This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2018.

Events

January

*On January 10,

Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...

rapper Kevin Gates was released from prison on parole after serving nine months of a 30-month sentence for gun possession. *On January 19,

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

rapper

Fredo Santana Derrick Coleman (July 4, 1990 – January 19, 2018), known professionally as Fredo Santana, was an American rapper. The older cousin of Chicago rapper Chief Keef, Santana began recording music in 2011, releasing a series of mixtapes throughout ...

died in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

from a

seizure An epileptic seizure, informally known as a seizure, is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with los ...

February

*On February 10, Ensayne Wayne, a multi-platinum producer from Memphis, was killed in a shooting in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

March

*On March 2,

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...

was hospitalized due to possible

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...

. *On March 13, Craig Mack died from congestive heart failure. *On March 16, Lloyd Banks announced that he was retiring from rap, but rescinded that statement the following day. *On March 22,

Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...

announced that he will be retiring from rap after releasing his last album named ''TM 104: Trust the Process''.

April

*On April 16, ''

Damn. ''Damn'' (stylized as ''DAMN.'') is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on April 14, 2017, through Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Lamar assembled numerous artists an ...

'' by Kendrick Lamar won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, making Lamar the first non-jazz or classical artist to win the award. *On April 24, Meek Mill was released from prison.

May

*On May 19,

Offset Offset or Off-Set may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * "Off-Set", a song by T.I. and Young Thug from the '' Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' * ''Offset'' (EP), a 2018 EP by singer Kim Chung-ha * ''Offset'' (film), a 200 ...

was hospitalised following a car accident in

, Georgia. He was released from the hospital a couple days later. *On May 27,

Brockhampton Brockhampton may refer to: *Brockhampton (band), an American self-described "boy band" and music collective *Brockhampton, Gloucestershire, Cotswold, England * Brockhampton, Tewkesbury, a location In geography, location or place are used to deno ...

announced that

Ameer Vann Ameer Emmanuel Vann (born September 22, 1996) is an American rapper. He is best known for being a member of music collective Brockhampton, until his departure from the group in May 2018. After leaving Brockhampton, Vann started his solo career an ...

would no longer be a part of the group following his sexual misconduct allegations. He would be the first member to leave the group since the success of their ''Saturation'' trilogy. *On May 29, Trippie Redd and Lil Wop were arrested in Atlanta allegedly over a brawl with rapper FDM Grady.

June

*On June 9, Lil Kim filed for bankruptcy, having a total of $4 million in debt. *On June 12, '' XXL'' released their eleventh annual freshman list, including Lil Pump,

Smokepurpp Omar Jeffery Pineiro (born May 15, 1997), known professionally as Smokepurpp, is an American rapper. Originally a record producer, Pineiro later found success on the audio distribution platform SoundCloud in 2017 from his surge in popularity due ...

, BlocBoy JB,

Stefflon Don Stephanie Victoria Allen (born 14 December 1991), better known by her stage name Stefflon Don, is a British rapper and singer. She rose to fame after her 2017 single " Hurtin' Me" featuring French Montana peaked at number 7 on UK Singles Chart ...

Wifisfuneral Isaiah Rivera (born March 20, 1997), professionally known as Wifisfuneral, is an American rapper from West Palm Beach, Florida. He is best known for his breakthrough mixtapes ''Black Heart Revenge'', ''When Hell Falls'', ''Ethernet'' and ''Boy W ...

YBN Nahmir Nicholas Alexander Simmons (Born December 18, 1999), known professionally as YBN Nahmir, is an American rapper. He is best known for his singles "Rubbin Off the Paint" which charted at number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 ch ...

, Trippie Redd, JID and Ski Mask the Slump God. *On June 18, XXXTentacion was shot dead in his car in Deerfield Beach, Florida, the same day that

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

rapper

Jimmy Wopo Travon DaShawn Frank Smart (January 13, 1997 – June 18, 2018), better known by his stage name Jimmy Wopo, was an American rapper from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Wopo was an affiliate of fellow Pittsburgh-based rapper Wiz Khalifa and his Taylor ...

was shot dead in Pittsburgh,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, and

rapper

Rich the Kid Dimitri Leslie Roger (born July 13, 1992), professionally known as Rich the Kid, is an American rapper. He released his debut studio album, '' The World Is Yours'', on March 30, 2018. His second studio album, '' The World Is Yours 2'', was relea ...

suffered a home invasion where he was robbed and shot at his home in Atlanta, Georgia (Rich the Kid, however, would survive). *On June 21, XXXTentacion's mother announced at a candlelight vigil that the police had arrested Dedrick Williams, one of the men involved in XXXTentacion's death. *On June 22, South African rapper

PRO Pro is an abbreviation meaning "professional". Pro, PRO or variants thereof may also refer to: People * Miguel Pro (1891–1927), Mexican priest * Pro Hart (1928–2006), Australian painter * Mlungisi Mdluli (born 1980), South African retired f ...

suffered a seizure and died at the age of 37.

July

*On July 3,

03 Greedo Jason Jamal Jackson (born July 26, 1987), known professionally as 03 Greedo, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and producer from the Watts neighborhood of the county of Los Angeles, California. He began to gain recognition for his ''Purpl ...

was sentenced to 20 years in prison. * On July 16, Azealia Banks cancelled her upcoming album '' Fantasea II: The Second Wave'' after an appearance on ''

Wild 'n Out ''Wild 'N Out'' is an American sketch comedy and improv game show series that was created and is hosted by musician and comedian Nick Cannon currently airing on VH1. It debuted on July 28, 2005 on MTV. In April 2019, the series had been renew ...

'' where she accused the cast of " colorist" jokes. She would resume work on the album in August 2018.

August

* On August 18,

Kodak Black Bill Kahan Kapri (born Dieuson Octave; June 11, 1997), better known by his stage name Kodak Black, is an American rapper. He gained initial recognition with his single "No Flockin", released in 2014. His debut album, ''Painting Pictures'' (20 ...

was released from prison. *On August 24,

Geto Boys Geto Boys (originally spelled Ghetto Boys) was an American hip-hop group originally formed in Houston, Texas. The Geto Boys enjoyed success in the 1990s with the group's classic lineup consisting of Bushwick Bill, Scarface and Willie D, earning ...

' founding member DJ Ready Red died at the age of 53, from an apparent

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

. *On August 31,

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...

released his tenth studio album,

Kamikaze , officially , were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who flew suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, intending to d ...

without any prior announcement. He dissed the mumble rap industry in the album.

September

*On September 5,

Ty Dolla $ign Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born April 13, 1982), known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign (stylized as Ty Dolla $ign or Ty$), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He first gained major recognition in 2010 for his feature on Ameri ...

and his entourage were arrested in

, Georgia for possession of

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...

and

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...

. *On September 6,

Young Thug Jeffery Lamar Williams (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of hip ...

was charged with eight felonies related to drug and weapon possession. *On September 7,

Mac Miller Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...

died of a

drug overdose A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended.

. *On September 13, Lil Xan announced his retirement from rapping due to Mac Miller's death.

October

*On October 10, Gilbert Izquierdo, A.K.A. Toker of

Brownside Brownside is an American hip-hop group founded in 1993 by Eazy-E. The group originally consisted of Toker (Gilbert Izquierdo), Fello (Tokers brother) but he died before being involved with recording, Wicked (Pierre Lamas),and Danger (Carlos M ...

, died in a suspected shooting in Mexico. *On October 13,

Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...

and

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * ...

squashed their longtime beef at the

Staples Center Crypto.com Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. The arena opened on October 17, 1999; it was ...

during Aubrey and The Three Amigos Tour. *On October 24, South African rapper

Hip Hop Pantsula Jabulani Tsambo (14 September 1980 – 24 October 2018), better known by his stage name Hip Hop Pantsula, later shortened to HHP, was a South African Motswako rapper (Motswakolista) who performed in several languages, mostly in Setswana. He was ...

died by suicide aged 38. *On October 26,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

rappers YNW Juvy and YNW Sakchaser were shot and killed at

Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fort Lauderdale () is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and largest city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth ...

. *On October 29,

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

rapper

Young Greatness Theodore Joseph Jones III (September 19, 1984 – October 29, 2018), better known by his stage name Young Greatness, was an American rapper. He was best known for his 2015 single " Moolah", which peaked at number 85 on the ''Billboard'' Ho ...

was shot and killed at a Waffle House.

November

* On November 18,

6ix9ine Daniel Hernandez (born May 8, 1996), known professionally as 6ix9ine (stylized 6IX9INE and pronounced "six nine") and also as Tekashi69, is an American rapper. His music has been marked by an aggressive style of rapping, while his controversia ...

was arrested by federal agents in relation to racketeering and firearm charges. 6ix9ine and five others faced trial in September 2019.

December

* On December 23, Atlanta-based DJ and producer Christian "Speakerfoxxx" Nilan died at 35.

Released albums

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Highest-charting singles

United States

United Kingdom

Highest first-week consumption

All critically reviewed albums ranked

Metacritic

AnyDecentMusic?

References

{{List of years in hip hop music Hip hop music by year 2010s in hip hop music hip hop

Events

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Released albums

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Highest-charting singles

United States

United Kingdom

Highest first-week consumption

All critically reviewed albums ranked

Metacritic

AnyDecentMusic?

See also

References