The Earvin Edit

Hip-hop is evolving faster than ever, and the labels behind today’s biggest stars are evolving with it. Lets take a look at some of the best collectives rap music currently has to offer

Written by Earvin Adjei

Opium

Notable Artists: Playboi Carti, Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely

With Playboi Carti at the helm, Opium has quickly cemented itself as one of the most dominant labels in hip-hop today. Carti’s long-awaited album MUSIC, released in March, made a massive impact, moving 298,000 units in its first week and having all 30 tracks debut on the Billboard Hot 100. Shortly after, Carti joined The Weeknd as an opener on the After Hours Til Dawn tour, further aiding his mainstream push. But Opium’s success goes far beyond Carti. His protégés, Destroy Lonely and Ken Carson, have each carved out impressive careers under the label’s shadow. Over the past four years, Destroy Lonely has delivered two major projects that have boosted his visibility. His 2023 debut studio album If Looks Could Kill peaked at #18 on the Billboard 200 and earned a Gold certification for its title track. In 2024, he followed up with Love Lasts Forever, which marked a career high, debuting at #10 on the Billboard 200 and topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Ken Carson’s rise has been just as significant if not greater. His 2023 album A Great Chaos received widespread acclaim from fans and critics alike, peaking at #11 on the Billboard 200 and spawning five Gold-certified singles. He built on that momentum with More Chaos in 2025, a commercial breakthrough that debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200—his first chart-topping album. This milestone not only solidified Ken’s place as a leader within the Opium collective but also marked a defining moment for the underground rap scene. Together, Carti, Ken, and Lonely have transformed Opium from a niche imprint into one of the most exciting forces in modern hip-hop.

TDE

Notable Artists: Doechii, SZA, ScHoolboy Q

Although Kendrick Lamar officially parted ways with TDE in 2020, the label has continued to thrive. SZA remains a dominant force, not only on the roster but across the R&B landscape. Her long-awaited sophomore album SOS debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with 318,000 units sold — her first #1 and one of the biggest debuts of 2022. It also set the record for the largest streaming week for an R&B album in U.S. history. On the rap side, ScHoolboy Q returned in 2024 with Blue Lips, a critically acclaimed project some fans called a top rap album of the year. But that honor officially went to another TDE artist: Doechii. Her breakthrough mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal won the Grammy for Rap Album of the Year, while her viral single “Anxiety” dominated TikTok and peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. With SZA as a mainstream powerhouse, Doechii as a rising innovator, and veterans like Q and Jay Rock still delivering, TDE has reloaded for a new era — and they’re not going anywhere.

pgLang

Notable Artists: Kendrick Lamar, Baby Keem

Little is known about pgLang, but when you have an artist as culturally dominant as Kendrick Lamar at the helm, you can’t keep them off a list of hip-hop’s best labels. Kendrick’s been on a historic run since his high-profile beef with Drake in 2024. His explosive single “Not Like Us” became a cultural phenomenon, spending 53 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 — including three at #1. He followed that moment with The Pop Out concert in Inglewood, a surprise album (GNX) that topped the charts, a record-breaking Super Bowl LIX halftime show, and another #1 hit with “Luther,” his collaboration with SZA. Kendrick also contributed to Playboi Carti’s long-awaited MUSIC album, assisting on several tracks for one of the year’s most anticipated and talked-about releases. This was a major co-sign and a surprise crossover moment that showed Kendrick’s influence extends even deeper into the new wave. And finally he topped it all off with the Grand National Tour — a sold-out arena run alongside his former labelmate. A truly impressive run he’s been on. And pgLang’s future doesn’t rest on Kendrick alone. His cousin Baby Keem — whose 2021 debut The Melodic Blue earned widespread acclaim — has been quiet, but fans are waiting closely for his next move. When he returns, pgLang’s grip on the game might only tighten.

Cactus Jack

Notable Artists: Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Sheck Wes

Many had questioned whether Cactus Jack still had momentum, but the label’s recent run of success has silenced plenty of doubters. Travis Scott, as expected, remains the engine — Utopia debuted at No. 1 with 496,000 first-week sales, powered a massive global tour, and helped him headline Coachella. But it’s the efforts of Don Toliver and the return of Sheck Wes that have fans believing in the collective again. Toliver released two albums in back-to-back years: Lovesick (February 2023) and Hardstone Psycho (June 2024), with the latter debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — a career high, moving 76,500 album-equivalent units in its opening week. Meanwhile, Sheck Wes finally followed up his viral breakout “Mo Bamba” and 2019 debut Mudboy with a proper return to the spotlight. His Travis Scott–assisted single “ILMB,” released in 2025, reignited interest in the Cactus Jack roster. The buzz only grew when Scott teased a long-awaited follow-up to the label’s JackBoys compilation album. The release of Jackboys 2 could further cement Cactus Jack’s standing in today’s hip-hop landscape.

CMG

Notable Artists: GloRilla, Moneybagg Yo, 42 Dugg, EST Gee

While CMG’s roster isn’t as star-studded as it once was, the label remains a relevant force in hip-hop thanks to the breakout success of GloRilla. During and after the pandemic, several of CMG’s artists had strong runs. Moneybagg Yo’s 2021 album A Gangsta’s Pain was a smash hit, selling 110,000 copies in its first week and producing a string of hits — including “Wockesha,” which peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. EST Gee quickly gained momentum with a string of street anthems, generating so much buzz that even Lil Baby was clamoring to sign him. But as the popularity of street rap has waned and legal issues have plagued much of the scene, the focus has shifted toward more versatile and upbeat sounds. That’s where GloRilla shines. With hits like “Tomorrow 2,” “TGIF,” and “Yeah Glo!,” she has become one of the most exciting voices in hip-hop today — and a clear leader for the CMG imprint moving forward.