Highlights

• Hip-hop has become a global phenomenon, transcending boundaries of race, nationality, and personal beliefs.
• Tupac Shakur, despite his untimely death, remains one of the genre's biggest stars with over 75 million albums sold.
• Artists like The Black Eyed Peas, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Drake have achieved immense success in hip-hop and have sold millions of albums worldwide.

In what started off as a piece of music from the Bronx borough of New York City, hip-hop has emerged as one of the most important aspects of pop culture. The music has spread globally to all types of people from different walks of life regardless of skin color, nationality, or personal beliefs.

Over the years, some of the best emcees, producers, and hitmakers to grace the genre have come forward with some unforgettable hits. While it's true the number of sales does not always correspond with the quality of music, these artists' longevity easily speaks for itself.

From the late Tupac Shakur to the controversial Eminem, here are the top ten highest-selling hip-hop artists of all time, according to the RIAA.

Updated November 2023: Since this list was last updated in 2021, the number of records that all of the artists have sold has increased. Some so much that the ranking on the list has gone up for some and down for others. With new albums coming out or already released for many on the list, it is a possibility that the list will change again in the near future.

10 Tupac Shakur

Number Of Albums Sold: 75 Million

Despite having his career cut short, Tupac Shakur is still one of the most bonafide hip-hop stars out there. As the BBC noted, Shakur has sold over 75 million copies of his albums and his posthumous records. Sadly, the star passed away at 25 years old after a fatal shooting in 1996.

The albums that Tupac has released that are certified in the US according to RIAA, in order based on overall sales include:

Had Tupac not passed away at such a young age, there is no telling just how many records he would have gone on to sell.

9 The Black Eyed Peas

Number Of Albums Sold: 80 Million

The Black Eyed Peas were the face of dance-club alternative hip-hop in the 2000s; hence it's no surprise to see them on this list. Consisting of will.i.am, Taboo, apl.de.ap, and former member Fergie, The Black Eyed Peas scored their first-ever major hit with Elephunk (2003), which topped the charts in over 13 countries. Although the group isn't as popular as it used to be, BEP claimed to have sold over 75 million copies.

The albums that The Black Eyed have released that are certified in the US according to RIAA, in order based on overall sales include:

While the Black Eye Peas are still working together today, without Fergie in their group, they have not been able to recreate the magic they had in the early to mid-2000s.

8 Flo Rida

Number Of Albums Sold: 80 Million

Another pioneer in the hip-house subgenre, Tramar 'Flo Rida' Dillard scored back-to-back hit singles in the 2000s. He scored his debut breakout single with "Low," which spent over ten consecutive weeks atop the charts in the U.S. alone and broke sales records at the time.

While he hasn't been as popular as he was in the 2000s, Flo Rida has sold over 80 million copies sales worldwide, as The Detroit News noted.

Flo Rida's albums have not received a certification via RIAA in the US. However, many of his singles have reached, gold, and platinum status. In other countries, Flo Rida's albums have gold, platinum, and silver status.

7 Nicki Minaj

Number Of Albums Sold: 100 Million

After Lil Wayne took her under his wing, Nicki Minaj quickly evolved into the queen of rap with a deadly pen game. Her "Pink" trilogy: Pink Friday (2010), Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012), and The Pinkprint (2014) catapulted her into stardom. Her iconic colorful costumes and alter egos landed her over 100 million RIAA unit sales.

The albums that Minaj has released that are certified in the US according to RIAA, in order based on overall sales include:

Given that Minaj is the seventh highest selling rapper of all time, there is no telling just how many more records she is going to go on to sell.

6 Jay-Z

Number Of Albums Sold: 140 Million

Rap star-turned-entrepreneur Jay-Z reminds everyone that he's "not a businessman, he's a business, man," with his over 140 million album sales.

While he hasn't been releasing music like he was in the '90s or the '00s, Jay-Z's label Roc Nation has sheltered so many unbelievable talents, including Rihanna, Meek Mill, Kanye West, and others.

The albums that Jay-Z has released that are certified in the US according to RIAA, in order based on overall sales include:

While Jay-Z retired from rapping, he is not hurting for cash. This is because Jay-Z has an astounding $2.5 billion net worth, according to Forbes.

5 Kanye West

Number Of Albums Sold: 160 Million

Despite being written off during the earlier days of his career because he wasn't a "gangsta rapper," Kanye West's influence in music today cannot be denied. Not only did he master the art of Auto-Tune, but West also paved the way for non-gangsta rappers to make a name for themselves in the rap game. The producer-turned-rapper has an estimated sale of over 160 million units.

The albums that West has released that are certified in the US according to RIAA, in order based on overall sales include:

Given that it has been a couple of years since West has released new music, the speculation is that he is currently working on a new album. While West has not provided a release date, the consensus is that fans can expect a new album in 2024.

4 Drake

Number Of Albums Sold: 170 Million

Another of Lil Wayne's proteges, Drake went from a Canadian teen actor to one of the biggest hip-hop stars and hitmakers of all time. He smoothly intertwines R&B influences into his hip-hop records, and the result of his hard work is over 170 million unit sales, as the BBC noted.

The albums that Drake has released that are certified in the US according to RIAA, in order based on overall sales include:

In September 2023, Drake revealed that he was working on a new album. The title of the album is, "For All The Dog". The first video for the album featured Drake's son Adonis, who certainly is a chip off the ol' block.

3 Chris Brown

Number Of Albums Sold: 217 Million

Chris Brown fuses his R&B soothing voice with hip-hop. As such, it is not surprising the singer has amassed over 217 million copies sales worldwide since debuting in 2005. His self-titled debut album went double platinum the year after its release.

Brown has also ventured into acting, making his on-screen debut in 2007 in Stomp the Yard and continued acting with Think Like a Man (2012) and Battle of the Year (2013).

The albums that Chris Brown has released that are certified in the US according to RIAA, in order based on overall sales include:

Brown announced in August 2023 that he was working on a new album. The title was 11:11. Many speculated that it would be released on November 11, but as it turns out it was released on November 10, 2023, instead. How many copies of the album will sell is anyone's guess.

2 Lil Wayne

Number Of Albums Sold: 200 Million

Lil Wayne's longevity is what makes him one of the greatest and the most influential artists to have ever done it. His creative spree of mixtapes and "Tha Carter" series in the 2000s showed his unbelievable work ethic. Besides releasing albums, Wayne is known to have nurtured some other bonafide talents, including Drake and Nicki Minaj.

The albums that Lil Wayne has released that are certified in the US according to RIAA, in order based on overall sales include:

Lil Wayne fans are eagerly awaiting Tha Carter VI. While there have been some cryptic social media posts about it, Lil Wayne has yet to give a release date.

1 Eminem

Number Of Albums Sold: 227.5 Million

Lastly, there's Eminem. While his status as a white rapper helped him boost sales numbers, as he freely admits in his song "White America," Eminem's songwriting talent and carefree attitude helped him get to where he's at now. His iconic three-album run: The Slim Shady LP (1999), The Marshall Mathers LP (2000), and The Eminem Show (2002) was legendary.

The albums that Eminem has released that are certified in the US according to RIAA, in order based on overall sales include:

Eminem has not made any mention of working on any new music or releasing an album. But, considering his last album was released in 2020, fans are chomping at the bit to hear new tracks from Eminem.

Source: RIAA, Forbes