Ranking All 21 “Best Rap Album” Grammy Winners
This originally appeared on The Passion of Christopher Pierznik
Much like the NBA, the Grammys have a complicated relationship with hip-hop. Decisions like Young MC’s “Bust a Move” winning over Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” have led many to believe that those who vote on the Grammys have no clue about real hip-hop.
That argument has merit, evidenced by the fact that the genre was not even acknowledged by the award show until 1989 and, even then, it was under the very wide umbrella of Best Rap Performance, a category that recognized merely a single song.
Today, there are four rap categories: Best Rap Performance (introduced in 1989), Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (2002), Best Rap Song (2004), and Best Rap Album (1996). How Best Rap Performance differs from Best Rap Song? I have no idea.
The Grammy for Best Rap Album has been awarded twenty-one times. There have been three artists that have won it multiple times: Eminem- 6; Kanye West — 4; and Outkast — 2. Only two of Kanye’s solo albums have not won the award — 808s & Heartbreak and Yeezus, although the latter was nominated. Every major label solo Eminem album has snagged a nomination, with Encore being the only one not to win. Jay-Z has a total of 21 Grammys, but has won the award for Best Rap Album only once. Nas has never won a Grammy…
