This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip-hop for the year 2026.
Events January On January 1, ZeeTheWizard was shot in Dallas, Texas. He died on January 5. On January 4, Calbo died at the age of 52. On January 7, the death of James Bernard was announced. On January 8, Fetty Wap was released from prison. On January 12, John Forté died at the age of 50. On January 21, the death of DJ Mike T was announced.
February On February 1, the 68th Annual Grammy Awards were held. Kendrick Lamar and SZA won Record of the Year and Best Melodic Rap Performance for "Luther". Clipse and Lamar won Best Rap Performance for "Chains & Whips". Lamar and Lefty Gunplay won Best Rap Song for "TV Off". Lamar won Best Rap Album for GNX. Mad Skillz won Best Spoken Word Poetry Album for Words for Days Vol. 1. Tyler, the Creator won Best Album Cover for Chromakopia. Pharrell Williams received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. On February 11, All Eyez on Me by Tupac Shakur and "Paid in Full" by Eric B. & Rakim were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. On February 12, Milkman died at the age of 36. On February 18, Lil Poppa died at the age of 25 from suicide by gunshot. On February 22, Luci4 died at the age of 23. On February 23, Oliver "Power" Grant died at the age of 55. On February 28, the 57th NAACP Image Awards were held. Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spinderella won the Hall of Fame Award. The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show with Kendrick Lamar won Outstanding Short-Form Series or Special - Reality/Nonfiction/Documentary. Kendrick Lamar and SZA won Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album for "Luther". Lamar won Outstanding Male Artist. Cardi B won Outstanding Album for Am I the Drama?, Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song for "ErrTime", and Outstanding Female Artist. Monaleo won Outstanding New Artist. On the same day, the Brit Awards 2026 were held. Dave won Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act.
March On March 1, Bob Power died at the age of 73. On the same day, the intersection of Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles was named Nipsey Hussle Square. On March 8, Dot Rotten died at the age of 37. On March 12, Lord Sear died at the age of 53. On March 26, the MOBO Awards 2026 were held. Jim Legxacy won Best Male Act. Central Cee won Best Hip-hop Act, Chip won Best Grime Act, Twin S won Best Drill Act, and P2J won Best Producer. On the same day, the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards were held. Kendrick Lamar and SZA won Hip-Hop Song of the Year for "Luther". Kendrick Lamar won Hip-Hop Album of the Year for GNX and Hip-Hop Artist of the Year. Real Boston Richey won Best New Hip-Hop Artist. Ludacris received the iHeartRadio Landmark Award.
April On April 2, nine people, including Pooh Shiesty and Big30, were arrested in Memphis, Tennessee for allegedly robbing and kidnapping multiple men, one of which was Gucci Mane. On April 6, Offset was shot in Hollywood, Florida. On April 7, Blondy of The Sequence died at the age of 67. On April 9, Afrika Bambaataa died at the age of 68. On April 23, HavinMotion was shot and killed in Washington, D.C. at the age of 22. On April 28, Cleetis Mack of Digital Underground died.
May On May 8, Isaiah Chance, Davion Murphy, Rashad Murphy, and Sean Gathwright were found guilty for the murder of Julio Foolio. On May 15, Corneilus Smith was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of Young Dolph. On May 22, Rob Base died at the age of 59. On May 25, the American Music Awards of 2026 were held. Kendrick Lamar won Best Male Hip-Hop Artist. Cardi B won Best Hip-Hop Song for "ErrTime", Best Hip-Hop Album for Am I the Drama?, and Best Female Hip-Hop Artist. Monaleo won Breakthrough Hip-Hop Artist.
June On June 1, Ludacris and Organized Noize were inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame. On June 12, the intersection of School and Brook Streets in Yonkers, New York was named Earl 'DMX' Simmons Way. On June 13, the intersection of Grumman Avenue and Elizabeth Avenue in Newark, New Jersey was named Faith Evans Way. On June 16, Mystikal was sentenced to 20 years in prison. On June 18, Tay Keith was found dead in his apartment in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 29. On June 24, XXL released their 2026 Freshman Class, including Chris Patrick, Belly Gang Kushington, Slayr, La Reezy, Trim, Trap Dickey, Babyfxce E, Hurricane Wisdom, YKNiece, Skrilla, Sosocamo, and Miles Minnick. On June 28, the BET Awards 2026 were held. Clipse won Album of the Year for Let God Sort Em Out, Best Group, and Best Collaboration for "Chains & Whips" with Kendrick Lamar. Lamar also won Best Male Hip Hop Artist. Cardi B won Best Female Hip Hop Artist. Lecrae won the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award for "Headphones" with Killer Mike and T.I.. Doechii won the BET Her Award for "Girl, Get Up" with SZA. Lauryn Hill received the Living Legend Icon Award.
July On July 4, Sparky D died at the age of 61. On July 8, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. On July 16, Desiigner was arrested in South Carolina on a charge for domestic violence.
August On August 10, the trial began for Duane "Keffe D" Davis for his alleged involvement in the murder of Tupac Shakur. On August 20, the Lil Durk murder-for-hire trial began. On August 31, Duane "Keffe D" Davis was found guilty for the murder of Tupac Shakur, being convicted of a single count of first-degree murder.
September On September 4, Kewon White was found guilty for the November 2020 murder of MO3. On September 11, Lil Durk was found not guilty in his murder-for-hire trial. On September 12, Tone Capone died at the age of 59. On September 13, BloodHound Q50 was shot and killed in Chicago at the age of 22. On September 14, Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour after performing "Hind's Hall" and making pro-Palestinian statements on stage. On September 17, Sway died at the age of 44.
October On October 1, Rick Ross was arrested for battery in Miami Beach, Florida.
November On November 9, the trial for the murder of Takeoff will begin. On November 14, Wu-Tang Clan will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Released albums
January +DayArtist(s)AlbumRecord label(s)Entering chart position 2 Calboy Wildboy 2 Self-released G Perico Hard Reset Empire 5 Joohoney 光 (Insanity) Starship 9 Fashawn & Sir Veterano All Hail the King 2 Fresh Yard Guè & Cookin' Soul Fast Life 5 Island, Oyster, Universal Max B & French Montana Coke Wave 3.5: Narcos Defiant Tha God Fahim & Nicholas Craven Ultimate Dump Gawd 2 Self-released The Kid Laroi Before I Forget Loma Vista Debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart Debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 UnoTheActivist Adventure Time 2 Omega, DVMN, Cleoptra Yung Bleu Therapy Moon Boy, Stem 11 Nef the Pharaoh ChangSzn 4 KILFMB 14 Evilgiane Giane 2 Surf Gang, Decent 16 Aliyah's Interlude Kuntology 101 Self-released A$AP Rocky Don't Be Dumb A$AP Rocky Recordings, RCA Debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Bigbabygucci Serotonin Better Temperatures, ONErpm Dee Mula Suffering From Success NLess, Island Dina Ayada Identity Listen to the Kids, Santa Anna Lexa Gates I Am 48 Lights, GoodTalk, UMG NSG Sounds Of The Diaspora Self-released Raf Saperra Venomz Vol. II Mass Appeal, Fatboy Wiz Khalifa Khaotic Taylor Gang YoungBoy Never Broke Again Slime Cry Never Broke Again, Motown Debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 20 Hardrock Off the Planet Victor Victor Jace! Demons 3 Self-released 21 ST6 JodyBoof Strike Club Santa Anna 23 42 Dugg Part 3 4PF, CMG, Interscope Bushy B Lifestyle Planet Blue, Empire Curren$y Everywhere You Look Jet Life DJ Harrison ElectroSoul Stones Throw IDK E.T.D.S. Broke Roc Marciano 656 Pimpire Uzi Mortal Kombat Sound of Street Wizkid & Asake Real, Vol. 1 Starboy, Giran, Empire 27 The Alchemist & Budgie The Good Book III ALC Records 28 1900Rugrat Free(Style) Game Remain Solid, 300 29 Fakemink The Boy Who Cried Terrified EtnaVeraVela 30 By Storm My Ghosts Go Ghost DeadAir DaBaby Be More Grateful South Coast Music Group, Interscope Debuted at No. 25 on the Billboard 200 Don Toliver Octane Cactus Jack, Donnway & Co, Atlantic Debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 E.D.I. Mean The Realest Shit I Ever Wrote O4L Digital Jordan Ward Backward Artium, Interscope Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon As of Now Lex Nafe Smallz It's Not You, It's Me Ozone Philthy Rich T$GO FOD Ent The Game, DJ Drama & Mike & Keys Every Movie Needs a Trailer: The Credits Numinati, FTS Wiz Khalifa Moses The Black Soundtrack Taylor Gang Xaviersobased Xavier 1-chance, Surf Gang, Atlantic
February DayArtist(s)AlbumRecord label(s)Entering chart position 6 1 Umbrella 1 Umbrella Empire Hunxho Not One Of Them 300 J. Cole The Fall-Off Dreamville, Interscope Debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Joji Piss in the Wind Palace Creek, Virgin Debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 RZA & Juice Crew Bobby Digital Presents: Juice Crew All Stars 36 Chambers, DNA 11 Sk8star Designer Junkie W4th, Island 12 Ransom, Boldy James & Nicholas Craven Salvation for the Wicked Momentum 13 A Boogie wit da Hoodie Before Artistry Atlantic, Highbridge Brevin Kim Boyband Teamsesh, Empire Buddah Bless Buddah Bless The Streets B.U, Human Re Sources Crimeapple & Evidence War Cash Bigger Picture Feng Weekend Rockstar Regularisperfect Killah Priest & Chief Kamachi Beautiful Minds Good Hands Ledbyher The Elephant Island Marco Polo The Many Moods of Marco Polo, Vol. 1 Franks Drum Set Ras Kass Leopard Eats Face Soulspazm Waka Flocka Flame LeBron Flocka James 2K26 Brick Squad Monopoly, Organic Music 14 Daz Dillinger Valentine's Day: The Album Daz Dillinger Recordingz Z-Ro Never Love a B*tch Again One Deep, SoSouth 18 Robb Banks Rich Badne$$ 430 20 Baby Keem Casino PGLang, Columbia Debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 Babyfxce E Da Realest Atlantic Dave East & Scram Jones For the Love 2 FTD, Beast E.D.I. Mean & H-Ryda This Thing of Ours OFL Digital Larry June, Curren$y & The Alchemist Spiral Staircases The Freeminded, Jet Life, ALC Mozzy & EST Gee Not A Chance In Hell Young Shiners, Empire OMB Peezy Better and Better Overkill, Hitmaker Skaiwater Wonderful GoodTalk SleazyWorld Go I Want Blood Island 24 Mick Jenkins & GreenSllime Black Ass Kung Fu Flick Self-released 26 Foggieraw With No Due Respect Mercury 27 BabyTron Out On Bond Again The Hip Hop Lab, Empire Boldy James & Rome Streetz Manhunt 1301, New 11, Mass Appeal Bones SongsToSleepTo TeamSesh, Empire Chase B Be Very Afraid Vol. 1 Self-released Concrete Boys It's Us Vol. 2 Concrete Rekordz, Quality Control DC the Don The Rumors Are True Letter 5, Republic Gorillaz The Mountain Kong Debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart Debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 RJD2 & Supastition According To... Eavesdrop Sosocamo Big Country Broke Tobi Lou Crazy Boots <3 Free Agency Wiz Khalifa Girls Love Horses Taylor Gang 28 Quelle Chris Happy Place Self-released
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