Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 has been one for the books. There is no question which rapper dominated this year and if there was, Kendrick quickly put an end to it with the release of GNX and the “Squabble Up” music video. The Compton rapper is on a high very few rappers have ever reached, but it got us thinking about which other rappers have had years as big as this one. We put together our top four individual rap years.
4. 2024 Kendrick Lamar
Nobody had a top-5 year in rap quite like Kendrick Lamar. After winning what many consider the genre’s biggest beef since Tupac and Biggie, his tracks “Euphoria” and “Not Like Us” keep breaking records every few weeks. On Nov. 22, Lamar dropped GNX, addressing everything from Drake to Snoop Dogg, the West Coast scene, and even threw some shots at Lil Wayne. 2024 was the year of Lamar, and that’s undeniable.
3. 2003 50 Cent
Nobody – and I mean nobody – had a hotter run than 50 Cent. Before his iconic Get Rich Or Die Tryin, 50 was dropping fire mixtape after fire mixtape, building his hype to levels New York had never seen. Once the album dropped, it was over. Everybody loved 50’s poppy gangsta rap sound, proven with back-to-back No. 1’s in “In da Club” and “21 Questions.” The album hit six times platinum before year’s end. He also launched G-Unit Records and his clothing line, later starring in his autobiographical film Get Rich Or Die Tryin.
2. 2016 Drake
Commercially, nobody has touched 2016 Drake, especially in the streaming era. Coming hot off 2015, he won his first rap beef against Meek Mill, nearly ending dude’s career. He dropped two No. 1 albums: What A Time To Be Alive with Future and If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. His Rihanna collab “Work” topped the Hot 100. Views sold over 850,000 first week and went quadruple platinum by December. “One Dance” became his first solo No. 1, and he hit the road with Future to boot. This was the year Drake became Michael Jackson-level huge.
1. 2007 Kanye West
No year in rap was greater than Ye’s 2007. His star had been rising, but it absolutely exploded. After College Dropout and Late Registration earned him respect, he still wasn’t seen as the best. But like they say, “To be the man, you got to beat the man” – and that’s exactly what Ye did. When he challenged 50 Cent, everybody called him crazy. The beef got so deep they bet whoever sold less first week had to quit rap. They even faced off on “106 & Park” the day before dropping. 50 moved 691,000. Ye hit 957,000, winning the battle and shooting straight to rap’s throne, where he’d stay for more than a decade.
