The GRAMMYs
2026
Dec 1st, 2025
Best Rap Album
Best Rap Album
Best Rap Album
Nominees for The GRAMMY Awards
2026
Previous Winner
Alligator Bites Never Heal (Doechii)
Criteria
Albums with >75% playing time of new rap recordings.
Albums with >75% playing time of new rap recordings.
Albums with >75% playing time of new rap recordings.
The nominees for The GRAMMYs Best Rap Album 2026 are Let God Sort Em Out (Clipse, Pusha T, Malice), GLORIOUS (GloRilla), God Does Like Ugly (JID), GNX (Kendrick Lamar), CHROMAKOPIA (Tyler, The Creator).
Read on for more information about all the nominees and their contributors.
Best Rap Album
CHROMAKOPIA
Tyler, The Creator's eighth studio album, CHROMAKOPIA, arrived via an unconventional Monday release, a day he has advocated for. Produced and creatively directed entirely by Tyler himself, the album's rollout included a video showing his home studio process.
Commercial success
Debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Spent three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Has racked up more than 2.5B streams.
Cultural impact
Tyler, The Creator announced the "CHROMAKOPIA: THE WORLD TOUR" for 2025, featuring special guests Lil Yachty and Paris Texas, spanning multiple continents.
He performed tracks from the album live at his own festival Camp Flog Gnaw and many others including Lollapalooza & Outside Lands.
Tyler, The Creator was named Apple Music's 2025 Artist of the Year.
Critical response
Pitchfork noted that Tyler "spends the album modulating his shine—dimming it when he takes accountability and lighting up like a supernova when it’s time to remind everyone that he could be in rap’s Big Three if he wanted." Read full review
The Guardian described CHROMAKOPIA as "at once hard-hitting and emotionally disarming," highlighting its themes of maturing, mask-wearing, and Tyler’s relationship with fame. Read full review
NME stated that through "barrages of information and leaps between tumultuous synths and soulful keys," Tyler builds "a landscape of chaos that reflects his own psychological conflict." Read full review
CHROMAKOPIA
Tyler, The Creator's eighth studio album, CHROMAKOPIA, arrived via an unconventional Monday release, a day he has advocated for. Produced and creatively directed entirely by Tyler himself, the album's rollout included a video showing his home studio process.
Commercial success
Debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Spent three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Has racked up more than 2.5B streams.
Cultural impact
Tyler, The Creator announced the "CHROMAKOPIA: THE WORLD TOUR" for 2025, featuring special guests Lil Yachty and Paris Texas, spanning multiple continents.
He performed tracks from the album live at his own festival Camp Flog Gnaw and many others including Lollapalooza & Outside Lands.
Tyler, The Creator was named Apple Music's 2025 Artist of the Year.
Critical response
Pitchfork noted that Tyler "spends the album modulating his shine—dimming it when he takes accountability and lighting up like a supernova when it’s time to remind everyone that he could be in rap’s Big Three if he wanted." Read full review
The Guardian described CHROMAKOPIA as "at once hard-hitting and emotionally disarming," highlighting its themes of maturing, mask-wearing, and Tyler’s relationship with fame. Read full review
NME stated that through "barrages of information and leaps between tumultuous synths and soulful keys," Tyler builds "a landscape of chaos that reflects his own psychological conflict." Read full review
CHROMAKOPIA
Tyler, The Creator's eighth studio album, CHROMAKOPIA, arrived via an unconventional Monday release, a day he has advocated for. Produced and creatively directed entirely by Tyler himself, the album's rollout included a video showing his home studio process.
Commercial success
Debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Spent three consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Has racked up more than 2.5B streams.
Cultural impact
Tyler, The Creator announced the "CHROMAKOPIA: THE WORLD TOUR" for 2025, featuring special guests Lil Yachty and Paris Texas, spanning multiple continents.
He performed tracks from the album live at his own festival Camp Flog Gnaw and many others including Lollapalooza & Outside Lands.
Tyler, The Creator was named Apple Music's 2025 Artist of the Year.
Critical response
Pitchfork noted that Tyler "spends the album modulating his shine—dimming it when he takes accountability and lighting up like a supernova when it’s time to remind everyone that he could be in rap’s Big Three if he wanted." Read full review
The Guardian described CHROMAKOPIA as "at once hard-hitting and emotionally disarming," highlighting its themes of maturing, mask-wearing, and Tyler’s relationship with fame. Read full review
NME stated that through "barrages of information and leaps between tumultuous synths and soulful keys," Tyler builds "a landscape of chaos that reflects his own psychological conflict." Read full review
GLORIOUS
GLORIOUS, GloRilla's highly anticipated debut album follow her previous projects Anyways, Life’s Great and Ehhthang Ehhthang.
Commercial success
The album peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Certified Gold in the US.
The album marked the highest first-week sales of any female rap album released in 2024.
Cultural impact
Alongside notable guest features, the album was executive produced by her CMG label head Yo Gotti with help from Timbaland & others.
The album was named No. 25 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Albums of 2024.
GloRilla served as an opener on Megan Thee Stallion's Hot Girl Summer Tour in addition to announcing her own Glorious Tour.
Critical response
Pitchfork praised the album's "idiosyncrasy" and noted GloRilla's growth as a lyricist, writing that "her debut album avoids impersonal radio overtures, banking on GloRilla’s taste and charm to remind listeners why they loved her music in the first place." Read full review
Rolling Stone highlighted the album's blend of Dirty South nostalgia and spiritual-minded tracks, stating, "At Glorious’ center are two spiritual-minded tracks... When she’s going hard, there’s little need for her to compromise her message." Read full review
GLORIOUS
GLORIOUS, GloRilla's highly anticipated debut album follow her previous projects Anyways, Life’s Great and Ehhthang Ehhthang.
Commercial success
The album peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Certified Gold in the US.
The album marked the highest first-week sales of any female rap album released in 2024.
Cultural impact
Alongside notable guest features, the album was executive produced by her CMG label head Yo Gotti with help from Timbaland & others.
The album was named No. 25 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Albums of 2024.
GloRilla served as an opener on Megan Thee Stallion's Hot Girl Summer Tour in addition to announcing her own Glorious Tour.
Critical response
Pitchfork praised the album's "idiosyncrasy" and noted GloRilla's growth as a lyricist, writing that "her debut album avoids impersonal radio overtures, banking on GloRilla’s taste and charm to remind listeners why they loved her music in the first place." Read full review
Rolling Stone highlighted the album's blend of Dirty South nostalgia and spiritual-minded tracks, stating, "At Glorious’ center are two spiritual-minded tracks... When she’s going hard, there’s little need for her to compromise her message." Read full review
GLORIOUS
GLORIOUS, GloRilla's highly anticipated debut album follow her previous projects Anyways, Life’s Great and Ehhthang Ehhthang.
Commercial success
The album peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Certified Gold in the US.
The album marked the highest first-week sales of any female rap album released in 2024.
Cultural impact
Alongside notable guest features, the album was executive produced by her CMG label head Yo Gotti with help from Timbaland & others.
The album was named No. 25 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Albums of 2024.
GloRilla served as an opener on Megan Thee Stallion's Hot Girl Summer Tour in addition to announcing her own Glorious Tour.
Critical response
Pitchfork praised the album's "idiosyncrasy" and noted GloRilla's growth as a lyricist, writing that "her debut album avoids impersonal radio overtures, banking on GloRilla’s taste and charm to remind listeners why they loved her music in the first place." Read full review
Rolling Stone highlighted the album's blend of Dirty South nostalgia and spiritual-minded tracks, stating, "At Glorious’ center are two spiritual-minded tracks... When she’s going hard, there’s little need for her to compromise her message." Read full review
Kendrick Lamar's sixth studio album, GNX, was surprise-release in November 2024, marking his first record released via his label pgLang, outside the umbrella of Top Dawg Entertainment.
Commercial success
GNX debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
It became Kendrick Lamar's fourth consecutive studio album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
The album achieved an unprecedented 22nd week at No. 1 on Top Rap Albums, surpassing Pop Smoke’s Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon.
Cultural impact
GNX won Album of the Year at the 2025 BET Awards.
Kendrick Lamar and SZA announced the 'Grand National' North American stadium tour in 2025.
Kendrick performed hits from the album at his Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show at Super Bowl LVI.
Critical response
Pitchfork described GNX as a "victory lap on a Möbius strip, blending the man-on-a-mission intensity that powered him through his duel with Drake with a homage to the West Coast." Read full review
Variety called GNX "a meticulous, versatile, hard-hitting masterpiece," stating it "indisputably reaffirms his status as the most dynamic spitter the world has to offer." Read full review
The Los Angeles Times found GNX "exhilarating," noting Lamar's "writing and rapping... as razor-sharp as they were in the brutal diss tracks he released one after another." Read full review
Kendrick Lamar's sixth studio album, GNX, was surprise-release in November 2024, marking his first record released via his label pgLang, outside the umbrella of Top Dawg Entertainment.
Commercial success
GNX debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
It became Kendrick Lamar's fourth consecutive studio album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
The album achieved an unprecedented 22nd week at No. 1 on Top Rap Albums, surpassing Pop Smoke’s Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon.
Cultural impact
GNX won Album of the Year at the 2025 BET Awards.
Kendrick Lamar and SZA announced the 'Grand National' North American stadium tour in 2025.
Kendrick performed hits from the album at his Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show at Super Bowl LVI.
Critical response
Pitchfork described GNX as a "victory lap on a Möbius strip, blending the man-on-a-mission intensity that powered him through his duel with Drake with a homage to the West Coast." Read full review
Variety called GNX "a meticulous, versatile, hard-hitting masterpiece," stating it "indisputably reaffirms his status as the most dynamic spitter the world has to offer." Read full review
The Los Angeles Times found GNX "exhilarating," noting Lamar's "writing and rapping... as razor-sharp as they were in the brutal diss tracks he released one after another." Read full review
Kendrick Lamar's sixth studio album, GNX, was surprise-release in November 2024, marking his first record released via his label pgLang, outside the umbrella of Top Dawg Entertainment.
Commercial success
GNX debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
It became Kendrick Lamar's fourth consecutive studio album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
The album achieved an unprecedented 22nd week at No. 1 on Top Rap Albums, surpassing Pop Smoke’s Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon.
Cultural impact
GNX won Album of the Year at the 2025 BET Awards.
Kendrick Lamar and SZA announced the 'Grand National' North American stadium tour in 2025.
Kendrick performed hits from the album at his Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show at Super Bowl LVI.
Critical response
Pitchfork described GNX as a "victory lap on a Möbius strip, blending the man-on-a-mission intensity that powered him through his duel with Drake with a homage to the West Coast." Read full review
Variety called GNX "a meticulous, versatile, hard-hitting masterpiece," stating it "indisputably reaffirms his status as the most dynamic spitter the world has to offer." Read full review
The Los Angeles Times found GNX "exhilarating," noting Lamar's "writing and rapping... as razor-sharp as they were in the brutal diss tracks he released one after another." Read full review
God Does Like Ugly
JID's fourth studio album, God Does Like Ugly, follows his acclaimed 2022 project The Forever Story and marks a new creative and personal chapter for the Atlanta rapper.
Commercial success
Debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 chart, marking the biggest commercial debut of JID's career to date.
Achieved 32,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release.
Earned RIAA Gold certification and set a personal record with 8.8 million Spotify streams on its opening day.
Cultural impact
Supported by the nearly 70-date "God Does Like World Tours" spanning North America, Europe, the UK, and Australasia from October 2025 through May 2026, with support from Young Nudy, Mick Jenkins, and Jordan Ward.
The album extends Southern rap’s tradition of exposing the struggles of young Black men below the Mason-Dixon, drawing critical attention for its narrative depth and social commentary.
Features high-profile collaborations with Clipse, Vince Staples, Earthgang, and Ciara, further cementing JID’s influence within the contemporary hip-hop landscape.
Critical response
Rolling Stone praised the album's "meticulous narrative cohesion" and JID's ability to balance "the promised salvation of Christianity with the grit of Atlanta’s reality," noting that "the album really shines when JID juxtaposes the promised salvation of Christianity with the grit of Atlanta’s reality." Read full review
Paste Magazine observed that while "moments of brilliance flair on God Does Like Ugly, even if they fail to coalesce on the record as a singularly great body of work," the album "deserves accolades as what will inevitably be one of the strongest major label rap efforts of the year." Read full review
God Does Like Ugly
JID's fourth studio album, God Does Like Ugly, follows his acclaimed 2022 project The Forever Story and marks a new creative and personal chapter for the Atlanta rapper.
Commercial success
Debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 chart, marking the biggest commercial debut of JID's career to date.
Achieved 32,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release.
Earned RIAA Gold certification and set a personal record with 8.8 million Spotify streams on its opening day.
Cultural impact
Supported by the nearly 70-date "God Does Like World Tours" spanning North America, Europe, the UK, and Australasia from October 2025 through May 2026, with support from Young Nudy, Mick Jenkins, and Jordan Ward.
The album extends Southern rap’s tradition of exposing the struggles of young Black men below the Mason-Dixon, drawing critical attention for its narrative depth and social commentary.
Features high-profile collaborations with Clipse, Vince Staples, Earthgang, and Ciara, further cementing JID’s influence within the contemporary hip-hop landscape.
Critical response
Rolling Stone praised the album's "meticulous narrative cohesion" and JID's ability to balance "the promised salvation of Christianity with the grit of Atlanta’s reality," noting that "the album really shines when JID juxtaposes the promised salvation of Christianity with the grit of Atlanta’s reality." Read full review
Paste Magazine observed that while "moments of brilliance flair on God Does Like Ugly, even if they fail to coalesce on the record as a singularly great body of work," the album "deserves accolades as what will inevitably be one of the strongest major label rap efforts of the year." Read full review
God Does Like Ugly
JID's fourth studio album, God Does Like Ugly, follows his acclaimed 2022 project The Forever Story and marks a new creative and personal chapter for the Atlanta rapper.
Commercial success
Debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 chart, marking the biggest commercial debut of JID's career to date.
Achieved 32,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release.
Earned RIAA Gold certification and set a personal record with 8.8 million Spotify streams on its opening day.
Cultural impact
Supported by the nearly 70-date "God Does Like World Tours" spanning North America, Europe, the UK, and Australasia from October 2025 through May 2026, with support from Young Nudy, Mick Jenkins, and Jordan Ward.
The album extends Southern rap’s tradition of exposing the struggles of young Black men below the Mason-Dixon, drawing critical attention for its narrative depth and social commentary.
Features high-profile collaborations with Clipse, Vince Staples, Earthgang, and Ciara, further cementing JID’s influence within the contemporary hip-hop landscape.
Critical response
Rolling Stone praised the album's "meticulous narrative cohesion" and JID's ability to balance "the promised salvation of Christianity with the grit of Atlanta’s reality," noting that "the album really shines when JID juxtaposes the promised salvation of Christianity with the grit of Atlanta’s reality." Read full review
Paste Magazine observed that while "moments of brilliance flair on God Does Like Ugly, even if they fail to coalesce on the record as a singularly great body of work," the album "deserves accolades as what will inevitably be one of the strongest major label rap efforts of the year." Read full review
Clipse's Let God Sort Em Out reunited brothers Pusha T and Malice for their first full-length project in 16 years, produced entirely by Pharrell Williams.
Commercial success
The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.
It sold 118K equivalent units in its first week of release.
It debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart.
Cultural impact
Clipse performed "Ace Trumpets" on A COLORS SHOW.
The duo made their NPR Tiny Desk Concert debut, performing a mix of deep cuts, new songs, and classics.
Clipse announced the "Let God Sort Em Out Tour," their first US tour in 15 years.
Critical response
The New York Times described Let God Sort Em Out as "a clear continuation of the work they did in the 2000s that made them favorites of street-rap realists and internet-fueled curio seekers." Read full review
Consequence stated that the album carries the MCs "far beyond the finite walls of the 'coke rap' subgenre, balancing 'the contrasting weights of prayer and pain'." Read full review
"A well-executed album occasionally weighed down by its grandiosity," is how Variety described it, noting "unfailingly sharp rapping, but dented by heavy-handed self-mythology and intermittently sterile Pharrell Williams beats." Read full review
Clipse's Let God Sort Em Out reunited brothers Pusha T and Malice for their first full-length project in 16 years, produced entirely by Pharrell Williams.
Commercial success
The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.
It sold 118K equivalent units in its first week of release.
It debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart.
Cultural impact
Clipse performed "Ace Trumpets" on A COLORS SHOW.
The duo made their NPR Tiny Desk Concert debut, performing a mix of deep cuts, new songs, and classics.
Clipse announced the "Let God Sort Em Out Tour," their first US tour in 15 years.
Critical response
The New York Times described Let God Sort Em Out as "a clear continuation of the work they did in the 2000s that made them favorites of street-rap realists and internet-fueled curio seekers." Read full review
Consequence stated that the album carries the MCs "far beyond the finite walls of the 'coke rap' subgenre, balancing 'the contrasting weights of prayer and pain'." Read full review
"A well-executed album occasionally weighed down by its grandiosity," is how Variety described it, noting "unfailingly sharp rapping, but dented by heavy-handed self-mythology and intermittently sterile Pharrell Williams beats." Read full review
Clipse's Let God Sort Em Out reunited brothers Pusha T and Malice for their first full-length project in 16 years, produced entirely by Pharrell Williams.
Commercial success
The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.
It sold 118K equivalent units in its first week of release.
It debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart.
Cultural impact
Clipse performed "Ace Trumpets" on A COLORS SHOW.
The duo made their NPR Tiny Desk Concert debut, performing a mix of deep cuts, new songs, and classics.
Clipse announced the "Let God Sort Em Out Tour," their first US tour in 15 years.
Critical response
The New York Times described Let God Sort Em Out as "a clear continuation of the work they did in the 2000s that made them favorites of street-rap realists and internet-fueled curio seekers." Read full review
Consequence stated that the album carries the MCs "far beyond the finite walls of the 'coke rap' subgenre, balancing 'the contrasting weights of prayer and pain'." Read full review
"A well-executed album occasionally weighed down by its grandiosity," is how Variety described it, noting "unfailingly sharp rapping, but dented by heavy-handed self-mythology and intermittently sterile Pharrell Williams beats." Read full review
Other awards in this field
R&B + Rap + Spoken Word Poetry
Other awards in this field
R&B + Rap + Spoken Word Poetry
Other awards in this field
R&B + Rap + Spoken Word Poetry
Best R&B Performance
Best R&B Performance
Best Progressive R&B Album
Best Progressive R&B Album
Best R&B Album
Best R&B Album
Best Rap Album
Best Rap Album
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Best R&B Song
Best R&B Song
Best Rap Performance
Best Rap Performance
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Best Rap Song
Best Rap Song
Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
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