Hip-hop is one of the biggest artforms in the world, but a select few artists have dropped bodies of work that have unrivalled longevity. Spending hundreds of weeks on the Billboard 200 puts you in rap’s upper echelon, and these albums have done just that.
We list the hip-hop albums with the most weeks spent on the Billboard 200 below.
15. Travis Scott, ‘Astroworld’
Travis Scott has firmly established himself as one of the biggest music acts on the planet. While projects like Rodeo and Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight went crazy, Astroworld took his stardom to another level. And the numbers back it up.
Astroworld debuted at number one on Billboard, doing 537k first week sales, and it’s spent 381 weeks on the Billboard 200—very close to the next entry on this list.
14. Drake, ‘Scorpion’
At this point, Drake and Billboard are synonymous. For nearly two decades, everything he dropped would top the charts—and live there for an incredibly long time. His 2018 double album, Scorpion, was no different.
Scorpion did a ridiculous 732k first week, along with breaking both Spotify and Apple Music’s single-day streaming records at the time. As of now, it’s spent 387 weeks in the Billboard 200.
13. Juice WRLD, ‘Goodbye & Good Riddance’
Juice WRLD’s run, while unfortunately brief, was absolutely massive. His 2018 single “Lucid Dreams” went number two on Billboard, leading the way for his album, Goodbye & Good Riddance. While it debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200, it has since gone on to do crazy numbers in recent years.
Goodbye & Good Riddance reached quintuple platinum status in May 2023, showing just how much people loved the project. Additionally, it’s spent 393 weeks on the Billboard 200.
12. The Notorious B.I.G., ‘Greatest Hits’
Released on March 6, 2007—just three days before the 10th anniversary of his death—Greatest Hits reminded the world why Biggie was one of the best to ever do it. The project pulls together the records that made him eternal: “Juicy,” “Big Poppa,” “Mo Money Mo Problems,” and the kind of storytelling that showcased his unmatched ability to glide between smooth, charismatic flexing and sharp street narratives.
The album debuted at #1 and has now spent over 393 weeks on the Billboard 200, proof of how timeless Biggie’s voice is.
11. Ye, ‘Graduation’
Dropping the soul samples and orchestral beats of his early albums, Ye pioneered a new genre of “pop-rap” with Graduation. The shift paid off—the music felt huge, colorful, and accessible in a way hip-hop hadn’t really touched yet.
Then there was the Ye vs. 50 Cent rivalry. Both Graduation and Curtis dropped on September 11, 2007, with 50 promising to retire if Ye outsold him. Ye didn’t just win—he dominated, moving 957K first week. That moment marked a cultural shift away from gangsta rap’s chokehold on the mainstream and cleared the lane for artists like Drake and Kid Cudi to rise.
The album debuted at No. 1 and has spent 408 weeks on the Billboard 200.
10. Drake, ‘More Life’
More conversation about Billboard equals more Drake. And for Drake, 2017 was all about More Life. While he described it as a “playlist,” it’s still an album, and it still did 505k first week—earning him another Billboard No. 1.
Of course, the project broke streaming records, went platinum—the usual. More Life has been on the Billboard 200 for 408 weeks, and shows no sign of slowing down.
9. Eminem, ‘The Eminem Show’
Widely considered a classic, Eminem was in his prime when The Eminem Show was released in May 2002. It became the best-selling album of the entire year in the U.S., moving a wild 1.3 million copies in its first full week.
Packed with hits like “‘Till I Collapse,” “Superman,” and “Without Me,” the album marked a turning point for Eminem. He got more personal, more political, and a lot more introspective, all while keeping the sharp, aggressive delivery fans showed up for. The album has spent 444 weeks and counting on the Billboard 200.
8. Kendrick Lamar, ‘DAMN.’
People seem to forget that before the hype of “Not Like Us,” Kendrick was already doing numbers. Breaking touring records, winning Pulitzer Prizes and Grammys, you name it. 2017’s DAMN. dropped to wild fanfare, doing 603k first week and landing at No. 1 on Billboard.
Back in 2018, DAMN. was certified triple platinum–and hasn’t been updated since. It’ll be interesting to see what the certs look like later, but we do know it’s spent 450 weeks on the Billboard 200.
7. Drake, ‘Views’
Wow, another completely unexpected entry from Drake. Who could’ve seen this coming? Just in case people forgot, Drake was THE numbers guy. It’s an undeniable fact, and Views is proof.
Views did 1.04 MILLION first week sales. Yes, you read that right. The album has been certified eight times platinum and has spent 498 weeks on the Billboard 200. Can you guess the next person on the list?
6. Drake, ‘Nothing Was The Same’
Surprise! It’s Aubrey Drake Graham. However, because this is an earlier project in his discography, the levels it went to and the impact it had were (ever so slightly) more surprising. Nothing Was The Same fully cemented his superstardom, assuring that he’d be on top—as far as numbers go—for a long time.
NWTS sold 658k first week, is six times platinum certified, and has spent 506 weeks on the Billboard 200.
5. J. Cole, ‘2014 Forest Hills Drive’
2014 Forest Hills Drive is the album that put J. Cole in the Big Three talks. Not only was it critically acclaimed and praised for its quality and intent, but Cole also put points on the board in the numbers category. If anyone has ever asked if your favorite album “went platinum with no features,” you can thank Cole for that.
At this point, 2014 FHD is way more than that, though. In December 2024, it was certified six times platinum, and it’s lived on the Billboard 200 for 573 weeks.
4. Tupac, ‘Greatest Hits’
Released on November 24, 1998—two years after Tupac’s death—the project became the definitive snapshot of an artist who could do it all. It opened at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 with 286K first-week sales, and it’s spent 601 weeks in total on the chart.
What made Greatest Hits different from every other compilation is simple: Pac’s range was unmatched. “California Love,” “Hit ’Em Up,” “Dear Mama”— the album swings from West Coast anthems to soul-piercing vulnerability without ever breaking stride. For a whole generation of fans, this was the one-stop crash course that showed why Pac wasn’t just a rapper, but a cultural force.
3. Drake, ‘Take Care’
Another member of the Big Three—possibly the unanimous #2 after recent events—Drake started his career with hit after hit, and Take Care serves as a testament to his early star power. Many of the singles, like “Marvin’s Room,” “Headlines,” “Take Care (ft. Rihanna),” and “Make Me Proud (ft. Nicki Minaj),” symbolize that era in music. With it being his sophomore album, he had to make a statement, and he did in a major way.
Take Care did 631k first week sales, is now eight times platinum (at least), and has been on the Billboard 200 for 665 weeks and counting.
2. Kendrick Lamar, ‘Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City’
Looking back, it’s wild to imagine this album being the second-longest-running rap album, based on its first week reception. In October of 2012, GKMC did 242,000 first-week sales. That’s nothing to sneeze at, but compared to some of the numbers on this list, you would think it’s an easy feat. However, the quality of the music, and Kendrick Lamar’s continued dedication to excellence, kept fans spinning the project—and new fans running back to see what his major label debut sounds like.
By October 2022, Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City had spent 520 weeks straight (10 years) on the Billboard 200, becoming the first hip-hop album to ever achieve that feat. As of now, it’s lived on the chart for 683 weeks and counting.
1. Eminem, ‘Curtain Call: The Hits’
When people talk about longevity in hip-hop, they usually point to classic albums. But Eminem did it with a compilation project. Curtain Call: The Hits, released in December 2005, wasn’t just a victory lap; it was a reminder of how dominant Slim Shady was during the 2000s. The album packed in era-defining records like “Stan,” “Lose Yourself,” and “Without Me,” plus three new songs that kept fans locked in at a time when they were starving for more material.
It debuted with 441K first-week sales, and the momentum never stopped. Today, Curtain Call sits at 764 weeks and counting on the Billboard 200—the longest-charting hip-hop album in history.
