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nredman · Sep 20, 2006, 04:46 PM

I was surfing today on YouTube and came across some old hip hip videos I remember from my high school years and i was thinking what are my all time favorite hip hop albums. This is what i came up with, these are all albums i can still listen to today from start to finish and i enjoy all the songs. Please list your top five if you are a hip hop fan. And be nice to my picks

1) Outkast - ATLiens

2) DMX - It's Dark And Hell Is Hot

3) Nas - It Was Written

4) Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

5) Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt

Honorable Mention

Camp Lo - Uptown Saturday Night

edit - i couldnt get my images to work so someone else will have to make this an jpeg orgy

OAW · Sep 20, 2006, 04:56 PM

How can you not have ....

Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back

???

OAW

Dakar · Sep 20, 2006, 05:01 PM

Hmm... Don't listen to much hip hop albums, but I'd probably throw a Beastie Boys one in there.

paul w · Sep 20, 2006, 05:03 PM

It's HIS top 5, not THE top 5

Mine (in no order):

1. Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory
2. People Under the Stairs - O.S.T.
3. 2Paq - All Eyez On Me
4. Eric B & Rakim - Paid in Full
5. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique

And right now I'm really enjoying Wu Orleans - the Wu Tang - New Orleand jazz mashup which can be found here

nredman · Sep 20, 2006, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by OAW

How can you not have ....

Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back

???

OAW

because never listened to PE - my choices are albums i listened to

Spliffdaddy · Sep 20, 2006, 07:56 PM

Dr. Dre - The Chronic

Notorious BIG - Ready to Die

Notorious BIG - Life After Death

Slick Rick - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick

Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

davesimondotcom · Sep 20, 2006, 08:27 PM

No particular order as of now, I just couldn't pick one over the others:

Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (Honerable Mention: Fear of a Black Planet)
A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels and Paths of Rhythm (Honerable Mention: Low End Theory)
Boogie Down Productions - By Any Means Necessary (Also check out: Criminal Minded - if you can find it)
Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP
EPMD - Strictly Business
Eric B. and Rakim - Folow the Leader (Paid in Full is the most sampled record in history, I think, besides maybe Sound of the Funky Drummer by James Brown)
Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
NWA - Straight Outta Compton (Ice Cube is a stud)
Slick Rick - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (I can listen to Bedtime Story over, and over, and over)
De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising
Run-DMC - Raising Hell (for without this album by the Kings from Queens, none of the rest of this thread would matter.)

You'll notice I'm very "old school." I didn't include any LL, Ice-T or Kool Moe Dee because, although I admire their skills on the mic, they don't have any good, complete "albums" IMHO. They may, however, have had the most fun dissing each other.

My list of best MCs ever: Rakim, Eminem, Biggy, Chuck D, KRS-One, Ice Cube, LL - many others, but these are the top of the list.

nredman -

If you haven't listened to PE, do so NOW. One of the best bands, not just rap bands, ever. Especially get Nation and Fear of a Black Planet.

Also, if you have any idea what's good for you, buy every one of these albums. Then you can truly understand hip-hop.

davesimondotcom · Sep 20, 2006, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by paul w

It's HIS top 5, not THE top 5

Mine (in no order):

1. Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory
2. People Under the Stairs - O.S.T.
3. 2Paq - All Eyez On Me
4. Eric B & Rakim - Paid in Full
5. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique

And right now I'm really enjoying Wu Orleans - the Wu Tang - New Orleand jazz mashup which can be found here

Good taste, although I picked other Tribe and Rakim albums and didn't list the Beastie Boys at all because I have trouble thinking of them as rap - but Paul's Boutique and License to Ill both are awesome.

paul w · Sep 20, 2006, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by davesimondotcom

Good taste, although I picked other Tribe and Rakim albums and didn't list the Beastie Boys at all because I have trouble thinking of them as rap - but Paul's Boutique and License to Ill both are awesome.

Heh, I actually debated putting Follow the Leader. It's a toss up for me, but the point is for a kid in NYC Paid in Full seriously rocked my world. It was a huuuuuge deal. And I still listen to it. That's also why Paul's Boutique is on the list - nobody ever did sampling the way those jewish kids from around the way did on that album.

Actually I hate to leave off Run DMC's Raising Hell or PE's It Takes a Nation of Millions...or stuff by De Lla Soul, EPMD and so on.

And People Under the Stairs somehow got me back into hiphop after a bit of a break. Not the best of the best but seriously really, really fun to listen to.

himself · Sep 20, 2006, 09:25 PM

No particular order:

One For All - Brand Nubian
Stress - Organized Confusion
Strictly Business - EPMD
Breaking Atoms - Main Source
De La Soul Is Dead - De La Soul

Other greats:

Mecca and the Soul Brother - Pete Rock and CL Smooth
A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Black Sheep
Nice & Smooth - Nice & Smooth
Ain't a Damn Thing Changed - Nice & Smooth
The Cactus Album - 3rd Bass
Dead Serious - Das EFX
Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop - Diamond D
No One Can Do It Better - D.O.C.
Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory
Public Enemy - Bum Rush The Show
Original Stylin' - Three Times Dope

so many more... now I've just been inspired to dig through my vinyl collection!

waxcrash · Sep 20, 2006, 09:36 PM

N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Snoop Dog - Doggystyle
Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
Beans - Tomorrow Right Now
Common - Like Water for Chocolate

Spliffdaddy · Sep 20, 2006, 09:51 PM

ack.

How could I leave out Snoop ?

Can I exchange one of the Notorious BIG albums I listed for Snoop?

Gossamer · Sep 20, 2006, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

ack.

How could I leave out Snoop ?

Can I exchange one of the Notorious BIG albums I listed for Snoop?

For some reason I'm having the hardest time picturing you driving around in your S-10 listening to Snoop.

paul w · Sep 20, 2006, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

ack.

How could I leave out Snoop ?

Can I exchange one of the Notorious BIG albums I listed for Snoop?

Fashizzle. I'd rank Doggsstyle over Life After Death.

exca1ibur · Sep 20, 2006, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by paul w

Fashizzle. I'd rank Doggsstyle over Life After Death.

waxcrash · Sep 20, 2006, 10:12 PM

I've been listening to for the last few months - it's a mash album so I don't consider it exactly Hip Hop…

Night Ripper - Girl Talk

cjrivera · Sep 20, 2006, 10:20 PM

What...no Fat Boys?

TheWOAT · Sep 20, 2006, 10:34 PM

1. Nas Illmatic
2. ATCQ The Low End Theory
3. PE Fear of a Black Planet
4. UMCs Critical beatdown
5. Slick Rick The Great Adventures of...

Most Overrated ALbums of All time
1. Tupac All Eyez On me
2. Eminem MMLP
3. Chronic 2001
4. JayZ reasonable Doubt
5. BIG Life after Death

El Gato · Sep 20, 2006, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by paul w

1. Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory
2. People Under the Stairs - O.S.T.
3. 2Paq - All Eyez On Me
4. Eric B & Rakim - Paid in Full
5. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique

Since paul amazingly picked my top 5, I'll post the rest of my top 10:

6. Blackalicious - Nia
7. Digable Planets - Reachin'
8. Mos Def and Talib Kweli - Blackstar
9. The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia
10. The Roots - Things Fall Apart

paul w · Sep 20, 2006, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by El Gato

Since paul amazingly picked my top 5, I'll post the rest of my top 10:

6. Blackalicious - Nia
7. Digable Planets - Reachin'
8. Mos Def and Talib Kweli - Blackstar
9. The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia
10. The Roots - Things Fall Apart

We're definitely on the same wavelength hip hop -wise. All those albums were "events" for me.

waxcrash · Sep 21, 2006, 12:04 AM

Originally Posted by Spliffdaddy

ack.

How could I leave out Snoop ?

No Rhythm & Gangsta?

lavar78 · Sep 24, 2006, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by TheWOAT

Most Overrated ALbums of All time
1. Tupac All Eyez On me
2. Eminem MMLP
3. Chronic 2001
4. JayZ reasonable Doubt
5. BIG Life after Death

I completely agree with the first 4, but I really like LAD.

davesimondotcom · Sep 24, 2006, 06:26 PM

I'm just going to toss in one other: Sex Packets by Digital Underground. I love that album. Shock G is a talented guy who had Tupac as a backup dancer.

residentEvil · Sep 25, 2006, 06:23 PM

N.W.A. Straight outta Compton

brassplayersrock² · Sep 25, 2006, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by nredman

1) Outkast - ATLiens
2) DMX - It's Dark And Hell Is Hot
4) Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

i picked these 3 up today, and my gosh, i should have gotten into this kind of music much sooner

Alex

Spliffdaddy · Sep 25, 2006, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by TheWOAT

(snip)

Most Overrated ALbums of All time
1. Tupac All Eyez On me
2. Eminem MMLP
3. Chronic 2001
4. JayZ reasonable Doubt
5. BIG Life after Death

1. Agreed. Tupac was overrated
2. Agreed. Eminem is the lamest rapper ever.
3. no way, dude.
4. Agreed.
5. Blasphemer! Take it back! Biggie RULZ.

TheWOAT · Sep 25, 2006, 08:52 PM

Life after Death isnt that great. Good, but not great. same with Chronic 2001, I used to think it was 'great' until I noticed how the drum patterns seemed a lil too similar, making it very repetitive and boring.

I could keep going with overrated albums...

JayZ Blueprint
Nas Stillmatic
Eminen Any album

Underrated albums?

Pete Rock n CL Smooth Mecca and the Soul Brother
GZA Liquid Swords
Ghostface Supreme Clientel
Ghostface Fishscale

Most dissappointing albums

JayZ Black Album
JayZ Album that will be released this year
Nas Street Disciple

OB1 · Sep 26, 2006, 02:35 AM

Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders

The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

Mos Def - Black on Both Sides