Key Takeaways:
- Comeback albums in Hip Hop take many forms, from post-hiatus returns to post-controversy rebounds.
- Albums like JAY-Z's 4:44 and Gunna’s a Gift & a Curse reveal how artists channel personal growth into powerful statements.
- From unexpected reunions to solo reinventions, these projects show how resilience shapes rap legacies.
The comeback album has become a long-standing joke among fans, mostly because the amount of time they wait and the music they get in return doesn’t always add up. That said, there are plenty of artists who’ve come back swinging with really great projects.
Before we get into it, it’s worth mentioning that the phrase “comeback” can apply to different situations. Most commonly, there’s post-hiatus — when an artist releases an album years after their previous project (such as Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out or Cardi B’s AM I THE DRAMA?). There are also artists who’ve returned after controversy, like Gunna’s a Gift & a Curse and Travis Scott’s UTOPIA, though success on the charts isn’t the same as cultural forgiveness.
Below, here’s our roundup of 11 of the best comeback albums in rap, in no particular order.
1. Gucci Mane’s ‘Everybody Looking’
Gucci Mane couldn’t have picked a better name for his ninth studio album, Everybody Looking, which arrived shortly after he came home from a two-year prison stint. “I can't even sleep, I got so much to say / F**k the feds, f**k the police, f**k the DEA,” he rapped on the opener, “No Sleep (Intro).” In addition to “Back on Road” with Drake, listeners were treated to the aptly titled “Guwop Home” featuring Young Thug and Kanye West on “P**sy Print.”
2. Lil Uzi Vert’s ‘Eternal Atake’
We likely would’ve gotten Lil Uzi Vert’s sophomore album, Eternal Atake, a bit earlier had they not been beefing with their former label Generation Now. In fact, a year before the project arrived, the “XO Tour Llif3” hitmaker announced they were quitting music. Luckily, the 18-track project debuted in 2020 and brought serious heat with songs like “Baby Pluto,” “Silly Watch,” and “P2.” Although the original version only included a lone feature from The Internet’s Syd, the deluxe brought Chief Keef, Lil Durk, and 21 Savage into the fray, along with 14 additional songs.
3. Meek Mill’s ‘Championships’
While Championships wasn’t released that far apart from Meek Mill’s previous album, Wins & Losses, fans were especially eager for it given the circumstances. “What’s Free” brought Meek together with JAY-Z and Rick Ross months after being incarcerated, while “Going Bad” officially buried his years-long feud with Drake. The Ella Mai-assisted “24/7” and “Dangerous” round out what’s easily one of the Philly native’s most complete LPs.
4. Gunna’s ‘a Gift & a Curse’
There were plenty of doubts about whether Gunna could keep his career afloat after taking an Alford plea in the RICO case involving him, Young Thug, and several other YSL members. However, a Gift & a Curse shut down any notion that he'd fade out of the conversation. It housed “fukumean,” “back to the moon,” and “alright,” which probably came the closest to capturing the back-against-the-wall feeling he was dealing with at the time.
5. ScHoolboy Q’s ‘BLUE LIPS’
ScHoolboy Q personally ranked BLUE LIPS over both Habits & Contradictions and Blank Face LP, which is saying a lot. However, after sitting with the Los Angeles rapper’s sixth studio album — mature, mysterious, and vulnerable all at once — it’s easy to see why. On “Blueslides,” he reflects on losing Mac Miller and what might happen “if Kamala freed the homies,” while the Rico Nasty-featuring “Pop” is a slight departure from his earlier sound. Fans often wonder why Top Dawg Entertainment artists take such long pauses between projects, yet the results tend to be cohesive, fully realized statements.
6. Cardi B’s ‘AM I THE DRAMA?’
Seven years after giving the world what many consider one of the best female rap debuts with Invasion of Privacy, Cardi B finally returned with AM I THE DRAMA? in 2025. Having spent plenty of time perfecting her craft, the original 23-track effort spawned bops like “ErrTime,” the BIA-aimed “Pretty & Petty,” and the sexy drill-inspired “Safe.” Of course, fans already suspected they were in for a real treat, thanks to early releases like the Grammy-nominated “Outside” and the JAY-Z-sampling “Imaginary Playerz.”
7. JAY-Z’s ‘4:44’
Arriving four years after Magna Carta... Holy Grail, JAY-Z’s 4:44 is often described as one of his most stripped-back albums. Hov apologizes to Beyoncé on the title track, then links up with the pop icon on the very next song, “Family Feud.” And there’s no way to discuss 4:44 without mentioning “The Story of O.J.,” where JAY-Z reminds listeners that our Blackness is something the world never allows us to escape.
8. Travis Scott’s ‘UTOPIA’
Travis Scott’s UTOPIA is his Yeezus, plain and simple. Much like Kanye West’s 2013 effort, the Houston native’s fourth studio album is something people either love or love to hate. For those of us in the former group, there’s the ubiquitous “FE!N,” “MELTDOWN” with Drake, and SZA’s honey-hued vocals on “TELEKINESIS.” Also, it's hard to imagine Beyoncé, who appears on “DELRESTO (ECHOES),” showing up on a project she didn’t believe in.
9. Clipse’s ‘Let God Sort Em Out’
It shouldn’t be all that surprising to see Let God Sort Em Out, Rap-Up’s No. 1 pick for Best Rap Albums of 2025, on this list. Clipse delivered in every way they could, from tapping Pharrell to produce the entire project to proving their pen is elite on records like “So Be It” and “Ace Trumpets.” On top of that, the album and its singles earned Pusha T and Malice five Grammy nominations. Not bad for their first project in roughly 16 years.
10. Lil Wayne’s ‘Tha Carter V’
Although he raps, “Don't call it a comeback / It was dark, now the sun back” on the album’s “Don’t Cry,” Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter V was absolutely a comeback. He had just reached a settlement in his legal battle with Cash Money Records, finally clearing the way for fans to receive the long-awaited LP many years after its 2011 predecessor. Some of the gems on Tha Carter V include “Mona Lisa” with Kendrick Lamar, “Uproar,” and the emotional closer, “Let It All Work Out.” It’s not the strongest entry in the series, but it’s still a great offering from Weezy nonetheless.
11. Doja Cat’s ‘Scarlet’
Doja Cat did her big one with Scarlet, a welcome return to form after the pop albums she delivered with Planet Her and Hot Pink. Across the predominantly rap project, we got the “Say So” artist dropping absolute bars on “Attention” and “97.” While some songs, namely “Agora Hills,” veer into alt-pop territory, Doja gave her fans the best of both words with records like “Paint The Town Red” and “Gun.”