DMC, L.L. Cool J and Beastie Boys made it more palatable to suburban (white) teenagers.

Not surprisingly, the Beasties’ rock-leaning brand of rap was the first to top Billboard’s main album chart.  But it wasn’t long before artists like NWA, Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. blew the doors wide open.

In the 32 years since the Beasties’ triumph, 198 albums that qualify as rap/hip-hop have topped the chart, and djrobblog has tallied all of them right here.

(Clockwise from top left): Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Lauryn Hill, Eve and Foxy Brown are the only female rappers to have achieved No. 1 albums.

Albums are listed in chronological order by title, artist and the chart date they first reached Number One, along with a running count of the number of #1 albums for the artist.  (Note: the count does NOT represent the total album output of any artist, just the running count of those that have reached #1 on the Billboard 200.)

Soundtrack albums that are predominantly hip-hop in nature are included in this historic recap.  However, albums that only contain a small percentage of rap or hip-hop songs are excluded – as are R&B or pop albums in which rap artists mainly serve in featured roles.

The artists with the most No. 1 albums to date are (to no one’s surprise):

1. Jay-Z (14); 2. Eminem (9); 3. Drake and Kanye West (tied, 8 each); 5. Future and Nas (tied, 6 each)

The year with the most No. 1 hip-hop albums is 2018 with 18, followed by 2017 with twelve, and 2015 with eleven.  So far in 2019 there have been eight No. 1 hip-hop albums on the Billboard 200.

As an added bonus, you can listen to a key track from each one* of the 198 albums by clicking the link below to access my special playlist on Spotify.  (*assuming the artist’s product is available on the streaming service).

Enjoy.

  1. Licensed To Ill – Beastie Boys (3/07/87; their first #1)
  2. Loc-ed After Dark – Tone-Loc (4/15/89; his first)
  3. Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em – MC Hammer (6/09/90; his first)
  4. To The Extreme – Vanilla Ice (11/10/90; his first)
  5. EFIL4ZAGGIN – N.W.A. (6/22/91; their first)
  6. Totally Krossed Out – Kris Kross (5/23/92; their first)
  7. The Predator (World) – Ice Cube (12/05/92; his first)
  8. Black Sunday – Cypress Hill (8/07/93; their first)
  9. Doggystyle – Snoop Doggy Dogg (12/11/93; his first)
  10. Ill Communication – Beastie Boys (6/18/94; their second)
  11. Murder Was The Case (Soundtrack) – Various Artists (11/05/94)
  12. Me Against The World – 2Pac (4/01/95; his first)
  13. Friday (Soundtrack) – Various Artists (5/13/95)
  14. E. Eternal 1999 – Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (8/12/95; their first)
  15. Dangerous Minds (Soundtrack) – Various Artists (9/02/95)
  16. Dogg Food – Tha Dogg Pound (11/18/95; their first)
  17. All Eyez On Me – 2Pac (3/02/96; his second)
  18. The Score – Fugees (5/25/96; their first)
  19. It Was Written – Nas (7/20/96; his first)
  20. Beats, Rhymes & Life – A Tribe Called Quest (8/17/96; their first)
  21. The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory – Makaveli (2Pac) (11/23/96; his third)
  22. The Doggfather – Snoop Dogg (11/30/96; his second)
  23. The Untouchable – Scarface (3/29/97; his first)
  24. Life After Death – The Notorious B.I.G. (4/12/97; his first)
  25. Wu-Tang Forever – Wu-Tang Clan (6/21/97; their first)
  26. No Way Out – Puff Daddy & the Family (8/09/97; his first)
  27. The Art of War: World War 1 – Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (8/16/97; their second)
  28. Ghetto D – Master P (9/20/97; his first)
  29. The Firm — The Album – Nas Escobar, Foxy Brown, AZ and Nature (11/08/97; Nas’ second, Foxy Brown’s first, AZ’s first, and Nature’s first)
  30. Harlem World – Mase (11/15/97; his first)
  31. It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot – DMX (6/06/98; his first)
  32. MP Da Last Don – Master P (6/20/98; his second)
  33. Hello Nasty – Beastie Boys (8/01/98; their third)
  34. Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told – Snoop Dogg (8/22/98; his third)
  35. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill – Lauryn Hill (9/12/98; her first)
  36. Vol. 2…Hard Knock Life – Jay-Z (10/17/98; his first)
  37. Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood – DMX (1/09/99; his second)
  38. Made Man – Silkk The Shocker (2/06/99; his first)
  39. Chyna Doll – Foxy Brown (2/13/99; her second)
  40. I Am… – Nas (4/24/99; his third)
  41. Ryde Or Die Volume One – Ruff Ryders Various Artists (5/15/99; their first)
  42. Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady – Eve (10/02/99; her first)
  43. Born Again – The Notorious B.I.G. (12/25/99; his second)
  44. …And Then There Was X – DMX (1/08/00; his third)
  45. Vol. 3…Life And Times of S. Carter – Jay-Z (1/15/00; his second)
  46. The Marshall Mathers LP – Eminem (6/10/00; his first)
  47. Country Grammar – Nelly (8/26/00; his first)
  48. G.O.A.T. Featuring James T. Smith: The Greatest of All Time – LL Cool J (9/30/00; his first)
  49. Let’s Get Ready – Mystikal (10/14/00; his first)
  50. Rule 3:36 – Ja Rule (10/28/00; his first)
  51. The Dynasty Roc La Familia (2000 – ) – Jay-Z (11/18/00; his third)
  52. Until The End Of Time – 2Pac (4/14/01; his fourth)
  53. Devils Night – D12 (7/07/01; their first)
  54. The Blueprint – Jay-Z (9/29/01; his fourth)
  55. Pain Is Love – Ja Rule (10/20/01; his first)
  56. The Great Depression – DMX (11/10/01; his fourth)
  57. Hood Rich – Big Tymers (5/18/02; their first)
  58. P. Diddy & Bad Boy Present…We Invented The Remix – Various Artists (6/01/02)
  59. The Eminem Show – Eminem (6/08/02; his second)
  60. Nellyville – Nelly (7/13/02; his second)
  61. 8 Mile (Soundtrack) – Various Artists (11/16/02)
  62. Blueprint 2 – The Gift & The Curse – Jay-Z (11/30/02; his fifth)
  63. Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ – 50 Cent (2/22/03; his first)
  64. Grand Champ – DMX (10/04/03; his fifth)
  65. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below – OutKast (10/11/03; their first)
  66. Chicken-N-Beer – Ludacris (10/25/03; his first)
  67. The Black Album – Jay-Z (11/29/03; his sixth)
  68. Kamikaze – Twista (2/14/04; his first)
  69. D-12 World – D12 (5/15/04; their second)
  70. To The 5 Buroughs – Beastie Boys (7/03/04; their fourth)
  71. Kiss of Death – Jadakiss (7/10/04; his first)
  72. The Hunger For More – Lloyd Banks (7/17/04; his first)
  73. Suit – Nelly (10/02/04; his third)
  74. Unfinished Business – R. Kelly & Jay-Z (11/13/04; Jay-Z’s seventh)
  75. Encore – Eminem (11/27/04; his third)
  76. MTV Ultimate Mash-Ups Presents: Collision Course – Jay-Z/Linkin Park (12/18/04; Jay-Z’s eighth)
  77. The Red Light District – Ludacris (12/25/04; his second)
  78. Loyal To The Game – 2Pac (1/01/05; his fifth)
  79. The Documentary – The Game (2/19/05; his first)
  80. The Massacre – 50 Cent (3/19/05; his second)
  81. Late Registration – Kanye West (9/17/05; his first)
  82. Curtain Call: The Hits – Eminem (12/24/05; his fourth)
  83. Reality Check – Juvenile (3/25/06; his first)
  84. King – T.I. (4/15/06; his first)
  85. The Big Bang – Busta Rhymes (7/01/06; his first)
  86. Port of Miami – Rick Ross (8/26/06; his first)
  87. Release Therapy – Ludacris (10/14/06; his third)
  88. Press Play – Diddy (11/04/06; his second)
  89. Doctor’s Advocate – The Game (12/02/06; his second)
  90. Kingdom Come – Jay-Z (12/09/06; his ninth)
  91. The Inspiration – Jeezy (12/30/06; his first)
  92. Hip-Hop Is Dead – Nas (1/6/07; his fourth)
  93. Greatest Hits – The Notorious B.I.G. (3/24/07; his third)
  94. Epiphany – T-Pain (6/23/07; his first)
  95. T.I. vs. T.I.P. – T.I (7/21/07; his second)
  96. Finding Forever – Common (8/18/07; his first)
  97. Underground Kingz – UGK (8/25/07; their first)
  98. Graduation – Kanye West (9/29/07; his second)
  99. American Gangster – Jay-Z (11/24/07; his tenth)
  100. Trilla – Rick Ross (3/29/08; his second)
  101. Tha Carter III – Lil Wayne (6/28/08; his first)
  102. Nas (Untitled) – Nas (8/02/08; his fifth)
  103. The Recession – Jeezy (9/20/08; his second)
  104. Paper Trail – T.I. (10/18/08; his third)
  105. 808s & Heartbreak – Kanye West (12/13/08; his third)
  106. Deeper Than Rap – Rick Ross (5/09/09; his third)
  107. Relapse – Eminem (7/06/09; his fifth)
  108. Loso’s Way (Soundtrack) – Fabolous (8/15/09; his first)
  109. The Blueprint 3 – Jay-Z (9/26/09; his eleventh)
  110. Battle of the Sexes – Ludacris (3/27/10; his fourth)
  111. B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray – B.o.B (5/15/10; his first)
  112. Thank Me Later – Drake (7/03/10; his first)
  113. Recovery – Eminem (7/10/10; his sixth)
  114. I Am Not A Human Being – Lil Wayne (10/30/10; his second)
  115. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West (12/11/10; his fourth)
  116. Pink Friday – Nicki Minaj (2/19/11; her first)
  117. Lasers – Lupe Fiasco (3/26/11; his first)
  118. Watch The Throne – Jay-Z Kanye West (8/27/11; Jay-Z’s twelfth, Kanye’s fifth)
  119. The R.E.D. Album – The Game (9/10/11; his third)
  120. Tha Carter IV – Lil Wayne (9/17/11; his third)
  121. Cole World: The Sideline Story – J. Cole (10/15/11; his first)
  122. Blue Slide Park – Mac Miller (11/26/11; his first)
  123. Take Care – Drake (12/03/11; his second)
  124. Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – Nicki Minaj (4/21/12; her second)
  125. Life Is Good – Nas (8/04/12; his sixth)
  126. God Forgives, I Don’t – Rick Ross (8/18/12; his fourth)
  127. Based On A T.R.U. Story – 2 Chainz (9/01/12; his first)
  128. Eye On It – tobyMac (9/15/12; his first)
  129. Long.Live.A$AP – A$AP Rocky (2/02/13; his first)
  130. Yeezus – Kanye West (7/06/13; his sixth)
  131. The Gifted – Wale (7/13/13; his first)
  132. Born Sinner – J. Cole (7/20/13; his second)
  133. Magna Carta…Holy Grail – Jay-Z (7/27/13; his thirteenth)
  134. Nothing Was The Same – Drake (10/12/13; his third)
  135. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 – Eminem (11/23/13; his seventh)
  136. Oxymoron – ScHoolboy Q (3/15/14; his first)
  137. Mastermind – Rick Ross (3/22/14; his fifth)
  138. Blacc Hollywood – Wiz Khalifa (9/06/14; his first)
  139. Anomaly – Lecrae (9/27/14; his first)
  140. 2014 Forest Hills Drive – J. Cole (12/27/14; his third)
  141. If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late – Drake (2/28/15; his fourth)
  142. Dark Sky Paradise – Big Sean (3/14/15; his first)
  143. Empire:  Original Soundtrack From Season 1 – Various Artists (Cast) (3/28/15)
  144. To Pimp A Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar (4/04/15; his first)
  145. The Album About Nothing – Wale (4/18/15; his second)
  146. Furious 7 (Soundtrack) – Various Artists (4/25/15)
  147. At.Long.Last.A$AP – A$AP Rocky (6/13/15; his second)
  148. Dreams Worth More Than Money – Meek Mill (7/18/15; his first)
  149. DS2 – Future (8/8/15; his first)
  150. What a Time to Be Alive – Drake & Future (10/10/15; Drake’s fifth, Future’s second)
  151. Fetty Wap – Fetty Wap (10/17/15; his first)
  152. Evol – Future (2/27/16; his third)
  153. untitled…unmastered – Kendrick Lamar (3/26/16; his second)
  154. The Life of Pablo – Kanye West (4/23/16; his seventh)
  155. Views – Drake (5/21/16; his sixth)
  156. Major Key – DJ Khaled (8/20/16; his first)
  157. Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight – Travi$ Scott (9/24/16; his first)
  158. Trap Or Die 3 – Jeezy (11/19/16; his third)
  159. We Got It From Here…Thank You 4 Your Service – A Tribe Called Quest (12/3/16; their second)
  160. 4 Your Eyez Only – J. Cole (12/31/16; his fourth)
  161. Culture – Migos (2/11/17; their first)
  162. I Decided – Big Sean (2/25/17; his second)
  163. Future – Future (3/11/17; his fourth)
  164. HNDRXX – Future (3/18/17; his fifth – and the first artist of any genre to have back-to-back No. 1 debuts in consecutive weeks)
  165. More Life – Drake (4/9/17; his seventh)
  166. DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar (5/6/17; his third)
  167. Everybody – Logic (5/27/17; his first)
  168. True To Self – Bryson Tiller (6/17/17; his first)
  169. Grateful – DJ Khaled (7/15/17; his second)
  170. 4:44 – JAY-Z (7/29/17; his 14th)
  171. Luv Is Rage 2 – Lil Uzi Vert (9/16/17; his first)
  172. Perception – NF (10/28/17; his first)
  173. Revival – Eminem (01/03/18; his eighth)
  174. Culture II – Migos (02/10/18; their second)
  175. Black Panther: The Album – Kendrick Lamar/Various Artists (02/24/18; Lamar’s fourth)
  176. Bobby Tarantino 2 – Logic (03/24/18; his second)
  177. ? – XXXTentacion (03/31/18; his first)
  178. Invasion Of Privacy – Cardi B (04/21/18; her first)
  179. KOD – J Cole (05/05/18; his fifth)
  180. Beerbongs And Bentleys – Post Malone (05/12/18; his first)
  181. ye – Kanye West (06/16/2018; his eighth)
  182. Scorpion – Drake (07/14/18; his eighth)
  183. Astroworld – Travis Scott (08/18/18; his second)
  184. Kamikaze – Eminem (09/15/18; his ninth)
  185. iridescence – BROCKHAMPTON (10/6/18; their first)
  186. Tha Carter V – Lil Wayne (10/13/18; his fourth)
  187. NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES – Metro Boomin (11/17/18; his first)
  188. Champions – Meek Mill (12/15/18; his second)
  189. Skins – XXXTentacion (12/22/18; his second)
  190. Dying to Live – Kodak Black (12/29/18; his first)
  191. I Am > I Was – 21 Savage (01/05/19; his first)
  192. Hoodie SZN – A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie (01/19/19; his first)
  193. Future HNDRXX Presents: the WIZRD – Future (02/02/19; his sixth)
  194. Death Race For Love – Juice Wrld (03/23/19; his first)
  195. Bad Habits – NAV (04/06/19; his first)
  196. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind – Logic (05/25/19; his third)
  197. IGOR – Tyler, the Creator (06/01/19; his first)
  198. Revenge of the Dreamers III – Dreamville (07/20/19; their first collectively)

DJRob

This list was originally published on March 27, 2015.  It is updated regularly.

DJRob is a freelance blogger who covers R&B, hip-hop, pop and rock genres – plus lots of music news and current stuff!  You can follow him on Twitter @djrobblog.

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Kendrick Lamar (top two pics) and the Beastie Boys:  Two of many hip-hop acts to reach Number One multiple times on the Billboard 200 album chart.
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