By Nicki Minaj Pink Friday 2 topped the Billboard 200 and launched the highest-grossing female rap tour of all time — could it land the queen of rap her first Grammy?
Minaj has been nominated for best rap album twice before — in 2012 Pink Friday and in 2016 for The pink print — making her the second-most nominated female rapper in that category behind Missy Elliott, who won four nods between 1998 and 2006. Since the Recording Academy established Best Rap album in 1996, only two female rappers have won the honor. as part of the Fugees, Lauryn Hill won in 1997 for The scoreand Cardi B triumphed with Invasion of privacy in 2018.
A nod to Pink Friday 2 would mark Minaj's first nomination without a soundtrack in nearly 10 years. Last year, she earned a pair of nods alongside Ice Spice and AQUA for their collaboration on “Barbie World” from Barbie soundtrack, but has not been recognized for her own work since The pink print and his tracks earned three nominations at the 2016 ceremony. Notably, Minaj has yet to win a Grammy, but if Pink Friday 2 can repeat her win at last week's (October 15) BET Hip-Hop Awards, she can finally take home her first gold-plated gramophone.
Besides Minaj, Elliott, Hill and Cardi, only two other female rappers have earned nominations for Best Rap album: Iggy Azalea (2015, The New Classic) and Rapsody (2018, Laila's Sophia).
This year, several female rappers could earn a Best Rap album nomination. In fact, the 2025 ceremony could be the first time in Grammy history that multiple female rappers are simultaneously nominated for Best Rap album. Most of this year's competing projects by female rappers also made inroads on the Billboard 200, including Doechii's Alligator bites never heal (No. 117), Doja Cat's Scarlet 2 Claude (No. 4), Flo Milli's Nice Ho, stay (No. 54), GloRilla's Ehhtang Ehhthang (No. 18), Ice Spice's Y2K! (No. 18), JT's Cinderella of the city (No. 27), Latto's Iced tea with honey and sugar (No. 15), Megan Thee Stallion's Megan (No. 3) and Sexyy Red's At Sexyy We Trust (No. 17).
Of these works, Red, Ehhhthang Ehhtang, Megan and Iced tea with honey and sugar have the strongest shot at a nod since Doja, GloRilla, Megan and Latto were all previous Grammy nominees. GloRilla, in particular, could earn a nomination here thanks to her dominant year and the timely release of her debut studio LP, Gloriouswhich earned the biggest opening week total for a female rap album in 2024 during the final days of first-round voting. Also watch out for Doechii. He has one of the most acclaimed hip-hop acts of the year and has a solid campaign, which included a recent signing from Grammy favorite Kendrick Lamar. Of course, voters could choose a project that didn't make it Bulletin board charts, but still stands on its own merit — Rapsody's Please don't cry. Already a three-time Grammy nominee, the North Carolina MC could earn her second best rap album nod, which would tie her with Minaj as the second-most nominated female rapper in the category.
Outside of the ladies, it's been another typically busy year for rap. With six wins to his name in this category, Eminem is the all-time winner here and could very well earn his eighth best rap album bid — and first in 10 years! — for his Billboard 200-topping The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). Ye (the artist formerly known as Kanye West) could extend his record as the second-most nominated (eight) and second-most awarded (four) artist in this category if Vultures 1his joint album with Ty Dolla $ign, earns a nod. This would be Ty's first nod in this category. Both Em and Ye are vets, and it's possible that some of their peers will join them as candidates this year. Common & Pete Rock are strong contenders with The Auditorium Vol. 1and Killer Mike could close out last year's win with a nod (and possible win) for Songs for Sinners and Saints. Also watch out for Juicy J's Ravenite Social Club and Erick the Architect's I've never been here before.
Obviously, this year in rap was defined by Lamar — but he doesn't have an album in contention this cycle. Nevertheless, We Don't Trust Youthe Future–Metro Boomin joint Billboard 200 album, which served as a Trojan horse for Lamar's dazzling verse “Like That,” is the clear front-runner for a nomination here. This would mark the second nomination for both Future and Metro. Both artists have yet to win this category.
Both J. Cole, a recurring star in the Lamar-Drake showdown, and ScHoolboy Q, Lamar's former TDE collaborator, could earn their third bid in this category with It may be deleted later and Blue lipsrespectively. Like Future and Metro, both Cole and Q are looking for their first win here. Big Sean, another big dog of the blog age, could also earn his first nod in the category with Better Me Than You. 21 Savage, who was nominated here last year along with Drake for their Her loss joint album, he could earn his third nomination in this category with American Dream.
Also in contention: Don Toliver's Hardstone Psycho and Danny Brown Quarantine.
Our fearless prediction
Which hip-hop albums will make the bottom five? Our predictions are: We Don't Trust You (Future & Metro Boomin), Vultures 1 (Ye & Ty Dolla $ign), The Auditorium Vol. 1 (Common & Pete Rock), Blue lips (ScHoolboy Q) and The Death of Slim Shady (Eminem).
If these predictions prove correct, this will be the sixth year in a row that men have locked up all the nominations in this category.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2025-grammys-predictions-best-rap-album-nominees-future-kanye-nicki-minaj-1235807254/
