# 2002 in hip-hop

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2002.

## Events
### April

* On April 25, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes died in Honduras

### May

* On May 26, The Eminem Show released

### June

* On June 15, Big Mello died.

### October

* On October 30, Jam Master Jay died in New York City

## Released albums

| Release Date | Artist | Album | Label |
| January 1 | Boosie Badazz | For My Thugz | Trill Entertainment |
| January 8 | Deepspace5 | The Night We Called It a Day | UpRok |
| January 22 | KRS-One | Spiritual Minded | Koch Records |
| January 22 | X-Raided | Deadly Game | JLM Entertainment |
| January 29 | C-Bo | Life as a Rider | West Coast Mafia Records, Warlock Records |
| January 29 | State Property | State Property Soundtrack | Roc-A-Fella Records, Def Jam Recordings |
| February 5 | Aesop Rock | Daylight | Definitive Jux |
| February 12 | Heather B. | Eternal Affairs | Sai Records |
| February 12 | PSD | All I Want | Gateway Entertainment |
| February 24 | Souljahz | The Fault Is History | World Entertainment, LLC. |
| February 25 | Deep Puddle Dynamics/Anticon | We Ain't Fessin' (Double Quotes) | Anticon |
| February 26 | The High & Mighty | Air Force 1 | Eastern Conference Records |
| February 26 | The X-Ecutioners | Built From Scratch | Loud Records, Columbia Records |
| February 26 | Nappy Roots | Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz | Atlantic |
| February 26 | Aim | Hinterland | Grand Central Records |
| March 12 | N.E.R.D. | In Search Of... [Second Version] | Virgin Records, EMI |
| March 12 | New Breed | Stop the Music | UpRok, EMI CMG |
| March 19 | R. Kelly & Jay-Z | The Best of Both Worlds | Roc-A-Fella Records, Def Jam Recordings, Jive Records, Rockland Records |
| March 19 | No Limit Records | West Coast Bad Boyz, Vol. 3: Poppin' Collars | No Limit Records |
| March 19 | Rasheeda | A Ghetto Dream | D-Lo Entertainment |
| March 19 | Edan | Primitive Plus | Lewis Recordings |
| March 25 | The Streets | Original Pirate Material | Locked On Records, 679 Recordings |
| March 26 | Eazy-E | Impact of a Legend | Ruthless Records, Epic Records |
| March 26 | k-os | Exit | Astralwerks |
| March 26 | Non Phixion | The Future Is Now | Uncle Howie Records |
| March 26 | Ying Yang Twins | Alley: The Return of the Ying Yang Twins | Koch Records |
| April 2 | J-Live | All of the Above | Coup D'État |
| April 5 | Pezet/Noon | Muzyka Klasyczna | T1-Teraz |
| April 8 | O.S.T.R. | 30 minut z życia | Asfalt Records |
| April 9 | Twiztid | Mirror Mirror | Psychopathic Records |
| April 16 | Sage Francis | Personal Journals | Anticon |
| April 23 | Cee-Lo | Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections | Arista Records |
| April 30 | Blackalicious | Blazing Arrow | MCA Records |
| April 30 | Count Bass D | Dwight Spitz | High Times |
| May 7 | Kastro & E.D.I. | Blood Brothers | Outlaw Recordz |
| May 7 | Naughty by Nature | IIcons | TVT Records |
| May 14 | Cam'ron | Come Home with Me | Roc-A-Fella Records, Diplomat Records, Def Jam Recordings |
| May 14 | El-P | Fantastic Damage | Definitive Jux |
| May 18 | Noah23 | Quicksand | Plague Language |
| May 21 | 50 Cent | Guess Who's Back? | Full Clip Records |
| May 21 | Big Syke | Street Commando | Riviera Records |
| May 21 | Camp Lo | Let's Do It Again | Dymond Crook Records |
| May 26 | Eminem | The Eminem Show | Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope Records |
| May 28 | Lil' Keke | Birds Fly South | Averice |
| June 4 | People Under the Stairs | O.S.T. | Om Records |
| June 10 | Ms. Dynamite | A Little Deeper | Polydor Records |
| June 11 | Atmosphere | God Loves Ugly | Rhymesayers Entertainment, Fat Beats Records |
| June 11 | AZ | Aziatic | Motown |
| June 11 | Spice 1 | Spiceberg Slim | Hard Tyme Records, Riviera Records |
| June 14 | 1200 Techniques | Choose One | Rubber Records, Sony Records |
| June 18 | Wyclef Jean | Masquerade | Columbia Records |
| June 22 | Baracuda72 | Tetragammoth | Plague Language |
| June 24 | O.S.T.R. | Tabasko | Asfalt Records |
| June 25 | Cormega | The True Meaning | Legal Hustle Entertainment |
| June 25 | N.O.R.E. | God's Favorite | Thugged Out Entertainment, Def Jam Recordings |
| June 25 | Nelly | Nellyville | Universal Records |
| June 25 | Will Smith | Born to Reign | Columbia Records |
| June 25 | Mr. Lif | Emergency Rations | Definitive Jux |
| July 2 | Eyedea | The Many Faces of Oliver Hart or How Eye One the Write Too Think | Rhymesayers Entertainment |
| July 2 | X-Raided | City of Kings | Out of Bounds Records |
| July 8 | Roots Manuva | Dub Come Save Me | Big Dada |
| July 9 | Onyx | Bacdafucup Part II | Koch Records |
| July 9 | Styles P | A Gangster and a Gentleman | Ruff Ryders, Interscope Records |
| July 16 | Juicy J | Chronicles of the Juice Man | Hypnotize Minds, North North Records |
| July 16 | KJ-52 | Collaborations | BEC Recordings |
| July 23 | Jean Grae | Attack of the Attacking Things | Third Earth Music |
| July 23 | The Beatnuts | The Originators | Landspeed |
| July 23 | Jumpsteady | The Chaos Theory | Psychopathic Records |
| July 23 | Lil Wayne | 500 Degreez | Cash Money Records |
| July 23 | Public Enemy | Revolverlution | Koch Records |
| July 29 | Big Mello | The Gift | KMJ Records |
| July 30 | Richie Rich | Nixon Pryor Roundtree | Ten-Six Records |
| July 30 | Knoc-Turn'al | L.A. Confidential presents: Knoc-Turn'al | Elektra Records |
| August 6 | Cage | Movies for the Blind | Eastern Conference Records |
| August 6 | Project Pat | Layin' da Smack Down | Loud Records |
| August 6 | Scarface | The Fix | Def Jam South |
| August 13 | Do or Die | Back 2 the Game | Rap-A-Lot Records, Virgin Records |
| August 13 | Luniz | Silver & Black | Rap-A-Lot Records, Virgin Records, Asylum Records |
| August 13 | Slum Village | Trinity (Past, Present and Future) | Capitol Records |
| August 20 | Angie Martinez | Animal House | Elektra Records |
| August 20 | Clipse | Lord Willin' | Star Trak Entertainment, Jive Records |
| August 20 | Tray Deee | The General's List | Empire Music Werks |
| August 27 | Devin the Dude | Just Tryin' ta Live | Rap-a-Lot Records |
| August 27 | Eve | Eve-Olution | Ruff Ryders Entertainment, Interscope Records |
| August 27 | GRITS | The Art of Translation | Gotee Records |
| August 27 | KRS-One | The Mix Tape | Koch Records |
| August 27 | Lil Flip | Undaground Legend | Sucka Free, Loud Records, Columbia Records |
| August 27 | Promatic | Promatic | Koch Records |
| August 27 | Trina | Diamond Princess | Slip-n-Slide Records, Atlantic Records |
| September 3 | Lil Rob | The Album | Upstairs Records |
| September 9 | Outlandish | Bread & Barrels of Water | RCA Records, Sony BMG Music Entertainment |
| September 9 | Jehst | The Return of the Drifter | Low Life Records |
| September 10 | Shade Sheist | Informal Introduction | MCA Records |
| September 10 | Tech N9ne | Absolute Power | Strange Music |
| September 12 | DJ Jazzy Jeff | The Magnificent | BBE Records |
| September 16 | Boom Bip | Seed to Sun | Lex Records |
| September 17 | Disturbing tha Peace | Golden Grain | Disturbing tha Peace |
| September 17 | Mr. Lif | I Phantom | Definitive Jux |
| September 23 | DJ Vadim | U.S.S.R. The Art of Listening | Ninja Tune |
| September 24 | Nas | The Lost Tapes | Ill Will Records, Columbia Records |
| September 25 | Paktofonika | Archiwum kinematografii | Gigant Records |
| October 1 | Xzibit | Man vs. Machine | Open Bar Entertainment, Loud Records, Columbia Records |
| October 1 | 7L & Esoteric | Warning: Dangerous Exclusives | Brick Records |
| October 7 | K-Gee | Bounce to This | Instant Karma |
| October 8 | Boot Camp Clik | The Chosen Few | Duck Down Music |
| October 8 | Jurassic 5 | Power in Numbers | Interscope Records |
| October 8 | Krumb Snatcha | Respect All Fear None | D&D Records |
| October 8 | Large Professor | 1st Class | Matador Records |
| October 8 | Tela | Double Dose | Rap-a-Lot Records |
| October 8 | UTP | The Compilation | Orpheus Records |
| October 8 | 7L & Esoteric | Dangerous Connection | Brick Records |
| October 10 | Young Buck | Born to Be a Thug | UTP Records, Thug Entertainment |
| October 15 | Coolio | El Cool Magnifico | Riviera Records |
| October 15 | Da Heabussaz (Three 6 Mafia & Fiend) | Dat's How It Happen to'M | Hypnotize Minds, Fiend Entertainment |
| October 15 | LL Cool J | 10 | Def Jam Recordings |
| October 15 | Supastition | 7 Years of Bad Luck | Freshchest Records |
| October 21 | Bushido & Fler | Carlo Cokxxx Nutten | Aggro Berlin |
| October 22 | Big Syke | Big Syke | RideOnUm Records, Rap-A-Lot Records |
| October 22 | Jay Tee | High Caliber | 40 Ounce Records |
| October 22 | Jel | 10 Seconds | Mush Records |
| October 22 | Field Mob | From tha Roota to tha Toota | MCA Records |
| October 28 | WWO | We własnej osobie | Prosto |
| October 29 | Bone Thugs-n-Harmony | Thug World Order | Ruthless Records |
| October 29 | Jungle Brothers | All That We Do | Jungle Brothers Records |
| October 29 | Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz | Kings of Crunk | BME Recordings, TVT Records |
| October 29 | Penny | The Clockforth Movement | Plague Language |
| October 29 | Various Artists | Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture 8 Mile | Shady Records, Interscope Records |
| November 5 | Insane Clown Posse | The Wraith: Shangri-La | Psychopathic Records |
| November 5 | Soul-Junk | 1957 | |
| November 9 | Sev Statik | Speak Life | UpRock, EMI CMG |
| November 11 | Felt | Felt: A Tribute to Christina Ricci | Rhymesayers Entertainment |
| November 12 | Indo G | Contact | Blackhouse Entertainment |
| November 12 | JAY-Z | The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse | Roc-A-Fella Records, Def Jam Recordings |
| November 12 | Fat Joe | Loyalty | Terror Squad, Atlantic |
| November 12 | Missy Elliott | Under Construction | The Goldmind Inc., Elektra Records |
| November 12 | Swollen Members | Monsters in the Closet | Battle Axe Records |
| November 12 | WC | Ghetto Heisman | Def Jam Recordings |
| November 19 | C-Bo | Desert Eagle | Warlock Records |
| November 19 | Canibus | Mic Club: The Curriculum | Mic Club Music |
| November 19 | Erick Sermon | React | J Records |
| November 19 | Ja Rule | The Last Temptation | Murder Inc Records, Def Jam Recordings |
| November 19 | Talib Kweli | Quality | Rawkus Records, MCA Records |
| November 22 | Fettes Brot | Amnesie | 'Yo Mama's Recording |
| November 26 | 2Pac | Better Dayz | Amaru Entertainment, Death Row Records |
| November 26 | Birdman | Birdman | Cash Money Records |
| November 26 | Busta Rhymes | It Ain't Safe No More... | Flipmode Records, J Records |
| November 26 | Royce da 5'9" | Rock City | Columbia Records, E1 Music, Game Recordings |
| November 26 | Snoop Dogg | Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$ | Doggystyle Records, Priority Records, Capitol Records |
| November 26 | The Roots | Phrenology | Geffen Records, MCA Records |
| November 26 | Will Smith | Greatest Hits | Columbia Records |
| November 26 | Kool G Rap | The Giancana Story | Koch Records |
| November 26 | Nighthawks (Cage & Camu Tao) | Nighthawks | Eastern Conference Records |
| December 10 | Common | Electric Circus | MCA Records |
| December 10 | Proof | Electric Cool-Aid: Acid Testing | Iron Fist Records |
| December 10 | 504 Boyz | Ballers | The New No Limit, Universal Records |
| December 10 | GZA | Legend of the Liquid Sword | MCA Records, Universal Records |
| December 13 | Nas | God's Son | Ill Will Records, Columbia Records |
| December 17 | Indo G | Christmas N' Memphis | Big Face |
| December 17 | Lil' Romeo | Game Time | The New No Limit, Universal Records |

## Highest-charting singles

Hip hop singles from any year which charted in the 2002 Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 :
| Song | Artist | Project | Peak position |
| "Lose Yourself" | Eminem | 8 Mile | 1 |
| "Dilemma" | Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland | Nellyville | 1 |
| "Hot In Herre" | Nelly | Nellyville | 1 |
| "Without Me" | Eminem | The Eminem Show | 2 |
| "What's Luv?" | Fat Joe featuring Ashanti | Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) | 2 |
| "Hey Ma" | Cam'ron featuring Juelz Santana, Freekey Zekey & Toya | Come Home with Me | 3 |
| "Cleanin' Out My Closet" | Eminem | The Eminem Show | 4 |
| "03' Bonnie & Clyde" | Jay-Z featuring Beyonce | The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse | 4 |
| "Luv U Better" | LL Cool J | 10 | 4 |
| "Oh Boy" | Cam'ron featuring Juelz Santana | Come Home with Me | 4 |
| "Nothin'" | N.O.R.E. | God's Favorite | 10 |
| "Pass the Courvoisier, Part II" | Busta Rhymes featuring Puff Daddy & Pharrell Williams | Genesis | 11 |
| "We Thuggin'" | Fat Joe featuring R. Kelly | Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) | 15 |
| "The Whole World" | OutKast featuring Killer Mike | Big Boi and Dre Present... OutKast | 19 |
| "Thugz Mansion" | 2Pac | Better Dayz | 19 |
| "When the Last Time" | Clipse | Lord Willin' | 19 |
| "Trade It All" | Fabolous featuring Jagged Edge | Ghetto Fabolous | 20 |
| "Break Ya Neck" | Busta Rhymes | Genesis | 26 |
| "Grindin'" | Clipse | Lord Willin' | 30 |
| "Young'n (Holla Back)" | Fabolous | Ghetto Fabolous | 32 |
| "Welcome to Atlanta" | Jermaine Dupri featuring Ludacris | Instructions | 35 |
| "React" | Erick Sermon featuring Redman | React | 36 |

## Highest first-week sales

List of top ten albums with the highest first-week :
| Number | Album | Artist | 1st-week sales | 1st-week position |
| 1 | The Eminem Show | Eminem | 1,322,000 | 1 |
| 2 | Nellyville | Nelly | 714,000 | 1 |
| 3 | 8 Mile OST | Various Artists | 702,000 | 1 |
| 4 | The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse | Jay-Z | 545,000 | 1 |
| 5 | Better Dayz | 2Pac | 366,000 | 5 |
| 6 | Under Construction | Missy Elliott | 259,000 | 3 |
| 7 | The Last Temptation | Ja Rule | 237,000 | 4 |
| 8 | God's Son | Nas | 176,000 | 12 |
| 9 | Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss | Snoop Dogg | 174,000 | 12 |
| 10 | Man vs. Machine | Xzibit | 156,000 | 3 |

## All critically reviewed albums ranked (Metacritic)

| Number | Artist | Album | Average score | Number of reviews |
| 1 | The Streets | Original Pirate Material | 90 | 25 reviews |
| 2 | The Roots | Phrenology | 87 | 23 reviews |
| 3 | N.E.R.D. | In Search of... | 83 | 20 reviews |
| 4 | Missy Elliott | Under Construction | 81 | 19 reviews |
| 5 | Nas | God's Son | 81 | 18 reviews |
| 6 | Mr. Lif | I Phantom | 81 | 12 reviews |
| 7 | Common | Electric Circus | 80 | 22 reviews |
| 8 | Talib Kweli | Quality | 79 | 19 reviews |
| 9 | Jurassic 5 | Power in Numbers | 76 | 20 reviews |
| 10 | Snoop Dogg | Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss | 76 | 14 reviews |
| 11 | Atmosphere | God Loves Ugly | 76 | 9 reviews |
| 12 | Eminem | The Eminem Show | 75 | 20 reviews |
| 13 | DJ Jazzy Jeff | The Magnificent | 75 | 11 reviews |
| 14 | Nelly | Nellyville | 70 | 15 reviews |
| 15 | Eve | Eve-Olution | 68 | 12 reviews |
| 16 | Public Enemy | Revolverlution | 65 | 17 reviews |
| 17 | Busta Rhymes | It Ain't Safe No More... | 65 | 8 reviews |
| 18 | Jay-Z | The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse | 64 | 19 reviews |
| 19 | The X-Ecutioners | Built from Scratch | 62 | 11 reviews |
| 20 | LL Cool J | 10 | 60 | 8 reviews |
| 21 | Wyclef Jean | Masquerade | 60 | 8 reviews |
| 22 | Slum Village | Trinity (Past, Present and Future) | 59 | 12 reviews |
| 23 | Xzibit | Man vs. Machine | 59 | 9 reviews |
| 24 | Ja Rule | The Last Temptation | 57 | 9 reviews |