👑 Ranking the Best Rap Albums of 2023

Coming off the seismic waves of 2021 and 2022 — years that were brimming with blockbuster releases from the likes of Drake, J. Cole, Kendrick, Kanye, Future, Lil Baby, and others — 2023 might have appeared a tad quieter to the casual observer. But take a closer and you’ll find that this year had equally potent releases, albeit more low-key.

Trippie Redd’s genre-blending symphony, Mansion Musik, for instance, played host to a magnificent mashup of modern trap, rage music and deep drill bass, Rae Sremmurd made their comeback with Sremm 4 Life, a masterful showcase of their seamless blend of trap and melodic rap. The usually pop-inclined Macklemore delved deeper into rap with Ben, offering a fervently animated and punchline-rich collection that reminds us of his unparalleled versatility. In a surprise twist, Lil Yachty embarked on a psychedelic rock exploration with Let’s Start Here, successfully integrating this into his signature melodic rap style.

We also some super interesting collaboration projects this year. DJ Muggs teamed up with Madlib and Meyhem Lauren on Champagne For Breakfast. This convergence of veteran beatmakers and boom-bap lyricism was an audible feast for lovers of gritty underground production and over-the-top raps. Further embracing the unconventional, Billy Woods and Kenny Segal’s cryptic yet entrancing Maps weaved a labyrinthine narrative of touring the world, loaded with complex metaphors, obscure references, and unpredictable deliveries.

Alongside these more experimental offerings, traditional rap found its stalwarts in Black Thought’s lyrical spectacle Glorious Game and Larry June’s wisdom-packed rhymes in The Great Escape, backed by the decade’s most prolific producer, The Alchemist.

So let’s get into it. From NBA Youngboy’s I Rest My Case to Lloyd Banks’ The Course of the Inevitable III and Killer Mike ‘s Michael, we rank the best hip hop albums of 2023 (so far).

35. Trippie Redd — Mansion Musik

Released: January 20, 2023

Label: 10K Projects, 1400 Entertainment

Bringing on an army of the mainstream’s finest MCs, Mansion Muzik is a seventy-minute celebration of modern trap music. From Future to Lil B to Chief Keef, each rapper brings their all with a head-bopping verse to match the abrasive production. Mixing together the catchy drums of trap with the synths of rage music and the deep bass of drill, Trippie fuses a dozen different sounds into his most eclectic effort yet.

34. Rae Sremmurd — Sremm 4 Life

Released: April 7, 2023

Label: EarDrummers, Interscope Records

Rae Sremmurd may have been gone five years, but the duo bounce off each other like they were never apart. Trading hedonistic rhymes over a selection of electro-infused trap beats, their seamless blend of trap and melodic rap is too catchy to resist. There have been plenty of solid trap records this year, but few can rival the head-bopping hooks of Sremm 4 Life.

33. Macklemore — Ben

Released: March 3, 2023

Label: Bendo LLC

Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Ben is one of Macklemore’s best albums to date. Rapping with his signature animated delivery – spitting densely-packed rhymes with a hyperactive flow and limitless punchlines – Ben is back in full form, making a surprise comeback to prove his reflective brand of pop rap still holds up today.

32. Jack Harlow — Jackman

Released: April 28, 2023

Label: Generation Now, Atlantic

Catering to the mainstream with the pop rap glamour of Come Home the Kids Miss You, nobody could have expected the mature turn Jack Harlow took with Jackman. Scrapping the radio-friendly hooks and luxurious production of his sophomore record, on his third LP, Harlow puts all the effort into his pen, tackling all sorts of issues from his privilege as a white man to the struggle of old friends turning into terrible people. An army of producers deliver some upbeat instrumentals to lighten the mood, with the chipmunk soul of “They Don’t Love It” and the triumphant horns of “Ambitious” sounding like lost beats from 2000s Kanye and Just Blaze. You won’t hear Jackman on the radio, but by the end of the year, it’ll be on every list of best rap records.

31. Don Toliver — Love Sick

Released: February 24, 2023

Label: Cactus Jack Records, Atlantic Records

Combine the psychedelic trap of Travis Scott with the dreamy R&B of Kali Uchis, and the result is Don Toliver. Focussing more on atmosphere than anything else, Don’s tenor vocals add to the languid, spacey vibe of Love Sick, like his voice is an instrument looping in the production. Delivering soothing ballads or catchy melodic hits, the Houston native’s slick blend of singing and rapping always entertains, immersing the listener in a dreamlike world like no other MC in his lane. Bringing on R&B talents like Kali Uchis and Brent Faiyaz, as well as trap titans like Future and Lil Durk, every feature adds to the spacey sound of Love Sick, but it’s Don’s hypnotic performance that makes it a highlight of 2023.

30. IDK — F65

Released: May 5, 2023

Label: Clue No Clue LLC, Warner Records

From trap hits to melodic rap ballads to a Stevie Wonder cover, F65 is a jumble of random ideas somehow tied into a neat, cohesive package. Running for twenty-two tracks, parts of the record feel like a lightning round of colourful concepts, with few tracks lasting over three minutes. Despite each song’s brevity, every one is packed with detail, topped off with some of the most impassioned verses of IDK’s career.

29. Lil Yachty — Let’s Start Here

Released: January 27, 2023

Label: Concrete Records, Quality Control, Motown Records

Yachty dropping a psychedelic rock album is something no one could have predicted, but even more surprising is the fact he pulled it off. Taking the autotune-heavy, melodic rap style that brought him to fame, Yachty ditches his signature trap sound to sing over a hypnotic blend of glittering guitars and thundering drums. With the help of legends all over the music world like pop duo Magdalena Bay and R&B singer Daniel Caesar, Let’s Start Here is a star-studded fusion of genres tied together by the most passionate performance Lil Yachty has ever delivered. Tracks like “Running Out of Time” and “Drive Me Crazy!” have addictive hooks that should have become worldwide hits, whereas darker cuts like “The Black Seminole” show off the raw power of Yachty’s singing. From a lyrical point of view, this is Lil Boat’s best by a mile, stripping away his club-shaking sound to get more vulnerable on the mic than ever before. Let’s Start Here may not be the compilation of trap bangers long-time fans wanted, but for most listeners, it stands out as his sharpest effort yet. Switching style was his leap of faith, and he stuck the landing perfectly.

28. Key Glock — Glockoma 2

Released: February 24, 2023

Label: Paper Route Empire

You know what you’re getting into when a new Key Glock project drops – some braggadocious rhymes, an endless supply of catchy hooks, and no shortage of club-shaking beats. He isn’t breaking the mould on Glockoma 2, but with a keen ear for beats and natural charisma on the mic, his formula isn’t getting old any time soon. Paying tribute to Young Dolph on “Work” or bragging about his endless riches on “Chromosomes”, the Memphis native dominates every track with a swaggering delivery and some clever wordplay to hype himself up in as many creative ways as possible. Glock won’t settle for monotonous production, recruiting only the finest beatmakers to deliver instrumentals as hard-hitting as they are intricately detailed.

27. Mach-Hommy x Tha God Fahim — Notorious Dump Legends: Volume 2

Released: March 3, 2023

Label: N/A

Despite having dropped twelve projects this decade, Mach-Hommy still isn’t out of ideas. Volume 2 is a lyrical feast where Mach’s cryptic pen game is in full effect, hyping up his supreme ability with the steady flow of Mos Def and the layered rhyme schemes of MF DOOM. Tha God Fahim doesn’t fall behind his Haitian partner-in-rhyme, spitting quotable after quotable of witty wordplay with the high-energy delivery to contrast Mach’s laidback rhymes. Swapping bars over a rustic set of jazz rap beats, the duo encapsulate the dusty sound of the underground, turning even the most repetitive instrumental into an earworm with their mesmerising verses.

26. Gunna — A Gift and a Curse

Released: June 16, 2023

Label: YSL Records, 300 Entertainment

Although Gunna dropped an album just last year, A Gift and a Curse feels like a comeback. Fighting against the snitching allegations, he has the same ear for beats and knack for catchy hooks as before, but this time, he’s got the lyrical prowess to back it up. With fierce flows and enraged bars, the trap superstar is in no mood to get the clubs dancing, treating A Gift and a Curse like his one chance to clear his name.

25. Slowthai — Ugly

Released: March 3, 2023

Label: Method Records, Interscope

Leaning more into punk than grime, Slowthai may have switched genre, but his lyrical prowess hasn’t changed. After 2021’s TYRON, fans were impressed by the level of introspection in the MC’s verses, but with how brutally personal UGLY gets, its predecessor looks tame by comparison. Breathing into the mic to mimic a panic attack, screaming his lyrics, and debating his internal thoughts, UGLY is the perfect name for a project like this, where Slowthai tackles his mental struggles in the most discomforting fashion possible. A few upbeat highlights like the summery “Feel Good” and “Sooner” lighten things up, but it’s those dark moments where Tyron thrives, articulating his thoughts with a level of depth unrivalled in the UK.

24. YoungBoy Never Broke Again — I Rest My Case

Released: January 6, 2023

Label: Never Broke Again, Motown Records

Dipping his toes into rage rap, I Rest My Case is an action-packed run of energetic bangers that flies by so quick it hardly feels like nineteen tracks. Full of fast-paced synths and sizzling basslines, the production sounds like something ripped straight from Whole Lotta Red or a Pi’erre Bourne project, but YoungBoy’s demanding mic presence keeps it from feeling derivative. Kentrell has never been the most nuanced lyricist, but when it comes to delivery, he’s a menace with the mic. Screaming his words on one track then delivering a melodic rap ballad on the next, YoungBoy flexes his versatility without stopping a second to breathe. More traditional trap cuts like “Double Cup” and “Same Thang” see YoungBoy channelling his inner Young Thug with some autotune-laced high notes, but it’s the abrasive rage songs where I Rest My Case reaches its peak. With a speedy flow and hyperactive energy, this is the Louisiana MC at his most determined and consistent. Clocking in at just forty minutes, the project is long enough to leave an impact but just short enough to play it all again as soon as it’s over.

23. Estee Nack — Nacksaw Jim Duggan

Released: May 19, 2023

Label: Griselda Records

A lot of rappers need drums to keep up with the beat, but for Estee Nack, the beat needs to keep up with him. Delivering a bombastic performance with over-the-top adlibs, an unpredictable flow, and a countless supply of one-liners, the MC’s verses pack so much of a punch you don’t realise half the tracks are drumless. Curated by Westside Gunn, Nacksaw has that vintage Griselda grit, forming the perfect background noise for some of Nack’s wildest verses.

22. Kota the Friend x Statik Selektah — To See a Sunset

Released: March 24, 2023

Label: Venice Music

Following up 2021’s To Kill a Sunrise, the latest joint effort between Kota and Statik is another soulful highlight of the decade. Continuing his streak of beat-making excellence, Statik Selektah’s production is as slick as usual, weaving together groovy basslines with lush soul samples into a collection of summery beats that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Little Brother record. Kota brings his A-game with his pen, keeping it simple with his rhyme schemes while packing layers of detail into his lovestruck stories of romance. With some sunny beats from Statik and a smooth performance from Kota, the duo complement each other perfectly.

21. Boldy James x ChanHays — Prisoner of Circumstance

Released: June 9, 2023

Label: Droppin Science Productions

Even a car crash couldn’t stop Boldy James from holding the title as most prolific MC in the game. Months after a life-threatening car accident, the Detroit veteran burst back on to the scene like he had never left, delivering some cold-hearted verses with his signature blend of gritty street talk and brutal introspection. Floating over some jazzy instrumentals from ChanHays, Boldy sounds right at home, never running out of colourful ways to pen his chequered past.

20. Jae Skeese — Abolished Uncertainties

Released: March 24, 2023

Label: Drumwork, EMPIRE

After rivalling Conway for the best verse on their collaboration Pain Provided Profit, it wasn’t long before Jae jumped back in the studio to prove his skills are catching up to the Machine. With a knack for storytelling and the multisyllabic rhyming talent of a master lyricist, his pen game is only getting sharper with each release. Thriving over beats grimy, hardcore, and trap-inspired, Jae’s versatility takes centre stage on Abolished Uncertainties.

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