The 10 Best Rap Albums Of 2022

Midway through 2022, it seemed like hip-hop was bland and headed for a disappointing year. Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers confused people with its insularity and inherent selfishness. Gone were sweeping records about Black Americana; say hello to a record about choosing yourself in the midst of rising fascism and cataclysmic unhappiness. There wasn’t a DaBaby of the year, in other words, someone who was seemingly everywhere over the radio. Looking back at these past 12 months, nothing stands out, but there’s an abundance of quality. If there is a MVP of this year, it might be Baton Rouge’s YoungBoy Never Broke Again – the quantity-over-quality superstar whose fame comes from his music and also his sometimes bizarre antics.