There has been a lot of talk about Hip-hop since it dropped from the top of the charts over the past few years. Country music with a pop edge has become the new norm for TikTok trends and the Billboard charts, removing the genre from the monotonous top it had occupied for years. This occurrence has given rise to think pieces after think pieces about why Hip-hop has fallen out of the bright light of pop culture, when the reality is, this is the natural progression of popular music. For every triumphant rise, something must crumble, but to say that Hip-hop is declining is an ignorant standpoint. 

The genre may not be racking up streaming numbers as it used to, but that opens the door for more daring artists hellbent on shaping it to reach new heights of popularity. 2025 was an absolutely exhilarating year in Hip-hop, with innovative releases from artists who love the genre, not the high numbers attached to it. This year saw established artists making daring sonic shifts, triumphant returns from some of Hip-hop’s greats, and a collection of underappreciated gems filled with color and wonder. 

Hip-hop is not only alive and well, but it’s also thriving. Glide has gone through this year’s releases to bring you our top 10 Hip-hop albums of 2025 (in alphabetical order). Please enjoy our list, and long live Hip-hop.

Clipse – Let God Sort ‘Em Out

The return of the brother duo of Pusha T and Malice has been one of the most anticipated happenings in Hip-hop in recent memory, and all of that build-up was well worth it. Let God Sort ‘Em Out is less of a return to form for the duo and more of a proper evolution, showcasing an undeniable maturity and artistic evolution that put Clipse right where they deserve to be: On top. Teaming back up with longtime collaborator and visionary Pharrell Williams made this homecoming all the more special, but this is not an album propelled to the top solely by hype. Songs like “M.T.B.T.T.F” and “Inglorious Bastards” highlight that celebratory grit that separated Clipse from their peers in the first place, while darker, emotional moments like “So Be It” and “The Birds Don’t Sing” grace the tracklist with a poetic flair. Let God Sort ‘Em Out shows us that two veterans can break through in modern times.

Earl Sweatshirt – Live Laugh Love

If you know anything about Earl Sweatshirt, the title of his terrific 2025 LP may come as a shock. From brooding over dark, neck-breaking instrumentals in his early career, to experimenting with the boundaries of Hip-hop with albums like Some Rap Songs and FEET OF CLAY, Live Laugh Love finds Sweatshirt with a sense of solace. There is a radiant warmth that bursts out of the speakers the minute you press play on “gsw vs sac,” establishing the sonic terrain of Sweatshirt’s latest as bright and welcoming, but the artist’s penchant for face-melting and soul-barring lyrics maintains a strong presence. Songs like “INFATUATION” and “Live” highlight the personal and artistic growth that makes Live Laugh Love such a refreshing addition to Sweatshirt’s timeless discography.

Fly Anakin – (The) Forever Dream

Fly Anakin is a name that has been buzzing in the underground for years now, so it is a lovely sight to see him continue to expand his artistry. There is an explosion of electrifying Hip-hop coming out of Anakin’s home state of Virginia, and it’s albums like these that prove he deserves to be. (The) Forever Dream features a blend of Anakin’s left-field tendencies and his ability to craft infectious melodies that dip a toe into the commercial hit pool, a rare diversity to emerge from Hip-hop’s depths. Songs like “YOUGOTME!!” and “CheckOnMe” are stunning examples of the artist’s heady flows, while “The Times” and the title track showcase a mastery of emotional yet advanced raps.

Photo credit: Will Pippin

Hit-Boy & The Alchemist – GOLDFISH

On the song “Recent Memory,” a highlight from the collaborative album between Hit-Boy and The Alchemist, the duo call out the rest of the music world, claiming that nothing in recent times has touched their soul. And with that, the bar was raised, and two of Hip-hop’s most sought-after producers became a force of nature so powerful with a chemistry so innate that it was almost impossible for GOLDFISH to fail. The 15-song album looked to change the standard for producers like Alc and Hit, but rather than move the finish line for their peers, the duo shattered it with a mind-altering LP brimming with rightful brags and vulnerability. “Ricky” finds the duo going into great detail about trauma, a rare peek behind the curtains for these two, while highlights like the sleek “Ask For Me” and soulful “Walk In Faith” highlight the diversity of this LP.

Jay Worthy – Once Upon A Time

One of the brightest stars to emerge from West Coast Hip-hop solidified himself as one of the greatest assets of the scene with two wildly impressive LPs, but the first of the two Once Upon A Time albums already sounds like a Hip-hop classic in the making. These 15 songs bounce from traditional, bubbly West Coast funk, like the feature-heavy “FTJ” and “96 Big Body,” to soulful, contemporary cuts like “2P’z” and  the Conductor Williams-produced “Dark Tints.” Don’t let the number of featured artists on this tracklist fool you. Once Upon A Time is the moment Worthy establishes a sound of his own, forcing artists like DJ Quick and 03 Greedo to rethink their approach to fit Worthy’s poetically moving form of Hip-hop.

McKinley Dixon – Magic, Alive! 

A new era of Hip-hop is beginning to rear its head, and McKinley Dixon is on pace to be at the forefront of this innovative movement. The artist’s natural jazz tendencies and storytelling abilities have placed him amongst some of the most exciting young talents the genre has to offer, and 2025 solidified that sentiment even further. Magic, Alive!, the bold 11-song LP released in June, found Dixon stepping outside of his comfortable, autobiographical zone and into a wondrous world of hard-hitting raps, left-field jazz, and captivating narratives. Moments like the animated “Crooked Stick” and the beautifully smooth “We’re Outside, Rejoice!” highlight Dixon’s range as he crafts a daring concept album that raises the bar for his peers.

Photo Credit: Dennis Larance

Rome Streetz & Conductor Williams – Trainspotting 

2025 was full of Hip-hop albums that nodded to tradition without sacrificing individuality. Still, Rome Streetz and Conductor Williams executed this vision so thoroughly and effortlessly that the rest of those albums feel forced. Trainspotting is 14 songs of refreshing yet familiar Hip-hop that emphasizes the enticing yet horrifying tales Streetz pieces together, while Williams crafts a fine array of searing, head-nodding instrumentals. The Method Man-assisted “Ricky Bobby” proves that Streetz can keep up with the greats, while highlights like the eerie “Died 1000 Times” and piercing “Connie’s Revenge” are the tip of the iceberg that is Streetz’s vocabulary. One producer, one rapper, 14 songs of mind-altering Hip-hop, a wonderful thing to witness in modern times.

Saba & No ID – From The Private Collection of Saba and No ID

Chicago’s Saba has always specialized in concept albums that fearlessly detail mental health, his upbringing in the Windy City, and maturing with the world watching, so when the artist announced a collaborative album with Hip-hop icon No ID, the album’s direction was up in the air. With all the anticipation and the weight of the city’s legacy, the cross-generational duo set out to release their self-titled LP, and the results are among the most soulful, moving, and lyrical Hip-hop to emerge from The Windy City in quite some time. In lieu of his lofty concepts, Saba dives into his current mindset on “Every Painting Has a Price” and “How to Impress God,” and flexes his vocal and songwriting range on moments like “Woes of the World” and “Stomping.” Saba and No ID were a genius idea for a duo on paper, and the reality of these worlds colliding is even more immersive and impressive than anyone could’ve predicted.

$ilkmoney – WHO WATERS THE WILTING GIVING TREE ONCE THE LEAVES DRY UP AND FRUITS NO LONGER BEAR? 

Since 2018, and even before that, with the group Divine Council, $ilkmoney has been one of the most thought-provoking writers the genre has seen in decades. His mind-boggling flows deliver rhyme schemes with hidden, urgent messages, almost as if the artist is writing from a time most lost and not yet found. WHO WATERS THE WILTING GIVING TREE ONCE THE LEAVES DRY UP AND FRUITS NO LONGER BEAR? is another psychedelic addition to $ilkmoney’s discography, an album of no-nonsense raps that explore harsh realities and hold absolutely nothing back. Just as on every album, the intricacies of the artist’s approach are elevated, as in the heartbreaking “First I Give Up, Then I Give In, Then I Give All,” which analyzes a disproportionate love. “The Jury Duty Seafood Boilbag from the Lyfe Jennings Paperwork Party” and “Well I’ll Be A Monkey’s Uncle” only scratch the surface of the magic contained on this album, but paint a vivid image of $ilkmoney’s restless prowess.

Photo Credit: Micaiah Carter

Zelooperz & Real Bad Man – Dear Psilocybin

Real Bad Man is slowly becoming one of the most innovative producers in the contemporary scene, so seeing who he decides to collaborate with is always an exciting announcement. This time around, the producer teamed up with the equally prolific and imaginative Zelooperz for a psyched-out journey through acrobatic flows and woozy loops. Dear Psilocybin is head-spinning entertainment that reaches deep into the soul to unearth an unknown love for cartoonish vocals that could be lying dormant in all of us. The melodic “Sweel Celine,” the bouncy yet brutally honest “Arîba! Arîba!,” or the noir-style “Trenchblade” only covers a fraction of the sonic terrain crafted by these two young stars. The chemistry between these two flourished as naturally as a blossoming flower, and Dear Psilocybin forced the world to think twice before putting either artist in a box.