The 20 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2022: Staff Picks

If it wasn’t already clear from the Ghost-and-Raekwon-referencing title or the Andre-and-Big Boi posing of the cover, you could tell from the amped-up spitting of Only Built for Infinity Links intro “Two Infinity Links” how re-energized Quavo and Takeoff were to be operating as a duo, independent of their big-name group and its increasingly bloated Culture album series. The pair haven’t sounded this fun in ages, whether salsaing around Mustard horns on “See Bout It,” locking in over the spaghetti western guitars of lead single “Hotel Lobby (Unc and Phew),” or gleefully invoking their ATL predecessors once again on the “So Fresh, So Clean”-sampling “Bars Into Captions.” The pair proved anew that ain’t nobody dope as Quavo Honcho and Takeoff the Technician, and the only thing dampening Infinity Links’ glee is the tragedy that one of them is no longer around for a potential sequel. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER

GloRilla put forth one of the most memorable rookie of the year campaigns in recent years. The First Lady of CMG went from relative unknown to Grammy-nominated hitmaker within mere months. Her bars commanded respect from all sides as she capped off a banner year with the stellar Anyways, Life’s Great… EP, which was powered by a pair of anthems in “F.N.F” and the Cardi B-assisted “Tomorrow 2.” The stage is set for Big Glo to cement her star status with a major label debut next year. – MICHAEL SAPONARA

A Supreme lover’s dream, BAPE founder Nigo dug into his rolodex and gathered some of the brightest lights of the blog era for a carefully-curated piece of art that fits right in with his celebrated aesthetic. He links A$AP Rocky and Tyler, the Creator for a classic to kick things off, unearths an unreleased Pop Smoke verse for “Remember” and reunites the Clipse for the album’s standout track “Punch Bowl.” The guest list may have drawn the eyeballs, but the production and finished project are what made this album stand out among its peers. – DAN RYS

Babyface Ray is no stranger to the underdog title: Wholeheartedly committed to a sound long on the precipice of commercial success, the 31-year-old rapper quietly rose through the ranks of Detroit’s street rap scene, without a clear path into the mainstream. That is, until FACE. The 20-track offering released at the top of the year revolved around Babyface Ray’s unwavering identity as a Detroiter with tracks like the Icewear Vezzo-assisted “6 Mile Show” and “Motown Music” leaving no room for confusion about his origins. But Babyface Ray is not just a great rapper from Detroit — he’s a contender across the board. After a decade in the game, he knows his strengths, coasting over beats from 808 Mafia, DJ Esco and ATL Jacob, and filling every pocket. With FACE, Babyface Ray proved to the rap world just how universal an album born within Detroit’s street sound can be. – NEENA ROUHANI

Latto hit the jackpot with 777’s “Big Energy,” which went on to become the longest-charting solo female rap song in Billboard Hot 100 history. Across the rest of her breakthrough album, the Clayton County native put her bars to the test against a versatile cast of guests like 21 Savage, Lil Wayne, Lil Durk, and Kodak Black, more than holding her own. Big Latto’s ascension should only continue in 2023, as she’s currently the betting favorite to win best new artist at the 2023 Grammy Awards. – M.S.

Duke Deuce may be best known for a single titled “Crunk Ain’t Dead,” but the Memphis rapper is not reanimating the past: instead, CRUNKSTAR constitutes a fresh, urgent celebration of a hip-hop style that left the mainstream long ago but still has tons of energy rattling around its core. Tracks like “Flip Da Switch” with Juicy J and “Just Say That” with GloRilla honor Memphis hip-hop past and present, and Deuce’s pummeling flow sounds primed for an exciting future. – JASON LIPSHUTZ

“The magic of truth is much more powerful than the magic of make believe,” a maternal voice intones in “Vision,” an early highlight on Earl Sweatshirt’s SICK! It’s an ethos that has informed much of the underground star rapper’s career and continued with this 10-track effort, a lean and unembellished affair in which Earl shares fractured glimpses of his reality over appropriately queasy piano sweeps, synth burbles and clipped horn riffs, provided by regular collaborators The Alchemist and Black Noi$e. It culminates in the stunning “Fire in the Hole,” a one-verse rhapsody over a gorgeous Zulema guitar loop about missed connections, sword oaths and staying ready for what comes next: “Life can change in the blink of an eye/ I’m wrinklin’ time.” — A.U.

Brockhampton’s TM marks the end of an era for the Texas hip-hop collective, who surprise-dropped the 11-song record and their previously announced final album, The Family, back in November. Whereas that album acts as group leader Kevin Abstract’s tell-all about the rise and fall of the band, TM, which stands for “the mountain,” is the guys’ final hurrah. Songs like “ANIMAL” and “LISTERINE” highlight their knack for pairing distorted vocals and rhythmic melodies with alternative hip-hop beats, whereas “FMG” and “NEW SHOES” see them executing their more traditional rap brilliance. An eclectic collection of sounds, TM has something for everyone, a true reflection of the individual characters that came to be Brockhampton. — CYDNEY LEE

Though Joey Bada$$ has mostly shifted his attention to acting in the last few years, his lyrical blade remains sharper than ever. After a five-year hiatus, the Brooklyn representer nimbly carves his foes to a punishing demise on his newest release, 2000. The sequel to his 1999 debut mixtape opus, 2000 finds Joey barreling himself back into rap contention with New York idols Diddy and Nas narrating his comeback run. Joey pays homage to his fallen comrades Capital STEEZ and Junior B on “Survivor’s Guilt” while celebrating his wins on the celebratory “One of Us” with Larry June. – CARL LAMARRE

Having worked together on four hits — “Sneakin’,” “Mr. Right Now,” “Knife Talk” and “Jimmy Cooks” —  it was only natural that Drake and 21 Savage expand their platinum-certified partnership into a studio album. Debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this November, Her Loss further plays up the pair’s opposites-attract rapport: Drake’s calculated approach rubbing elbows with 21 Savage’s street instincts as the former reclaims his rap roots following his mid-year dance detour. Drawing widespread media attention thanks to the duo’s fake publicity campaigns involving Vogue magazine and other outlets, Her Loss brims with braggadocious rhymes (“On BS”), flexing (“Middle of the Ocean,” with a snipe at Serena Williams’ husband) and a dig at Kanye West (“Circo Loco”). – G.M. 

On HEROES & VILLIANS, the St. Louis-raised musical savant Metro Boomin is a master curator, melding together all the right ingredients for each all-star artist to meet their full potential: Don Toliver’s unmistakable melodies, bouncing atop production that keeps the pace on “Too Many Nights,” Young Thug’s flow, more laid back than usual on the hazy “Trance” alongside Travis Scott, and A$AP Rocky at his best, balanced perfectly by beloved late rapper Takeoff on “Feel The Fiyaaaah.” Metro rounds out the offering by pulling in notes of R&B history with “Creepin,” The Weeknd’s rendition of Mario Winans’s “I Don’t Wanna Know,” and creating ample space for frequent collaborator 21 Savage to shine, most notably on the Young Nudy-assisted “Umbrella.” – N.R.

On his 10th album I NEVER LIKED YOU, rap’s toxic king gloats about easily satisfying a woman’s material desires so she can satisfy him sexually, over ATL Jacob’s menacing 808s and sizzling trap hi-hats, and uses chopped-up R&B samples to bemoan broken relationships while still playing the ultimate victim. The project further reinforced Future’s chart reign by becoming his eighth Billboard 200-topping album, while its hit single “Wait For U,” featuring Drake and Tems, became his first Hot 100 No. 1 as a lead artist.  – HERAN MAMO

Once trumpeted as Dreamville’s secret weapon, JID officially graduated to Rap All-Star with his latest release, The Forever Story. The precocious wordsmith takes a giant leap forward by piecing together an ambitious effort doused with honesty, vulnerability, and trauma. Using the booth as his therapy couch, he scripts indelible gems like the familial twosome “Bruddanem” and “Sistanem.” The crown jewel is the bluesy jam “Kody Blu 31,” which details fistfights amongst his loved ones.  – C. Lamarre

For the third iteration of King’s Disease, Nas is in his best form. On the Hit Boy-led KD3, Nas is revived, leaning into his strengths and undeniable chemistry with the renowned West Coast producer. The project transmits the bold grit of the ’90s New York style that soundtracked Nas’ epic rise, while more pensive cuts like “Once a Man, Twice a Child” soften out the edges. With legends like Nas, there should never be doubts regarding their enduring greatness — but if there ever are, KD3 put the naysayers in their place. – N.R.

At this point, Griselda is in near-can’t-miss mode, led for the past few years by the consistently top-shelf street rap delivered by Benny the Butcher. But on this album, Conway arguably out-duels his running mate with a project that blends some of the hardest records released this year (“Lock Load,” “Tear Gas,” “John Woo Flick”) with the most introspective rhymes of his career, telling the story of the Book of Conway in an honest, raw way that is unyieldingly compelling. There is plenty to love throughout, but the unflinching, one-verse confessional “Guilty” is simply one of the great gifts of 2022. – D.R.

Throughout his retrospective fifth studio album, Vince Staples grapples with all of the nostalgia wrapped into the Long Beach, California neighborhood that defined his upbringing. As its title indicates, there’s plenty of pain to unpack, and he often delves into it with a demeanor — and backing production — that’s serene. The contrast sticks the landing, and at a runtime that nearly matches the length of his last two albums (2021’s self-titled effort and 2019’s FM!) combined, he has room to successfully experiment with some of his most radio-friendly songs to date too: The Mustard-assisted single “Magic” led to Staples’ first career entry on Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Rap Airplay, and Rhythmic Airplay charts. – JOSH GLICKSMAN

The San Francisco rapper embarks on a fruitful, melodic journey on his latest album Spaceships on the Blade. The 20-track set plays like a laidback soundtrack for a late-night joyride (in June’s Lamborghini Huracán EVO, no less), as he whips though ’70s soul-funk on “Private Valet,” ‘80s R&B on the Syd-assisted “For Tonight” and ‘90s house on “Don’t Check Me.” Even when he takes his listeners through the scenic route of his life, he reflects on the previous bumps in the road on “Organic Adjustments” (“You can hear it in my music/ Came from the bottom of it”) and maps out his ultimate destination on “Appreciate It All” (“Now we cop real estate, pass it down to the seed”). – H.M.

Gunna’s music has long been aimed at constructing all-encompassing moods instead of dense stories, and after 2020’s immaculately vibed-out Wunna became his first solo Billboard 200 No. 1 album, DS4Ever grew his translucent tone poems into a commercial blockbuster, led by the blissful alliteration of “Pushin P.” DS4Ever is both a tour de force and a cocoon, inviting endless explorations of its textures while cementing Gunna as a deserving superstar; his legal issues have ended his year on a sorrowful note, but this album’s impact remains unimpeachable. – J.L.

Cocaine’s Dr. Suess has always thrived on elite production, and here he splits his fourth album between two of the best to ever do it in Pharrell and Kanye West. But that’s not solely what makes this one of the year’s best rap albums: it’s that Pusha T is simply one of the most creative rappers in the game right now, 20 years since his debut with the Clipse. Whether he’s delivering his trademark snarling coke raps (“Diet Coke,” “Open Air”), playing around with his flow (“Scrape It Off”) or pulling memorable guest spots from hip-hop’s top tier (Jay-Z, Lil Uzi Vert, his brother Malice), Push knows how to create an adventurous album that still resides firmly within his comfort zone, serving up another classic on a platter. They mad at us? Who wouldn’t be? – D.R.

In the five years since Lamar’s last album, 2017’s DAMN., the Compton, Calif. rapper produced the Black Panther soundtrack, won the Pulitzer Prize for Music, became the father of two, launched the label/movie studio/publishing company pgLang — and announced this would be his final Top Dawg Entertainment project. Lamar’s fifth studio album finds him ruminating on subjects including fatherhood, materialism, love, his career, and generational/social issues against the backdrop of COVID-19. His innate talent for insightful lyricism and emotive flows are still on point, coupled with production that glides from lush to futuristic. Among the 18-track set’s standouts are “Purple Hearts” with Summer Walker and Ghostface Killah, “N95,” “Auntie Diaries” and “We Cry Together” featuring Taylour Paige. An impactful album for impactful times, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is a current Grammy nominee for album of the year and best rap album.  – G.M.