By this time last year, six rap artists had released chart-topping albums, including Gunna’s DS4Ever, Lil Durk’s 7220, Tyler, The Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost, Pusha T’s It’s Almost Dry, Future’s I Never Liked You, and Kendrick Lamar’s highly anticipated Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. Additionally, singles like Jack Harlow’s “First Class” and Future and Drake’s “Wait For U” collaboration reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart.
However, the hip-hop charts in 2023 tell a different story. The lack of new releases from the genre’s heavyweights, such as Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Future, seems to be a significant factor behind this absence of No. 1 projects. Another contributing factor could be the absence of new material from popular and reliable artists like Megan Thee Stallion and Young Thug. Mental and legal issues have hindered these artists from releasing new projects, further affecting hip-hop’s chart performance. Billboard suggests several possible reasons for hip- hop’s current struggle to dominate the charts. One theory is that the genre is losing its market share, with hip-hop accounting for 26% of the music market as compared to around 28% last year. This decline, although marginal, coincides with the surge in popularity of other genres like Afrobeats, regional Mexican music, and K-pop.
Viral hip-hop favorites like Lil Durk and YoungBoy Never Broke Again have yet to achieve crossover success, limiting their ability to compete with pop and country chart-toppers. Albums like Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” and Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” have enjoyed lengthy runs on the Billboard Hot 100, making it challenging for rap singles to dethrone them. Despite this, artists who have maintained their staying power, such as Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj and J. Cole, continue to outperform the genre’s younger stars. These artists, dubbed “The Mount Rushmore of the 2010s” by Billboard, could play a crucial role in helping hip-hop reclaim its chart dominance.
As the hip-hop genre approaches its 50th anniversary, it’s essential to reflect on its growth and evolution over the years. While the current state of the hip-hop charts for 2023 may seem discouraging, it’s crucial to remember that the genre has faced challenges in the past and still managed to thrive.
Fans are eagerly anticipating Travis Scott’s Utopia LP, which could potentially help the genre regain its chart-topping status. There is still hope, and time, for hip-hop to produce a No. 1 project before the end of the year.