50 Rappers and Their Best-Selling Albums of All Time - Beats, Rhymes and Lists

November 17, 2023

Platinum plaques and chart-topping albums don’t mean everything in hip hop, but they do mean a lot, despite what people want to think.

The more people buy your music, the greater the impact you words can have. So we’re going to take a look at 50 of the greatest rappers ever and see what their best-selling albums of all time are. Just a note that these only account for record sales in the US.

2Pac

Greatest Rap Album Opening Lines Of All Time All Eyez On Me

Best selling album: All Eyez on Me

Released: February 13, 1996

Label: Death Row, Interscope

Sales: 5.8 million (counted as 11.6 million because it was a double album)

Eminem

Greatest Rap Album Opening Lines Of All Time Marshall Mathers Lp

Best selling album: The Marshall Mathers LP

Released: May 23, 2000

Label: Aftermath, Interscope, Web Entertainment

Sales: 11 million

OutKast

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Speakerboxxx

Best selling album: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

Released: September 23, 2003

Label: Arista

Sales: 5.5 million (counted as 11 million because it was a double album)

The Notorious B.I.G.

Best Hip Hop Album Every Year Since 1986 Life After Death

Best selling album: Life After Death

Released: March 25, 1997

Label: Bad Boy

Sales: 5.3 million (counted as 10.7 million because it was a double album)

Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill Lost Ones

Best selling album: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Released: August 25, 1998

Label: Columbia, Ruffhouse

Sales: 10 million

Nelly

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Country Grammar

Best selling album: Country Grammar

Released: June 6, 2000

Label: Fo’ Reel, Universal

Sales: 10 million

Beastie Boys

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Beastie Boys

Best selling album: Licensed to Ill

Released: November 15, 1986

Label: Def Jam, Columbia

Sales: 10 million

50 Cent

Best Hip Hop Album Every Year Since 1986 Get Rich Or Die Tryin

Best selling album: Get Rich or Die Tryin’

Released: February 6, 2003

Label: Shady, Aftermath, Interscope

Sales: 8.4 milllion

Dr. Dre

Best Hip Hop Album Every Year Since 1986 Dre 2001

Best selling album: 2001

Released: November 16, 1999

Label: Aftermath, Interscope

Sales: 7.8 million

Puff Daddy

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 No Way Out Puff

Best selling album: No Way Out

Released: July 22, 1997

Label: Bad Boy, Arista

Sales: 7 million

Snoop Dogg

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Doggystyle

Best selling album: Doggystyle

Released: November 23, 1993

Label: Death Row

Sales: 6.9 million

Lil Wayne

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Tha Carter Iii

Best selling album: Tha Carter III

Released: June 10, 2008

Label: Cash Money, Universal Motown

Sales: 6 million

Drake

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Views

Best selling album: Views

Released: April 29, 2016

Label: Cash Money, Republic, Young Money

Sales: 6 million

Jay-Z

Ranking Jay Z First Week Album Sales Vol 2

Best selling album: Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life

Released: September 29, 1998

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

Sales: 5.4 million

DMX

Dmx Intro

Best selling album: It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot

Released: May 19, 1998

Label: Ruff Ryders, Def Jam

Sales: 5 million

Kanye West

Best Hip Hop Album Every Year Since 1986 Graduation

Best selling album: Graduation

Released: February 10, 2004

Label: Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam

Sales: 5 million

Salt-N-Pepa

50 Rappers Best Selling Albums Of All Time Salt N Pepa

Best selling album: Very Necessary

Released: October 12, 1993

Label: Next Plateau, London

Sales: 5 million

Ja Rule

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Pain Is Love

Best selling album: Pain Is Love

Released: October 2, 2001

Label: Murder Inc., Def Jam

Sales: 4.6 million

Wu-Tang Clan

Greatest Rap Album Opening Lines Of All Time Wu Tang Forever

Best selling album: Wu-Tang Forever

Released: June 3, 1997

Label: Loud

Sales: 4 million

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 E1999

Best selling album: E. 1999 Eternal

Released: July 25, 1995

Label: Ruthless

Sales: 4 million

Master P

50 Rappers Best Selling Albums Of All Time Master P

Best selling album: MP da Last Don

Released: June 2, 1998

Label: No Limit, Priority

Sales: 4 million

Juvenile

50 Rappers Best Selling Albums Of All Time Juvenile

Best selling album: 400 Degreez

Released: November 9, 1998

Label: Cash Money, Universal

Sales: 4 million

Ludacris

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Ludacris Chicken

Best selling album: Word of Mouf

Released: November 27, 2001

Label: Disturbing tha Peace, Def Jam

Sales: 3.6 million

Nas

Ranking Nas First Week Album Sales It Was Written

Best selling album: It Was Written

Released: July 2, 1996

Label: Columbia

Sales: 3 milllion

Run-D.M.C.

Best Hip Hop Album Every Year Since 1986 Raising Hell

Best selling album: Raising Hell

Released: May 27, 1986

Label: Profile

Sales: 3 million

Kendrick Lamar

Best Hip Hop Album Every Year Since 1986 Good Kid

Best selling album: good kid, m.A.A.d city

Released: October 22, 2012

Label: Top Dawg, Aftermath, Interscope

Sales: 3 million

J. Cole

Ranking J Cole First Week Album Sales 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Best selling album: 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Released: December 9, 2014

Label: Dreamville, Roc Nation, Columbia

Sales: 3 million

Travis Scott

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Astroworld

Best selling album: Astroworld

Released: August 3, 2018

Label: Grand Hustle, Epic, Cactus Jack

Sales: 3 million

Warren G

100 Rappers Their Age Classic Album Warren G

Best selling album: Regulate… G Funk Era

Released: June 7, 1994

Label: Def Jam

Sales: 3 million

T.I.

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Paper Trail

Best selling album: Paper Trail

Released: September 30, 2008

Label: Grand Hustle, Atlantic

Sales: 2.8 million

Ice Cube

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 The Predator

Best selling album: The Predator

Released: November 17, 1992

Label: Lench Mob, Priority

Sales: 2.2 million

Young Jeezy

Greatest Three Album Runs In Hip Hop History Jeezy

Best selling album: Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101

Released: July 26, 2005

Label: CTE, Def Jam

Sales: 2 million

Future

Greatest Rap Album Opening Lines Of All Time Ds2

Best selling album: DS2

Released: July 17, 2015

Label: Epic, A1, Freebandz

Sales: 2 million

A$AP Rocky

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Long Live Asap

Best selling album: LONG.LIVE.A$AP

Released: January 15, 2013

Label: ASAP Worldwide, Polo Grounds, RCA

Sales: 2 million

Kid Cudi

Ranking Kid Cudi First Week Album Sales Man Moon

Best selling album: Man on the Moon: The End of Day

Released: September 15, 2009

Label: Dream On, GOOD, Universal Motown

Sales: 2 million

Big Sean

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Big Dark

Best selling album: Dark Sky Paradise

Released: February 24, 2015

Label: GOOD, Def Jam

Sales: 2 million

Lil Uzi Vert

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Lil Uzi

Best selling album: Luv Is Rage 2

Released: August 25, 2017

Label: Generation Now, Atlantic

Sales: 2 million

Wiz Khalifa

50 Rappers Best Selling Albums Of All Time Wiz

Best selling album: Rolling Papers

Released: March 29, 2011

Label: Rostrum, Atlantic

Sales: 2 milllion

Method Man

Rappers With The Most Platinum Albums Of All Time Method Man

Best selling album: Tical

Released: November 15, 1994

Label: Def Jam

Sales: 1.6 million

Busta Rhymes

Rappers With The Most Platinum Albums Of All Time Busta Rhymes

Best selling album: When Disaster Strikes…

Released: September 16, 1997

Label: Flipmode, Elektra

Sales: 1.6 million

Public Enemy

Rappers With The Most Platinum Albums Of All Time Public Enemy

Best selling album: Fear of a Black Planet

Released: April 10, 1990

Label: Def Jam

Sales: 1.3 million

Fabolous

50 Rappers Best Selling Albums Of All Time Fabolous

Best selling album: Street Dreams

Released: March 4, 2003

Label: Desert Storm, Elektra

Sales: 1.1 million

Rick Ross

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Port Miami

Best selling album: Port of Miami

Released: August 8, 2006

Label: Slip-n-Slide, Def Jam, Poe Boy

Sales: 1 million

Young Thug

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Young Thug

Best selling album: So Much Fun

Released: August 16, 2019

Label: YSL, 300, Atlantic

Sales: 1 million

2 Chainz

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 2 Chainz Based

Best selling album: Based on a T.R.U. Story

Released: August 14, 2012

Label: Def Jam

Sales: 1 million

Schoolboy Q

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Oxymoron

Best selling album: Oxymoron

Released: February 25, 2014

Label: Top Dawg, Interscope

Sales: 1 million

Redman

50 Rappers Best Selling Albums Of All Time Redman

Best selling album: Doc’s da Name 2000

Released: November 24, 1998

Label: Def Jam

Sales: 1 million

The Roots

50 Rappers Best Selling Albums Of All Time The Roots

Best selling album: Things Fall Apart

Released: February 23, 1999

Label: MCA

Sales: 1 million

Jadakiss

Every Single Hip Hop Billboard Number One Album Since 1986 Jadakiss

Best selling album: Kiss of Death

Released: June 22, 2004

Label: Interscope, Ruff Ryders

Sales: 1 million

Mobb Deep

50 Rappers Best Selling Albums Of All Time Mobb Deep

Best selling album: Murda Muzik

Released: August 17, 1999

Label: Loud

Sales: 1 million

Author

MC WordWeaver

MC WordWeaver is your lyrical guide to the golden days of hip-hop. A dedicated curator of the '80s and '90s era, he’s all about uncovering hidden gems, celebrating iconic pioneers, and spotlighting the tracks that paved the way. For WordWeaver, hip-hop is more than music; it’s a movement, a message, a global impact.