Lil Durk’s career has been defined by steady growth and a remarkable catalog of music, spanning from his early mixtapes to his more recent chart-topping albums. A key figure in the Chicago drill scene, Durk has firmly established himself as one of today’s hip-hop heavyweights. Now recognized as one of the top 20 most certified rappers ever by the RIAA, Durk released his ninth studio album, Deep Thoughts, on March 28th.
To mark the occasion, we’re revisiting his discography and first-week sales. From his 2015 debut album to standout mixtapes like 2020’s Just Cause Y’all Waited 2, Durk’s projects have consistently climbed the charts, securing top spots on the Billboard 200 and showing steady growth with each release.
With standout collaborations, including his album with Lil Baby and features from artists ranging from Gunna (this didn’t age well) to Young Thug, we broke down not only how Durk’s albums performed when it came down to the numbers but also what made each project a defining moment in his career.
‘Signed To The Streets 3’ — 27K first-week sales
The third installment of Lil Durk’s Signed to the Streets series, released on November 9, 2018, debuted at #17 on the Billboard 200. The album featured hit tracks like “Home Body” with Gunna (prior to their eventual fallout) and “Skrubs.” Durk also enlisted rap heavyweights to do guest features, including Future, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Ty Dolla $ign, Kevin Gates, Kodak Black, Lil Baby, and the late Young Dolph.
Compared to his debut album, Signed to the Streets 3 received significantly more praise from fans. AOTY user Icb300 shared in 2024 that “out of all the albums Lil Durk has, this one is the most melodic and beautiful. To say that this album is good would be an understatement.”
Ahead of the album’s release, Durk made a major career move by switching labels from Def Jam to Alamo Records (under Interscope). He explained the decision, saying he wanted to be at a label that made him feel like a top priority: “A place that needed me just as much as I needed them.” This shift gave Durk a newfound sense of security, and with it, he felt like a new artist.
“Everything has been different. The shows are going up, and I’m doing streams I’ve never done before. Moving to Atlanta really did it. Being locked in the studio with artists who were turning up at the time, that gave me motivation. I took that energy and did what I did with it,” he told Billboard in an interview.
‘Remember My Name’ — 28K first-week sales
Remember My Name, released on June 2, 2015, marked Lil Durk’s official transition from his mixtape era (like 2013’s Signed to the Streets) to releasing his first studio album. The album debuted at #14 on the Billboard 200 and featured standout tracks like the title track, which featured fellow Chicago rapper King Popo, and “Like Me,” featuring Jeremih. Durk also enlisted additional notable guest features, including Logic (Durk released a remix of Logic’s song “1-800-273-8255” later in 2018) and Hypno Carlito, who is signed to Durk’s label OTF and contributed to their newest project, Deep Thoughts).
Fan reviews of the album were a mix of praise and critique. One user from Album of the Year, Savv2588, described the album in 2022 as “a mixed bag, but still his best so far” in comparison to his previous work so far. Pitchfork’s review, on the other hand, noted that Durk offered “a view into the psyche of those who reframe the concept of death as a way of life, a cost of doing business, or even a source of motivation to create a better life for yourself…”
When asked about his intentions with the album by VIBE, Durk shared his ambition to leave a lasting impact on the music industry: “I want my name stamped inside of this music business. I want to be outstanding. I want everyone to know that this is real.”
To promote the album, Durk embarked on a tour in 2015 and even released a YouTube docuseries documenting his journey on the road.
‘Love Songs 4 Tha Street 2’ — 44K first-week sales
In May 2019, Lil Durk turned himself in to authorities in connection with a shooting in downtown Atlanta that had occurred earlier that year in February (though the charges were eventually dropped). Despite the controversy, the drama only fueled anticipation for his fourth studio album, Love Songs 4 Tha Streets 2, which dropped on August 2, 2019, and debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200.
The album featured standout tracks like “Extravagant” with Nicki Minaj and “Like That” with King Von, a close friend of Durk’s who also hailed from the south side of Chicago. In their review of the album, Pitchfork praised Durk for his evolution within the drill genre, noting that he “capitalized on drill in the right way, making great music and evolving out of a hard-boiled subgenre toward something more meditative and essential.”
In a mini-doc released a month after the album’s drop, Durk shared his personal motivation behind Love Songs 4 Tha Streets 2, emphasizing that he wanted his music to resonate deeply with listeners.
“I didn’t want to just rap and go to the next album. I really want you to feel it and call me and be like, ‘Man, this is getting me through the day.’ If I get no feedback, I’ll be mad … It’s like real moody music. My message is just showing people how I came from nothing,” he explained.
‘Just Cause Y’all Waited 2’ — 57K first-week sales
As we all found ourselves stuck inside during the COVID-19 pandemic (probably) binge-watching Tiger King for the fifth time, Lil Durk dropped his next mixtape in the Just Cause Y’all Waited series on May 8, 2020. The project debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 and featured tracks like “3 Headed Goat” with Lil Baby and Polo G.
From a critical perspective, Pitchfork praised the project for its emotional depth, calling it “one of his most emotionally potent tapes ever” and recognizing Durk’s ability to transform his pain into powerful music. The review also acknowledged what Chicago has long known: “If you seek to understand the city in the 21st century, listen to Lil Durk.” Fans like AOTY user DIaz2005 agreed in their 2023 review, highlighting Durk’s versatility and ability to showcase “how many different flows and styles he can use from the ‘street rap’ genre” on the tape.
Although Durk had initially planned his next release to be a highly anticipated collaboration with producer Metro Boomin, he chose to drop Just Cause Y’all Waited 2 during the pandemic, recognizing the unique opportunity that the moment presented.
“People are all ears. You see people on the Gram, you see people on TikTok. It’s the best time for streaming at this moment. People don’t realize that, when you go back outside, the world could be moving so fast that they might overlook your music if you drop [then],” he told Forbes in 2020.
‘The Voice’ — 89K first-week sales
On Christmas Eve 2020, Lil Durk surprised fans with the release of his sixth studio album, The Voice. The album cover featured Durk posing alongside his friend and collaborator King Von, who had tragically been fatally shot just a month earlier. The project debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 and included standout tracks like “Still Trappin’” with Von and “Backdoor.” Other notable features included Young Thug (who shares one of the most meme-able photos ever with Durk), 6LACK, YNW Melly (with whom Durk later collaborated on the 2021 track “Take Kare”), and Booka600 (a fellow OTF member).
It was clear to both critics and fans that Durk was deeply affected by the loss of King Von while creating The Voice. Stereogum described the album as being in a “traumatized sleepwalk mode,” highlighting the emotional toll of the rapper’s recent experiences and the sudden passing of his friend.
While The Voice may not be considered some of his best work by others, it undoubtedly stood out as one of his most emotionally raw and charged albums.
‘7220’ — 121K first-week sales
Lil Durk’s seventh studio album, 7220, dropped on March 11, 2022, and marked a significant milestone in his career, becoming his first #1 solo album on the Billboard 200, where it remained for two weeks. The album was named after the address of his grandmother’s house, where he grew up, and the title also references a book written by his mother, Lashawnda Woodard.
Some of the hardest-hitting tracks on the project include “AHH HA” and “What Happened to Virgil,” featuring Gunna. Durk also recruited an impressive lineup of guest features, including Summer Walker, Future, and Morgan Wallen (the two would later team up again in 2023 for the track “Stand By Me”).
Pitchfork emphasized that the rapper stands out because “of his bruised wailing and lyrics so specific that they have to be based on some truth” while fans like AOTY user Foo found it to be a “decent trap album.”
Although Durk is known for freestyling and punching in while recording, 7220 marked the first time he took a different approach by sitting down to write his lyrics. In an interview with Apple Music, Durk explained the change in his process: “I want to take this shit to a different level. You freestyle or punch in for so long, you might be saying the same shit…When you sit down and write, you’re really talking about shit now.”
‘Almost Healed’ — 125K first-week sales
Previously known as The Voice 2.0, Lil Durk dropped his ninth studio album on May 26, 2023. Debuting at #3 on the Billboard 200, the album features the Grammy-Award-winning track “All My Life” with J. Cole, along with “Cross the Globe” featuring the late Juice WRLD. Other standout features on the project include Alicia Keys, Chief Wuk, Future, 21 Savage, Kodak Black, Rob49, and Morgan Wallen.
With the album dropping amid his beefs with Gunna and NBA Youngboy (which may or may not have just been for “entertainment”) along with still reeling from the loss of King Von, “Durk brings his words to life like a comic book splash page” according to Pitchfork’s review. AOTY users like SERBIO thought it was overall “one-dimensional.”
Despite the criticism and the ongoing drama, Durk reflected on the album’s reception in an interview with Apple Music. He spoke about “seeing reactions from fans that I hadn’t seen in a long time” with this latest project and expressed gratitude for the love and support he was receiving.
‘Voice of the Heroes’ — 150K first-week sales
Lil Durk and Lil Baby teamed up to release their collaborative album Voices of the Heroes on June 4, 2021. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and sold 150,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. It featured standout tracks like the title track and “Hats Off,” which included a guest verse from Travis Scott.
Pitchfork praised the project, noting that Durk and Baby successfully surpassed “the numerous team-up records that have been released since streaming was monetized” by blending their styles into a cohesive, smartly integrated sound. On the other hand, fans like AOTY user Cry appreciated the album for what it was, calling it a “crisp, cool trap project that gives you a good idea of the trap genre.”
Producer ATL Jacob, who worked on the album, shared with Rolling Stone what made Voices of the Heroes stand out. He explained, “Even when they fuck up, they rap about their fuck ups, too… They own up to it, and a lot of rappers don’t do that.”
