Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)

This article ranks the best hip hop albums of all time based on certified sales data maintained by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The top ten hip hop album rankings are shared by 19 albums with collective sales of 145 million units. Units include key formats such as records, cassettes, CDs, and MP3s.

The 19 albums on this list were recorded by 15 artists/groups. Eminem, 2Pac, Nelly, and 50 Cent each have two albums on the list.

Each hip hop album that follows includes its certified sales, recording artist, record label, release date, and popular songs.

After reading "Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," return to these links to read "Best Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," "Best Country Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," "Best Rock Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," "Best R&B Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," and "Best Soundtracks of All Time (Certified Sales)."

1. (tie) Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Life After Death

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Notorious B.I.G.
Record label: Bad Boy
Release Date: 3/25/1997
Popular songs: "Hypnotize"; "Mo Money Mo Problems"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: MC Hammer
Record label: Capitol
Release Date: 2/20/1990
Popular songs: "U Can't Touch This"; "Pray"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - The Eminem Show

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Eminem
Record label: Interscope
Release Date: 5/28/2002
Popular songs: "Without Me"; "Cleanin' Out My Closet"; "Sing For the Moment"; "Superman"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - The Marshall Mathers LP

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Eminem
Record label: Interscope
Release Date: 5/23/2000
Popular songs: "Stan"; "The Way I Am"; "The Real Slim Shady"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Greatest Hits

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: 2Pac
Record label: Interscope
Release Date: 11/24/1998
Popular songs: "California Love"; "Dear Mama"

2. (tie) Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Big Willie Style

Certified Sales: 9x Platinum
Recording artist: Will Smith
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 11/25/1997
Popular songs: "Gettin' Jiggy With It"; "Miami"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Country Grammar

Certified Sales: 9x Platinum
Recording artist: Nelly
Record label: Universal
Release Date: 6/27/2000
Popular songs: "Country Grammar"; "Ride Wit Me"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - All Eyez on Me

Certified Sales: 9x Platinum
Recording artist: 2Pac
Record label: Interscope
Release Date: 2/13/1996
Popular songs: "California Love"; "I Ain't Mad at Cha"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Licensed to Ill

Certified Sales: 9x Platinum
Recording artist: Beastie Boys
Record label: Def Jam
Release Date: 11/15/1986
Popular songs: "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)"; "No Sleep till Brooklyn"; "Brass Monkey"; "Paul Revere"; "Hold It, Now Hit It"; "She's Crafty"

3. (tie) Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Significant Other

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: Limp Bizkit
Record label: Interscope/MCA
Release Date: 6/22/1999
Popular songs: "Nookie"; "Re-Arranged"; "Break Stuff"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - To The Extreme

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: Vanilla Ice
Record label: SBK
Release Date: 8/28/1990
Popular songs: "Ice Ice Baby"; "Play that Funky Music"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - No Way Out

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: Puff Daddy and the Family
Record label: Bad Boy
Release Date: 7/22/1997
Popular songs: "I'll Be Missing You"; "It's All About the Benjamins"

4. (tie) Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Get Rich or Die Tryin'

Certified Sales: 6x Platinum
Recording artist: 50 Cent
Record label: Interscope
Release Date: 2/4/2003
Popular songs: "In da Club"


Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Nellyville

Certified Sales: 6x Platinum
Recording artist: Nelly
Record label: Universal
Release Date: 6/25/2002
Popular songs: "Hot in Herre"; "Pimp Juice"


Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Dr. Dre 2001

Certified Sales: 6x Platinum
Recording artist: Dr. Dre
Record label: Interscope
Release Date: 11/16/1999
Popular songs: "The Next Episode"; "Still Dre"; "Forget About Dre"

5. (tie) Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Very Necessary

Certified Sales: 5x Platinum
Recording artist: Salt-n-Pepa
Record label: London Records/Polygram
Release Date: 10/12/1993
Popular songs: "Whatta Man"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - ... And Then There Was X

Certified Sales: 5x Platinum
Recording artist: DMX
Record label: Def Jam
Release Date: 12/21/1999
Popular songs: "Party Up"; "What's My Name"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - The Massacre

Certified Sales: 5x Platinum
Recording artist: 50 Cent
Record label: Interscope
Release Date: 3/3/2005
Popular songs: "Candy Shop"; "The Way You Love Me"

Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time - Vol. 2 ... Hard Knock Life

Certified Sales: 5x Platinum
Recording artist: Jay Z
Record label: Def Jam
Release Date: 9/29/1998
Popular songs: "Can I Get A ..."


Source(s):

"Top 100 Albums," Recording Industry Association of America