11 of the Best Deluxe Edition Hip-Hop Albums of the Last Five Years

One of the more difficult parts of the album-making process is deciding what songs make the final cut and which don't. As any artist will tell you, parting with music you really love before you turn in the final product can be a tough process.

One of the advantages that modern rappers have over those of yesteryear is that they can release deluxe editions of their albums with bonus tracks, adding a set of new songs to albums they've previously released. Sometimes the tracks are picked from the cutting room floor, while other times the songs are new joints that wouldn't have originally fit the project. Either way, deluxe editions breathe new life into projects, and can really improve the original product. Here, XXL highlights some of the best of the bunch since 2015, with appearances from some of the genres biggest names, such as Jay-Z and Nipsey Hussle, among others.

Prior to Jay-Z releasing his 13th solo album, 4:44, in 2017, the project was highly anticipated. The physical deluxe edition of the album added on three more songs, one of which featured a verse from his daughter, Blue Ivy. Just a year later, Nipsey Hussle's much-lauded debut album, Victory Lap, had two bonus tracks on its deluxe edition, with the final song, "Double Up" featuring Belly and Dom Kennedy, becoming one of the late rapper's biggest songs. Stepping into 2020, Dreamville dropped a deluxe edition of Revenge of the Dreamers III, with an eye-popping 12 new songs, giving fans an even further look into their jam-packed recording sessions.

Below, XXL highlights 11 of the best deluxe albums or albums updated with bonus tracks in the last five years.

See 11 of the Best Deluxe Edition Hip-Hop Albums of the Last Five Years