Casual 786 Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 (edited) I had a good time putting the video game list together so I figured I'd throw together another. I was originally just gonna do albums period but it got messy, I'll probably do a metal list soon. I limited this one to one per artist for the sake of a bit more variety. Might do another list after...maybe on top battle rappers or rap battles though i doubt there's much interest. #20 2Pac - All Eyez on Me I've never been a huge Pac fan tbh. Always leaned more towards the east coast sound. I have a feeling more Pac fans might pick Me Against The Word, but for me All Eyez On Me is his best work. It's got the normal consistency issues you'd probably expect from a double album but there's a bunch of bangers mixed in there. #19 Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy I debated for a bit between this and College Dropout. Graduation is another album I like but I think it's aged pretty poorly and comes off as a fairly boring album now. Overall I think this is Kanye at his best and most creative. Great production and features with a tracklist that still holds up really well today. #18 Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition Danny Brown has been one of my favourites for a while. Imo he's got one of the rawest, most unique sounds and beat selections in the game right now. Old and uknowhatimsayin are both amazing too, but this is his best work. #17 Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt Like a lot of rappers, Jay peaks early. But he peaks pretty high. This album is still in weekly rotation for me. Littered with some of his best tracks, and a few high quality features, and a classic selection of Jay flows. #16 GZA - Liquid Swords Just a fucking wild album. Some of the rawest, grimiest production to come from the era. Classic tracks with the lyrics that don't necessarily make the most sense but sound dope enough that it doesn't really matter. One of my favourite albums to come from the Wu-Tang collective. #15 Mobb Deep - The Infamous Another grimey classic to come out of New York in the mid-90's. This album is a little less consistent than some others, but it's got 3-4 absolute classics that put it firmly above Hell on Earth. #14 50 Cent - Get Rich Or Die Tryin' A classic front to back. This album has maybe one or two dips in quality but they never last more than track. 50 toed the line between gangster raps and mainstream singles better than most. #13 Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Back on the Wu-tang theme, a classic release from The Chef. This one to me is the best solo album to come out of the group. Whole thing is just produced masterfully by RZA. #12 Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) I debated between whether I wanted this or OB4CL to be higher, but had to lean towards the collective effort from 36 Chambers that basically invented the sound. #11 Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city A certified modern classic. Imo the best thing to come out of the genre in at least a decade. The only thing that might make this album better would be the removal of Poetic Justice, but otherwise it's one of the most cohesive and consistent albums I've ever heard. Edited April 17, 2020 by Casual Link to post Share on other sites
-GD-X★ 8,295 Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 i better see gangstarr, tribe and eric b & rakim in the top 10. Link to post Share on other sites
Casual 786 Posted April 17, 2020 Author Share Posted April 17, 2020 Just now, -GD- said: i better see gangstarr, tribe and eric b & rakim in the top 10. I'm not spoiling nothin, old head! 2 Link to post Share on other sites
-GD-X★ 8,295 Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 Just now, Casual said: I'm not spoiling nothin, old head! haha the chronic too Link to post Share on other sites
-GD-X★ 8,295 Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 probably one of my favorite hip hop tracks ever perfection 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Casual 786 Posted April 17, 2020 Author Share Posted April 17, 2020 1 minute ago, -GD- said: probably one of my favorite hip hop tracks ever perfection Some of the smoothest, simplistic but effective production in the game. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
-GD-X★ 8,295 Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 5 minutes ago, Casual said: Some of the smoothest, simplistic but effective production in the game. right? it always puts me in a chill mood. guru + premiere (when together) = unstoppable. too bad they had that fallout...and then guru died Link to post Share on other sites
-GD-X★ 8,295 Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 i predict big L will be in your top 10. Link to post Share on other sites
Hot Sauce 2,832 Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 Saving Drake for the top ten I see. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Casual 786 Posted April 17, 2020 Author Share Posted April 17, 2020 #10 Dr. Dre - The Chronic Mmmmmm. Some of the most funky, fire ass beats to ever be produced. Tbh, I did have to debate a bit between this and 2001 since Chronic was a bit before my time. To me though, nothing about this album sounds like it came out of 1992. I think overall it has more classics that stand the test of time and less dry spots. 2001 is littered with a few too many low quality features. #9 J Dilla - Donuts I wasn't sure if I wanted to include this...it's not really a rap album, there's no rapping on it at all really. But to me rap is as much about the production as it is the lyrics and this is one of the most masterfully produced albums. Even without the context of it being produced in a hospital bed using a sampler. #8 Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury I struggled between this and Lord Willin', but I gotta give the nod to Hell Hath No Fury. I don't think anyone will ever be able to make an album that's almost entirely about selling blow sound this good. Some of the rawest lyrics you'll hear, backed by one of a kind production from Pharrell. One of my least favourite era's of rap, but this is a bright spot. #7 Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP Another front to back classic imo. I debated a bit between this and The Eminem Show, but I went with MMLP in the end. Just some of the most aggressive, bizarre lyrics and subject matter combined with absolutely masterful flows and rhyme patterns. The one knock against this album is the a lot of it is very stuck in time...so many of the lyrics were topical and don't mean a whole lot nowadays. For someone that listened to this when it came out though, I don't think the appreciation I have for it will ever dwindle. An album I can practically recite front to back. #6 DMX - It's Dark and Hell Is Hot Absolute shame what happened to DMX, but this album will always be one of my favourites. DMX to me has one of the most unique and intriguing styles in rap, and this is easily the best representation of it. Just relentless, aggressive lyrics mixed with surprisingly competent story telling and uncompromising honesty. Link to post Share on other sites
Casual 786 Posted April 17, 2020 Author Share Posted April 17, 2020 12 minutes ago, Hot Sauce said: Saving Drake for the top ten I see. I had to make an exception to the 1 album per artist rule for drake. Link to post Share on other sites
-GD-X★ 8,295 Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 j dilla is an excellent add. i had wondered if you were going to add dj shadow, dj spooky or mix master mike (all 3 made some incredible instrumentals). great choice, though. and dmx has such an iconic style. there will never be another rapper like him. his tracks are still in every single one of my workout playlists. Link to post Share on other sites
Casual 786 Posted April 17, 2020 Author Share Posted April 17, 2020 5 minutes ago, -GD- said: j dilla is an excellent add. i had wondered if you were going to add dj shadow, dj spooky or mix master mike (all 3 made some incredible instrumentals). great choice, though. and dmx has such an iconic style. there will never be another rapper like him. his tracks are still in every single one of my workout playlists. Ah man Entroducing is my jam too. Do you have any solo projects from Spooky that you'd recommend? Not super familiar honestly. Agreed on DMX. Something that just wouldn't even get picked up today honestly. Shame the road he ended up taking, cracks a hell of a drug. Link to post Share on other sites
-GD-X★ 8,295 Posted April 17, 2020 Share Posted April 17, 2020 from the riddim warfare album. it's a real acid trip lol. he's a sick dj! Link to post Share on other sites
Casual 786 Posted April 17, 2020 Author Share Posted April 17, 2020 #5 Notorious B.I.G - Ready to Die Hard to say much about this. Obviously just one of the most complete albums to ever be released.Big's style is just so wide ranging and effortless. A 20 track album that could pass as a greatest hits of someone that's been in the game for 20 years. Probably the closest thing to a rap savant. #4 Big L - Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous It felt a bit weird putting this one ahead of Ready to Die. It's not nearly as "complete" and L was still somewhat rough around the edges, especially on the second half of the album, but it's an absolute classic to me and L's style is everything I look for in a rapper. Of all the ones that left us too early, Big L was definitely the one who I wish we could get one more album from. #3 OutKast - Aquemini This was my hardest choice for a single artist. I could argue for both ATLiens and Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik and I think OutKast has the best trio of albums in the game. I had to go with Aquemini though. It's got a somewhat toned down spacey vibe compared to ATLiens but still maintains some wild production and is a bit on the funkier side and maybe their peak in terms of lyricisim. Only knock against this one is that it could maybe trim down 1 or 2 tracks. Link to post Share on other sites
Casual 786 Posted April 17, 2020 Author Share Posted April 17, 2020 6 minutes ago, -GD- said: from the riddim warfare album. it's a real acid trip lol. he's a sick dj! man this is wild lol. i just wanna go buy some mushrooms now. im gonna have to check out some more stuff for sure, thanks for the link! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Long Ball Larry 1,359 Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 So ugh, where are 2&1 Link to post Share on other sites
kaz 2,486 Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 (edited) i agree with liquid swords album, biggie and outcast. but some really shitty ones in this thread lmfao biggie smalls suicidal thoughts was very inspirational for me. love that track. also wu tang way up there?? Edited April 30, 2020 by kaz Link to post Share on other sites
Casual 786 Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 29 minutes ago, ghostz said: So ugh, where are 2&1 Shit my bad. #2 Fugees - The Score Ready or Not is probably my favorite song tbh but this whole album is perfect to me. Concise but littered with classic tracks, some good skits, grimey beats an the styles all compliment each other really well. #1 Nas - Illmatic Not much to say on this one. Goat album. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Casual 786 Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 16 minutes ago, kaz said: i agree with liquid swords album, biggie and outcast. but some really shitty ones in this thread lmfao biggie smalls suicidal thoughts was very inspirational for me. love that track. also wu tang way up there?? how you gonna agree with liquid swords but then wonder why wu tang is high Link to post Share on other sites
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