The 2023 Grammy Awards are around the corner following a massive year for music in 2022. The Best Rap Album category contains some strong contenders this year, from Kendrick Lamar and Future to Jack Harlow and Pusha T.
‘God Did’ by DJ Khaled
DJ Khaled released his thirteenth studio album God Did in August 2022. The album contained an all-star list of featured artists, with appearances from the likes of Drake, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend, Kanye West, Eminem, Future, 21 Savage, Quavo, Takeoff, SZA, Latto, Travis Scott, the City Girls, and the late Juice Wrld. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, while the album’s lead single “Staying Alive,” a Drake and Lil Baby collab interpolating the Bee Gees’ hit song of the same name, reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“God has always told me to keep going,” Khaled told The Recording Academy of the album’s inspiration. “When times get hard, I go harder. When times get great, I go even harder. I don’t waste my emotions and energy on moving backwards. I use my energy to find the solution to keep going. If something ain’t workin’ out the way it’s supposed to work out, […] I want to find a way to get back up and keep going and find the solution.”
God Did currently maintains a score of 43 out of 100 on Metacritic, which averages review scores from across the Internet.
‘I Never Liked You’ by Future
Future won his first Grammy Award in 2019 for “King’s Dead,” a collab with Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and James Blake. At the 2023 Grammys, Future is up for Best Rap Album for the first time for his album I Never Liked You. The album spawned hits such as “Wait For U,” his collab with Drake and Tems that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
I Never Liked You retains a Metacritic score of 69.
‘Come Home the Kids Miss You’ by Jack Harlow
Jack Harlow’s rise continued in 2022 with the release of his sophomore album Come Home the Kids Miss You. The album spawned hit songs including “First Class,” Harlow’s first solo song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — just as the song it samples, Fergie’s “Glamorous” — did over a decade ago.
Come Home the Kids Miss You has a Metacritic score of 51.
‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ by Kendrick Lamar
Audiences were shocked when Macklemore and Ryan Lewis beat out Kendrick Lamar for the Best Rap Album Grammy Award in 2014, and even Macklemore himself apologized to Lamar for the passing over of his breakout album, good kid, m.A.A.d. city.
Lamar has redeemed himself since, with his last two studio albums taking home the Grammy for Best Rap Album: To Pimp a Butterfly and Damn. His latest album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, marked his first new LP in five years and was highly anticipated by fans of his around the world.
With a Metacritic score of 85 and a history of success in the Best Rap Album category, Lamar is currently the best positioned to take home the Best Rap Album golden gramophone this year.
‘It’s Almost Dry’ by Pusha T
Pusha T released his fourth studio album It’s Almost Dry in April 2022, with its success bolstered by songs such as “Diet Coke” and the Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams collab “Neck & Wrist.”
It’s Almost Dry has a score of 83 on Metacritic.
