Below are what I would consider to be 5 hip-hop albums that everyone should have on their iTunes or atleast give a listen, these albums are what I think demonstrate hip-hop at it's best. Feel free to comment on the albums you would have or replace (I do love a hip-hop debate, so hit me). Enjoy!
In no particular order...
1. Notorious B.I.G- Ready To Die (1994)
This LP (a cool way of saying an album) is quite simply one the greatest story-telling albums that has graced the art we call music. Christopher Wallace better known as Notorious B.I.G, with this album was able to capture the life of a drug dealer in the city of New York in a way that had never been done before during it's time. Here Wallace offered listeners a window into the life of a young drug dealer in Brooklyn whilst sharing his personal emotions, humour and notably the depression he was exhibiting during the time of it's release. This is the first of only two of Wallace's LP's, which demonstrated his lyrical prowess and his notable laid back flow, easy but candid voice and punchlines that will make you want to smack your mother. It was this masterpiece, where he was christened the "greatest rapper of all time", and from a biased point of view I can't help but to agree.
Notable Lyrics-
"When I die fuck it I wanna go to hell, cause I'm a piece of shit, it ain't fuckin' hard to tell, it don't make sense going to heaven with all the goodie goodies, dressed in white, I like black Tims and black hoodies'
"The Moet and Alize keeps me pissy, girls used to diss me, now they write letters cause they miss me"
"Heart throb never, black and ugly as ever, however I stay coogi down to the socks, rings and watch filled with rocks"
2. A Tribe Called Quest- The Low End Theory (1991)
The namesake of my blog and as I'm sure you can already tell my favourite hip-hop album. The sophomore album of A Tribe Called Quest's (ATCQ), arrived at a time where gangster rap was reigning supreme, however ATCQ provided an album that was completely left-field at the time. The Low End Theory merged Jazz music into hip-hop, demonstrating the black centre of the two styles of music. The jazz-infused production demonstrated Q-Tip's ability, as not only being a dope MC but a talented producer too. The album has a cohesiveness that no other hip-hop album can replicate as each song is a jigsaw to the eventual puzzle that is The Low End Theory. Notably, The Low End Theory brought to light "The Five-Foot Assassin"- Phife Dawg who in the groups first LP was hardly featured, with his presence, this created one of the most powerful and dare I say it, beautiful duos that hip-hop has ever seen, the rapport between Q-Tip and Phife Dawg created a relationship that no other hip-hop group could comprehend. At this point the 3 man group (Ali Shaheed Muhammed on the decks) were a force to be reckoned with and arguably their greatest album.
Notable lyrics-
"If knowledge is a key then just show me the lock"
"Bust a nut inside your eye to show you where I come from"
"Stern, firm and young with a laid back tongue, the aim is to succeed and achieve at 21"
3. Nas- Illmatic (1994)
Well what can I say? An obvious choice of course, but the fact that it is obvious is due to the sheer amazingness, that is Illmatic. Illmatic paints a picture of the darkside of urbanity that no other hip-hop album has or will ever be able to. Illmatic offers first person narratives of gang rivalries, urbanity, poverty and teenage troubles. To think at the time of it's release Nas was just only twenty years of ago, however the lyrical content that he was able to produce is astounding. Without a question of a doubt in my mind the most lyrically sublime album ever created, some of which will leave you thinking how a human was able to think of such lyrics at such a young age. This album was backed up by an array of top producers of the time such as DJ Premier, Q-Tip, Pete Rock and Large Professor- providing the perfect instrumentals to Nas's thoughts. The album is often cited as the best album in hip-hop history and to be perfectly honest it truly is, the album in itself is faultless.
Notable lyrics-
"You couldn't catch me on the streets without a ton of reefer, that's like Malcolm X catching the jungle fever"
"My man put the battery in my back, a difference from Energizer, sentence begins indented, with formality, my duration's infinite, money-wise or physiology poetry, that's a part of me, retardedly bop"
"I woke early on my born-day, I'm 20, it's a blessing, the essence of adolescence leaves my body, now I'm fresh and my physical frame is celebrated cause I made it one-quarter through life some Godly-like thing created"
4. Jay-Z- Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Reasonable Doubt can be simply characterised as an album that depicts the ever-so frequently mentioned "rags to riches" term. Reasonable Doubt debuted at a time where Mafioso-rap was at it's peak, this too is a mafioso-rap album, nonetheless was different to others. Here Jay-Z captures the beauty of being a hustler however rather focusing on the obvious trials he provides the negatives that we as listeners don't often see or hear by other rappers, such as loss of friendships, a change of personality and notably regrets. At its simplest Reasonable Doubt is an album displaying a hustlers life from the projects and what he saw day-to-day, with real honesty that all listeners could not only enjoy but due to his honesty we could all some how relate to. Reasonable Doubt is the often forgotten album of Jay-Z's due to his illustrious and long-standing career, nonetheless it is truly his best work and I'm sure he'll be the first person to tell you this too.
"Thinking back when we first learned how to use rubbers, he never learned so in turn I'm kidnapping his baby's-mother"
"I sold it all from Crack to Opium, in third person I don't wanna see them, so I'm rehearsing with my peoples how to G them"
"Like short-sleeves I bear arms"
5. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
I'm sure you've noticed all the albums above have been from the 90's the golden era of hip-hop. However, despite the state of hip-hop being at an all time low, the great artist that is Kanye West produced one of the best not only hip-hop but musical albums known to man. 'Ye's fifth album incorporates all the styles of his previous four albums but adding additional superlatives. 'Ye discusses the romance that is of being a celebrity who is loved as much as hated, coming at a time where he received much backlash for his public outbursts. Here with this LP he silences his critics by demonstrating that he is more than just a hip-hop producer and rapper but rather an artist and the highest degree. Though the album is much about his place in the world and under the media spot-light, 'Ye continues to speak on political debates and the subordination of black people in particular, in the song Gorgeous, which I believe demonstrates 'Ye's best lyrical performance to date. In my eyes this is the best hip-hop album in last 5 if not more years and should be seen more than just a hip-hop album but rather a musical album, but using rap as it's platform.
"They rewrite history, I don't believe in yesterday, and what's a black Beattle anyway, a fucking Roach, I guess that's why they got me sitting in fucking coach"
"You see I always loved her sense of humour, but tonight you should seen how quiet the room was"
"I don't need your pussy, bitch I'm on my own dick"
Thanks for reading.
Disclaimer: This is not a professional, verified or impartial review. These are my own thoughts and my own preferences so do not reply with distaste or feel I don't know my music, because my view is different to yours, we as music lovers have different taste so lets celebrate and discuss, please and thank you.
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