My 25 Favorite Hip-Hop Albums of All Time
For those that may not know, Joey at Straight Bangin dropped this post a while ago and I thought I'd chime in. I think I read somewhere that you're only "allowed" to have one album per artist on this. Well, I did that and I didn't do that.
Oh, and word to Gennaro Gattusso.
1. Nas - Illmatic
Right up there with Sgt. Pepper and Handel's Messiah as one of the greatest musical achievments of all time. Seriously.
2. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Someone in some comments section called this "the White Album of hip-hop." Pretty apt comparison, if you ask me. That's right. Two Beatles references in a row.
3. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
I don't think there ever be another political hip-hop album this good or this influential. Get off the rock, Flav
4. Wu Tang Clan - Enter the Wu Tang: 36 Chambers
Nine top-rate MCs on one album? With beats by RZA? All recorded on a 4-track in some basement in Staten Island? Somehow this album is still underrated. Even by me. I almost had this at 7 before I smacked myself in the face.
5. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
I'll never get tired of this album. I'll be playing this to my grandkids.
6. Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords
If it weren't for this, I'd probably be wearing black eyeliner and have sleeves on both arms by now. Thank you, GZA.
7. Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Sure people cursed on record before, but this opened the floodgates. And the production was like nothing hip-hop had seen before. I once wrote, that hip-hop before this were black and white and this one was in color.
8. Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt
Along with numbers 1 and 2, this is the height of dark atmospheric NYC mid-90s street hip-hop. I see dark blues and rainy nights when I listen to these albums. No other way to put it.
9. Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
With references to Queen Elizabeth, Ted Koppel and Larry Johnson, Even the cover of this album blew my damn mind.
10. Outkast - Aquemini
Besides the pop hits, the more artistic side of this album took a while to grow on me. But now I wonder what the fuck was wrong with me. The first 3/4 of Stankonia also gets a shout-out.
11. A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
Looks like we've found the greatest hip-hop group of all time.
12. De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising/Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep
You could say these albums are complete opposites. But you could also say these both come courtesy of Prince Paul and represent some of the most creative sounds/ideas in hip-hop history. Plus, you think these album titles were merely a coincidence? 3 Feet High was a whole new sound and set new standards for sampling. It also ended up as the first sacrificial lamb in the copyright battle that still rages in the genre. 6 Feet Deep took hardcore hip-hop to its logical dark and scary conclusion and managed to be damn catchy at the same time.
13. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing...
If you don't think this is a hip-hop album, then I don't want to be your friend.
14. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
If I ever were to make an argument against cursing and vulgarity in music, this would be exhibit A and B. Who else could mix an ode to Rakim with a shout-out to the Columbine killers and still have a job a decade later? It's a testament to his talent.
15. Mobb Deep - Hell on Earth/Infamous
Even Prodigy and Havoc mix these albums up. This shit is hardbody and thorough.
16. Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
Blasphemous! I put this album at 16! Although this is a great album, I could even put this a lot lower. It's just not sequenced as well as it could be. Of course, I blame Diddy. Had Biggie lived, he might be the G.O.A.T.
17. Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill
This album is always overlooked and it kind of pisses me off. DJ Muggs really laid the groundwork for a good portion of hardcore 90s hip-hop with this album. And B-Real and Sen Dog are no joke.
18. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
If this album were a little older, I'd probably have it higher. Just like with Reasonable Doubt, Jigga gets crazy with the mood music on this one.
19. Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full
Rakim is the undisputed champion of MCing and, for that matter, of life, so you'd expect this one to be higher. But some of the beats by "Eric B." make me want to throw up a little.
20. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique/Hello Nasty
These get overlooked because, let's face it, the B-Boys write some corny-ass raps. Stripped of fucking incredible beats on 5 Boroughs, this became painfully obvious and it therfore taints the Boys' entire catalog, which, 5 years ago, I'd be tempted to put all over this list. That said, the production on these two facendolas is unequivocably bananas.
21. KRS-One - Return of the Boom Bap
Admittedly, I haven't listened to Criminal Minded enough and I'm doing 80 push-ups later to make up for this fact. But this one, I'm all over. KRS is one intense dude and this album exemplifies that to the fullest. Plus, it has the best weed-smoking song of all time, by far.
22. MF DOOM - Operation Doomsday
If I were to record a hip-hop album, I'd probably just follow this one's format word for word.
23. Big L - Lifestylez Ov Da Poor and Dangerous
If it weren't for "Street Struck" this would be a lot higher. I got about as much of a problem with that track as I do with the name Dwyane. Also a "v" in "of"? Who does that? Anyway, L was one of the greatest lyricists of all time, no doubt. This one has a ridiculous hot line per minute ratio.
24. Madvillian - Madvilliany/Jaylib - Champion Sound
I guess it's a cop-out to link these two albums, but, guess what? I just did it. Madlib seems to put MCs at ease. Probably because of pot.
25. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
It's too early to tell, but this album sure feels like a classic.
Peace!
Oh, and word to Gennaro Gattusso.
1. Nas - Illmatic
Right up there with Sgt. Pepper and Handel's Messiah as one of the greatest musical achievments of all time. Seriously.
2. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Someone in some comments section called this "the White Album of hip-hop." Pretty apt comparison, if you ask me. That's right. Two Beatles references in a row.
3. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
I don't think there ever be another political hip-hop album this good or this influential. Get off the rock, Flav
4. Wu Tang Clan - Enter the Wu Tang: 36 Chambers
Nine top-rate MCs on one album? With beats by RZA? All recorded on a 4-track in some basement in Staten Island? Somehow this album is still underrated. Even by me. I almost had this at 7 before I smacked myself in the face.
5. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
I'll never get tired of this album. I'll be playing this to my grandkids.
6. Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords
If it weren't for this, I'd probably be wearing black eyeliner and have sleeves on both arms by now. Thank you, GZA.
7. Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Sure people cursed on record before, but this opened the floodgates. And the production was like nothing hip-hop had seen before. I once wrote, that hip-hop before this were black and white and this one was in color.
8. Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt
Along with numbers 1 and 2, this is the height of dark atmospheric NYC mid-90s street hip-hop. I see dark blues and rainy nights when I listen to these albums. No other way to put it.
9. Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
With references to Queen Elizabeth, Ted Koppel and Larry Johnson, Even the cover of this album blew my damn mind.
10. Outkast - Aquemini
Besides the pop hits, the more artistic side of this album took a while to grow on me. But now I wonder what the fuck was wrong with me. The first 3/4 of Stankonia also gets a shout-out.
11. A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
Looks like we've found the greatest hip-hop group of all time.
12. De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising/Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep
You could say these albums are complete opposites. But you could also say these both come courtesy of Prince Paul and represent some of the most creative sounds/ideas in hip-hop history. Plus, you think these album titles were merely a coincidence? 3 Feet High was a whole new sound and set new standards for sampling. It also ended up as the first sacrificial lamb in the copyright battle that still rages in the genre. 6 Feet Deep took hardcore hip-hop to its logical dark and scary conclusion and managed to be damn catchy at the same time.
13. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing...
If you don't think this is a hip-hop album, then I don't want to be your friend.
14. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
If I ever were to make an argument against cursing and vulgarity in music, this would be exhibit A and B. Who else could mix an ode to Rakim with a shout-out to the Columbine killers and still have a job a decade later? It's a testament to his talent.
15. Mobb Deep - Hell on Earth/Infamous
Even Prodigy and Havoc mix these albums up. This shit is hardbody and thorough.
16. Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
Blasphemous! I put this album at 16! Although this is a great album, I could even put this a lot lower. It's just not sequenced as well as it could be. Of course, I blame Diddy. Had Biggie lived, he might be the G.O.A.T.
17. Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill
This album is always overlooked and it kind of pisses me off. DJ Muggs really laid the groundwork for a good portion of hardcore 90s hip-hop with this album. And B-Real and Sen Dog are no joke.
18. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
If this album were a little older, I'd probably have it higher. Just like with Reasonable Doubt, Jigga gets crazy with the mood music on this one.
19. Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full
Rakim is the undisputed champion of MCing and, for that matter, of life, so you'd expect this one to be higher. But some of the beats by "Eric B." make me want to throw up a little.
20. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique/Hello Nasty
These get overlooked because, let's face it, the B-Boys write some corny-ass raps. Stripped of fucking incredible beats on 5 Boroughs, this became painfully obvious and it therfore taints the Boys' entire catalog, which, 5 years ago, I'd be tempted to put all over this list. That said, the production on these two facendolas is unequivocably bananas.
21. KRS-One - Return of the Boom Bap
Admittedly, I haven't listened to Criminal Minded enough and I'm doing 80 push-ups later to make up for this fact. But this one, I'm all over. KRS is one intense dude and this album exemplifies that to the fullest. Plus, it has the best weed-smoking song of all time, by far.
22. MF DOOM - Operation Doomsday
If I were to record a hip-hop album, I'd probably just follow this one's format word for word.
23. Big L - Lifestylez Ov Da Poor and Dangerous
If it weren't for "Street Struck" this would be a lot higher. I got about as much of a problem with that track as I do with the name Dwyane. Also a "v" in "of"? Who does that? Anyway, L was one of the greatest lyricists of all time, no doubt. This one has a ridiculous hot line per minute ratio.
24. Madvillian - Madvilliany/Jaylib - Champion Sound
I guess it's a cop-out to link these two albums, but, guess what? I just did it. Madlib seems to put MCs at ease. Probably because of pot.
25. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
It's too early to tell, but this album sure feels like a classic.
Peace!
posted by A-Wood @ 6:00 PM
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