20 of the best sophomore rap albums

One of the most inspirational aspects of A Tribe Called Quest is how the group always knew how to blend jazz and soul into their hip-hop sound properly. Just a year after releasing their debut album People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, the group returned with their sophomore album The Low End Theory. In addition to hit singles like “Check the Rhime” and “Jazz (We’ve Got),” the single “Scenario” was a breakout moment for hip-hop newbie at the time, Busta Rhymes.  

Just over a year since releasing his debut album, Thank Me Later, Drake gifted fans with his sophomore album, Take Care . In typical Drake fashion, he can be heard rapping and singing on several songs such as “Shot For Me,” “Marvin’s Room,” and “Make Me Proud.” Drake collaborated with several artists on the album, including The Weeknd, Rick Ross, Andre 3000, and his labelmates Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj. Take Care helped earn Drake his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. 

Dr. Dre is the type of artist who takes his sweet time to create an album. By the time he released his sophomore album, 2001, it was seven years after his debut album, The Chronic. Dre used 2001 to reflect on his ability and to prove any critics wrong with hit singles like “The Next Episode,” “Forgot About Dre,” and “Still D.R.E.” 

Reeling off the success of her debut album Supa Dupa Fly, Missy Elliott came back two years later with her sophomore effort, Da Real World. Elliott’s longtime friend and collaborator Timbaland produced and co-wrote each song on the album. Timbaland was constantly pushing his sound, and it always blended effortlessly with Elliott’s futuristic style. Timbaland is the yin to Elliott’s yang, and it was evident across hit songs like “She’s a B---h,” “Hot Boyz,” and “All n My Grill.” Da Real World also proved that Elliott’s creative style was unmatched as a visionary, particularly in her music videos and choreography. 

Just three years after releasing his debut album Federal, E-40’s sophomore album In a Major Way helped the rapper gain more mainstream status. Not only was the album a major look for Bay Area hip-hop, but it also showcased the different elements of E-40’s talent, such as his dynamic rhyme schemes, speedy flow, and catchy slang. With hit singles such as “Sprinkle Me” and “1-Luv,” In a Major Way reached the top 15 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Throughout OutKast’s career, the duo has been recognized as one of the pioneers in bringing Southern rap to the mainstream. Just two years after releasing their debut album, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, OutKast returned with their sophomore album, ATLiens. Following the theme of the album’s title, not only did some songs find extraterrestrial-inspired production sounds, but it also showcased how OutKast can be seen as an eccentric group that other hip-hop groups can’t compare to. In addition to releasing the title track as a single, the lead single “Elevators (Me & You)” became a top 15 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Just a year after releasing his debut album Food & Liquor, Chicago native Lupe Fiasco returned with his sophomore album, The Cool. Fiasco has always been the type of artist who knows how to blend different types of genres into his hip-hop style. Whether he blends classical music on “The Coolest,” pop music on the Matthew Santos-assisted track “Superstar,” or bossa nova inspiration on “Paris, Tokyo,” Fiasco is a master at choosing production that fits his smooth rap style perfectly.

The Notorious B.I.G.’s second and final album, Life After Death, is always a “what-if” body of work since the rapper tragically lost his life about two weeks before it was released. Biggie seemed to just be hitting his stride as one of the hottest rappers out of New York. Across the album, he collaborated with several artists, including The Lox, Jay-Z, Mase, Too $hort, Lil’ Kim, and more. With hit songs like “Hypnotize,” “Mo Money Mo Problems,” and “Going Back to Cali,” the album became a gold-selling success within the first week of its release.

Reeling off the success of his debut album, The College Dropout, Kanye West returned a year later with his sophomore album, Late Registration. Nearly every song on the album was produced by West, except the Lupe Fiasco-assisted single “Touch the Sky,” which was produced by Just Blaze. With hit singles like “Heard ‘Em Say,” “Gold Digger,” and “Drive Slow,” it pushed West’s stardom to another level, and he won his second consecutive Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. 

Due to the rap duo Mobb Deep’s debut album, Juvenile Hell, not having much success, their record executives considered it a commercial failure and ultimately dropped the duo from the label. However, not too long after, the group was signed by a different label, and in 1995, they released their sophomore album, The Infamous. With hit singles like “Give Up the Goods (Just Step),” “Temperature’s Rising,” and “Shook Ones, Pt. II,” The Infamous became a platinum-selling success.

Just a year after independently releasing his debut album, Section.80, Kendrick Lamar had more major label backing with Interscope Records and Aftermath alongside TDE on his sophomore album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City. Lamar worked with several producers on GKMC , including Sounwave, Hit-Boy, Pharrell Williams, Just Blaze, and more. Across the album, Lamar gives introspective storytelling of his upbringing in his hometown of Compton and the harsh realities it brought to his life. Some of the album’s hit singles, such as “The Recipe,” “Swimming Pools (Drank),” and “B---h, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” helped earn Lamar several Grammy Award nominations, including Best Rap Album.

In 1996, Eminem released his debut album, Infinite; however, it was a commercial failure. Things turned around for Eminem when he signed to Dr. Dre’s label Aftermath three years later and released his next album, The Slim Shady LP. With hit singles like “My Name Is” and “Guilty Conscience,” The Slim Shady LP sold a million copies within two months after its release. 

Although the Fugees’ debut album, Blunted on Reality, received favorable praise, it wasn’t commercially successful. Two years later, when the trio released their sophomore album, The Score, the group started to see more mainstream success. Whether they were sampling soul songstress Teena Marie on their single “Fu-Gee-La,” or new age singer Enya on “Ready or Not,” the Fugees were masters at creating a signature alternative hip-hop style. The Score earned the Fugees a Grammy for Best Rap Album. 

In 1988, rap group Public Enemy released their sophomore album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. In pure Public Enemy fashion, the group continues to display their style of political and social consciousness on tracks like “Rebel Without A Pause,” “Bring the Noise,” and “Prophets Of Rage.” Public Enemy remains one of those groups that inspired other rappers to use their music to tackle issues and encourage change.  

Eve might have been the only female MC on the Ruff Ryders label, but that didn’t deter her from holding her own amongst the men. In 2001, Eve released her sophomore album Scorpion,  which included production from Swizz Beatz, Scott Storch, Stevie J, Dr. Dre, and more. She also collaborated with several artists on features, including Gwen Stefani, Da Brat, Trina, DMX, and Teena Marie, among others. Eve shows levels of bravado in her lyrical prowess on tracks like “Cowboy,” “Who’s That Girl?,” and “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” which helped her earn a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album. 

Just two years after releasing their critically acclaimed debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, hip hop trio De La Soul gifted fans with their second album, De La Soul is Dead. Between the album’s eclectic samples and humorous approach to storytelling, De La Soul is Dead became the first album to receive a five-mic rating from The Source magazine, a challenging feat that marked the album as a classic for hip-hop heads. The album garnered three singles, including “Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey)” and “A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays.” 

After his debut album, I’m Serious didn’t receive the best reception commercially, T.I. had a lot to prove by blending his southern rap style with the subgenre of trap music on his sophomore album, properly titled Trap Muzik. To help elevate his sound, he worked with several producers across the album, including Kanye West, Jazze Pha, David Banner, DJ Troomp, Cool & Dre, and more. In pure T.I. fashion, he details the life of hustling and drug dealing on hit songs like “24’s,” “Rubber Band Man,” and “King of da South.” T.I. gained more mainstream success with Trap Muzik as it peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. 

While LL Cool J’s debut album Radio was produced by record executive Rick Rubin, for his sophomore album Bigger and Deffer, he worked with the production team the L.A. Posse. On the lead single “I’m Bad,” Cool J gives fans a taste of braggadocio rap. However, it was his second single, “I Need Love,” that helped push the rapper’s stardom even further. While many consider the song the first rap ballad to achieve worldwide success, it helped propel Cool J’s image into that of a heartthrob. 

In the 2000s, the production duo The Neptunes was in high demand for a multitude of artists. Pharrell Williams discovered Clipse and helped them secure a contract with Elektra Records. Four years after releasing their debut album Lord Willin', Clipse returned with their sophomore album Hell Hath No Fury, exclusively produced by The Neptunes. The production duo’s beatmaking alongside the Clipse’s storytelling has always displayed how locked in they are as music partners; this type of marriage is evident on songs like “Hello New World,” “Keys Open Doors,” and “Mr. Me Too.” 

Just a year following their debut album Paid in Full, hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim released their critically acclaimed album Follow The Leader. Even from the first three opening tracks, fans could easily tell how much Rakim was lyrically making himself stand out amongst his peers. With singles like “Microphone Fiend” and the album title track, Follow The Leader peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200.