The Top 25 Hip Hop Albums of All Time List
Apr 10 '00 (Updated Jan 20 '05)
The Bottom Line ...
I had to make this list for the heads out there who actually support real hip hop. The people who know who Co Flow, Project Blowed, J5, Hobo, Heiro, and Reflection Eternal are. A list for the people who by their choice, support the aforementioned over the latest DMX, No Limit, or Cash Money album. And without further adieu, the list.
1. Eric B. and Rakim - Paid In Full (1987)
"Paid In Full" is considered by many, including myself, the greatest hip hop album of all time. Why? This is because it features three of the greatest hip hop songs of all time by the greatest rapper of all time. I am of course talking about "I Ain't No Joke," the title cut "Paid In Full," and "Eric B. Is President" by Rakim Allah and his partner in crime, Eric B.
2. Nas - Illmatic (1994)
Back in the day (1994) when The Source actually respected itself and its rating system, they gave Nas’ "Illmatic" 5 mics. They called him the next Rakim. The album was ten songs; 40:01 of pure lyrical genius over some of the greatest beats of all-time produced by legends DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, and Q-Tip. It’s an album Common placed as #1 on the list of his top 10 favorite hip-hop platters. A lot has changed since Nasir Jones went from "Nasty Nas to Esco to Escobar, now he is Nastradamus."
3. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
Public Enemy’s sophomore LP is a landmark album. Tracks like "Bring The Noise" and "Don’t Believe The Hype" represented the group at their strongest. The recording is a brilliant socially conscious political satire that changed the face of music and society forever.
4. Wu Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang (1993)
Not so much an impressive album as it is a revolutionary one. This was the debut album from the Staten Island eight-man crew who were into Shaolin Shadowboxing. Back when Wu-Tang Clan was: Prince Rakeem "The RZA", The Method Man, U-God, Rebel INS, Shallah Raekwon, Ghost Face Killer, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, & The Genius "The GZA." Hear how the Wu saga all started. Back when Wu’s style was raw and furiously intense. Back when RZA didn't hire some chump kids to produce the group's beats. Back when his only samples were from the Stax catalog.
5. A Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory (1991)
At the time when the Jazz Revolution in hip hop was just beginning, A Tribe Called Quest entered the scene with a style that was carefree yet political, energetic yet soulful. Whether it’s the original posse cut "Scenario," the masterfully flipped beat of "Buggin’ Out," or the catchy party jam "Check The Rhime," Tribe shines on their best effort to date, a soundtrack for life in the 90s.
6. Gang Starr - Daily Operation (1992)
Primo and Guru’s undisputed pièce de résistance is a triumph in every way. The New York underground hip hop duo achieved everything we though possible from their first two efforts, "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "Step Into The Arena." Gone our Guru’s self-esteem problems, here he drops knowledge and insight like a sage philosopher afraid of nothing. He uses now assured street-smart monotony style in all its glory. It was on this album that DJ Premier’s beats were perfection personified. From "Ex Girl To Next Girl" to "B.Y.S.," Gang Starr never ceases to amaze.
7. De La Soul - 3 Feet High And Rising (1989)
In 1989, the rap world was turned on its ear by something mislabeled by many as "hippie rap." De La Soul and Prince Paul brought an album with an at the time unprecedented 24 tracks, that bore forth an eccentric yet refreshing breath of fresh air into hip hop. Besides setting the modern template of skits on hip hop albums, Prince Paul and the Plug Tuners virtually pioneered adventurous sampling that at times bordered on the comically superfluous. Seemingly ridiculous mantras that gave birth to track names turned less ridiculous and more fun every time you listened to them. This is an album to throw in your deck on a sunny springtime day and say thank God for creativity in hip hop.
8. Dr. Dre - The Chronic (1992)
This is the album that inaugurated G-Funk into the hip hop world. This is the album that brought us Lady of Rage, R.B.X., Tha Dogg Pound, Nate Dogg, Snoop Doggy Dogg. This is the album that began the Death Row era. Like the drug it's named after, "The Chronic" alters the senses with its gangsta rap tales of gangbanging and gangbanging. For better or worse, this album single-handedly redefined hip hop.
9. Notorious BIG - Ready To Die (1994)
Before Sean Combs was dancing around like Savion Glover's bastard stepbrother to looped Police stalker anthems, he actually made a monumental contribution to "real" hip hop. 1994's Ready To Die” was the first legitimately strong East-coast hip hop album in years. More importantly though, it introduced us to the late, great Biggie Smalls. Besides being credited by many as the "album that brought the East back," it also accomplished the hip hop mission impossible. With a little help from Mister Cee, this urban opus actually brought Puffy a small but fleeting semblance of street credibility. Listening to this album makes you reminisce about the days when Puffy and the Trackmasters could actually craft gratifying hardcore hip hop instrumentals…Or was it that BIG just made it seem that way? Study this album and "Life After Death" back to back. You will aurally witness two eras of hip hop, a changing of the guard of sorts, brought on by one Mr. Christopher Wallace.
10. Organized Konfusion - Stress: The Extinction Agenda (1994)
When it comes down to complex emotions conveyed through conceptually intellectual lyrics, no other duo is as impressive as the one from Queens, Pharoahe Monch and Prince Poetry. With death fresh in their lives they made "Stress." Bleak, apocalyptic, and powerfully honest, their sophomore attempt is a true accomplishment. From "Bring It On" to the later to be ripped off by Nas "Stray Bullet," the amount of range this group shows is astonishing. The only reason this album isn’t higher on this list is because of its lackluster production.
The Next Top 15
11. N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton (1988)
12. Ultramagnetic MC's - Critical Beatdown (1988)
13. The Roots - Things Fall Apart (1999)
14. Common - Resurrection (1994)
15. Mobb Deep - The Infamous (1995)
16. Aceyalone - All Balls Don't Bounce (1995)
17. Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus (1997)
18. Outkast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1994)
19. Freestyle Fellowship - Innercity Griots (1993)
20. Dr. Octagon - Dr. Octagonecologyst (1996)
21. 2Pac - All Eyez On Me (1996)
22. Ras Kass - Soul On Ice (1996)
23. Project Blowed - Project Blowed (1995)
24. Jurassic 5 - EP (1997)
25. Ozomatli - Ozomatli (1998)
- © 2000 by Donlee Brussel
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Donlee_Brussel
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 30
Trusted by: 277 members
About Me:
The best movie, music, and book reviews written by a Chinese Jew on Epinions, ever.
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.