The 20 Best TDE Albums of All Time

Features: Kendrick Lamar, Smino, Kadhja Bonet, Lil Wayne, Sabrina Claudio, Jill Scott, Zacari

Producers: Michael Uzowuru, Jeff Kleinman, Mike Hector, Kal Banx, Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman, SHROOM, D.K. The Punisher, Boi Beatz, Bradford Tidwell, Tony Russell, Rob “Freaky Rob” Gueringer, Soul Surplus, Tae Beast, Kelvin Wooten, Saxon, LordQuest, Boi-1da, Nick Brongers, Pete Nebula, Carter Lang, Sounwave, Amaire Johnson

Sir. and his producers achieved an overarching texture on his third album that feels like its secret sauce. Over the course of the project, the sonics make it feel like you’re taking a drive from Sir’s native Inglewood north up the 405 through West LA and eventually the San Fernando Valley. As you listen, it’s easy to envision the sun appearing and disappearing over the dusty hills as sunset unfolds.

The standout track, for good reason, also happens to be Sir’s biggest hit, “John Redcorn,” which featured a dynamic accompanying King of the Hill-inspired music video. It’s one of the great modern heartbreak records. But dive deeper into the album and you’ll uncover equally grabbing gems like the weed-laced seduction anthem “Fire” and the situationship singalong Sabrina Caludio duet, “That’s Why I Love You.” On each track, Sir moves from vibed-out crooner to powerhouse vocalist with ease. —Miki Hellerbach

Features: Schoolboy Q, Rapsody, Alemeda, Ab-Soul, Vince Staples, Isaiah Rashad, JID, Mereba

Producers: AC The Producer, Arte Mitchell, Bizness Boi, Devin Williams, Fortune, Illmind, James Delgado, Kal Banx, Mario Luciano, Mike & Keys, My Guy Mars, Nabeyin, Newz, Nils, Nostxlgic, SmokeyGotBeatz, S1, Tae Beast, Tariq Beats, The 90’s, WU10

“New Beginnings is about dying and coming back alive,” Reason said after releasing his debut album—and the second under TDE. The comment is somewhat ironic: for many, the album serves as their introduction to the Carson, California rapper. What you hear is a skilled, introspective MC, though sometimes too indebted to Kendrick, Q, and that hazy TDE sound they’ve developed. Still, New Beginnings is a strong effort, often carried by his emotive performances and a number of standout guest appearances, including Rapsody and Isaiah Rashad. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

Features: SiR, Zacari, Kendrick Lamar, Deacon Blues, Kari Faux, Syd, Hugh Augustine, Jay Rock, SZA, Lance Skiiiwalker

Producers: The Antydote, Al B. Smoov, Cam O’bi, Carter Lang, Chris Calor, Crooklin, D. Sanders, Dave Free, Deacon Blues, D.K. the Punisher, DzonyBeats, FrancisGotHeat, Free P, J. LBS, Jowin, Mike Will Made It, Steve Lacy, Park Ave., Pluss, Pops, Tiggi

Cilvia Demo was when Isaiah Rashad made his star turn. He was also a perfect fit within TDE’s rap ecosystem. He was melodically inclined like SZA, vibey like ScHoolboy, heady like Ab-Soul, and lyrically brilliant like Kendrick. This cocktail turned him into a really exciting figure within the TDE era during The Sun’s Tirade era, a momentum that was grinded to a halt in the aftermath of that release. He didn’t drop another project until 2021’s The House is Burning. And while the Chattanooga, Tennessee born rapper often seems like he’d be doing anything other than rapping, there’s no denying that he’s got some of the most unimpeachable musical skills in the game when he brings his best stuff. —Will Schube

Features: Rico Nasty, Devin Malik, Lance Skiiiwalker, AzChike, Freddie Gibbs, Ab-Soul, Jozzy, Childish Major

Producers: The Alchemist, Beat Butcha, Cardo, Childish Major, DJ Khalil, Devin Malik, Flip_00, Frollen Music Library, Fu, J.LBS, J. Mo, Jason Wool, Johnny Juliano, Kal Banx, LowTheGreat, Mario Luciano, Mike Hector, Oren Yoel, Por Vida, Q, Sam Barsh, TaeBeast, WillGell, Uzimaki, YeX, Yung Exclusive

Five year gaps between albums are rarely worth the wait, but ScHoolboy Q brought his strongest stuff on Blue Lips, his 2024 LP and first since 2019’s CrasH Talk. It’s one of the best projects in his discography, a psychedelically-tinged ode to the highs and lows that have had equal impacts both within his career and as an adult. The album’s most profound moments come when ScHoolboy is reflective, either on the man he’s become during his life in the public spotlight, or on songs where he raps about fatherhood. ScHoolboy is always satisfied but never comfortable, eager to celebrate the wins to come but well aware of the exterior forces constantly threatening that stability. —Will Schube

Features: Jeremih, J. Cole, Future, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Tee Grizzley, Mozzy, Dcmbr

Producers: Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith (also exec.), Kendrick Lamar (exec.), Dave “Miyatola” Free (assoc.), Allen Ritter, Axlfolie, Baby Keem, Boi-1da, Cardo, Crooklin, CT, Cubeatz, DJ Swish, D.K. the Punisher, Hit-Boy, Jake One, Mike Will Made It, Pops, Rascal, Sounwave, Teddy Walton, Terrace Martin, Vinylz

An underrated element of the OG TDE member’s best album is the orchestration throughout. “WIN” is, of course, one of the label’s greatest ever slaps and the perfect climax (Produced by Vinylz). Yet, the thumping emotion that lifts Rock’s most fervent deliveries from producers like Mike Will Made It, Hykeem “Baby Keem” Carter, Sounwave, Hit-Boy, and DK The Punisher doesn’t get nearly enough praise.

Jay Rock also raps here with the most clarity in his catalog. “Broke +-” uses a slick acronym as a tool for him to express his assessment of the cycle of poverty, “For What It’s Worth” uses carefully crafted wordplay to outline his process of risk assessment, and “OSOM” features raps about periods of despair that go toe to toe with the lyrical ability of a prime J. Cole. The elder statesman reached his peak with his last release, which is why there’s still much anticipation for whenever his next one comes. —Miki Hellerbach

Features: Dash Snow, Jhené Aiko, Ab-Soul, JaVonté, Schoolboy Q, BJ the Chicago Kid, Ash Riser, Alori Joh

Producers: Dave Free, Dude Dawg, Kendrick Lamar, Jairus “J-Mo” Mozee, King Blue, Drop Beatz, Sounwave, Tae Beast, Tommy Black, Willie B, Wyldfyer

In hindsight, Kendrick Lamar had a pretty good grasp of who he was as a man and rapper when he named his 2010 LP Overly Dedicated. In the years since, he’s proved that no one in rap lives, breathes, and gives his life to the game quite like K.Dot. But even before it was clear that Lamar was the most gifted lyricist of his generation, it was damn clear that he would be a thrilling voice within the rich lineage of Compton rap greats. On Overly Dedicated, which arrived a year before his debut LP, Section.80, Kendrick showcases his grasp of complex, knotty narratives and ability to spin raps more intricate than spider webs. Though the final form isn’t entirely apparent on Overly Dedicated, the seeds have certainly been planted. —Will Schube

Features: ASAP Rocky, Jhené Aiko, Dom Kennedy, Currensy, Ab-Soul, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock

Producers: Dave Free, The Alchemist, ASAP Ty Beats, Best Kept Secret, DJ Dahi, Lex Luger, Mike Will Made It, Nez & Rio, Sounwave, Tabu, Tae Beast, THC, Willie B

There’s a litmus test early on in ScHoolboy Q’s Habits & Contradictions. Either you love “Hands on the Wheel” or you think it’s lame. The A$AP Rocky-assisted single, which features a sample of Lissie’s cover of Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness,” is highlighted by some of ScHoolboy’s best rapping. It also pretty shamelessly interpolates a hit single and takes its earned goodwill as its own. I, for one, think ScHoolboy elevates the song and makes it his own, thanks to a complexity and willingness to be vulnerable in his songwriting that populates the rest of the LP. And if you’re not a lyrics person, H&C also features some of the best, hardest beats ScHoolboy’s ever rapped over. —Will Schube

Features: Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Schoolboy Q, 2 Chainz, Saudi, Khalid, Swae Lee, Vince Staples, Yugen Blakrok, Jorja Smith, SOB X RBE, Zacari, Ab-Soul, Anderson Paak, James Blake, Jay Rock, Future, Baby Keem, Babes Wodumo, Mozzy, Sjava, Reason, Travis Scott, The Weeknd

Producers: Kendrick Lamar, 30 Roc, Al Shux, Axelfolie, Baby Keem, BadBadNotGood, Cardo, Cubeatz, DJ Dahi, Doc McKinney, Frank Dukes, Illmind, Kurtis McKenzie, Ludwig Göransson, Matt Schaeffer, Mike Will Made It, Robin Hannibal, Rascal, Scribz Riley, Sounwave, Teddy Walton, Twon Beatz

When Kendrick Lamar and SZA unveiled the Black Panther Soundtrack in 2018, it was somewhat easy to overlook. It didn’t feature a ton of new music from the duo, and K.Dot had released DAMN. a year prior, and untitled unmastered a year before that. SZA’s excellent CTRL also dropped in 2017. Black Panther was a cinematic event of epic proportions, but the soundtrack seemed decidedly lighter fare. Kendrick and SZA didn’t get the memo, though, and the project ended up including some of their biggest hits. “All The Stars” is clearly the showstopper, but there are plenty of other standouts here, in addition to tons of room for guest stars like James Blake, Vince Staples, the overlooked SOB x RBE, and plenty of other pals. —Will Schube

Features: Blxst, Amanda Reifer, Sampha, Taylour Paige, Summer Walker, Ghostface Killah, Kodak Black, Baby Keem, Sam Dew, Tanna Leone, Beth Gibbons

Producers: The Alchemist, Baby Keem, Beach Noise, Bekon, Boi-1da, Cardo, Craig Balmoris, DJ Dahi, DJ Khalil, the Donuts, Duval Timothy, Frano, Grandmaster Vic, Jahaan Sweet, J. Lbs, Oklama, Pharrell Williams, Sounwave, Tae Beast

Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers doesn’t have the strongest reputation among casual fans who fell in love with the anthems Kendrick delivered on DAMN. But it holds a deep respect among his core supporters. On Mr. Morale, he reinvented his creative direction and sound, offering something more downbeat, agonized, and insular than his previous work. Here, Kendrick is at his most vulnerable, opening up about fidelity, mental health, and relationship struggles. Ironically, for new listeners, that rawness makes it one of his toughest albums to digest, especially on heavy tracks like “We Cry Together,” his explosive duet with Taylour Paige. For longtime fans, though, it showcases his greatest strengths—even if it’s not the kind of musical ear candy casual listeners might expect. —Antonio Johri

Features: Jhené Aiko, Danny Brown, Anna Wise, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, BJ the Chicago Kid, Kendrick Lamar, Alori Joh, JaVonté, Punch, Ashtrobot, Black Hippy

Producers: Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith (exec.), Punch (co-exec.), Dave Free (also co-exec.), AAhyasis, Curtiss King, King Blue, Nez & Rio, Skhye Hutch, Sounwave, Tae Beast, Tommy Black, Willie B.

The most cerebral rapper on the label put his heart and bled on the canvas. It would be impossible to write about Control System without mentioning that in the process of its conception, Soul’s girlfriend and collaborator, Alori Joh, took her own life. She still featured as a singer on two songs. While at times the album’s title seems to be referencing societal and governmental manipulation, the theme is at its most potent when it represents Soul trying to keep his emotional state together amidst intense grief.

Even when Soul isn’t referencing the pain directly, the album all feels like it exists amidst a spiral. Specifically, “Pineal Gland” into “Double Standards” into “Mixed Emotions” on the front half, all feature sections of intense feelings of being overwhelmed and leaning into despair. Once you get to “Beautiful Death” and “The Book of Soul,” where Soul leaves nothing up to interpretation, it feels like the suspense has built to its ultimate breaking point. It’s still his winding opus. —Miki Hellerbach

Features: Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, 2 Chainz, BJ the Chicago Kid, Tyler, the Creator, Kurupt, Raekwon

Producers: The Alchemist, DJ Dahi, Gwen Bunn, JayFrance, LordQuest, Marz, Mike Will Made It, Nez & Rio, Pharrell Williams, Sounwave, Swiff D, THC, Tyler, the Creator, Willie B

Coming off his first mainstream success, 2012’s Habits & Contradictions, it was clear Schoolboy Q had figured out how to make some hits. Thus, he (and allegedly his label) decided to double down. The four-piece of “Collard Greens” with Kendrick Lamar, “Studio” featuring BJ The Chicago Kid, “Hell of a Night,” and “Man of the Year,” are the most undeniable set of concert-ready smashes Q has on a single project.

It is also true that Oxymoron is perhaps Q’s most conceptual album. The title’s double meaning carries throughout the body of work, which vigorously explores a plethora of double-sided coins. Nowhere is that clearer than in the vivid tales explored on the dynamic “Hoover Street.” Live set drums create the feeling of a drugged-out haze as Q roars through memories of familial betrayal, enlivening sexual conquests, near-violent close calls, and childhood nostalgia. —Miki Hellerbach

Features: Colin Munroe, GLC, Schoolboy Q, Ashtrobot, BJ the Chicago Kid, Ab-Soul

Producers: Dave Free, J. Cole, Sounwave, Tae Beast, Terrace Martin, THC, Tommy Black, Willie B, Wyldfyer

Before he could get fully autobiographical, cinematic, and narratively linear, Kendrick Lamar released an album that served as a messy collaged ode to his generation. The difficulty grappling with why the “Ronald Reagan Era” produced an “A.D.H.D.”-riddled crew of both philosophers and mind-numbers, resulted in a project that is still arguably Lamar’s most present. He counterbalances chronicling the lingering effect of cycles of abuse with daydreams that outline the vices and tools he and his community used for relief. The resounding lyric from the project, which fit the tape’s central message as well as Kendrick’s artful intention moving forward, came on the poignant “Ab-Soul’s Outro”: “I’m not on the outside looking in, I’m not on inside looking out. I’m in the dead fucking centre looking around.”

While his first two mixtapes proved Lamar’s ability to songwrite and evoke an emotional response, Section.80 added a demonstration of his rhythmic proficiency. Lamar chose instrumentals throughout the project that felt intentionally off-kilter (“Tammy’s Song (Her Evils),” “Chapter Ten,” “Rigamortus”), which he masterfully centered with weaving flow patterns that made up quilts of thought and sound. —Miki Hellerbach

Features: SZA, Jean Deaux, Michael Da Vinci, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock

Producers: Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith (exec.), Ross Vega, Mr. Carmack, Joseph L’Étranger, Black Metaphor, The Antydote, Farhot, Chris Calor, D. Sanders, Sounwave

The TDE rap cohort was strictly SoCal-based until Isaiah Rashad materialized from the ether. Cilvia Demo marks as essential an album as was ever released from the label, proving they weren’t limited to what was totally familiar. Rashad made a southern melancholy working-class masterpiece in 2014, perfect for car ride work commutes and end-of-day de-stressing solitude. He determined what from his past formed his psyche as much as what could potentially heal his present.

Rashad opened the project with sung-rapped professions about his father’s isolationism, carried it through with trunk knockers and beautifully woozy love duets with Solana, and cemented the closing section with the potent, “Heavenly Father.” The track is a confession, in the religious and therapeutic sense. A slapbox between an ego and a source of pain, that concludes with a dismissal of surface-level artists whose “souls was never in it.” —Miki Hellerbach

Features: Kuntfetish

Producers: AaronMac, Andreas, Ar13l, Austin Brown, Banser, Banshee the Great, Camper, Childish Major, DaedaePivot, Devin Malik, DJ Miss Milan, Doechii, Dylvinci, Foreign Teck, Hamhock, Henry Was, Ian, James, Kal Banx, Kid Soul, KND, Mai, Malik Ninety Five, Mike Hector, Monte Booker, Peyote, Sader, Stoic, Super Miles, ZayBans

And just like that, TDE found itself another star. Kendrick departed to pgLang, Isaiah Rashad’s been quiet since 2021’s The House is Burning, but between SZA, ScHoolboy, and the emergence of Doechii, the label’s latest iteration is sitting pretty. Doechii first started making noise with 2020’s Oh The Places You’ll Go and 2021’s Bra-Less, the combination of which earned her a TDE deal. In 2024, Alligator Bites Never Heal, and, to a greater extent, the Gotye-sampling single and eventual bonus track “Anxiety,” gave Doechii superstar status. The Tampa rapper took home a Grammy for Best Rap Album at the 2024 Grammys, and might be encroaching SZA’s territory as the label’s most popular performer. Regardless of power rankings, the label is in good hands with these two leading the charge. —Will Schube

Features: Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, Ol’ Dirty Bastard

Producers: Aire Atlantica, Babyface, Beat Butcha, Blake Slatkin, Jeff Bhasker, Rob Bisel, Benny Blanco, BLK, Alessandro Buccellati, Matt Cohn, Darkchild, DJ Dahi, Freaky Rob, Teo Halm, Emile Haynie, Carter Lang, Los Hendrix, Will Miller, Nascent, Omer Fedi, The Rascals, Scum, Shellback, Sir Dylan, Skrrt, ThankGod4Cody, Michael Uzowuru, Jay Versace, Sammy Witte, Still Woozy, Yakob, Yuli

SZA’s breakout masterpiece CTRL cemented her as a mythic figure in modern R&B. And after a five-year wait, she returned locked in, ready to claim her place among pop’s top-tier artists. SOS is layered with fuzzy pianos, muffled drums, and her sultry falsetto. The standout mega-hit “Kill Bill” topped the charts—proof that SZA can make homicidal threats feel like a summer anthem to play on the drive home at sunset. Her unapologetic approach to songwriting and knack for catchy melodies shine across the album—from the Travis Scott–produced psychedelics of “Low” to the introspective longing of “Snooze.” SOS was well worth the wait, proving she wasn’t idly passing time between projects but meticulously honing her craft. —Antonio Johri

Features: Kanye West, Jadakiss, Lance Skiiiwalker, Vince Staples, Candice Pillay, E-40, Tha Dogg Pound, SZA, Anderson .Paak, Miguel, Justine Skye, Kendrick Lamar, Traffic, TF

Producers: The Alchemist, Cardo, Cubeatz, Dem Jointz, DJ Dahi, Frank Dukes, J. Lbs, Larrance Dopson, Metro Boomin, Nez & Rio, Sounwave, Southside, Swizz Beatz, Tae Beast, Tony Russell, Tyler, the Creator, Willie B, Yung Exclusive

Blank Face marked a return to form for ScHoolboy Q, both as a songwriter and a human. On Oxymoron, from two years earlier, the LA rapper was dealing with a crippling dependency on lean, and his ability to quit the stuff helped him turn in a cohesive and clear-headed masterpiece with Blank Face. He’s aggressive and confident, reflective and deliberate throughout the project. His best songs blend humor and trauma in equal doses, like the split sides of those dramaturgical masks. Blank Face is the record everyone was hoping ScHoolboy would make after the brilliance of Habits & Contradictions. It took him a little longer to get there, but when he finally arrived at Blank Face, his fanbase was all the more ready to embrace him. It was more desperate than he’d be on its follow up, CrasH Talk, but more confident than he sounded on Habits, an album in which he was discovering his sound in live time. On Blank Face, ScHoolboy Q presented his brand of rap music in its purest form. —Will Schube

Features: George Clinton, Thundercat, Bilal, Anna Wise, Snoop Dogg, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, Rapsody

Producers: Boi-1da, Flippa, Flying Lotus, Knxwledge, KOZ, Larrance Dopson, LoveDragon, Pharrell Williams, Rahki, Sounwave, Tae Beast, Taz Arnold, Terrace Martin, Thundercat, Tommy Black, Whoarei

The reputation To Pimp a Butterfly has earned is well deserved. This is an all-caps album, full of knotty ideas, contradictions, and hundreds of years of musical references. It’s basically that one otherworldly scene in Sinners—without the twerking. It’s also Kendrick at his most politically conscious. Over the years, he built a reputation as an activist figure—”always trying to free the slaves,” according to a certain canadian rapper—but much of that comes from this album, which sees him grappling with society’s toils just as much as his own personal struggles. This is most evident on “Alright,” the millennial “Fight the Power” and arguably the most important rap record of the decade—a song that helped soundtrack an entire movement. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo

Features: Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, James Fauntleroy, Isaiah Rashad

Producers: The Antydote, Bēkon, Craig Balmoris, The Donuts, Ging, Hector Castro, Cam O’bi, LoveDragon, Prophit, Carter Lang, Josef Leimberg, Tyler, the Creator, ScumThankGod4Cody, Michael Uzowuru

On January 12, 2017, SZA made her late-night TV performance debut, performing her first album’s lead single “Drew Barrymore” on Jimmy Kimmel Live. It was a stark introduction to what felt like an entirely new world. SZA took the sonic aesthetic she founded on her 2014 mixtape Z, and added glistening bohemian rust, alt-rock undertones, and fairy-dusted sticky choruses that left the audience feeling as if they’d just seen the birth of pop R&B’s next auteur.

The album that followed, Ctrl, doubled down on the ethereal woodsy frolic on standouts like “Garden (Say It Like Dat)” and the soul-touching “Broken Clocks.” Solana even organically weaved in sing-along hits (“Love Galore” feat. Travis Scott and “The Weekend”), much like a TDE rapper named Lamar did on his 2012 debut. The lasting impression of the project, though, lies within SZA’s songwriting elevation. There are countless moments where winding ruminations turn at the drop of a dime to profound proclamations laced with melodic silk. Take the deeper album cut “Anything,” where a series of questions rooted in self-doubt suddenly and sweetly emerge into a release of control (naturally). SZA was “down for the ride” and hoped to be taken anywhere where freedom from restraint was palpable. —Miki Hellerbach

Features: Rihanna, Anna Wise, Zacari, U2

Producers: Bekon, Top Dawg, Mike Will Made It, Sounwave, DJ Dahi, Blake, Riera, Tae Beast, Martin, Kuk Harrell, Lacy, Pluss, BadBadNotGood, Kurstin, Teddy Walton, The Alchemist, Cardo, Yung Exclusive, Hector, 9th Wonder

DAMN. was one of those rare cultural moments when everything aligned. Kendrick tapped into the era’s production trends, with Mike Will Made-It delivering hard-hitting drums on tracks like “DNA.,” “HUMBLE.,” and “XXX.” He balanced that energy with deeply introspective storytelling, as heard in standouts like “FEAR.,” “FEEL.,” and “DUCKWORTH.,” crafting one of the strongest albums in his catalog.

Fully in his bag, Kendrick created an album that can be played in reverse order, unlocking an entirely different narrative. From meticulously crafted music videos to intricate production choices, every element contributed to the album’s enduring impact. —Antonio Johri

Features: Jay Rock, Drake, MC Eiht, Anna Wise, Dr. Dre

Producers: Tha Bizness, Sounwave, Hit-Boy, Tabu, DJ Dahi, Scoop DeVille, P. Williams, Sounwave, THC, Terrace Martin, T-Minus, Like, Skhye Hutch, Sounwave, Martin, Just Blaze

good kid, m.A.A.d city is technically Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore album, but it has all the makings of a debut: the “put my whole life into this” ambition, the narrative structure, the mix of commercial anthems with deep cuts. It’s all there. And, to be honest, when a rapper tries this hard to craft a template classic, it usually fails—which makes good kid, m.A.A.d city so remarkable.

Despite this thirst for greatness, the album achieves it and then some. It’s not only a coming-of-age story of Compton’s finest but also an ode to the legacy of L.A. hip-hop and storytelling. There are numerous all-time classics here: the electrifying “Backseat Freestyle,” the catchy “Don’t Kill My Vibe,” the introspective “The Art of Peer Pressure,” and, of course, the epic “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst,” one of hip-hop’s greatest storytelling songs. Kendrick has built a Hall of Fame catalog, but this remains his best work. Which means it’s the best TDE album, the benchmark all other artists on the label must strive to surpass. — Dimas Sanfiorenzo