Thursday, April 16, 2015

The Top 100 Hip-Hop Singles Of All-Time...In My Opinion





What's up peoples!  I'm back again this week with another piece for my hip-hop blog.  This week is actually more of a continuation of last week's "Best Hip-Hop Albums" list.  This week is all about the hip-hop singles, the anthems that you knew you would never forget and those that forever change the landscape of hip-hop and music as we know it today.  This was a fun list to come up with, albeit controversial like I know this blog usually is.  If you had fun with last week's list, just wait until you see the classics I have on this list today!  With that being said, let's get on with it.

100. Juggaknots "Clear Blue Skies"
This may be the best song you've never heard, unless you're an underground dweller.  This is 5 of the most powerful minutes you may hear on wax, as this is a very gripping and uncomfortable tale of a father and son conversation about the son's choice to date a Black woman (they both play White guys in the cut).  This song is a clear reflection of times today behind closed doors.  Absolutely compelling track.

99. Kris Kross "Jump"
Two pre-adolescent kids from the A made a big splash upon the scene in '92 with this major #1 smash.  While they definitely tried, no other cut could outdo this track that made everyone (temporarily) wear their clothes backwards.  R.I.P. Kris "Mack Daddy" Smith

98. The Roots "Next Movement"
Damn!  This was funky in such a ?uest-Love way.  This cut gave The Roots their first gold album with Things Fall Apart, but it was this single that had asses grooving

97. Nas feat. Lauryn Hill "If I Ruled The World"
Redoing Kurtis Blow's wonderful cut of the same name (see later), Nasir Jones collaborated with hip-hop's go-to girl at the time Lauryn Hill for what would be one of the very few Nas cuts that crossover into the Pop charts, but we ain't mad at that.  spitting deep consciousness as only he could, this wasn't quite the light-hearted song Kurtis made, but regardless it was took his second album, It Was Written, into double platinum land.

96. Common feat. Kanye West and The Last Poets "The Corners"
This track bled of the ghetto streets of Chicago, but it was Common's multi-rhyme style and the gripping content of this Kanye knocker that made this one of Common's best tracks.  Not to mention The Last Poets blessing the cut put the mustard on the hot dog for this track from Common's flawless effort, BE.

95. Ol' Dirty Bastard "Brooklyn Zoo"
Unorthodoxed and oft-times confusing, the late Russell Jones of The Wu debuted into solo land with this off-the-wall cut provided by RZA.

94. Bone Thugs N Harmony feat. Eazy-E "Foe Tha Luv Of $"
The second single from BTNH's Creepin' On Ah Come Up EP was a little more melodic than their debut cut, "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" and featured a dope verse by the late icon Eazy-E

93. Another Bad Creation "Playground"
Admit it, these tykes that were 5-12 at this time, and they did really well.  Beat-wise, this cut thumped!!!

92. Keith Murray "The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World"
Over The Isley Brothers' "Between The Sheets", this Long Island rhyme animal, who was first introduced to us on Erick Sermon's "Hostile", handled his biz and we further saw the tremendous talent in Mr. Murray

91. Stetsasonic "Talkin' All That Jazz"
Hip-Hop's first band successfully blended hip-hop and jazz for a dope cut that solidified the talent of this group

90. Kendrick Lamar "Swimming Pools"
Kendrick didn't hit, he exploded with this incredible single from his amazing Aftermath debut, good kid, M.A.A.D. City, which tackles the perils of drinking

89. Arrested Development "Tennessee"
Speech, Dionne Farris and crew were an original hip-hop group that were very afro-centric and yet so very musical.  Their debut cut broke them upon the scene and, although not together anymore, we knew that this was a group that the game wasn't completely ready for

88. Ice Cube feat. Das EFX "Check Yo Self"
Over the iconic "Message" beat, Cube comes through to all so-called tough guys telling them to second guess their choices in life.  This cut helped make Lethal Injection one of his highest selling albums to date

87. Eminem "Stan"
This was the poignant we had heard Marshall Mathers up to this point.  Widely considered a brilliant cut from his diamond-selling benchmark The Marshall Mathers LP, this cut examined the deranged admiration from a fan to disastrous results.  Excellently done over Dido's "Thank You"

86. Kendrick Lamar "i"
Considered hip-hop's newest self-appreciating anthem, this cut was the first bomb dropped from the game's newest masterpiece, To Pimp A Butterfly, over The Isley's "Lady".  Today's music needs more cuts like this

85. Crucial Conflict "Hay"
Four guys from the Chi brought us a highly infectious single about smoking some good...well, you see the title.  To this day, this cut will turn a party from 0-60 in seconds when played

84. A Tribe Called Quest "Can I Kick It"
From their prodigious debut, Peoples Instinctive Travels In The Paths Of Rhythm, this cut is seen as one of their most influential cuts in their discography.  Everyone from Jay-Z to Drake to even John Cena has been moved by the excellence of this cut

83. Wu-Tang Clan "Da Mystery Of Chessboxin"
WOOO!!! This was the slept-on killer of the highly influential classic Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)  Every single one of these cats brought it on this track, from the moment U-God stated: "Raw I'm a give it to ya/with no trivia/I'm like cocaine straight from Bolivia".  This was also the first time we heard of a stocking masked Ghostface Killah, and boy did he merck this one!

82. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg "Fuckin' Wit Dre Day"
This hilarious, albeit funky, diss to Luther Campbell was the second single released from the landmark The Chronic album.  They also managed to throw shade towards Eazy-E in this one.

81. Mobb Deep "Survival Of The Fittest"
The second single from the Mobb's legendary Infamous album rocked almost every bit as hard as their gripping classic "Shook Ones Pt. 2", and even briefly spawned some controversy.  Word is that 2Pac beefed with them when he thought the line "Thug life, we still living it" was about him.  If this is strue, in all due respect to the memory of Pac, it wasn't worth it.

80. Bone Thugs N Harmony "Thuggish Ruggish Bone"
This is the first cut we heard from those Cleveland boys and this was stone cold hard.  Great introduction for their Creepin On Ah Come Up EP.

79. Common "The Light"
This beautiful track, provided by the late beatsmith extraordinaire J. Dilla, not only earned Lonnie Rashid Lynn his first gammy, but propelled his incredible album Like Water For Chocolate into platinum territory.  Shouts to Dilla for providing the sample of Bobby Caldwell's "Open Your Eyes" as the hypnotic hook.

78. Souls Of Mischief "'93 Til Infinity"
Slept-on groove brought to us by Hieroglyphics' members Souls Of Mischief.  One of the west coast's most prized gems and showed that the west had lyrics to go as well.

77. Method Man feat. Mary J. Blige "You're All I Need"
Say what you will, this cut was the quintessential ghetto love anthem by redoing the famed Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell cut "You're All I Need To Get By".  This was all it took for Meth to hit double platinum units and officially made him the Wu's first solo star.

76. Kanye West "Jesus Walks"
Bringing Jesus to a commercisal hip-hop audience was bold, plus it went to the clubs without it being sacreligious.  Yeah some holier-than-thou Christians were somewhat up-in-arms when Yolanda Adams appeared on the remix, but in large, this was brave but very successful move by Mr. West and was arguably the standout from his phenomenal debut, The College Droput

75. Common "I Used To Love H.E.R."
Common's magnum opus and most influential cut ever.  Although released in '92, it found a younger and maybe previously slept on audience when it was one of the most hyped songs in the movie Brown Sugar.  This cut about his love for hip-hop and "her" changes is still deemed one of hip-hop's most poignant cuts.

74. Jay-Z "Dead Presidents"
The song that arguably started it all for Shawn Carter, and still knocks more than some of later work

73. Das EFX "We Want EFX"
Inventors of "iggity rap", Drayze and Skoob had that cut that most could hardly understand what they were saying, but you still knew this was something different and most importantly DOPE

72. Scarface "I Never Seen A Man Cry"
Morbid and macabre, Brad Jordan sent the shivers with this first cut from his landmark Diary album

71. Queen Latifah "U.N.I.T.Y."
The multimedia giant herself on both big and small screens presented a needed women's anthem during those mysoganistic times of being called "bitch" and "ho".  This also marked her first gold album with Black Reign.

70. Kurtis Blow "If I Ruled The World"
Unlike the Nas version aforementioned, this was a light-hearted and innocent jam about improving the world for everyone.  We need more of these tracks today

69. The Pharcyde "Passin' Me By"
Four Cali natives dropped a hypnotic anthem about being dissed and ignored by the fly female around the way that became their calling card

68. Bone Thugs N Harmony "1st Of Tha Month"
The ode to the welfare and SSI recipients, BTNH shouted you out on the first cut from their breakout sophomore album E. 1999 Eternal

67. Beastie Boys "Brass Monkey"
Many have called this cut the funkiest Beasties track ever made, and for good reason, as it was named after the alcoholic drink of the same name from the seminal Licensed To Ill album

66. Wu-Tang Clan "Triumph"
Quite possibly the most lyrical Wu cut ever, this knocked a home run as the first cut from their sophomore album Wu-Tang Forever.  I guarantee you, every true hip-hop head can quote at least one member's entire 8 bars.  others (like myself) can flawlessly recite and freestyle the entire 8-minute plus track.

65. MC Hammer "U Can't Touch This"
Over Rick James' (R.I.P.) "Super Freak", Hammer officially became a worldwide star with this incredibly infectious cut that propelled his Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em album into the Diamond area.

64. Snoop Dogg "Gin & Juice"
Calvin Broadus' ode to drinking is still an anthem to those who feel the need to chill out and get their drink on at the nearest house party

63. Diddy feat. The Lox, Lil' Kim, and Notorious B.I.G. "All About The Benjamins (remix)"
I don't care who you were, when this dropped in '98, you were on the dance floor, and loved it.  Although everyone did their thing, leave it to Frank White to murder it and put it to bed!

62. Jay-Z "Hard Knock Life"
Jay gave us the struggles of the Brooklyn streets over an epic sample of the movie/stage play "Annie" that stands among his very best cuts

61. Naughty By Nature "O.P.P."
The ode to cheating was done impeccably well by the kings of the hip-hop anthem

60. Biz Markie "Vapors"
Hip-Hop's clown prince, or court jester, gave us a look at how members of his crew, including Big Daddy Kane, used to get dissed then became big and then got sweated on by these same women.  Funny stuff, but the production was among his funkiest

59. Wu-Tang Clan "Protect Ya Neck"
This was the official introduction to 8 Staten Island/Brooklyn emcees and the world would never be the same

58. Nas feat. Diddy "Hate Me Now"
The smash single from Nas' I Am album that salutes all the haters, but had a very controversial video, as it showed Nas nailed to a cross, mimicking Jesus Christ.  This cut has been used in various shows, sports, and even WWE wrestler the Miz used this song as his ring intro video at Wrestlemania 27

57. Gangstarr feat. Nice & Smooth "DWYCK"
Real fun track and one of Gangstarr's most accessible cuts

56. Bone Thugs N Harmony "Tha Crossroads"
Haunting, yet touching, Grammy-nominated cut that propelled Bone into the stratosphere.  This ode to deceased friends and loved ones took E. 1999 Eternal to triple platinum status and officially made the Thugs a household name

55. Ice Cube "It Was A Good Day"
One of Cube's biggest cuts ever went beyond his norm of socially-inciting and violent rhymes to create 24 hours of calmness in his typically crazy life

54. MC Hammer "Let's Get It Started"
We first got introduced to Stanley Burrell with this energizing dance number that's guaranteed to make the hardest rocks two step

53. Nice & Smooth "Sometimes I Rhyme Slow"
This stands as one of N&S's best, yet complex, cuts, as Greg Nice does his usual braggadocio rhymes, yet Smooth B spits about a woman he falls for that he discovers is an addict.  The cut is done over Tracy Chapman's revered "Fast Car" and helped their album Ain't A Damn Thing Changed reach gold status

52. Schooly D "Gucci Time"
"Looking at my Gucci, it's about that time" is a line that has been around since 1985, and is still considered a dope piece of work to this day

51. Eric B. & Rakim "I Ain't No Joke"
The second single from the monumental landmark Paid In Full was a lyrical tidal wave and is considered one of the best singles from the duos ever

50. A Tribe Called Quest "Bonita Applebum"
This highly melodic cut introduced Q-Tip and his boyish charm to a fly around the way girl with phat ass, hence "Applebum".  This song was especially influential to the likes of Pharrell, who has called this one of his all-time favorite cuts.  Also seen as the popular cut from their debut

49. Biz Markie "Just A Friend"
The most signature cut in the discography of Biz Markie.  Who doesn't know this ode to being stuck in the friend zone?

48. MC Lyte "Cha, Cha, Cha"
If you didn't think Lyte was a lyrical beast before, you were damn sure a believer after listening to this favorite

47. 2 Live Crew "Me So Horny"
Admit it, you were killing this cut in '89 and it felt good.  There was never a big sexual revolution in hip-hop until Uncle Luke and the boys came along.  The rules officially changed, and this was the cut that started it all

46. Heavy D & The Boyz "Overweight Lover"
The late Heavy D made a big guy sexy in its most charming way on this cut from his debut Mr. Big Stuff

45. EPMD "So Whatcha Sayin"
This neck snapper is considered their third best single in their careers, and completely made their second album, Unfinished Business, worth the grab

44. Eric B & Rakim "Eric B For President"
This monster cut is so nuts that even Master P sampled this for the title track for his most successful album to date, Ghetto D

43. De La Soul feat. A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah, and Monie Love "Buddy"
As excellent as the original version of this cut, the remix with Tribe, JB's, Queen Latifah, and Monie Love was seen as the more popular version and was also one of the most exciting posse records ever

42. Schooly D "P.S.K."
Seen as one of the originators of gangsta rap, this cut was especially in your fave with vivid imagery

41. Queen Latifah feat. Monie Love "Ladies First"
The quintessential hip-hop sista's anthem and showed that these two were not to be played around with

40. Public Enemy "911 Is A Joke"
From their meteoric third album, Fear Of A Black Planet, Flavor Flav lets loose on how discriminatory emergency personnel can be when finding out people of color need assistance.  Video was quite funny, but the message was all the way real

39. Mobb Deep "Shook Ones Pt. 2"
WOW!!!  This is without question Mobb Deep's magnum opus, and is the anthem for night time stick up kids and true to life murderers calling out those that ain't bout that life.  Known for it's chilling production, this cut showed the production power of Havoc and the showed Prodigy as one of hip-hop's most vivid emcees.  In fact, the instrumental for this cut was in Eminem's hit movie, 8 Mile, in a couple of battle scenes and is considered one of the true hardest cuts ever heard from NYC.  Did I mention it sent The Infamous into nearly platinum numbers?

38. Too Short "Life Is..."
Over a slinky sampling of Average White Band's "School Boy Crush", Short Dogg's first single from his Life Is...Too Short album shot it to selling double platinum units

37. Kool Moe Dee "How Ya Like Me Now"
Former member of the legendary Treacherous Three went solo to go after LL Cool J and stands as his most successful single from his most successful album of the same name

36. Big Daddy Kane "Smooth Operator"
Easing back on the lyrical beastings he had been known for, he decided to go the suave route about him being a ladies man.  This may have been around the time Madonna had a thing for him, but regardless, this cut had the ladies OPEN.  LL who??

35. Pete Rock & CL Smooth "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)"
One of the most reflective cuts ever in hip-hop, Pete Rock & CL give a touching obituary to their fallen friend, former dancer and member of Heavy D & The Boyz, Trouble T-Roy.  Memorable horn loop as well.  This song is seen a staple in hip-hop

34. Public Enemy "Don't Believe The Hype"
The second single from It Takes A Nation Of Millions...was a politically charged middle finger in much the same light as "Fight The Power" before it.  White, upper class America knew a revolution was coming and this was one of the singles that made them believe so

33. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg "Nuthin But A G Thang"
The first single from Dr. Dre's landmark album, The Chronic, introduced a young up-and-comer named Snoop Doggy Dogg and they showed that they could be the west coast EPMD.  Blunts, 40s, and bitches, the west coast was never presented sweeter than in this anthem

32. De La Soul "Me, Myself, and I"
Lead-off single from De La Soul's 3 Feet High & Rising sampled Parliament Funkadelic's "Knee Deep" and The Ohio Players' "Funky Worm" and tackled how their label, Tommy Boy, wanted them to be presented as hippies and how against it they were.  This cut is seen as De La's most successful hit and their most known hit ever in their careers.

31. EPMD "You Gots 2 Chill"
Second single from EPMD's debut, Strictly Business, has them spitting b-boy-esque rhymes over a super funky sampling of Roger & Zapp's "More Bounce To The Ounce".  If the title track didn't get you open, this surely did, bottom line

30. A Tribe Called Quest feat. Leaders of the New School "Scenario"
It's debated as to whether or not this may be the best posse cut in hip-hop history.  Well that can be argued, but what can't be argued is the fact that every single person on this cut brought their asses, but this cut especially showed the world the monstrous talent of Busta Rhymes.  Appropriately enough, this cut was the final cut on The Low End Theory album, I guess they had to save the best for last.

29. Beastie Boys "Hold It Now, Hit It"
Yes sir!!  This was the first time we saw how dope the Beasties could be, and it was a home run from their seminal Licensed To Ill debut album

28. Ice-T "6 'N Tha Morning"
Considered as a standard bearer within the gangsta rap circles, this cut helped to define a highly successful career before he became Odafin Tutuola on SVU.  This cut came from, Rhyme Pays, which is the first hip-hop album to ever receive the infamous "Parental Advisory" label.

27. Geto Boys "My Mind's Playing Tricks On Me"
A harrowing and rather dark classic, this cut of paranoia and schizophrenia was actually a true story of Scarface, but Willie D and Bushwick provided their own nerve-racking tales of their minds tripping.  This cut almost single-handedly gave the GBs a gold plaque for their album, We Can't Be Stopped

26. LL Cool J "I Need Love"
Seen as the first hip-hop ballad, LL became every young girl's boyfriend at one time with this timeless record

25. Notorious B.I.G. "Juicy"
One of the best rags-to-riches stories ever put on wax, and it also happened to be the first time the world got exposed to a future icon

24. Roxanne Shante "Roxanne's Revenge"
She shut DOWN the careers of UTFO with this this one cut after she thought their cut "Roxanne, Roxanne" was about her.  One of the best to come from Queensbridge, and seen as "the mother of the bridge"

23. Boogie Down Productions "The Bridge Is Over"
Over one of the menacing beats ever heard on wax, BDP put a dramatic end to the Queensbridge/Bronx rivalry with this venomous cut

22. NWA "Straight Outta Compton"
"Straight outta Compton, crazy muthafucka named Ice Cube/from a gang called Niggas With Attitudes" is the opening line from what would be a perennial song in the scene of hip-hop forever

21. Marley Marl & The Juice Crew "The Symphony"
Holy shit!  This is widely considered to be the best posse cut of all-time and for good reason.  From Craig G's opening bars to Big Daddy Kane killin it at the end with telling you where put a quarter for playing yourself, this was straight lyrical servicing

20. LL Cool J "Mama Said Knock You Out"
Sick and tired of being called soft because of cuts like "I Need Love" and cuts for the ladies, this was his in-your-face answer, and it became one of his most signature songs ever

19. Treacherous Three "New Rap Language"
LA Sunshine, Kool Moe Dee, and Spoonie Gee made a DOPE cut which also exhibited their double time rhyme skills.  I wish Sunshine would've been as successful as Moe Dee and Spoonie were to become

18. Run-DMC "My Adidas"
This cut not only made them hip-hop's first ambassadors for clothing merchandise, this was also one of their signature cuts within their discography, as this was their first single from their third album, Raising Hell

17. Big Daddy Kane "Ain't No Half Steppin"
BDK's signature cut and huge single from his impeccable debut Long Live The Kane.  This solidified Kane's building legacy as one of the greats in hip-hop

16. Spoonie Gee "Love Rap"
Seen as the first hip-hop cut centered on love and admiration for the opposite sex, all respect due to the man that has been rumored to have coined the term "hip hop"

15. Slick Rick "Children's Story"
All hail the ruler! This is the most fun bedtime story ever created in hip-hop from its greatest storyteller

14. Beastie Boys "Paul Revere/The New Style"
What else can you say about how fresh these kids were coming on this cut?  This was as hip-hop as you could get in '86, and it was all good

13. Eric B & Rakim "Paid In Full"
The official lead-off single to the iconic album of the same name and we saw the launch of the god MC and the most influential rapper of this or any generation

12. LL Cool J "Radio"
A teenaged James Todd Smith melted the microphone with this single from the album of the same name and we saw what would become a legendary career

11. Run-DMC "King Of Rock"
The first single from their sophomore album of the same name, which incorporated more of a rock-influenced sound, and completely snuffed out the idea of a sophomore jinx

10. Stop The Violence Movement "Self Destruction"
The benchmark in peaceful posse tracks, artists such as Stetsasonic, Public Enemy, Heavy D, and Miss Melodie (R.I.P.) made their case known about good in the hood and putting down the guns.  It's a shame we don't see more of these types of tracks, but this will forever be a memorable moment in hip-hop

9. Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh "The Show/Ladi Dadi"
Seen as the funkiest and most sweat-filled seven minutes in hip-hop ever, these two can still turn the party out when performing this cut.  The B-side is likewise such a staple in hip-hop, Snoop redid it, put his own spin on it, and did justice to it.

8. Public Enemy "Fight The Power"
This particular cut started a whole movement that emphasized pro-Black ideologies and exposing political propaganda.  An animated Chuck D viciously states: "Elvis was a hero to most, but he never shit to meant, as he was straight out racist and that's simple and plain/muthafuck him and John Wayne !" This cut is the calling card in the extremely successful and influential career of what many consider the most important hip-hop group of all-time

7. NWA "Fuck The Police"
This cut created so much static and controversy, the FBI wrote them a letter and threatened to take action against them if they didn't remove the cut from their benchmark album Straight Outta Compton.  Unrelenting, they proceeded to still get their message of anti-establishment out to the masses and is often still considered the go-to anthem for police corruption and brutality

6. Run-DMC feat. Aerosmith "Walk This Way"
The ultimate hip-hop/rock marriage came when the kings from Queens collaborated with rock legends Aerosmith to make a defining cut within both of their respective careers.  Originally an Aerosmith song, Run-DMC's version completely catapulted both acts further into the stratosphere and would influence pop acts to incorporate hip-hop for years and decades to come

5. Kurtis Blow "The Breaks"
Kurtis made history with this one.  Not only is the first gold single in the history of hip-hop, but it's also the second gold 12' single ever music.  We salute you Kurtis

4. Funky Four Plus One "It's The Joint"
This was 9 minutes of fun.  Heralded as one of the most influential songs of the 80s, 4 Bronx kids made a song that showed the beginnings of where hip-hop could go

3. Run-DMC "It's Like That/Sucker MCs"
Simply put, this was the cut that started it all for the greatest hip-hop act, and most influential, of all-time

2. Sugar Hill Gang "Rapper's Delight"
This was the cut that first made hip-hop popular to the masses.  The original 15 minute version is still considered historic and timeless.  The first hip-hop single to make it to the Library of Congress as well.  Basically folks, there would be no mainstream hip-hop if it wasn't for this cut.  Always a favorite at karaoke, this is the ultimate old school party starter

1. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five "The Message"
The first ever hip-hop cut to go outside of the house party and reach social consciousness.  This cut was the first to examine ghetto life in its rawest form to show that hip-hop wasn't all fun and games.  This also was the start of the emcee to be the star of the show instead of just the deejay, where it had been traditional at the time for the DJ to play the front.  Acts like AZ and Diddy have sampled this cut and have cited this record as one of their favorite cuts ever.   Extremely vivid and candid, this cut will forever stand the test of time as hip-hop's most important track ever

Here are some other cuts that came very close to making the list, and maybe in some cases actually should've been on this list:

Young MC "Bust A Move"
AZ "Sugar Hill"
Big Daddy Kane "I Get The Job Done"
Wu-Tang Clan "C.R.E.A.M."
MC Lyte "Paper Thin"
2Pac "I Get Around"
Digital Underground "Humpty Dance"
Nas "It Ain't Hard To Tell"
Main Source feat. Nasty Nas, Joe Fatal, and Akinyele "Live At The BBQ"
Main Source "Looking At The Front Door"
Main Source "Fakin' The Funk"
Notorious B.I.G. "Hypnotize"
Diddy feat. Busta Rhymes and Notorious B.I.G. "Victory"
Jadakiss feat. Anthony Hamilton "Why"
Doug E. Fresh "Keep Rising To The Top"
DOug E. Fresh feat. Lil' Vicious "Freaks"
Scarface feat. 2Pac "Smile"
Wreckx-N-Effect "Rump Shaker"
Juvenile "Back Dat Azz Up"
Ludacris "Stand Up"
T.I. "You Don't Know Me"
Black Moon "Who Got The Props"
GZA "Cold World"
Blahzay Blahzay "Danger"
Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek "The Blast"
Big Pun feat. Joe "Still Not A Playa"
Craig Mack feat. Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, Busta Rhymes, and LL Cool J "Flava In Ya Ear (remix)"
M.O.P. "Ante Up"
Run-DMC feat. Pete Rock & CL Smooth "Down With The King"
Kanye West "Through The Wire"
Kanye West "Heartless"
Clipse "Grindin"
Xzibit "The Foundation"
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince "Summertime"
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince "Girls Ain't Nothin But Trouble"
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince "Parents Just Don't understand"
Eazy-E feat. MC Ren and Dr. Dre "We Want Eazy"
Father MC feat. Mary J. Blige "I'll Do For U"
Heavy D & The Boyz "Is It Good To You"
Heavy D & The Boyz feat. Al B. Sure "Somebody For Me"
Smif-N-Wessun "Bucktown"
Tragedy Khadafi aka The Intelligent Hoodlum "Arrest the President"
dead prez "Hip Hop"
Erick Sermon feat. Marvin Gaye "Music"
The Fab 5 (Heltah Skeltah & OGC) "Lefleur Leflah Eshsckoshcka"
Crooklyn Dodgers "Crooklyn"
Raekwon feat. Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna "Ice Cream"
Method Man "Bring The Pain"
Ghostface Killah "Cherchez La Ghost"
Ghostface Killah feat. Mary J. Blige "All I Got Is You"
LL Cool J feat. DMX, Canibus, Master P, Method Man, and Redman "4,3,2,1"
LL Cool J feat. Fat Joe, Keith Murray, Prodigy, and Foxy Brown "Who Shot Ya (remix)"
LL Cool J "Pink Cookies In A Plastic Bag"
LL Cool J "Big Ole Butt"
Canibus "Second Round KO"
Lauryn Hill "Lost Ones"
Common feat. Mary J. Blige and Pharrell "Come Close"
Treacherous Three "Cabbage Patch"
World Class Wrecking Crew "Turn Out The Lights"




While there are many more I could put on this list, these are ones I felt that made a historical impact and even made a difference in the game.  Let the debates begin, and that's the point!  Until next time folks, hold your heads.






Wednesday, April 8, 2015

The Top 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All-Time...In My Humble Opinion (updated)


What's happening peoples!  Long time no see and there has been a lot to talk about within the world of hip-hop, most notably Kendrick Lamar's new standard bearing landmark, To Pimp A Butterfly, but also issues involving Kanye and the ever controversial Azaelia Banks.  However, for this piece, I figured I would have a little fun with this one.  This will also be up for much debate, but I'm doing my own version of the one hundred best hip-hop albums of all time.  Not just of the decade, but EVER!  Before I get started, please note that this is only my opinion, but because it's my blog, it's the one that matters.  With that being said, let's kick things off.

100. The Roots- Do You Want More?!??!
Their major label debut was an eclectic yet loving debut of the greatest band in the history of hip-hop

99. Dr. Dre- Compton: A Soundtrack By Dr. Dre
His retirement album was filled with reasons he's considered the Quincy Jones of our generation.

98. Reflection Eternal- Train Of Thought
Kweli & Hi-Tek's debut was the strongest album either cat ever put out to this very day.  Plus how do you escape "Love Languages"?

97. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib- PiƱata
Last year's superior effort further solidified the eccentric soul that is Madlib but officially put Gibbs in higher territory

96. Erick Sermon- Double Or Nothing
At E-double's finest, he was almost untouched and this album was his magnum opus

95. Ras Kass- Soul On Ice
Although the production wasn't considered mind-blowing at times, this album has been considered one of the most lyrical albums of all-times, plus with "Nature Of The Threat", it's damn sure among the most controversial

94. Beanie Sigel- The Truth
The debut from State Property's finest rocked harder than most upon its release and established a star in the making.  From head to toe, not only was this album a gem in the production sense, but this is among the most honest and raw debuts to come along in quite a minute

93.Mobb Deep- Hell On Earth
This very chilling follow-up to The Infamous rocked almost every bit as hard as their prior album.  Havoc supplied some of the darkest beats of his career on this one, while P continued to show he was one of hip-hop's most visual emcees.

92. MF Doom- Operaton Doomsday
The debut of the metal-faced villain was an odd yet flowing mix of the zany world that is Doom

91. Boogie Down Productions- Edutainment
The album that spawned "Love's Gonna Get Cha" is still considered one of the very best from BDP

90. Jay-Z- Vol. 2...Hard Knock Life
It was hard to duplicate the smash that was Reasonable Doubt, but at that time, this was close

89. Goodie Mob- Still Standing
The sophomore effort from Cee-Lo and the boys was more musically oriented but they came even harder with their message

88. Blu & Exile- Below The Heavens
This incredible debut from the young Cali native and producer Exile was the most heralded album in the underground in 2007, and rightfully so

87. Nas- untitled
Originally entitled Nigger, this album would bring a pro-Black stance out of Nas we had never seen before, and this album was definitely meant to piss a lot of people off

86. 2Pac- All Eyez On Me
The final album released while Mr. Shakur was alive became his most commercially successful but also spawned several excellent singles

85. Q-Tip- The Renaissance
If there was ever a solo version of a Tribe album, this was it, and after the critical panning of his debut, Amplified, this was an exemplary rebound

84. Capone-N-Noreaga- The War Report
Chaos and bloodshed riddled this incredible debut by C-N-N.  If you combined The Infamous and Hell On Earth, you have this superior release from the Lefrak City/Queensbridge connection

83. Mos Def- Black On Both Sides
This was Mos at his absolute finest.  This was musical and at times a good eclectic mix-up, but this was simply dazzling

82. Notorious B.I.G.- Life After Death
The final album released by Biggie just after his passing officially put him into the commercial limelight while showing while he truly is to this day one of the greatest to ever hold the mic, EVER

81. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony- Creepin' On Ah Come Up
The melodic debut from Cleveland's finest quintet snuck up and hit people in the face with how hard this EP went

80. Scarface- The Fix
The Source gave this 5 mics, and rightfully so as he came more soulful and reflective than ever on this

79. Nas- It Was Written
The sophomore album from Nas saw him going in a mafioso-inspired direction, but at the end yielded some knocking tracks that can burn to this day.  Truthfully, I would put "The Message" up there as one of his all-time best

78. Jay-Z- The Blueprint
Shawn Carter's most commercial album to date, but even then, this is among his most hitting albums

77. Cypress Hill- Cypress Hill
The stoned out introduction to B-Real, DJ Muggs, Sen Dog, and Bobo and knocked people on their asses with Muggs' blazing production

76. Black Star- Black Star
Mos Def and Talib Kweli's debut collar album was as hip-hop on a classic level as anything you'll ever hear to this day.  Aside from the fact that the production was nearly perfect, this album celebrated hip-hop in all it's facets

75. Common- Like Water For Chocolate 
This amazing album was Common's first introduction to commercial success after going platinum from his Grammy Award-winning cut "The Light" (R.I.P. Dilla)

74. Outkast- Speakerboxx/The Love Below
This was a unique album in the sense that we heard Dre's eccentricity as well as Big Boi's funked-out linguistics in two separate discs.  Not to mention this officially marked Outkast as the most commercially successful hip-hop group of all-time

73. Run The Jewels- Run The Jewels
Debuts don't come this hard very often, and Killer Mike & El-P presented a monumental album filled with anti-establishment rhetoric and aggression

72. Boogie Down Productions- By All Means Necessary
This was seen as one of the most jarring socially conscious albums of all-time, and rightfully deserves its place as a hip-hop monument

71. Genius/GZA- Liquid Swords
The elder statesman of the Wu dropped an incredible debut that rivals any of the best Wu albums ever released

70. Main Source- Breaking Atoms
This album was full of emceeing from a young Large Professor and introduced the world to a young genius named Nasty Nas on the venomous "Live At The BBQ" but don't ever sleep on "Friendly Game Of Baseball"

69. The Roots- How I Got Over
The eighth album of the legendary Roots crew was seen as the most socially conscious and at times depressing one within their discography.  They left sampling alone to go back to live instrumentation and it was worth every musical note

68. KRS-One- Return Of The Boom Bap
Without question, KRS-One's solo debut was unsurpassed, as this album completely represented Kris Parker's passion for true raw hip-hop

67. Run The Jewels- RTJ2
Explosive, venomous, and paranoid are three adjectives to describe this seminal release from the unlikely combination of Company Flow's producer/emcee extraordinaire El-P and superbly talented and outspoken southern emcee Killer Mike.  As incredible as their self-titled debut was, their sophomore album rattled America's consciousness and it was in your face.  Besides Pinata, there was no album that came close to measuring or being on the same playing field as this was.

66. Ultramagnetic MCs- Critical Breakdown
The debut by Kool Keith and the boys is widely heralded as one of the most influential albums in the golden age of hip-hop and known for its complexity

65. Mobb Deep- Murda Muzik
Although heavily bootlegged, the finished version came through superbly hard in the end and gave QB's finest their first taste of platinum.  Also seen as their last all around critical success.

64. Scarface- The World Is Yours
Seen as a continuation of Mr. Scarface Is Back, Brad Jordan further showed why he's one of the most sinister yet sincere storytellers in all the game

63. Busta Rhymes- When Disaster Strikes
Although not as grimy as his debut, this brought worldwide success to Trevor Smith with dynamite cuts like "Rhymes Galore", "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See", and "Dangerous"

62. Kendrick Lamar- good kid, M.A.A.D. city
The major label debut for King Kendrick was a home run in 2012, and showed that he's hip-hop's newest young legend.  Over engaging, yet somewhat subtle, production, this was a conceptional work of art

61. A Tribe Called Quest- Midnight Marauders
The third album from Tribe haw them venturing into mainstream appeal, yet still maintaining their integrity to bring the knowledge while bringing true school hip-hop.  With cuts like the velvet smooth "Electric Relaxation" and the outstanding "Lyrics To Go", this junior effort was simply a fantastic listen and still remains that way today.  Peace Jairobi!!!!

60. Gangstarr- Daily Operation
This multifaceted release from the late Guru and Premier banged harder than most albums in 1992 and introduced the world to Group Home's Lil' Dap and Jeru The Damaja

59. Beastie Boys- Licensed To Ill
Three Jewish White guys burst on the scene and forever put to bed the notion that White kids from New York couldn't rhyme with this album

58. Big Pun- Capital Punishment
Damn! Now this folks is among the best debuts ever in hip-hop.  Who would've thought that a nearly six hundred pound Puerto Rock would captivate hip-hop like he did?  From the opening track to the closing, this album had it all, and showed that, much like Biggie, Nas, Jay, and Eminem, one album is all it takes to show greatness.  Lyrically, he was to be feared, you just wish he was still around to fully celebrate the fruits of his labor.

57. Outkast- ATLiens
The spaced-out, melodic follow-up to their breakthrough debut continued to propel Outkast further into hip-hop upper atmosphere

56. Kool G. Rap & DJ Polo- Road To The Riches
KGR's debut is still seen as his greatest work to date, full of gritty New York mafia-inspired storytelling

55. NWA- Niggaz4life
The final album from the breakthrough group from Compton was more mysoganistic than Straight Outta Compton

54. Jungle Brothers- Straight Out The Jungle
The first hip-hop group not out of the Chi to throw out some House music was an influential giant in the late eighties.  Although not as consistent as their fellow Native Tongues mates De La and Tribe, this debut is nonetheless their supreme effort

53. MC Lyte- Eyes On This
Besides Shante, this particular emcee showed this wasn't just a man's game with this simply DOPE debut

52. Geto Boys- We Can't Be Stopped
The album with the now classic album cover propelled Face, Willie, and Bushwick into gold territory and presented their timeless hit "Mind's Playing Tricks On Me"

51. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony- E. 1999 Eternal
Dark, menacing, and melodic, the sophomore effort from BTNH made them explode into America's consciousness with the sobering classic "The Crossroads", while giving a shout to the lower class with "1st Of The Month".  One of hip-hop's most legendary groups had officially arrived

50. Gangstarr- Moment Of Truth
The best Gangstarr album ever done, Guru and Premier hammered everything that was touched and is seen as one of Premo's most hard-hitting produced albums

49. Kanye West- The College Dropout
Yeezus' debut showed a prodigy in the making with anthems and classics that still stand the test of time.  How can you front on "Jesus Walks"?

48. Nas- Stillmatic
People had been BEGGING for another Illmatic for years, and although this wasn't it, this was still arguably seen as Nas' second best album ever.

47. Ghostface Killah- Supreme Clientele
Without question, this is Tony Starks' magnum opus and is seen as Wu-Tang's next level album.  Don't believe me, "Strokes Of Death" will clear up any confusions.

46. Cypress Hill- Black Sunday
The commercial sophomore smash from the stoned out Latinos made for a stoner's classic and among the most stylistically copied albums ever

45. Goodie Mob- Soul Food
Goodie Mob's debut was aptly titled and presented us with another form of greatness from the Dungeon Family

44. 50 Cent- Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
One of the hardest hitting debuts since the days of Illmatic, Ready To Die, and Capital Punishment, 50 Cent murdered any competition to try him in 2003.  Obviously, 50 hasn't eclipsed this album, or even matched it, which is sad

43. Dr. Dre- 2001
The MUCH anticipated follow up to The Chronic was worth the wait and then some as nothing but G-funk classics emerged from this seminal album.

42. Scarface- Mr. Scarface Is Back
The debut from Brad Jordan was manic, macabre, violent, and filled with depression, but provided enough entertainment to make you truly believe this guy had a lot of problems

41. Fugees- The Score
One of hip-hop's most unique and interesting albums, this was nothing less than mastery on wax and disc.  It's a shame hip-hop can't provide more of this type of brilliance

40. LL Cool J- Mama Said Knock You Out
SO much for calling James Todd Smith soft, this album knocked you on your ass courtesy of LL's refueled lyrics and Marley Marl's profound production

39. Common- BE
Lonnie Rashid Lynn's musical marriage with Kanye equaled the album of his career and was even compared to Illmatic by some circles

38. Jay-Z- Reasonable Doubt
The seminal debut from Shawn Carter that started an iconic career.  Seen as one of the key albums that brought the east coast back during the mid-nineties, this album still stands as his measuring stick

37. Run-DMC- Raising Hell
This album spawned the landmark singles "Walk This Way" and "You Be Illin" and showed that they were the true faces of hip-hop all over the world

36. dead prez- let's get free
Man did stic.man and m-1 go back to the militant days of PE and X-Clan with this phenomenal debut.  From subtle yet inviting production to the educating yet somewhat inciting lyrics, DP'z arrived with this album

35. Outkast- Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
The debut from Big Boi and Dre welcomed a new sound from the South that left off from UGK, Geto Boys and Eightball & MJG.  Funky and melodic, we saw the future with this album in forms of greatness

34. EPMD- Strictly Business
The debut from Erick & Parrish Making Dollars is a funky sampled album that introduced us to one of the most revered duos in hip-hop

33. The Roots- Illadelph Halflife Vol. 3
If there was ever an album that showed the true promise and potential to become one of the greatest acts in the game this was that album as it brought musicianship to the forefront while showing Black Thought's impeccable lyrical game

32. Raekwon- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
Many have argued that, besides the debut Wu-Tang album, this was the best solo album out of every one from the Wu, and I absolutely must agree.  There has never been a Wu solo album to surpass this epic album

31. 2Pac- Me Against The World
Shakur's third album was moody, dark, and depressing at times.  This was the most personal Pac album to date, and if you don't feel anything from "So Many Tears", you may have no soul.

30. Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp A Butterfly
2015 saw one of hip-hop's most landmark albums in the past decade or more.  Over mostly jazzy production, we have a fiery, emotional, passionate Kendrick combining elements of Public Enemy, Nas, and Mos Def in what can only be called the last American hip-hop masterpiece.  It may be a while before we find an album that can match this genius

29. Ice Cube- Death Certificate
Made in the midst of the King riots, this is an more explosive and jarring than his benchmark debut and in today's times of racial injustice and police brutality serves as a siren to today's climate

28. Scarface- The Diary
Much like his prior solo works of Mr. Scarface Is Back and The World Is Yours, it's still macabre and manic, but now we're seeing more soul and vulnerability from Face on this one.  Seen as his all-time best, this still remains as his staple of greatness

27. Madvillain- Madvillainy
In much the same great auras as Aquemini and De La Soul Is Dead, this classic had to be rotated a few times before one recognized the sheer brilliance of this album.  Over Madlib's eclectic yet occasionally jazzy production MF Doom found even more of an audience.  Heralded as one of the decades true gifts, this changed the underground forever.

26. Ice Cube- AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
O'Shea Jackson's classic debut was one of hip-hop's first marriages of west coast artists over east coast production and this violent, yet brutally honest, album showed why he was N.W.A.'s most prized weapon

25. Eric B & Rakim- Follow The Leader
The R took a more subdued approach as opposed to his landmark prior two albums.  Regardless, it continued to expand Rakim's legacy

24. Kurtis Blow- Kurtis Blow
Hip-Hop's first gold selling artist influenced the game by bringing more mainstream accessibility to the masses

23. UGK- Ridin' Dirty
Seen as the most influential hip-hop album to emerge from the South, this album went nearly platinum with no radio or video singles, which only J. Cole can brag about today. Even east coast hard rocks like Nas, Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel were highly influenced by this fantastic album

22. Brand Nubian- One For All
Four five-percenters brought forth an incredible album that has been praised the world over for its originality and its De La Soul-meets five percenter aesthetics.  Sadly this debut from them would never be quite matched by any other album they brought forth, although a couple would come close

21. Mobb Deep- The Infamous
The sophomore album from Queensbridge's residential stick up kids provided a mesmerizing soundtrack for the late night stick ups and crime sprees.  Complete with mundane and brooding production from Hav, Prodigy showed he was a lyrical force to be reckoned with and showed, as The Source stated, "Queensbridge kids don't play." If you don't put "Shook Ones Pt. 2" in your all-time fave list, what the hell is wrong with you??

20. Outkast- Aquemini
Artistic and brilliant, Outkast went to unknown areas in hip-hop and delivered a huge cornerstone for hip-hop.  With this album, they provided a breath of fresh air in the form of unique concepts and originality, mixed with their Outkast charm.

19. Eminem- The Marshall Mathers LP
Fresh off his prodigious debut, The Slim Shady LP, he grabbed the audience by the throat and sent him or her on a vicious ride filled with mysogany, murder, kidnapping, and dysfunctional home life.  Met with outrage by several human rights groups, this album stands as Eminem's best effort to this day and made his drug-riddled, girlfriend problematic world a memorable listen

18. Wu-Tang Clan- Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Straight from the slums of Shaolin (Staten Island) came nine emcees that could all rhyme their asses off in a way that resembled the Juice Crew.  These Kung-Fu aficionados gave us something new, fresh, and inviting in 1993 and the world was never the same since.

17. De La Soul- 3 Feet High & Rising
Long Island, NY introduced us to three happy-go-lucky emcees that brought a hippy attitude and a carefree persona that was rather charming in the golden age.  What followed was a creative album that still remains as one of hip-hop's most treasured albums.

16. Snoop Doggy Dogg- Doggystyle
Good LAWD this album was funky!  Dr. Dre's former student stepped out his mentor's shadow and delivered an album that is still considered one of the most well-produced albums of all-time and showed the limitless talent of big Snoop Dogg.

15. Notorious B.I.G.- Ready To Die
Seen as the next hip-hop phenom, Biggie Smalls was an emcee's emcee.  He had several different styles and fully represented the essence of Brooklyn.  Once we heard "Juicy", it was clear this kid had "it", but once the streets heard "Unbelievable", the "it" factor was confirmed, and what followed was one of the greatest hip-hop albums in memory, and also birthed one of the greatest emcees in history as well.

14. Eric B & Rakim- Let The Rhythm Hit Em
What a follow up of Paid In Full, as Rakim further cemented his status as the god MC.

13. A Tribe Called Quest- People's Instinctive Travels In The Paths Of Rhythm
From Queens came three lovers of hip-hop and jazz that came together to become one of the most important and influential groups ever assembled, and their debut was just a taste of what was to come, as "Bonita Applebum" by itself was enough reason to get it.

12. Run-DMC- King Of Rock
The sophomore album to the most influential group in hip-hop history further propelled the three Queens icons into the stratosphere.

11. Public Enemy- Fear Of A Black Planet
The third effort from PE was almost just as boisterous, riotous and definitely every bit as pro-Black as It Takes A Nation Of Millions... plus now the world knew then that PE were truly rebels without a pause

10. De La Soul- De La Soul Is Dead
They slapped people in the face with their reality of who they really were with this album.  Jaded by the misconceptions their debut presented, they declared the death of the D.A.I.S.Y. (DA Inner Sound Y'all) age and took the chains off to release a severely under-appreciated yet landmark release, which culminates in the feel good "A Roller Skating Jam Called Saturdays".  To say this album was ahead of its time in 1991 is an understatement

9. LL Cool J- Radio
The introduction of James Todd Smith, and over minimalist Rick Rubin production, this album jump started the iconic career of one of the greatest to ever do it

8. Boogie Down Productions- Criminal Minded
Before he was socially conscious, he was gangsta Kris Parker. He and his DJ Scott La Rock brought forth a thunderous album that spawned anthems such as "Criminal Minded" and "South Bronx".  This album is seen as KRS-One's best effort ever in his career, and for great reason

7. N.W.A.- Straight Outta Compton
Anytime you get a letter from the FBI about the content of songs from your album, you're totally doing something right. That was the case of five young men from the LA/Compton area and their form of reality was at times to real for conservative America.  However, we thank Dre, Cube, Eazy (R.I.P.), Ren and Yella for the guts to say "Fuck you" to the conservative.

6. A Tribe Called Quest- The Low End Theory
Busta Rhymes once called this album "hip-hop's perfect album".  He's almost spot on with that claim.  This album blended hip-hop and jazz so beautifully and we saw stars emerge from this album.  Other than their third effort, Midnight Marauders, this is considered their most influential release, and definitely the home of arguably the dopiest posse record of all-time, "Scenario" featuring Leaders Of The New School w/ a young up-and-comer named (the aforementioned) Busta Rhymes.

5. Dr. Dre- The Chronic
If there was any one man that brought the west coast to prominence in the early nineties, it was Andre Young.  His solo debut broke down walls and made for one hell of a good time to listen to.  Yeah the album was full of violence and mysogany, but truthfully, unless you had a stick up your ass, you had a damn good time listening.  Not to men ton it spawned the career of Snoop, Tha Dogg Pound, Nate Dogg, Warren G, Lady Of Rage, and RBX.  Seminal to say the least.

4. Eric B & Rakim- Paid In Full
"Thinking of a master plan/cause ain't nothing but sweat inside my hand" started what was to be an iconic and influential career for Rakim.  Along his DJ Eric B, this was the launch of arguably the most respected duo outside of Run-DMC.  Laid back, yet vibrant and funky, this album is considered by MTV as the greatest hip-hop album of all-time.  Truthfully, I can see why.

3. Run-DMC- Run-DMC
The most influential group of all-time in hip-hop debuted with this album and the hip-hop world was never the same.   Rest in peace Jam Master Jay!

2. Public Enemy- It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
WOW!  This is a sonic tour de force and is seen as the most important hip-hop album ever recorded.  Chuck D, Flavor Flav and Terminator X constructed Black rage on wax and launched an entire revolution at one time.  To this day, cuts like "Night Of The Living Baseheads" and "Rebel Without A Pause" send chills through your spine hearing the brutality in the voice of Chuck D.  Fuck gimmicky, this was true passionate, raw, unadulterated hip-hop, with Black power as its clothing.  We haven't had an album this impactful since.

1. Nas-Illmatic
Was this any surprise?  A film was made after it.  A book was written about it.  Classes were taught about it.  The greatest album in the history of hip-hop is what hip-hop demonstrates: honesty, gripping poetry, and passion.  Nasir Olu Bin Dara Jones created the prefect hip-hop album and the album that has never had an equal or a successor.  Name one rapper of the past twenty years that wasn't influenced by this album.  Just one.  Didn't think so.  He was seen as the ghetto Langston Hughes and was a genius without even trying to be.  Ilmatic is a timeless piece of not just hip-hop, but music, and will always be seen as the most prized possession hip-hop has ever heard.


Albums that barely missed the cut:

Slick Rick- The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick
Big Daddy Kane- Long Live The Kane
Bun B- Trill O.G.
Bun B- Trill
Organized Konfusion- Stress: The Extinction Agenda
Pharoahe Monch- Internal Affairs
The D.O.C.- No One Could Do it Better
Gravediggaz- 6 feet Deep
Prince Paul- A Prince Among Thieves
Last Emperor- Mystery Of Bigfoot
Various Artists- Lyricist Lounge Vol. 1
Bahamadia- Kollage
Raekwon- OB4CB2
Jaylib- Champion Sound
Bone Thugs N Harmony- The Art Of War
Tech N9ne- Something Else
Eightball & MJG- On The Outside Looking In
Eminem- The Slim Shady LP
Queen Latifah- Nature Of A Sista
Lil' Kim- Hardcore
Jean Grae- JEanius
Little Brother- The Minstrel Show
Redman- Muddy Waters
Stetsasonic- On Fire
Masta Ace- Disposable Arts
Jay-Z- The Black Album
Jedi Mind Tricks- Violent By Design
Black Moon- Enta Da Stage
Souls Of Mischief- '93 Til Infinity
The Pharcyde- Bizarre Ryde II Tha Pharcyde
Tha Alkaholicks- Coast II Coast
DJ Quik- Quik Is The Name
AZ- Doe Or Die
AZ- Aziatic
Ludacris- Theater Of The Mind
Common- Resurrection
Royce Da 5'9- Death Is Certain
DMX- It's Dark & Hell Is Hot
Puff Daddy & The Family- No Way Out
Marley Marl- In Control Vol. 1
The Roots- Things Fall Apart
The Game- The Documentary
Lil' Wayne- The Carter III
Juvenile- 400 Degreez
Master P- Ice Cream Man
Big K.R.I.T.- K.R.I.T. Was Here
Heltah Skeltah- Nocturnal
Das EFX- Hold It Down
Pete Rock & CL Smooth- Mecca & The Soul Brother
Pete Rock & CL Smooth- The Main Ingredient
I.N.I.- Center Of Attention
Company Flow- Funcrusher Plus
Show & AG- Runaway Slave
Big Boi- Sir Lucious Leftfoot
Xzibit- 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz
J. Cole-  2014 Forest Hills Drive
Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Fashawn- Boy Meets World 
Big L- Lifestylez Uv Tha Poor & Dangerous 
Scarface- The Untouchable
AZ- Doe Or Die
Skyzoo & !llmind- Live From The Tape Deck 
Daz Dillinger- Retaliation, Revenge, & Getback
Tha Dogg Pound- Dogg Food
Warren G- Regulate...G Funk Era
The Game- The Documentary 2/2.5
Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique


This will surely prompt heavy discussion among my heavy hip-hop heads, but that's also the point. Admittedly, a lot of the albums on the "Barely didn't make it" list SHOULD'VE been on the main list, but who knows, I might make a top 200 list, which would be fun to do.  If Billboard can compile a weekly 200 list via sales, I can do it too.  Looking forward to seeing some responses.  Until next time folks, I'm out.