We’re a quarter of the way through the 21st century and it’s a great time to take stock in how hip-hop has evolved over that time. Every year, it feels like a different artist takes their turn at the rap crown, while a new producer comes up with the sound of the moment.
To etch this in stone, I’ve gone year by year to declare the best artist, producer, song, verse, beat, and album for each year of the century so far. Do some rappers dominate? Of course they do: There isn’t that much room at the top. But this exercise also shines a light on hip-hop’s constant flux, and how easy it is to slip from the peak.
2000
Best Artist: EminemBest Producer: Dr. DreBest Song: Nelly — “Country Grammar (Hot Shit)”Best Verse: Jay-Z — “Intro” from The Dynasty: Roc La FamiliaBest Beat: M.O.P. — “Ante Up” (producer: DR Period)Best Album: Outkast — Stankonia
2001
Best Artist: Jay-ZBest Producer: Kanye WestBest Song: Nas — “Ether”Best Verse: Jadakiss — “We Gonna Make It” Feat. Styles PBest Beat: Ludacris — “Move Bitch” (producer: KLC)Best Album: Jay-Z — The Blueprint
2002
Best Artist: EminemBest Producer: The NeptunesBest Song: Eminem — “Lose Yourself”Best Verse: Eminem — “Till I Collapse”Best Beat: Nas — “Made You Look” (producer: Salaam Remi)Best Album: Eminem — The Eminem Show
2003
Best Artist: 50 CentBest Producer: Lil JonBest Song: 50 Cent — “In Da Club”Best Verse: Jay-Z — “Public Service Announcement”Best Beat: Joe Budden — “Pump It Up” (producer: Just Blaze)Best Album: 50 Cent — Get Rich Or Die Tryin’
2004
Best Artist: Kanye WestBest Producer: Kanye WestBest Song: Snoop Dogg — “Drop It Like It’s Hot” Feat. PharrellBest Verse: Ja Rule — “New York”Best Beat: De La Soul — “Rock Co.Kane Flow” (producer: Jake One)Best Album: Kanye West — The College Dropout
2005
Best Artist: Kanye WestBest Producer: Kanye WestBest Song: The Game — “Hate It or Love It” Feat. 50 CentBest Verse: Jay-Z on Kanye West’s “Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)”Best Beat: Young Jeezy — “Go Crazy” Feat. Jay-Z (producer: Don Cannon)Best Album: Kanye West — Late Registration
2006
Best Artist: T.I.Best Producer: ToompBest Song: Lupe Fiasco — “Kick, Push”Best Verse: Pusha T on Clipse’s “Mr. Me Too”Best Beat: T.I. — “What You Know” (producer: Toomp)Best Album: T.I. — King
2007
Best Artist: Kanye WestBest Producer: Kanye WestBest Song: 50 Cent — “I Get Money”Best Verse: Kanye West — “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”Best Beat: Kanye West — “Flashing Lights” (producers: Kanye West and Eric Hudson)Best Album: Kanye West — Graduation
2008
Best Artist: Lil WayneBest Producer: Drumma BoyBest Song: Lil Wayne — “A Milli”Best Verse: Lil Wayne — “A Milli”Best Beat: Lil Wayne — “Let The Beat Build” (producers: Kanye West and Deezle)Best Album: Lil Wayne — Tha Carter III
2009
Best Artist: Jay-ZBest Producer: Noah “40” ShebibBest Song: Drake — “Best I Ever Had”Best Verse: Kanye West on Jay-Z’s “Run This Town”Best Beat: Gucci Mane — “Lemonade” (producer: Bangladesh)Best Album: Jay-Z — The Blueprint 3
2010
Best Artist: Kanye WestBest Producer: Kanye WestBest Song: Rick Ross — “B.M.F. (Blowin Money Fast)” Feat. Styles PBest Verse: Nicki Minaj on Kanye West’s “Monster”Best Beat: Kanye West — “Devil In A New Dress” (producer: Bink & Mike Dean)Best Album: Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2011
Best Artist: DrakeBest Producer: Noah “40” ShebibBest Song: Jay-Z and Kanye West — “N****s In Paris”Best Verse: Drake on DJ Khaled’s “I’m On One”Best Beat: Drake — “Lord Knows” Feat. Rick Ross (producer: Just Blaze)Best Album: Drake — Take Care
2012
Best Artist: Kendrick LamarBest Producer: Mike Will Made-ItBest Song: Meek Mill — “Dreams And Nightmares”Best Verse: Drake on Rick Ross’ “Stay Schemin”Best Beat: Kendrick Lamar — “Money Trees” Feat. Jay Rock (producer: DJ Dahi)Best Album: Kendrick Lamar — Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
2013
Best Artist: DrakeBest Producer: Noah “40” ShebibBest Song: J. Cole — “Power Trip” Feat. MiguelBest Verse: Kendrick Lamar on Big Sean’s “Control”Best Beat: Migos — “Versace” (producer: Zaytoven)Best Album: Drake — Nothing Was The Same
2014
Best Artist: J. ColeBest Producer: DJ MustardBest Song: Big Sean — “I Don’t Fuck With You” Feat. E-40Best Verse: Young Thug on Rich Gang’s “Lifestyle”Best Beat: YG — “My N****” Feat. Jeezy and Rich Homie Quan (producer: DJ Mustard & Mike Free)Best Album: J. Cole — 2014 Forest Hills Drive
2015
Best Artist: DrakeBest Producer: Metro BoominBest Song: Future — “Thought It Was A Drought”Best Verse: Drake — “Back To Back”Best Beat: Future — “Stick Talk” (producer: Southside)Best Album: Kendrick Lamar — To Pimp A Butterfly
2016
Best Artist: DrakeBest Producer: Metro BoominBest Song: Migos — “Bad And Boujee” Feat. Lil Uzi VertBest Verse: Chance The Rapper on Kanye West’s “Ultralight Beam”Best Beat: Kanye West — “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1” (producers: Kanye West, Metro Boomin, Mike Dean, and Rick Rubin)Best Album: Drake — Views
2017
Best Artist: Kendrick LamarBest Producer: No I.D.Best Song: Cardi B — “Bodak Yellow”Best Verse: Drake — “Do Not Disturb”Best Beat: Future — “Mask Off” (producer: Metro Boomin)Best Album: Kendrick Lamar — Damn
2018
Best Artist: DrakeBest Producer: Kanye WestBest Song: Travis Scott — “Sicko Mode” Feat. DrakeBest Verse: Pusha T — “If You Know You Know”Best Beat: Pusha T — “Infrared” (producer: Kanye West)Best Album: Cardi B — Invasion Of Privacy
2019
Best Artist: Tyler, The CreatorBest Producer: MadlibBest Song: Young Thug — “Hot” Feat. GunnaBest Verse: J. Cole — “Middle Child”Best Beat: 21 Savage — “A Lot” Feat. J. Cole (producers: DJ Dahi and J. White Did It)Best Album: Tyler The Creator — Igor
2020
Best Artist: Lil BabyBest Producer: Hit-BoyBest Song: Roddy Ricch — “The Box”Best Verse: Freddie Gibbs — “Scottie Beam”Best Beat: Jay Electronica — “A.P.I.D.T.A.” Feat. Jay-Z (producer: Khruangbin)Best Album: Lil Baby — My Turn
2021
Best Artist: Tyler The CreatorBest Producer: Tyler The CreatorBest Song: Baby Keem — “Family Ties” Feat. Kendrick LamarBest Verse: Lil Baby on Drake’s “Wants And Needs”Best Beat: Drake — “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” (producers: Austin Powerz, Boi-1da, FNZ, and Keanu Beats) Feat. Rick RossBest Album: Tyler The Creator — Call Me If You Get Lost
2022
Best Artist: DrakeBest Producer: Metro BoominBest Song: Drake — “Jimmy Cooks” Feat. 21 SavageBest Verse: Drake on Jack Harlow’s “Churchill Downs”Best Beat: Pusha T — “Dreamin’ Of The Past” (producer: Kanye West)Best Album: Drake and 21 Savage — Her Loss
2023
Best Artist: J. ColeBest Producer: Tay KeithBest Song: Drake & J. Cole — “First Person Shooter”Best Verse: J. Cole on Lil Yachty’s “The Secret Recipe”Best Beat: Larry June — “60 Days” (producer: The Alchemist)Best Album: Gunna — A Gift & A Curse
2024
Best Artist: Kendrick LamarBest Producer: Metro BoominBest Song: Kendrick Lamar — “Not Like Us”Best Verse: Kendrick Lamar on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That”Best Beat: Future and Metro Boomin — “Like That” Feat. Kendrick Lamar (producer: Metro Boomin)Best Album: Kendrick Lamar — GNX