10. Deltron 3030- Deltron 3030 (Classic Tracks: Things You Can Do, Positive Contact)
Del Tha Funkee Homosapien is one of my favorite MCs of all time, and when he came out with this collab with producer Dan the automator and Kid Koala in 00’, the results were otherworldly. A futuristic concept album, Deltron 3030 features some of Del’s best rhymes over some seriously way-out there production. This is a must for fans of Del, or even the Gorillaz, as their first album featured heavy production by Dan the Automator. 3030 even features two tracks with Gorillaz lead singer Damon Albarn.
9. Ghostface Killah- Iron Man (Classic Tracks: Winter Warz, Daytona 500, After The Smoke Is Clear)
This album came out during the golden era of the Wu, when they could do no wrong. It continued the Ghostface/Raekwon tradition of heavily featuring each other on their albums and added Wu associated Cappadonna to the mix. The RZAs production is as sharp as ever, and the song Winter Warz should be noted as one of the best Wu-Bangers of all time. Props if you can spot the Ghostface track in the new Iron Man movie. This also deserves some recognition for badass cover art.
8. Big L- Lifestylez Ov Da Poor and Dangerous (Classic Tracks: All Black, Put It On)
RIP to one of the greatest East Coast MCs to ever touch a mic. Each track on this album is lyrically insane, as Big L was one of the wittiest rappers to date. His style is dark and as raw as they come, but this album proved to the world that Lamont Coleman was not to fucked with. Released in 95’, this was the only studio record he released while he was alive. The album doesn’t have many features except for 8 iz Enuff which features a young Jay-Z and Cam’ron.
7. Wu-Tang Clan- Wu-Tang Forever (Classic Tracks: Cash Still Rules, Triumph, Gravel Pit)
It was a hard choice between this and Enter the 36 Chambers, but with bangers like Triumph (which features an all-out lyrical massacre by Inspectah Deck) and Gravel Pit, this double album improves on everything we have come to love about the Wu Tang Clan. There are so many great tracks on this album that it’s hard to pick only a few to talk about. One of my favorites though, is the all-ODB Dog Shit:“You're the type of bitch don't appreciate sheeeit/Never had sheeeit, so you won't be sheeeeit/That pussy there, couldn't satisfy a hair on my body…”
RIP ODB.
6. Hieroglyphics- 3rd Eye Vision(Classic Tracks: You Never Know, Oakland Blackouts, Mics of the Roundtable)
All hail the mighty Heiro! These guys are like the West Coast Wu-Tang. A collective of MCS featuring all the members of Souls of Mischief and Del the Funkee Homosapien. While the production isn’t the most groundbreaking, the flow and lyrical content of these Oakland MCs is eons ahead of the pack. The energy and overall vibe of this disc is that of a smoked out basement in the depths of California, and I can’t get enough of it. Featuring solo tracks from each member, and a dozen group joints, this album set the bar high for the West Coast, and the entire underground hip hop scene.
5. Nas – Illmatic(Classic Tracks: Represent, N.Y. State of Mind, Life’s A Bitch)
What top albums list would be complete without the holy grail of NY, Illmatic? Nas’ debut album is a lean 10 tracks that demand respect from anyone who puts this record on (but don’t put it in your box if your shit eats tapes). The production is tight and to the point, but what really makes this album a classic is Nas’ untouchable lyrical ability. He rips through each track like a machete through butter. Like he said on Stillmatic, “My first album had no famous guest appearances, and what’s the outcome? I’m crowned the best lyricist…”
4. The Notorious B.I.G.- Ready to Die(Classic Tracks: Gimme The Loot, Juicy, Big Poppa)
B-I-G…P-O…P-P-A! I played this album to death when I first heard it in high school (yah, I admit, I was a little late to catch on), and I haven’t looked back since. Biggie’s flow is so dominant on every track its hard not to see why he’s seen as the legend he is today. While his second album was great, this one is by far the better-realized LP. This is another debut disc that doesn’t rely on heavy features from famous artists to make it great. In fact, the only feature is from the Method Man in The What, which features the two MCs passing the mic back in forth in on the rawest displays of NY talent on disc. Every track on this album is amazing from start to finish, and when your done, you feel like you actually know Chris Wallace as well as his partner in crime. That’s the mark of a truly great MC.
3. Eminem- The Slim Shady LP(Classic Tracks: Guilty Conscience, If I Had, As The World Turns, Just Don’t Give A Fuck)
I was in 4th grade when this album dropped and I did everything in my power to get my hands on an unedited copy so I could listen to its outrageously vulgar tracks in secrecy. However, this album isn’t on here just for the nostalgia factor, I still listen to it regularly because it is a landmark record for so many reasons. First of all it introduced the world to Slim Shady, who officially proved that not all white rappers are wack. Second of all, the production by Dre is, as always, amazing. Third of all, this shit is straight twisted. Em talks about killing his wife, making a girl OD on mushrooms, raping a women’s swim team, just every messed up thing you can imagine. If you can get people to listen to that kind of stuff willingly (and repeatedly at that), you must have some mad talent.
2. Outkast- Southernplayalisticaddilacmuzik(Classic Tracks: Hootie Hoo, Player’s Ball)
Are you starting to catch on to the trend? I like debut albums. This album officially put the dirty south on the map in the hip hop world, and introduced us to arguably the best rap duo of all time: Big Boi and Andre 3000. This album is dripping with style. The production by Organized Noize is a mix of G-funk popularized by Dr. Dre and dirty, sub-pumping bass mixes. A lot of people say Andre 3K is their favorite of the two rappers, but personally, I’m more of a fan of Big Boi. He flows at lighting speed with incredible delivery, coherence and relevance (not that 3K is lacking, I’m just saying…). This album is straight crusin’ music, and the vibe and feel of the whole album just makes you feel damn good.
1. Lupe Fiasco- Food & Liquor(Classic Tracks: Daydreamin’, The Cool, American Terrorist)
In a time when hip hop was becoming incredibly stale, overproduced and ingenunine, along comes it’s savior in shining Nikes. Lupe Fiasco is a Midwest rapper out of Chi-town, and he isn’t playing around on the mic. After being featured on Kanye’s Touch The Sky, he delivered one of the most fully realized albums in hip-hop history. The lyrics, the production, the concepts, all top-notch. Lupe says a lot in each line, commenting on street life, police corruption, politics, drug use and even the skateboard culture. This is one of the few albums on the list that came out when I was first really getting into hip hop, so I got to see Lupe’s rise from underground-secret to chart-topping superstar. There’s just so much to like about this album that all I can say is go check it out if you haven’t already.Here's a dope bonus video I stumbled upon:
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