1990 in hip-hop
This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip-hop for the year 1990.
Highest-charting singles
| Song | Artist | Project | Peak position |
| "Ice Ice Baby" | Vanilla Ice | To the Extreme | 1 |
| "Pray" | MC Hammer | Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em | 2 |
| "Have You Seen Her" | MC Hammer | Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em | 4 |
| "U Can't Touch This" | MC Hammer | Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em | 8 |
| "Just a Friend" | Biz Markie | The Biz Never Sleeps | 9 |
| "Turtle Power!" | Partners in Kryme | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | 13 |