Top 10 Essential Hip-Hop Albums

R

ricardo08

Bluelighter
Joined
Oct 14, 2008
Messages
1,204
I thought I'd try this as I'm interested to see what the most popular choices will be, as well as hopefully discovering some new ones to add to my collection.

So,

In your opinion, what are the top 10 must have hip-hop records of all time?

My list:

- Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous - Big L
- Low End Theory - A Tribe Called Quest
- No One Can Do Better - The D.O.C.
- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back - Public Enemy
- Revolutionary Vol. 2 - Immortal Technique
- Visions of Ghandi - Jedi Mind Tricks
- 36 Chambers - Wu-Tang Clan
- Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A.
- 2Pacalypse Now - 2Pac
- Moment of Truth - Gang Starr
 
I'm a sucker for "top ten" lists. I may have forgotten some.

1. Nas - Illmatic
2. A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Maruaders
3. Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt
4. Kanye West - College Dropout
5. OutKast - Aquemini
6. The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia
7. Talib Kweli - Quality
8. Common - Be
9. Slum Village - Fantastic Vol.2
10. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
 
ain't only 10 brah

Kool G Rap and DJ Polo - "Wanted Dead or Alive"
Wu-Tang - "36 Chambers"
GZA - "Liquid Swords"
Killarmy - "Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars"
Outkast - "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik," ATLiens," "Aquemini," "Stankonia"
Big Boi - "Sir Lucious Left Foot The Son Of Chico Dusty"
Biz - "Goin' Off"
NWA - "Straight Outta COmpton"
Dr. Dre - "Tha Chronic"
Blackmoon - "Enta Da Stage"
Smiff-n-Wesson - "Da Shinnin'"
2Pac - "2pacalypse Now," "Strictly 4 my N.I.G.G.A.Z."
*Thug Life - "T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E.
AZ - "Doe or Die"
BDB - "Criminal Minded"
Cilvaringz - "I"
CNN - "The War Report"

more to come
 
Last edited:
1. Eric B and Rakim - Paid In Full
2. Kool G Rap and DJ Polo - Wanted Dead or Alive
3. NWA - Straight Outta Compton
4. Sugarhill Gang - Sugarhill Gang (self titled)
5. NAS - Illmatic
6. Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill
7. LL Cool J - Bigger and Deafer
8. Jay Z - Reasonable Doubt
9. Notorius BIG - Life After Death
10. 2Pac - All Eyes On Me
 
Since most of them have been said, more than once, I'll just put some additional ones I haven't seen yet:

Mos Def And Talib Kweli Are Blackstar
Wu Tang Forever (A vastly superior record to 36 chambers in almost every way)
GZA - Liquid Swords
Mobb Deep - The Infamous
Madvillian - Madvilliany
Raekwon-Only Built for Cuban Linx
Ghostface -Ironman
Mos Def - Black on Both Sides
Ultramagnetic MCs - Critical Beatdown

I'm sure theres plenty more I could put, but this 102 degree fever is clouding the thinking part of my brain at the moment.
 
Hip hop is almost 40 years old. To take 4 decades of music and find the 10 most essential albums is impossible. Each decade had it's 10 if not more essential albums. Sugarhill made it to the radio, Grandmaster Flash continued it's mass appeal, Ice T started the gangster movement, NWA capitalized on it, 2 Live Crew started the X-Rated era, Awesome Dre and the Hardcore Committee put Detroit on the map long before Em, Cool C and the Hill Top hustlers put Philly on the map, Beastie Boys and 3rd Bass made white rappers accepted, MC Hammer started the crossover movement, I could go on but Hip Hop has seen a lot of significant releases in the last 40 years. Probably dozens if not hundreds.
 
lozgod said:
Hip hop is almost 40 years old. To take 4 decades of music and find the 10 most essential albums is impossible. Each decade had it's 10 if not more essential albums. Sugarhill made it to the radio, Grandmaster Flash continued it's mass appeal, Ice T started the gangster movement, NWA capitalized on it, 2 Live Crew started the X-Rated era, Awesome Dre and the Hardcore Committee put Detroit on the map long before Em, Cool C and the Hill Top hustlers put Philly on the map, Beastie Boys and 3rd Bass made white rappers accepted, MC Hammer started the crossover movement, I could go on but Hip Hop has seen a lot of significant releases in the last 40 years. Probably dozens if not hundreds.
Click to expand...

Is it really that hard to choose you're top 10 albums? Obviously you can't cover everything but if you had to choose...the most influential or personal favourites etc. Feel free to put down 20 or whatever, you don't have to take it too seriously!
 
ricardo08 said:
Is it really that hard to choose you're top 10 albums? Obviously you can't cover everything but if you had to choose...the most influential or personal favourites etc. Feel free to put down 20 or whatever, you don't have to take it too seriously!
Click to expand...

I went for influential. That's why I had Sugarhill in there along with Paid in Full. If I could add to the list, keeping it influential I would add:

11. Wu-Tang - Enter the Wu (36 Chambers)
12. 2 Live Crew - The Two Live Crew is What We Are (along with NWA probably the biggest test of free speech in regards to music)
13. Geto Boys - Making Trouble
14. Kurtis Blow - Self Titled
15. DJ Clue - The Proffesional (started the mix tape era)
16. Eminem - Recovery (Eminem is arguably the greatest MC ever and this is his best work IMO)
17. Kilo G - The Sleep Walker (put Cash Money on the Map and birthed Lil Wayne)
18. Cool C - I Gotta Habit (put Philly on the map)
19. MC Lyte - Lyte As A Rock (first hardcore female rapper)
20. cant think of one influential. Have a few in mind but no idea who to pick.
 
Last edited:
shad - the old prince
wu-tang - 36 chambers
eminem - marshall mathers lp
tupac - w/e
mos def - black on both sides
nas - illmatic
apathy - wanna snuggle
outkast - aquemini/atliens
louis logic - sin-a-matic
lupe fiasco - enemy of the state

just off my head tho
 
1: Snoop Dogg - Doggy Style
2: Dr. Dre - The Chronic
3: Wu-Tang - Enter the Wu (36 Chambers)
4: Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death
5: Bone Thugs n' Harmony - East 1999 Eternal
6: Dr. Dre - Chronic 2001
7: Eminem - The Slim Shady LP
8: Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
9: Beastie Boys - License To Ill
10: The Streets - Original Pirate Material

:D
 
In no particular order, but 10 hip hop albums I love & revisit often.

EPMD - Business as usual
Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill
Ice-T - The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech...Just Watch What You Say
Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
MC Lyte - Aint No Other
Eric B and Rakim - Paid In Full
Da Lench Mob - Guerillas in tha Mist
Fu-Schnickens - Nervous Breakdown
House Of Pain - Same as It Ever Was
Del Tha Funky Homosapien - I Wish My Brother George Was Here
 
lozgod said:
15. DJ Clue - The Proffesional (started the mix tape era)
Click to expand...

I don't know about started the mixtape era... cause my DJ Juice tapes are much better but.... he did have some nice ass tapes.... "Show me the Money" tapes were off the hook."

I'm gonna get back to my "list" tomorrow..... it's a list alright....

"The first to do it was Roger Troutman; I was about ten"..... just came to my head (regarding auto tune)
 
61OvtKlQe4L._SL500_AA300_.jpg
nas_illmatic_pv.jpg
GZA-Liquid-Swords1-300x300.jpg

snoop-doggy-dogg-doggystyle.jpg
51ldqO5LSAL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
41XKY6HADEL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
 
Last edited:
oneswtwld said:
I don't know about started the mixtape era... cause my DJ Juice tapes are much better but.... he did have some nice ass tapes.... "Show me the Money" tapes were off the hook."

I'm gonna get back to my "list" tomorrow..... it's a list alright....

"The first to do it was Roger Troutman; I was about ten"..... just came to my head (regarding auto tune)
Click to expand...

DJ Clue had the larger audience by a long shot. Ice T started West Coast gangster rap but wasn't as influential as NWA. Being first doesn't make it the most influential. On my list I put Awesome Dre and the Hardcore Committee as putting Detroit on the map but after much thought they may of been first but didn't sell a lot of tapes/CDs so I may have to retract that and give it to Eminem and D12.

Common been around since 1992 but didn't really influence hip hop until after 2000. It's not about being first, it's about making an impact.
 
melange said:
gay


lil waynes the carter or the carter 2 is not on any of the list

no wonder i made the rap thread in THE LOUNGE
Click to expand...

Too commerical to be hip hop. I added Kilo G because he was the first out of Cash Money and Cash Money started Lil Wayne and Lil Wayne has a following but he is more pop than Hip Hop. He is on the same level as Brittaney Spears and Kelly Clarkson. He is pop, not really hip hop. He is no legend of HIP HOP BUT IS A POP ICON. Not a hip hop legend like Rakim, Kool G Rap, Jay Z, Tupac, Biggy, etc. He is a pop sensation.
 
Wu-Tang - 36 Chambers
Earl Sweatshirt - EARL
Tyler, the Creator - Bastard
Nas - Illmatic
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
Ol' Dirty Bastard - Return to the 36 Chambers - The Dirty Version
Mobb Deep - The Infamous
Snoop Dogg - Doggy Style
NWA - Straight Outta Compton
GZA - Liquid Swords

All of Notorious B.I.G's and 2Pac's albums are so influential to hip-hop that I couldn't choose just one.

I love many other hip-hop artists, but these albums are essential.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top