Our Annual Report continues with our list of the Best Rap Albums of 2023. As the year winds down, stay tuned for more awards, lists, and interviews about the best music, film, and TV 2023 had to offer. You can find it all in one place here. Also, check out a map of all our Crate Digging features from our Hip-Hop 50 celebration.
While putting together the shortlist of candidates for the best hip-hop albums of 2023, a fascinating pattern emerged: a large percentage of the top records this year were released without any sort of backing from a major label. After some careful consideration, we decided to use this opportunity to highlight these independently produced efforts. Call it a retort to the complaint that “there’s no good hip-hop being released anymore.”
There’s not enough space here to debate all the pros and cons of partnering with a major label versus staying independent, especially since the definition of an indie artist has become more nebulous over time. However, there’s never been a better time to operate outside of the confines of the big machine. Thanks to more prevalent digital distribution and artist services platforms, there’s no need to give up ownership of one’s records and creative freedom to reach the masses.
While that unlimited creative freedom doesn’t automatically produce better art, it does give artists more time to experiment and find the sound that works for them right now, whether they are rising stars gaining a foothold or established veterans trying something different. It’s truly magic when an artist’s vision and talent come together to produce an undeniable body of work, and that’s true of every entry on the list.
After recently celebrating its 50th anniversary, hip-hop still has plenty of room for growth both as a culture and genre of music. This collection of albums simultaneously serves as proof of how far it’s come and hints at where it could go in the future.
So fire up your streaming service of choice while scrolling through this list; we’re confident there’s at least an album or two befitting your taste. Here are the best rap albums of 2023 released without the aid of a major label.
— Eddie Fu
News Editor
15. Boldy James & RichGains — Indiana Jones
Producer RichGains’ mellow, psychedelic instrumentals provide a different sonic palette than the jazzy or boom bap beats typically found on a Boldy James project. Ever unflappable, the Detroit rapper delivers some of his most devastating bars to date, including a remembrance of his dying father (“Kat Eyes”) and a meditation on the numbing effect of witnessing a murder (“Frozen”). Meanwhile, the unflinching resolve of “Never Had a Friend” feels especially topical following his severe car accident in January. — E. Fu
Listen via Apple Music
14. Haviah Mighty — Crying Crystals
Canadian rapper Haviah Mighty entered different territory with her 2023 record, Crying Crystals. More focused in scope than some of her previous projects, this album spends quite a bit of time walking the listener through the end of a relationship, and the result not only allows for plenty of personal exploration on Mighty’s part, but also the chance for her to flex her skill set. Her melodic style shines on tracks like “Lil Baby” featuring Zach Zoya and the bitter, pointed “Huh.” She had plenty of input on the production end, as well, making the whole project feel cohesive and ultimately one of the more memorable albums of the year. — Mary Siroky
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13. Paul Wall & Termanology — Start Finish Repeat
Houston rapper Paul Wall and East Coast veteran Termanology’s second collaborative album finds Wall fully at ease over boom bap beats, bringing dazzling multisyllabic rhyme patterns to songs like the CL Smooth collaboration “It’s Magic.” In turn, Termanology was inspired to level up his own wordplay, leading to a dream scenario for any fan of traditional hip-hop: impeccable lyricism (bolstered by appearances from legends like Bun B and AZ) over soul production from Statik Selektah, Large Professor, and Diamond D. — E. Fu
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12. Che Noir & Big Ghost Ltd — Noir or Never
Noir or Never might start off referencing chart-toppers like Lil Wayne and DMX, but the following eight tracks take a more left-field approach in terms of both beats and bars. Sometimes nostalgic (“Low Altitude”), sometimes dramatic (“Resilient”), and sometimes downright eerie (“Sleep Paralysis” or the Twin Peaks-esque “Caps Lock”), the project always has another trick up its sleeve. And yet, Che Noir still comes through with memorable hooks that stick with the listener long after its brisk 22-minute runtime wraps. — Jonah Krueger
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11. H31R — HeadSpace
Rapper and producer duo Maassai and JWords’ second project under the H31R moniker aims to push the boundaries of hip-hop with an expansive soundscape. The pair touch on themes of growth while also leaning towards a more experimental sound with the glitchy, off-kilter production. HeadSpace also features notable contributions from rappers Quelle Chris and Semiratruth, whose trademark sounds get enfolded into H31R’s artistic vision. HeadSpace is a world unto itself. — Sun Noor
Listen via Apple Music
10. Mick Jenkins — The Patience
On The Patience, Mick Jenkins breaks free from the weighty expectations of projects like the Gil Scott-Heron-influenced album Pieces of a Man. Unburdened by his typical concept-driven approach, the Chicago rapper unleashes years of frustration with biting rhymes about the state of the industry (“Show & Tell”) and his materialistic peers (“Guapanese”) while still talking bravado (“Michelin Star”). Featured artists Freddie Gibbs, Benny the Butcher, JID, and Vic Mensa all do their part to keep the same energy. — E. Fu
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09. Shame Gang — Better Late Than Never
The title Better Late Than Never acknowledges Shame Gang’s vet status, active in the Raleigh scene since 2016. But underground kings don’t stay underground when they have hooks this sticky, and you can still catch Shame on his way up. Each of the 12 tracks offers dense bars and catchy choruses, as well as a good ear for beats and collaborators. Best of all, it’s well-curated; just press play. — Wren Graves
Listen via Apple Music
08. Kari Faux — REAL B*TCHES DON’T DIE!
Kari Faux’s latest project, REAL B*TCHES DON’T DIE!, finds the rapper in rare form. Embracing her Southern roots, Faux delivers an album steeped in emotion, self-love, and sheer, uptempo fun. Whether you throw it on first thing in the morning to start your day with a boost stronger than coffee or late at night to take the function to the next level, REAL B*TCHES DON’T DIE! is a hip-hop pick-me-up perfect for any occasion. — J. Krueger
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07. JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown — SCARING THE HOES
With their joint album, JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown stick to what they do best: embracing the joy of “hoe-scaring music.” The duo create a unique collection of sound with their unconventional approach. The LP is filled with various memorable cultural references including an interpolation of Kelis’ “Milkshake” (“Fentanyl Tester”) and riffs on trading cards and haters (“Garbage Pale Kids”). SCARING THE HOES marks the beginning of something special among hip-hop’s favorite weirdos. — S. Noor
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06. Genesis Owusu — STRUGGLER
Hip-hop isn’t lacking for concept albums, though they tend to fall into similar buckets: street life, horror, sci-fi, or some combination of the three. The existential themes centered on a cockroach escaping the boot of God already sets Struggler apart, but the sonic landscape in which CoSigned artist Genesis Owusu frames these concepts is even more radical. The menagerie of post-punk, new wave, psych rock, and R&B is as compelling as the heady lyrical content. — Ben Kaye
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05. Killer Mike — MICHAEL
To record his first solo album in over a decade, Killer Mike pulled down his mask to reveal the man born Michael Render. As he told Consequence on the eve of its release, separating himself from the character meant not only picking different beats, but also switching up his styles of rapping.
The brief detour from Run the Jewels is packed with gospel, soul, and funk influences, while songs like “MOTHERLESS” address the 2017 death of his mother for the first time. Elsewhere, Mike tells his origin story through family history and childhood memories. That’s not to say Michael runs the entire show; before the album is over, Killer Mike reunites with El-P on the penultimate track, “Don’t Let the Devil.” — E. Fu
Listen via Apple Music
04. Noname — Sundial
Noname’s long-awaited sophomore album, Sundial, paints an honest reflection of the complexities that exist within hip-hop, especially when it comes to garnering a large platform. The Chicago rapper examines the blurred lines that exist between liberation and oppression, the intersection between art and capitalism, as well as the struggles of Black womanhood, over a luscious backdrop of R&B and gospel music paired well with her witty bars.
She refuses to let anyone off the hook — including herself. On songs such as “namesake” and “black mirror,” noname fires shots at her peers for questionable endorsements while also looking inwards and critiquing how she navigates the music industry’s practices. Sundial is without a doubt among the most thought-provoking hip-hop records of the year. — S. Noor
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03. Paris Texas — MID AIR
Paris Texas are the only group brave enough to ask, “What if every song fucking slapped?” From the first jittery notes of “tenTHIRTYseven,” MID AIR is a rollicking rejection of gravity. Louie Pastel and Felix’s debut album delivers on the promise of their breakthrough BOY ANONYMOUS tape, with irresistible shout-along hooks and a deadly collection of grunge-inflected beats.
Kenny Mason joins them for an introspective turn on “DnD,” and they poke fun at a beloved alt-pop track that shares their name on “Lana Del Rey.” It’s only in the closing track “…We Fall,” with all its plaintive cries of “Do they love me?” and the slow fall after “One day I’ll be gone!” that Paris Texas finally return to earth. — W. Graves
Listen via Apple Music
02. McKinley Dixon — Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
Look at some of the names McKinley Dixon calls labelmates at City Slang: Broken Social Scene, HEALTH, Junior Boys, Calexico, Pom Pom Squad, White Denim. Not exactly a roster alongside which you’d expect to find your typical hip-hop artist — but Dixon isn’t a typical hip-hop artist. Deeply and directly inspired by the great Toni Morrison, the Richmond rapper weaves poetic explorations of Blackness and grief around captivating compositions of horns and percussion.
He can go from bops (“Tyler, Forever”) to horrorcore (“Mezzanine Tippin’”) to lush soul (the title track), but the constant is his lyricist’s pen. Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? is rich with personal tales that cause close listeners to reassess their world — just like the best literature should. — B. Kaye
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01. billy woods and Kenny Segal — Maps
As a member of the innovative duo Armand Hammer and proprietor of the influential label Backwoodz Studioz, it seems like billy woods has his fingerprints all over hip-hop. In 2023, the rapper made his most indelible stamp with Maps, his second collaborative album with producer Kenny Segal. A concept album about life as a touring artist, the project features a who’s who of underground hip-hop, including Danny Brown, Quelle Chris, and Armand Hammer cohort E L U C I D.
Beginning and ending in woods’ home of New York City, Maps traverses across Europe, South Africa, the Middle East, and the continental United States in between. Along the way, woods and his collaborators tell stories of $300 Ubers, unanswered FaceTimes, and sketchy weed over Segal’s jazz-inflected boom bap as only seasoned travelers can. — E. Fu
Listen via Apple Music