The greatest hip-hop albums of all time

Joey from Straight Bangin' is doing one of these group polls among hip-hop bloggers to determine the 25 greatest hip-hop albums of all time. I had never put together such a list myself (I've posted a few other people's lists here over the years), but I figured there was a first time for everything. Nullus.

I didn't end up spending that much time on it, but I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out. I'm sure I'll never be completely satisfied with the order, but at the very least I think they're all really good albums. I mostly restricted it to one album per artist, except I also included solo albums by members of groups like the Wu and NWA.

Here's the actual list itself. Feel free to click over to XXL to check out my half-assed comments on each album.

25) LL Cool J, Mama Said Knock You Out
24) Common Sense, Resurrection
23) Mos Def, Black on Both Sides
22) Digital Underground, Sex Packets
21) Ultramagnetic MCs, Critical Beatdown
20) Jay-Z, Reasonable Doubt
19) Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
18) Ghostface Killah, Supreme Clientele
17) GZA, Liquid Swords
16) The Roots, Do You Want More?!!!??!
15) Slick Rick, The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
14) Ice Cube, Death Certificate
13) Mobb Deep, The Infamous
12) A Tribe Called Quest, The Low End Theory
11) Dr. Dre, The Chronic
10) Nas, Illmatic
9) Fugees, The Score
8) Public Enemy, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
7) NWA, Straight Outta Compton
6) Eric B & Rakim, Paid in Full
5) Boogie Down Productions, Criminal Minded
4) Beastie Boys, License to Ill
3) De La Soul, 3 Feet High and Rising
2) Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
1) Notorious B.I.G., Ready to Die

Comments

[First]

Big Bear's Doin Thangs was better than half the albums on that list, and I don't know who the fuck Big Bear is.

[sharmoota]

Alot of east coast bias in that list...No 2pac?

[eville]

Not too bad, Bol.

[champlain]

Not a bad list Bol, I find it refreshing to see a list that looks like ur opinion...when most list like these tend to be influenced by things...i.e- 2 pac on every greatest list....

[Were Read 2 Def]

Ur list is wack.

[Were Read 2 Def]

Wu-Tang Forever is the greatest album of all time. & if u axed me,"What album is Hip Hop?", I would have 2 say Blackout! Red & Meth 2gether is Hip Hop.

[roxxalott]

wu tang forever album did change a lot of things for me as far as hiphop is concerned. Shit I was 13 when it dropped and am still figuring shit out on it at 23! (18 points on my next joint anyone???)

[jose]

hello sausage neck. feel free to generalize asians all you want, it won't help heal all your insecureties of being an introverted over-eating homosexual mamas boy. clear enough for you? good.

[Were Read 2 Def]

Yo, this is true hip-hop you listenin to right here
In the pure form, this ain't no R&B with a wack nigga takin the loop
Be loopin that shit thinkin it's gonna be the sound of the culture
YaknowhatI'msayin? (That player bullshit)
YaknowhatI'msayin? All that player dressin up
on this shit, actin like this some kind of fashion show man
YaknowhatI'msayin? This is hip-hop right here
YaknowhatI'msayin? This is lyrics, MCin
And yo, to y'all niggaz who think you going to become an MC overnight
YaknowhatI'msayin? Better snap out that fuckin dream
Man it takes years for this you Cat in the Hat ass rappers
You Dr. Seuss, Mother Goose, simple minded
(Stop runnin up on niggaz with all that wack shit)
Word up man (I'm talking about you MC's)
You ain't no MC; niggaz ain't made for this yaknowhatI'msayin?
This shit was Only Built 4 Cuban Linx -- we told y'all niggaz back then
And then everybody wanted to change their motherfuckin name
YaknowhatI'msayin? We come out with a style
Now everybody wanna imitate our style and all you producers out there
YaknowhatI'msayin? It's all good to show love to a nigga
But stop bitin my shit, yaknowhatI'msayin?
Come from your own heart with this shit
And all y'all MC's, stop biting from my niggaz
We told ya'll niggaz on the fucking Cuban Linx album
Don't bite our shit, y'all niggaz keep biting
Yo, I'm going to tell y'all something man
It's time for the Wu revolution right here
To all my niggaz across the world
Raise your motherfucking fist in the air
And get ready for the Triumph
Cause the Gods is here to take over this shit
Word up, peace

[Were Read 2 Def]

I got u roxxalot,

I need 18 points for my next joint, this high annointed king
To make a deal, I be the one to appoint
Steve Rifkind must have been sniffin
To catch somethin so dope, it left Monica Lynch pussy drippin
I fuck hundreds of bitches, and split millions of dollars
And built with thousands of scholars
My life saga from the hill to the harbor
Legal kid brown in Nicaragua
Gave birth to MC's, thieves and bank robbers
We drove expensive whips and took worldwide trips
And my dick's been sucked by the finest lips
Fancy delicatessens, and the world's best refreshment
But none of the above compare to the one-twenty lessons
Or my queen and my seeds, in the home that I rest in
Enter my zone get blown to 99 sections

[Bol]

^How prophetic was that?

Damn Cat in the Hat-ass rappers!

[DatniggaSnoop]

No doggystyle? (nullus)

[ThingAlec]

Bol! I was doing the exact same thing on my blog site. And it's a top 25 as well. Go fig!

Here's my List:
25. Jay-Z- The Blueprint
24. Mobb Deep- The Infamous
23. BDP- Criminal Minded
22. Eminem- The Marshall Mathers LP
21. GZA- Liquid Swords
20. Run DMC- Raising hell
19. 2pac/Makaveli- The Don Killuminati
18. Raekwon- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
17. Ice Cube- Amerikkka's Most Wanted
16. LL Cool J- Mama Said Knock You out
15. Snoop Dogg- Doggystyle
14. A Tribe Called Quest- The Low End Theory
13. Ice Cube- Death Certificate
12. 2pac- All Eyez on Me
11. Biggie- Ready to Die (I put this one here cause i had 2 biggie albums on the top 10 at first, which i felt wasnt fair to other albums. I just happened to like LAD better.

10. LL Cool J- Radio
9. Outkast- Aquemini
8. Jay-Z- Reasonable Doubt
7. NWA- Straight Outta Compton (guess we ranked this the same)
6. Wu Tang Clan- Enter the Wu Tang: 36 Chambers
5. Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
4. Nas- Illmatic
3. Dr. Dre- The Chronic
2. Eric B & Rakim- Paid in Full
1. Biggie- Life After Death

I kinda took more of a mainstream point of view but i do know that 2pac is good but certainly not the greatest. Maybe the 20th greatest.

[Were Read 2 Def]

Thats y it should b #1, Bol.

[e aka the real noreiaga]

Not a bad list I might have added these albums instead of some of the backpack rap on there.

Doggystyle-Snoop Dogg
The Diary-Scarface
Capital Punishment-Big Pun
It's Dark And Hell Is Hot-DMX
The Truth-Beanie Sigel

[Bol]

http://gawker.com/news/first-responders/first-responders-virginia-tech-254025.php

[nineteen80sbaby]

Illmatic at 10?

*Mase voice* WOW

I'm gonna make a list this weekend or somethin and link it up, but for now BOL and all you others, I saw NAS live last nite, it was an amazing show, pics, clip and review on my blog:

http://sensitivecyborg.com/blog/2007/04/20/hip-hop-comes-alive-nas-live-a-concert-critique/

[dame]

Bol,

I keep looking and I can't find Big Bear on the list.. What gives?

[ThingAlec]

I think posting big bear was a joke. I remember around 1998 or 1999 he had an album come out. He was like the Rich Boy of those days.

[deez_MFN_nutz]

I agree that this list don't make any sense without Tupac on it anywhere. or Snoops first album. Though I guess it is hard to say any Tupac album is great, they all have filler shit on em. The best Tupac album is a Tupac mix I made back after a few years of posthumous bootlegs came out

[jimmy starburst]

>I remember around 1998 or 1999 he had an album come out. He was like the Rich Boy of those days.

nah man, big bear doin things in 07!

i could nit pick over the order, but i cannot complain about the selection.

[v]

wheres the juice crew?

anyways, Canibus - Rip the Jacker ownz all

[washington]

Pretty good list. I'd put Amerikkka's Most Wanted in front of DC myself though, and find a way for GangStarr to fit in somewhere. Although the fact that I can't speak of a specific album may mean something, it's more their body of work than any specific album.

[Pimpin' Penguin]

Ready To Die is my #1 as well. I think it's a good list, maybe minus and adding a few.

[kennytomson]

hip-hop has never been about the albums.

"...i got my hand on my gun goes they got me on the run spice muthafucka 1..."

[bizzee]

Your list was pretty good till I got to Number 1 and it wasn't E 1999 Eternal by Bone Thugs n Harmony. I mean it didn't have to be #1, but to leave it off the list completely proves you know nothing of "true" hip-hop.

[Kjartanelli]

This is a very generic and boring list. No surprises at all. Thought it would be a lot more controversial and interesting since it comes from you.

[EnglandRepresent]

I concur Bol. Biggie at Number 1 is a good look.

[Combat Jack]

Good list!

[dj finness]

good list, but switch illmatic with ready to die, and put in "me against the world" in place of "the score". perfect.

[pedo]

wow, i just realised why u like biggie so much. He's big fat black-as-the-night guy who was actually worth a shit, which in turn makes/made you feel like you might actually become something and get pussy, flab rolls and all. It all makes sense now..The fact that 2pac hated him makes you hate 2pac hence all the "2pac is overrated" posts and not putting him on the list.

[what.]

Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique is better.

[/Hater]

Pretty nice list thought there's enough to hate:

Put Out:
25) Common - Ressurection
23) Mos Def, Black on Both Sides
22) Digital Underground, Sex Packets
19) Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
18) Ghostface Killah, Supreme Clientele
9) Fugees, The Score
4) Beastie Boys, License to Ill

Put In:
Outkast- Southernplayalisticadellicmuzik
(or maybe Pac - Me against the world)
Run Dmc - Raising Hell (A half as cracka like you should like it)
Jay-z - The Blueprint
Public Enemy - Fear Of A black Planet
Big Pun - Capital Punishment
BIGGIE - Life After Death

And if you need to put in a Beastie album pick Paul's Boutique

my lists http://rateyourmusic.com/list/diction

[Yeah]

This list would be more accurate if it was flipped around and listed in reverse.

[jimmy starburst]

people sure love bone thugs

[Jack Kandon]

How an Eminem, Tupac, or Big Pun album didn't make the list? We will never know.

[NoMamesBuey]

This guy "/Hater" is a serious rap-listening head. Yall should peep his lists. The dude literally listens to 100s of rap albums each year. I don't know of any actual rap websites or magazines as thorough as dude. Peep son's lists, you'll be glad you did

[NoMamesBuey]

BTW Bol, you should join rateyourmusic.com. It's a free community stan. You could put your top25 list on their, & maybe discover newly released albums that you could review on your BC & xxl sites. You might get more readers for your BC/XXL sites by joining there also.

Actually all yall should join rateyourmusic.

No spam JIC, but I admit I'm a stan user of rateyourmusic.

[Kevin]

good list bol, more back-pack than i expected. and roffle at the dudes sayin your list is garbage on xxl and given like 2 cds that sholda been on it. those are discrepancies son

[Sam]

Ready To Die #1 = clear choice, although Life After Death should've been on the list, I mean it's like better than 20/25. 2Pac = most overrated rapper evar, if he hadn't died 96', but Biggie had, Biggie would be #1 in every motherfucking list, dude's songs where whack and he was a faggot ass nigga.

[yamo]

unbelievabely, this mommas boy got the list right, now I remeber why I got onto this site

[dronkmunk]

I think this is what you meant to say:

1. Wu – Tang – 36 Chambers
2. Biggie – Ready to Die
3. Outkast – Aquemini
4. Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders
5. Ghostface Killah – Supreme Clientele
6. Dr. Dre – The Chronic
7. Jay – Z Blueprint
8. Snoop Dogg – DoggyStyle
9. Ice Cube – Predator
10. Raekwon – OB4CL

Then..

11. Mobb Deep – Infamous
12. Eminem – Marshall Mathers LP
13. Nas – Illmatic
14. 2pac – Me against the World
15. N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton
16. Eric B + Rakim – Paid in Full
17. Bone Thugs – E. 1999 Eternal
18. GZA – Liquid Swords
19. Outkast – Atliens
20. RUN – DMC – Raising Hell
21. Jay – Z – Reasonable Doubt
22. Biggie – Life after death
23. 2Pac – All Eyez on Me
24. 3-6 MAfia – When the Smoke Clears
25. Metallica – Kill em’ all

(just kidding with the last one. 25 would have to be Wu-Tang Forever.)

[legacy]

Go cop that Big Bear album!

[Plaz]

Embarrassed to admit it but never like biggie. These polls made me relisten to ready2die and I likes it. Prefer Straight Bangin's choice of MM though.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rXxLbLvCRrk

[albanypjm]

there has to be some Pac on there. Tupac's geatest hits maybe. i used to have the album that had "i get around" on it. that was pretty good too.

and i vote for "best uncut dope" by the ghetto boyz. for pure comedy if nothing else. bushwick was the realest nigga.

[albanypjm]

ya, a word about "ready to die." it is mad overrated imho. some good tracks, sure. but too much puffy sampling of r & b classics. even at that early stage.

[DollarWells]

Seriously, that Big Bear album cover is the definitive Pen & Pixel high water mark. Fucking iced-out grizzlies?

[skeletor]

That looks close to what I'd say bol, but I'd opt for "blueprint" for BDP & "Togher than leather" for DMC.(no big bear)

[skeletor]

That looks close to what I'd say bol, but I'd opt for "blueprint" for BDP & "Tougher than leather" for DMC.(no big bear)

[Che']

hey. where's vanilla ice??? can't believe you didnt include him on your list!!! what gives? "ice ice baby" was the anthem of a generation! a white, baggy pants wearing, razor lines cut in your sideburns generation yeah, but one nonetheless! you can't beat his raps too!
rolling/in my 5.0/put my rag-top down so my hair can blow/the girlies on stand-by/waiting just to say "hi"/did i stop?!?no, i just drove by/...
damn!

[SupaniceMC]

BOL what the !$#@ why havent you posted about the akon incident where he Fu(%ed a 14 yo girl on stage at one of his concerts? i figured youd have a field day with that...

[nineteen80sbaby]

Hey d'bags, check out my list, I'm sure it will piss plenty of you off:

http://sensitivecyborg.com/blog/2007/04/23/the-most-controversial-best-hip-hop-albums-ever-list/#more-65

[Dubey]

Bol, no Cage Hell's Winter?

[Darius]

What about 2Pac? He's one of the all time greats, if not the greatest.

[djesp]

a top-25 list without a gangstarr album? y'all know jack shit about hip-hop..

[kenneth sterling]

will someone tell me why doggystyle is not on the list, or cap punishment( big pun )? those cds are 10 and 15 years old and still bang. i love run dmc but i would put epmd (strictly business) bdp (any means necessary) or even redman (muddy waters) instead of raising hell. i see someone hatin on nas. no stillmatic,no it was written, ILLMATIC AT TEN , raekwon not in top 5? no midnight marauders , life after death not even listed? c'mon b