GuideBallotsDataToolsBlog

Every Grammys Best Rap Album winner

26 ceremonies, 2000–2025. 14 different winners. The longest run was Eminem, 2 years straight (2000–2001).

Eminem ×6Kanye West ×4Kendrick Lamar ×3OutKast ×2Tyler, the Creator ×2
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by label; hover for details.
Eminem'00–'01×2
OutKast'02
Eminem'03
OutKast'04
Kanye West'05–'06×2
Ludacris'07
Kanye West'08
Lil Wayne'09
Eminem'10–'11×2
Kanye West'12
Drake'13
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis'14
Eminem'15
Kendrick Lamar'16
Chance the Rapper'17
Kendrick Lamar'18
Cardi B'19
Tyler, the Creator'20
Nas'21
Tyler, the Creator'22
Kendrick Lamar'23
Killer Mike'24
Doechii'25
Wins by label
Independent7Universal7Roc-A-Fella4Sony4DTP1pgLang1Other2

Who kept losing

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2025.

Most nominated, never won

  • Jay-Z9 noms
  • The Roots5 noms
  • Common4 noms
  • Lupe Fiasco4 noms
  • J. Cole3 noms
  • Missy Elliott3 noms

Most losses

  • Jay-Z9L · 0W
  • Nas6L · 1W
  • Drake5L · 1W
  • The Roots5L · 0W
  • Common4L · 0W
  • Lupe Fiasco4L · 0W

The full list

YearWinnerLabel
2025Doechii (Alligator Bites Never Heal)
beat 4 others
  • Common and Pete Rock (The Auditorium Vol. 1)
  • Eminem (The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce))
  • J. Cole (Might Delete Later)
  • Future and Metro Boomin (We Don't Trust You)
Top Dawg/Capitol
2024Killer Mike (Michael)
beat 4 others
  • Drake and 21 Savage (Her Loss)
  • Metro Boomin (Heroes & Villains)
  • Nas (King's Disease III)
  • Travis Scott (Utopia)
Loma Vista
2023Kendrick Lamar (Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers)
beat 4 others
  • Jack Harlow (Come Home the Kids Miss You)
  • DJ Khaled (God Did)
  • Future (I Never Liked You)
  • Pusha T (It's Almost Dry)
pgLang/Top Dawg/Interscope
2022Tyler, the Creator (Call Me If You Get Lost)
beat 4 others
  • Drake (Certified Lover Boy)
  • Kanye West (Donda)
  • Nas (King's Disease II)
  • J. Cole (The Off-Season)
Columbia
2021Nas (King's Disease)
beat 4 others
  • Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist (Alfredo)
  • Royce Da 5'9" (The Allegory)
  • D Smoke (Black Habits)
  • Jay Electronica (A Written Testimony)
Mass Appeal
2020Tyler, the Creator (Igor)
beat 4 others
  • Meek Mill (Championships)
  • 21 Savage (I Am > I Was)
  • Cordae (The Lost Boy)
  • Dreamville (Revenge of the Dreamers III)
Columbia
2019Cardi B (Invasion of Privacy)
beat 4 others
  • Travis Scott (Astroworld)
  • Pusha T (Daytona)
  • Mac Miller (Swimming)
  • Nipsey Hussle (Victory Lap)
Atlantic
2018Kendrick Lamar (DAMN.)
beat 4 others
  • Jay-Z (4:44)
  • Migos (Culture)
  • Tyler, the Creator (Flower Boy)
  • Rapsody (Laila's Wisdom)
Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope
2017Chance the Rapper (Coloring Book)
beat 5 others
  • De La Soul (And the Anonymous Nobody...)
  • ScHoolboy Q (Blank Face LP)
  • Kanye West (The Life of Pablo)
  • DJ Khaled (Major Key)
  • Drake (Views)
Independent
2016Kendrick Lamar (To Pimp a Butterfly)
beat 4 others
  • J. Cole (2014 Forest Hills Drive)
  • Dr. Dre (Compton)
  • Drake (If You're Reading This It's Too Late)
  • Nicki Minaj (The Pinkprint)
Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope
2015Eminem (The Marshall Mathers LP 2)
beat 5 others
  • Childish Gambino (Because the Internet)
  • Wiz Khalifa (Blacc Hollywood)
  • Iggy Azalea (The New Classic)
  • Common (Nobody's Smiling)
  • ScHoolboy Q (Oxymoron)
Aftermath/Shady/Interscope
2014Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (The Heist)
beat 4 others
  • Kendrick Lamar (Good Kid, M.A.A.D City)
  • Jay-Z (Magna Carta Holy Grail)
  • Drake (Nothing Was the Same)
  • Kanye West (Yeezus)
Macklemore LLC
2013Drake (Take Care)
beat 5 others
  • 2 Chainz (Based on a T.R.U. Story)
  • Lupe Fiasco (Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1)
  • Rick Ross (God Forgives, I Don't)
  • Nas (Life Is Good)
  • The Roots (Undun)
Young Money/Cash Money/Republic
2012Kanye West (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy)
beat 4 others
  • Lupe Fiasco (Lasers)
  • Nicki Minaj (Pink Friday)
  • Lil Wayne (Tha Carter IV)
  • Jay-Z and Kanye West (Watch the Throne)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2011Eminem (Recovery)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Jay-Z (The Blueprint 3)
  • B.o.B (B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray)
  • The Roots (How I Got Over)
  • Drake (Thank Me Later)
Aftermath/Shady/Interscope
2010Eminem (Relapse)
beat 4 others
  • Mos Def (The Ecstatic)
  • Q-Tip (The Renaissance)
  • Flo Rida (R.O.O.T.S.)
  • Common (Universal Mind Control)
Aftermath/Shady/Interscope
2009Lil Wayne (Tha Carter III)
beat 4 others
  • Jay-Z (American Gangster)
  • Lupe Fiasco (Lupe Fiasco's The Cool)
  • T.I. (Paper Trail)
  • Nas (Untitled)
Cash Money/Universal Motown
2008Kanye West (Graduation)
beat 4 others
  • Common (Finding Forever)
  • Nas (Hip-Hop Is Dead)
  • Jay-Z (Kingdom Come)
  • T.I. (T.I. vs. T.I.P.)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2007Ludacris (Release Therapy)
beat 4 others
  • The Roots (Game Theory)
  • Pharrell (In My Mind)
  • T.I. (King)
  • Lupe Fiasco (Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor)
DTP/Def Jam
2006Kanye West (Late Registration)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Common (Be)
  • Missy Elliott (The Cookbook)
  • Eminem (Encore)
  • 50 Cent (The Massacre)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2005Kanye West (The College Dropout)
beat 4 others
  • Jay-Z (The Black Album)
  • LL Cool J (The DEFinition)
  • Nelly (Suit)
  • Beastie Boys (To the 5 Boroughs)
Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam
2004OutKast (Speakerboxxx/The Love Below)
beat 4 others
  • Jay-Z (The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse)
  • 50 Cent (Get Rich or Die Tryin')
  • The Roots (Phrenology)
  • Missy Elliott (Under Construction)
LaFace/Arista
2003Eminem (The Eminem Show)
beat 4 others
  • Petey Pablo (Diary of a Sinner: 1st Entry)
  • Nelly (Nellyville)
  • Mystikal (Tarantula)
  • Ludacris (Word of Mouf)
Aftermath/Shady/Interscope
2002OutKast (Stankonia)
beat 4 others
  • Ludacris (Back for the First Time)
  • Jay-Z (The Blueprint)
  • Ja Rule (Pain Is Love)
  • Eve (Scorpion)
LaFace/Arista
2001Eminem (The Marshall Mathers LP)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Dr. Dre (2001)
  • Nelly (Country Grammar)
  • DMX (...And Then There Was X)
  • Jay-Z (Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter)
Aftermath/Interscope
2000Eminem (The Slim Shady LP)
beat 4 others
  • Missy Elliott (Da Real World)
  • Busta Rhymes (E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front)
  • Nas (I Am...)
  • The Roots (Things Fall Apart)
Aftermath/Interscope

More Grammys categories

AlbumRecordSongNew ArtistPop AlbumRock AlbumCountry AlbumR&B AlbumAlt AlbumBrowse the full show

Call next year’s winner before your friends do

You’ve seen the whole history. Now put a pick on the record and run a live pool when the Grammys come back around.

Start a free party