Grammy Award for Best Rap Album

Template:Short description Template:Infobox award The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards.<ref name=Grammy>Template:Cite news</ref> Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position".<ref name=Overview>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1995, the Academy announced the addition of the award category Best Rap Album.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The first award was presented to the group Naughty by Nature at the 38th Grammy Awards the following year. According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, the award is presented for "albums containing at least 51% playing time of tracks with newly recorded rapped performances".<ref name=52nd>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Award recipients often include the producers, engineers, and/or mixers associated with the nominated work in addition to the recording artists.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Note: User must select the "Rap" category as the genre under the search feature.</ref>

As of 2025, Eminem holds the record for the most wins in this category, with six. Lauryn Hill was the first female artist to win in this category, when she won in 1997 with the Fugees. The duo Outkast and rapper Tyler, The Creator have both received the award twice. Jay-Z holds the record for the most nominations, with eleven. Drake became the first non-American winner in this category when he won in 2013. The Roots have received the most nominations without a win, with five. Eminem and Kanye West are the only artists to win the award in consecutive years, with Eminem achieving the feat twice. In 2016, Drake's If You're Reading This It's Too Late became the first mixtape to get nominated for the award, and in 2017, Chance the Rapper's Coloring Book became the first mixtape to win the award. In 2019, Cardi B became the first solo female rapper to win for Invasion of Privacy.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Recipients

File:Sean Combs 2010.jpg

1998 winner Sean Combs (credited as Puff Daddy), performing in 2010

File:Eminem - Concert for Valor in Washington, D.C. Nov. 11, 2014 (2) (Cropped).jpg

Six-time award winner Eminem, performing in 2014

File:Kanye West at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival (crop 2).jpg

Four-time award winner Kanye West

File:Ludacris 2008 (cropped).jpg

2007 award winner Ludacris

File:Lil Wayne Feb. 2020.jpg

2009 award winner Lil Wayne

File:Drake July 2016.jpg

2013 award winner Drake

File:Pulitzer2018-portraits-kendrick-lamar (cropped).jpg

Three-time award winner Kendrick Lamar

File:Cardi B interview.jpg

2019 award winner Cardi B, the first solo female rapper to win the award

YearTemplate:Ref	Recipient(s)	Work	Nominees	Ref.
1996	Naughty by Nature	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name="Grammy1996">Template:Cite news</ref>
1997	Fugees Template:DotFugees, producers	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name="Grammy1997">Template:Cite news</ref>
1998	Puff Daddy and the Family Template:DotPuff Daddy And The Family & Stevie J. producers	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name="Grammy1998">Template:Cite news</ref>
1999	Jay-Z Template:DotJoe Quinde, engineer/mixer	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name="Grammy1999">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2000	Eminem Template:DotEminem, Jeff Bass & Marky Bass, producers; Mr. B, engineer/mixer	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2000>Template:Cite news</ref>
2001	Eminem Template:DotDr. Dre & Richard Huredia, engineers/mixers	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2002	Outkast Template:DotDavid Sheats, producer; John Frye, engineer	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name="Grammy2002">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2003	Eminem Template:DotSteve King, engineer/mixer	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2003>Template:Cite news</ref>
2004	Outkast Template:DotJohn Frye, engineer/mixer	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name="Grammy2004">Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2005	Template:Sortname Template:DotManny Marroquin, engineer/mixer	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2005>Template:Cite news</ref>
2006	Template:Sortname Template:DotKanye West & Jon Brion, producers; Andrew Dawson, Anthony Kilhoffer & Tom Biller, engineers; Mike Dean, engineer/mixer	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2007	Ludacris Template:DotJoshua Monroy & Phil Tan, engineers/mixers	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name="Grammy2007">Template:Cite news</ref>
2008	Template:Sortname Template:DotKanye West, producer; Andrew Dawson, Anthony Kilhoffer & Mike Dean, engineers	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name="Grammy2008">Template:Cite news</ref>
2009	Lil Wayne Template:DotDarius "Deezle" Harrison & Fabian Marasciullo, engineers	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2009>Template:Cite news</ref>
2010	Eminem Template:DotAndre Young, producer; Andre Young, Mauricio "Veto" Iragorri & Michael Strange, engineers/mixers	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name="Grammy2010">Template:Cite news</ref>
2011	Eminem Template:DotEminem & Mike Strange, engineers/mixers	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2011>Template:Cite news</ref>
2012	Template:Sortname Template:DotKanye West, producer; Andrew Dawson, Anthony Kilhoffer, Mike Dean & Noah Goldstein, engineers/mixers	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name=Grammy2012>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2013	Drake Template:DotNoah "40" Shebib, producer; Noel "Gadget" Campbell & Noah "40" Shebib, engineers/mixers	Take Care	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2014	Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Template:DotMacklemore & Ryan Lewis, engineers/mixers	The Heist	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2015	Eminem Template:DotTony Campana, Joe Strange & Mike Strange, engineers/mixers	Template:Sort	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2016	Kendrick Lamar Template:DotDerek "MixedByAli" Ali & James "The White Black Man" Hunt, engineers/mixers	To Pimp a Butterfly	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2017	Chance the Rapper Template:DotJeff Lane, engineer/mixer	Coloring Book	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2018	Kendrick Lamar Template:DotSounwave & Anthony "Topdawg" Tiffith, producers; Derek "MixedByAli" Ali, James "The White Black Man" Hunt & Matt Schaeffer, engineers/mixers	Damn.	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2019	Cardi B Template:DotLeslie Brathwaite & Evan LaRay, engineers/mixers	Invasion of Privacy	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2020	Tyler, the Creator Template:DotTyler, The Creator, producer; Neal H Pogue, Tyler, The Creator & Vic Wainstein, engineers/mixers	Igor	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2021	Nas Template:DotHit-Boy, producer; Mark "Exit" Goodchild, Hit-Boy, David Kim & Gabriel Zardes, engineers/mixers	King's Disease	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2022	Tyler, the Creator Template:DotTyler, The Creator, producer; Neal H Pogue, Tyler, The Creator & Vic Wainstein, engineers/mixers	Call Me If You Get Lost	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2023	Kendrick Lamar Template:DotSounwave, producer; Ray Charles Brown Jr., Manny Marroquin, Matt Schaeffer & Jonathan Turner, engineers/mixers	Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers	Template:Smalldiv	<ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2024	Killer Mike Template:DotMigui Maloles & Renegade El Rey, engineers/mixers	Michael	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2025	Doechii	Alligator Bites Never Heal	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
2026	Template:TBA	Template:TBA	Template:Smalldiv	<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

^{^[I]{{#if:| }}} Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.

Artists with multiple wins

6 wins

• Eminem

4 wins

• Kanye West

3 wins

• Kendrick Lamar

2 wins

• Outkast
• Tyler, the Creator

Artists with multiple nominations

Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break 11 nominations

• Jay-Z

8 nominations

• Kanye West
• Eminem

7 nominations

• Nas
• Drake

5 nominations

• The Roots
• Common
• Kendrick Lamar

4 nominations

• J. Cole (1 with Dreamville)
• Lupe Fiasco
• Missy Elliott
• Tyler, the Creator

3 nominations

• Ludacris
• Nelly
• T.I.

2 nominations

• Nicki Minaj
• Dr. Dre
• Lil Wayne
• LL Cool J
• 50 Cent
• Outkast
• ScHoolboy Q
• A Tribe Called Quest
• 2Pac
• Pusha T
• DJ Khaled
• Travis Scott
• 21 Savage
• Future
• Metro Boomin

See also

• Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance
• Grammy Award for Best Rap Song
• Hip hop music

References

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