Though this may have been a difficult question to answer last year, the past 12 months have provided us with a crowded field of candidates that could potentially be the answer to Who Won 2017? We’ve already rolled out the likes of Hottest Albums, Hottest Songs and Breakout Artists and now, we get to crown the year’s grand champion.
Let’s start with some of the heavyweights. Gucci Mane released two strong albums, Droptopwop and Mr. Davis, on top of tying the knot with Keyshia Ka’oir in one of the most lavish celebrity weddings of the year. Future dropped solo LPs and a Young Thug collab mixtape, rivaling anyone in the rap game in terms of quantity and overall quality of their musical output. Speaking of Thugger, his country-tinged LP was one of the year’s strongest offerings, giving us a new mental association when we think of the word “yee-haw.” Kendrick gave us DAMN., Migos gave us Culture and Offset gave us a 12-month performance that may put his name in lights as the feature MVP of 2017.
But wait, there’s more. Cardi B dominated the charts with “Bodak Yellow,” as did Lil Uzi Vert with “XO Tour Llif3.” 2 Chainz’s Pretty Girls Like Trap Music was arguably his strongest long-form release to date, while Young Dolph released four (!) different projects in and around recovering from a near-fatal run-in with an armed member of a rival crew. Finally, we have Jay-Z, one of the OG’s who wasn’t content to fade into the background and coast on the memories of his work from a decade or more ago. Instead, 4:44 has become one of the year’s most decorated albums and the frontrunner to help hip-hop crush the Grammys once and for all.
So many to choose from but only one winner. So, who won 2017 in hip-hop. Vote now!
Future
- 2 killer albums in Future and HNDRXX
- Teamed up with Young Thug for Super Slimey album
- Only artist to have 2 2017 albums go Gold with the RIAA
- Reebok sneaker collaboration.
- Lots of killer features, worked with the likes of Young Thug, Offset, Kodak Black, 21 Savage and more
Migos
- Culture was one of the most popular albums of the year
- “Bad & Boujee” enjoyed massive success on streaming and radio platforms
- Crossover collabs with Katy Perry, DJ Khaled and more
- Working on a movie with Quavo writing the script
- Grammy nods for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance
Offset
- All of the Migos success, especially Culture
- Without Warning collaborative tape with 21 Savage and Metro Boomin'
- Dope features with the likes of Gucci Mane, Kodak Black, Amine, Macklemore and more
- Proposed to Cardi B
- Started $500,000 fundraiser for cancer awareness
Gucci Mane
- Wedding + TV Special with wife Keyshia Ka’oir was one of the year's biggest celebrity events
- Droptopwop, Mr. Davis and El Gato The Human Glacier all dropped this year
- Announced yet another full-length LP to be released in 2018
- Released his autobiography, which has become a best-seller
- Renewed record deal for $10M (Atlantic)
- Crossover features with Fifth Harmony and Selena Gomez
- 3 Platinum, 2 Gold certifications in 2017
Kendrick Lamar
- Released DAMN., LP has gone 2x Platinum so far
- Total of 2 Gold, 2 Platinum certifications in 2017
- 4 BET Hip Hop Awards, including Album Of The Year
- EMA for Video Of The Year
- 5 MTV VMA’s including Video Of The Year
- Multiple Grammy nominations, including Record & Album of the Year
- No. 6 on Forbes’ list of richest hip-hop performers ($30M)
Jay-Z
- 4:44 released to critical acclaim
- Subsequent tour, which grossed nearly $45 million.
- Welcomed twins with wife Beyoncé
- Purchased Los Angeles estate for reported $90M
- Multiple Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Rap Album.
2 Chainz
- Pretty Girls Like Trap Music released
- Eponymous tour, which he’s performed mostly in a wheelchair so far
- Trap House in the ATL offered free HIV testing and more this summer
- Brings out high-profile guest on his tour stops, from Drake to Kendrick and more
Young Dolph
- 4 full-length projects, several singles released in 2017
- Collabs with Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, Ty Dolla $ign and many more
- Recovered from near-fatal shooting in Los Angeles
Cardi B
- First unassisted woman in nearly 20 years to have a Hot 100 No. 1 on Billboard's chart
- Won BET Hip Hop Award for Song of the Year
- Collaborated with Migos, Nicki Minaj, Kodak Black and more
- Earned Grammy nom for Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song
Lil Uzi Vert
- One of the year’s biggest singles in “XO Tour Llif3”
- Luv Is Rage 2 topped Billboard 200 chart this summer
- “The Way Lifes Goes” and “Sauce It Up” also successful singles on streaming charts
- Collaborated with Pharrell Williams, The Weeknd, Nicki Minaj and others.
- Grammy nomination for Best New Artist
Young Thug
- Released Beautiful Thugger Girls to widespread critical acclaim.
- “Relationship” was a high-charting single on streaming platforms
- Super Slimey joint mixtape with Future featured “Patek Water” and others
- Had big names like Future, Snoop Dogg, Quavo on his album