What's The Best Hip Hop Album?

[5 Grand]

For example, Life After Death is a classic, but it's kinda smoothed out. Some songs have an R&B singer singing the chorus. Other songs have more of a "club vibe" whatever that means.

What's the best Hip Hop Album that doesn't have any crossover appeal that would only appeal to people that like beats and rhymes? No singing, no gimmicks.

I'm guessing people will say Illmatic, which is a good choice.

I'm listening to Criminal Minded right now and it sounds just as good as it did in 1987. KRS could rap his ass off and the added cutting and scratching differentiates it from modern Hip Hop albums that do not have scratching. In fact, how many DJs can you name that scratch in 2022?

 

[Marc123]

E.1999 Eternal

 

[Norrin_Radd]

How I know this was a @5 Grand thread before I even seen who posted it? Lol

 

[Marc123]

How I know this was a @5 Grand thread before I even seen who posted it? Lol

lol yea. ikr.

 

[Based Dave 96]

De La Soul 3 feet high & Rising.

 

[Silverfoxx]

I always said this is one of the greatest albums of all time.Full of political rage and searing social commentary, Lil B second album, Bitchmob vol.1 Please Respect the Bitch, is as influential to hip-hop as The Velvet Underground & Nico is to rock music. Layering samples for an innovative and arresting sound, the fact that the album was recorded within six weeks is a feat within itself, but it’s made all the more impressive when you take a moment to appreciate the lyrical prowess the Basedgod rapper, displays on its tracks. Bringing a punk sensibility to themes of black empowerment and social injustice, this album is still as much of a galvanising listen today as it was when it was first released, affirming Lil B status as a radical pioneer in the industry.

 

[Silverfoxx]

@5 Grand enjoy this classic hip hop album fam. Thoughts?

 

[O.G.]

I always said this is one of the greatest albums of all time.Full of political rage and searing social commentary

I thought you were talking about this masterpiece with that sentence.

 

[5th Letter]

Cormega The Realness

 

[genocide_cutter]

E.1999 Eternal

"Pray, and we pray and we pray, and we pray, and we pray
Everyday, everyday, everyday, everyday
And we pray, and we pray, and we pray, and we pray"

 

[Rickyrich]

Makaveli 7 day theory

 

[genocide_cutter]

 

[Revolver Ocelot]

 

[Qawshun]

Muddy waters

 

[BRIAN B.]

 

[God_Body]

The Infamous

 

[BrandonJ404]

Thug Motivation 101

 

[ZMaKEa]

When I think about best Hip Hop, I think of an album I would tell someone to listen to if they wanna know what Hip Hop is all about.

Unfortunately, I gotta go with a NY rapper even NY been ass for two decades.

The best Hip Hop album would have to be Illmatic. When I think of the pinnacle of Hip Hop music, I think Illmatic.

 

[5 Grand]

When I think about best Hip Hop, I think of an album I would tell someone to listen to if they wanna know what Hip Hop is all about.

Unfortunately, I gotta go with a NY rapper even NY been ass for two decades.

The best Hip Hop album would have to be Illmatic. When I think of the pinnacle of Hip Hop music, I think Illmatic.

Good choice.

Just to add on;

In the summer of 1987, Criminal Minded, Paid In Full, and Bigger and Deffer all dropped.

Those 3 albums were Illmatic before Illmatic, for different reasons. Basically those albums set the bar for how good a solo rapper's album could be, and how good a person could rap, and what you could rap about (drugs, gangs, 5% teachings, love songs, battle raps, diss records, also scratching. ) Those were the first 5 Mic solo rap albums before The Source started rating albums, before The Source existed.

 

[Killmonger]

Doggystyle