Nicki Minaj‘s Pink Friday 2 topped the Billboard 200 and launched the highest-grossing female rap tour of all time — could it land the rap queen her first Grammy too?
Minaj has been nominated for best rap album twice in the past — in 2012 for Pink Friday and in 2016 for The Pinkprint — making her second-most nominated female rapper in this category behind Missy Elliott, who earned 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 a part of the Fugees, Lauryn Hill won in 1997 for The Score, and Cardi B triumphed with Invasion of Privacy in 2018.
A nod for Pink Friday 2 would mark Minaj’s first non-soundtrack nomination in nearly 10 years. Last year, she earned a pair of nods alongside Ice Spice and AQUA for their “Barbie World” collaboration from the Barbie soundtrack, but she hasn’t been recognized for her own work since The Pinkprint and its tracks earned three nominations at the 2016 ceremony. Notably, Minaj has yet to win a Grammy, but if Pink Friday 2 can repeat its victory at last week’s BET Hip-Hop Awards (Oct. 15), she may finally take home her very first gilded gramophone.
In addition to Minaj, Elliott, Hill and Cardi, just two other female rappers have earned nominations for best rap album: Iggy Azalea (2015, The New Classic) and Rapsody (2018, Laila’s Wisdom).
This year, a number of female rappers could earn a nomination for best rap album. 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 contending 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 Fine Ho, Stay (No. 54), GloRilla‘s Ehhtang Ehhthang (No. 18), Ice Spice‘s Y2K! (No. 18), JT‘s City Cinderella (No. 27), Latto‘s Sugar Honey Iced Tea (No. 15), Megan Thee Stallion‘s Megan (No. 3) and Sexyy Red‘s In Sexyy We Trust (No. 17).
Out of those projects, Scarlet, Ehhthang Ehhtang, Megan and Sugar Honey Iced Tea have the strongest shot at a nod since Doja, GloRilla, Megan and Latto are all previous Grammy nominees. GloRilla, in particular, could pull off a nomination here thanks to her dominant year and the well-timed release of her debut studio LP, Glorious, which snagged the largest opening week total for a female rap album in 2024 during the last few days of first-round voting. Keep an eye on Doechii, as well; she has one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop projects of the year and has been running a steady campaign, which included a recent co-sign from Grammy darling Kendrick Lamar. Of course, voters could opt for a project that didn’t hit the Billboard 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 pull off her second nod for best rap album, which would tie her with Minaj as the second-most nominated female rapper in the category.
Outside of the ladies, it was still a characteristically busy year for rap. With six wins to his name in this category, Eminem is the all-time winner here, and he 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 1, his 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 some of their peers join them as nominees this year. Common & Pete Rock are strong contenders with The Auditorium Vol. 1, and Killer Mike could bookend last year’s victory with a nod (and possible win) for Songs for Sinners and Saints. Also look 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. Nonetheless, We Don’t Trust You, the Billboard 200-topping Future–Metro Boomin joint album that served as Trojan horse for Lamar’s blistering “Like That” verse, is the clear frontrunner 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 labelmate, could earn their third bids in this category with Might Delete Later and Blue Lips, respectively. Like Future and Metro, both Cole and Q are looking for their first victory here. Big Sean, another blog era big dog, could also earn his very first nod in the category with Better Me Than You. 21 Savage, who was nominated here last year alongside Drake for their Her Loss joint album, could earn his third nomination in this category with American Dream.
Also in contention: Don Toliver‘s Hardstone Psycho and Danny Brown‘s Quaranta.
Our Fearless Forecast
Which hip-hop albums will make the final 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 to be correct, this would be the sixth consecutive year that men have locked up all the nominations in this category.
