30 Best Hip-Hop Albums & Mixtapes of 2024 - with Hennessy

Music
17 Dec 24

From a surprise Kendrick album, to some groundbreaking Irish projects, 2024 was another high-octane year for hip-hop. To celebrate, we’ve teamed up with Hennessy – who have long-established ties to the culture – to bring you the best hip-hop albums and mixtapes of the year...

If 2023, as the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, was a year of reflection, then 2024 was time for revolution.

No one was neutral when the biggest rap feud in years kicked off between Kendrick Lamar and Drake – with everyone and their granny having their own two-cents to offer as the titans of the contemporary scene went head-to-head.

Although it was undoubtedly messy, the conflict, and the hugely popular diss tracks it spawned, captured the attention of the world – serving as a powerful showcase of both hip-hop’s relevance and its unstoppable energy, over a half-a-century on.

But that revolutionary spirit extended far beyond hip-hop beefs. Rappers weren’t afraid to change it up across the board this year – with innovative, boundary-pushing projects from heavy-hitters and emerging stars alike.

Our list of the top hip-hop albums and mixtapes of 2024 – presented in collaboration with long-established champions of the culture, Hennessy – highlights the border-defying, subgenre-splicing strength of the scene right now. Although we were blessed with solid releases from a ton of hip-hop heavyweights this year – including the likes of Lupe Fiasco, Vince Staples, ScHoolboy Q and Tyler, The Creator – the top spot could go to one artist only: Kendrick Lamar, arriving at the bitter end of the year with an undeniable, out-of-the-blue classic, GNX.

But up-and-coming Irish acts made their mark too, standing up strong alongside icons from hip-hop strongholds across the US and UK. The likes of Curtisy, Ahmed, With Love., jarjarjr, and Hazey Haze & mankyy continued to blaze a trail with their unapologetically experimental homegrown sounds – while the success of Travy & Elzzz, KNEECAP, and Rejjie Snow reminded us that Irish hip-hop can have a real international impact.

Of course, the scenes that these artists emerge from can’t exist without support.

As aficionados will know, over the decades, Hennessy has become deeply intertwined into the very fabric of hip-hop. Figures from every corner of rap’s history have name-checked the iconic cognac on their tracks, including the likes of 2Pac, Nas, Mobb Deep, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Jean Grae.

In Ireland, Hennessy’s collaborations with Irish creatives includes partnerships across the interlinked worlds of street fashion, art and hip-hop – working with the likes of Emporium, Dublin Block Party, the Future of Irish Music, and Travy & Elzzz.

United in their passion for both heritage and innovation, the links between Hennessy, hip-hop, and indeed Ireland, are strong. So why not celebrate that ongoing legacy – as you sit back, pour yourself something to sip on, and work your way through this year’s top hip-hop albums and mixtapes…