What was the first hip hop album to top the Billboard 200 chart?

Licensed to Ill was the first hip-hop album to top the Billboard 200 chart. The Beastie Boys’ debut reached number one in March 1987, several months after its November 15, 1986 release.

The album was released by Def Jam and Columbia and produced primarily by Rick Rubin. Its loud blend of rap, punk attitude, hard-rock guitar, and extensive sampling made it unusually accessible to rock audiences while keeping the Beastie Boys’ irreverent MC style at the center. Tracks such as “Fight for Your Right” and “Brass Monkey” helped turn the record into a major commercial breakthrough.

“Licensed to Ill” is sometimes described as the first rap album to reach number one, which is the chart language most commonly used in historical references. The album later became the first rap album certified Diamond by the RIAA, signifying shipments of more than 10 million copies in the United States. “Raising Hell,” “Paid in Full,” and “Criminal Minded” were important earlier rap albums, but none was the first to top the Billboard 200.