Recommend 5 Rap/Hiphop Albums

[glass]

i'm trying to "broaden my musical horizons", and i never really got into hiphop. which 5 albums would you recommend to someone who wants a taste of the best of the genre?

there was a thread like this sometime ago, but i think it was deleted in a server crash or whatnot. too bad coz it had a few good recommendations, and many i haven't tried.

no problems nominating an album that've already been mentioned; that'll just stress how good it is. if you nominate more than 5, please rank them!


PS
the reason this isn't with the other hiphop news/reviews thread is because this'll focus more on the must-haves/classics (the news/reviews thread focuses on newer music).

[snakedizzle209]

All I can say is stay away from whatever you hear on the radio or see on TV. You'll find nothing but songs about hoes and hustlin'. Dont take any of that seriously.

I recomend you check out Del the funkee homosapien.

[Shinto]

No particular order....

5.Ready To die- biggie smalls
4.A Tupac Cd (later Version)
3.Get Rich Or Die Trying - 50 Cent
2.Black Album - Jay Z
1.Marshal Matters Lp - Eminem

[hubcapsignstop]

5 personal classics of mine (no particular order):

De La Soul: Buhloone Mind State
Biz Markie: Goin' Off
Slick Rick: The Art of Storytelling
Cannibal Ox: The Cold Vein
Black Sheep: A Wolf in Sheep's clothing

[TheIlluminati]

Black Star - Mos Def and Talib Kweli

Essential.

[Sex)packets]

GZA - liquid swords

A MUST HAVE.

[EveryFlowerFlow]

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Maruarders
Nas - Illmatic
Jay-Z - Black Album/BluePrint 1
Biggie Smalls - Ready to Die
AZ - A.W.O.L



Black Star - Mos Def and Talib Kweli

Essential.


GZA - liquid swords

A MUST HAVE.

Seconded

[Black Chanler]

Hmm since your getting your feet wet I would recomend

Slim Shady LP and Marshal Mathers LP-both by eminem
Get Rich or Die trying (not the movie soundtrac)-50 cent
College Dropout-Kanye West
Speakerbox/Love Below-Outkast

My personal Favs:
Death is Certain-Royce Da 5'9"
It was written-Nas
Mm...Food?-MF DOOM
Minstrel Show- Little Brother
Liquid swords- GZA/Genius

[ViciousSLASH]

Mm...Food?-MF DOOM
Minstrel Show- Little Brother


Last Emporer - Music, Magic, Myth
Petey Pablo - Still writing in my diary : 2nd entry
Jurassic 5 - Quality Control

I wrote the artists first, album name second, the quote is album first/artist second.

[shinobi00]

Hmm since your getting your feet wet I would recomend

Slim Shady LP and Marshal Mathers LP-both by eminem
Get Rich or Die trying (not the movie soundtrac)-50 cent
College Dropout-Kanye West
Speakerbox/Love Below-Outkast

My personal Favs:
Death is Certain-Royce Da 5'9"
It was written-Nas
Mm...Food?-MF DOOM
Minstrel Show- Little Brother
Liquid swords- GZA/Genius

I really like death is certain as well. Did he come out with anything after independents day? Sorry for the thread intrusion.

[Cowboyday]

Gangstarr - "The Ownerz"

[LazyYetCrazy]

All I can say is stay away from whatever you hear on the radio or see on TV. You'll find nothing but songs about hoes and hustlin'. Dont take any of that seriously.

I recomend you check out Del the funkee homosapien.

All I can say is dont listen to people like this. I've been listening to underground for about 9 years now and I say whatever music you like should be what you listen too. Take these lists and explore and then figure out what you like. Club songs and mainstream rap can be really fun to listen to in the right situations. Dont let people tell you "omg only living legends and hiero and atmosphere are da best r4p everz".

[Sex)packets]

All I can say is dont listen to people like this. I've been listening to underground for about 9 years now and I say whatever music you like should be what you listen too. Take these lists and explore and then figure out what you like. Club songs and mainstream rap can be really fun to listen to in the right situations. Dont let people tell you "omg only living legends and hiero and atmosphere are da best r4p everz".

omg cosign on that.

be open and give all types of hip hop a listen.

[CD_Vision]

How about Digital Underground's "Sex Packets". I likes.

[Sex)packets]

How about Digital Underground's "Sex Packets". I likes.

You have great taste.:looney: :looney:

[EveryFlowerFlow]

You have great taste.:looney: :looney:


there's 3s at SFSU now???

[Miher]

Some off the top of my head:

E-White - 48 Hours: The White Album
The Twinz - Conversation
DJ Quik - Trauma
Soulja Slim - The Streets Made Me
C-Murder - Trapped In Crime

My favorite music is West Coast rap...especially g-funk, which you'll find in the first three I recommended. I also love rap from New Orleans, which is savored in the last two albums from Soulja Slim and C-Murder. All five are underground, and I definitely agree with avoiding mainstream shit for the most part. I could give you what seems to be hundreds of others, but I'll stick with five for now as that's what you asked for...

[wreckincrew23]

Dr. Dre- The Chronic
Snoop- Doggystyle
NWA- Straight Outta Compton
DJ Screw- 3 n Da Morning and Sentimental Values just to name a couple (He has way too many though)

[Black Chanler]

I really like death is certain as well. Did he come out with anything after independents day? Sorry for the thread intrusion.

just a couple songs released on the streets. Personally, I think he is loosing inspirtation.

[Seth]

beanie sigel - the truth
memphis bleek - coming of age
big L - lifestyles of the poor and dangerous
Loaded Lux - Locked & Loaded
busta rhymes - anarchy

[AKUMA2000]

Old school is the way to go.......


Run DMC= Raising Hell
LL Cool J= Bigger and Deffer
Public Enemy= It Takes A Nations Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Eric B & Rakim= Paid In Full
Boogie Down Productions= Criminal Minded

[DaLastDon25]

1. Bone -- E 1999 Eternal
2. Crucial Confict -- The Final Tic
3. Dr. Dre -- The Chronic
4. 2pac -- All Eyez On Me
5. Cypress Hill -- Black Sunday

After that you can get into some Ice Cube and Mobb Deep.

[Jaimus]

listen to lazyyetcrazy.

5 albums for me

cannibal ox - the cold vein
blackstar
jedi mind tricks - violent by design
soul position - things go better with rj and al
blueprint - the weight room

theres tons more~

[HeaT]

Mos Def and Talib Kweli - Blackstar
Mos Def - Black on Both Sides
MF Doom and Madlib - Madvilliany
Fugees - The Score
Jay-Z - The Blueprint

im outi

Roberth

[white shadow]

Props to those who mentioned Little Brother.:cool:

[enzo]

no particular order

Madvillain- Madvillainy
Aesop Rock- Float
Viktor Vaughn- Vaudeville Villain
The streets- original pirate material
Del- Deltron3030

[TheMaidenMasha]

I say

B.I.G. - Ready To Die
Beastie Boys - Pauls Boutique
Wu Tang - 36 Chambers
Snoop Doggy Dog - Doggystyle
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

Just to get a Sense for everything in there.

Biggie is the all around New York album. Doggystyle is the westcoast chillout party album. Pauls Boutique is the experimental stuff and you of course gotta check out some Wu! Then you got tribe for that warm and fuzzy feeling.

Cant really go wrong with those albums.

But if you want substitute with some of these

Busta Rhymes - The Coming
Nas - Illmatic
GZA - Liquid Swords
Mobb Deep - The Infamous or Hell On Earth
A Tribe Called Quest - Peoples Instinctive...etc and Midnight Marauders
Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Some NWA
Some Cypress Hill
Some other Beastie Boys stuff than what I mentioned
Missy Elliot - Supa Dupa Fly
Jay-Z - The Blueprint
Any Outkast joint cept the last one.
Any De La Soul
and some Pre-Death TuPac I guess
Some 3 6 mafia for the best southern type productions

Then explore from there depending on what you like.

[tondashocka]

It's already been stated, but All Eyez on Me by Tupac, E.1999 Eternal by Bone Thugs N Harmony.


When the Smoke Clears -- Three-6 Mafia

[Super Bardock]

Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang
Beasties - Paul's Boutique
The first 3 Three 6 Mafia albums (Mystic Stylez, The End, and Ch. 2: World Domination... These have some of the best production I've ever heard)
Mobb Deep - The Infamous
B.I.G. - Ready To Die
There's tons more, but so far everyone else's picks have been great. I listen to everything from southern rap (Three 6 Mafia) to underground stuff (Cannibal Ox) but these are some of the best off the top of my head.

[2commoN]

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
Gang Starr - Moment of Truth
Saigon - Abandoned Nation (Mixtape)
Little Brother - The Minstrel Show and The Listening
Dead Prez - Lets Get Free

Couple that I could think of right away that are my favorite

[thurst]

ready to die by notorious b.i.g.
the black album by jay-z
marshall mathers lp by eminem
return to the 36th chamber by ol' dirty bastard
hell's winter by cage

[enzo]

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
Gang Starr - Moment of Truth
Saigon - Abandoned Nation (Mixtape)
Little Brother - The Minstrel Show and The Listening
Dead Prez - Lets Get Free

Couple that I could think of right away that are my favorite


Good taste bro.

[Agmaster]

Busta Rhymes - ELE
Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
MC Hammer - Too Legit to Quit
Kris Kross - Totally Krossed Out
Pharoah Monch - Internal Affairs

[IrvineKinneas]

If you want a good mix, try and mix up underground and mainstream, and see which you like better. For a good mix of underground and mainstream albums i'd go with:

Ludacris-Word of Mouf
Hieroglyphics-Third Eye Vision
Soul Position- 8 Million Stories/RJD2-Deadringer
Wu-Tang clan: Enter the 36 Chambers
Dr. Dre: The Chronic OR 2001 for a more current mainstream feel

People will hate on hiero because they are popular, just don't listen. Some of the sickest MCs out today, just appreciate their talent. Luda is tight, but he definitely doesn't appeal to everyone. Wu Tang, just get the album, it's one of the best hip hop albums ever made. 8 million stories is a sick CD, but Deadringer is really accessible because it's just cool music. And i think hip hop fan or not, everyone should have one of those dr. dre cds.

If you like the more underground sounds, let me suggest these few albums:

Living Legends- Almost Famous
Souls of Mischief- 93' Till Infinity
Eminem- Infinite
Deltron- Deltron 3030
Pete Rock: Hip Hop Underground Soul Classics

If you lean towards mainstream, and this is kind of tricky because a lot of the mainstream i listen to is older, not really into much current mainstream, but anyway:

Snoop Dogg: Doggystyle
Tupac- Me Against the World/ All Eyez on Me
RZA: Bobby Digital
Outkast- Stankonia
NWA- Straight Outta Compton

[L1qu1d]

trust me mang, you wanna get into hiphop, this shit will get you into it and make sure you carefully anaylize lyrics.

eric b and rakim - paid in full
nas - illmatic
gza the genius - liquid swords
mos def and talib kweli present - blackstar
boogie-down productions - by all means necessary

trust me get those albums and LISTEN to them with an open mind. all essential classics noone would disagree with me on this fourm.

[ytwojay]

RJD2 - Dead Ringer
Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP
Kanye West - Late Registration
Wu-Tang - 36 Chambers
Danger Doom - The Mouse and the Mask

I tried picking a variety of sounds for you since you said you're new to hip-hop. I think all these albums are dope for really different reasons. Enjoy~

[monbaby]

How can ya'll forget about project pat???...

Project Pat- Ghetty Green...
Twista- Adrenaline rush...
Common-Like water For Chocolate...
Juvenille- 400 Degrees...
Nas- The Lost Tapes...

[epsilon_]

camp lo-uptown saturday night
people under the stairs-OST
dj jazzy jeff-the magnificent
a tribe called quest-low end theory/midnight marauders/the love movement
nas-illmatic

[glass]

whoa.. thanks guys. this is really helpful. i managed to nab a few albums thanks to the older thread. i'm just gonna put my thoughts as a hiphop noob, please feel free to disagree:

Illmatic (Nas) - i was literally blown me away to find out that there was an album this good. great production, great themes/subject matter, and some of the most complex rhymes i've heard. i'd put it heads over his other albums (at least Nastradamus and Stillmatic) simply because it wasn't as heavy.. very nice and easy to chill to.

Ready To Die (Biggie) - another really solid album, with some really good lines. i dunno, Nas's rhymes tend to be run away from me at times, but Biggie's always got me in range. imho though, even w Life After Death it makes Biggie a little two-dimensional (vs Tupac for example), but he works the gangster formula better than anyone else i've heard.

Liquid Swords (GZA) - one of my faves, though it took longer to get into than the previous two. dunno, just but it seems more abstract than the other ones. "Shadowboxin" has to be my favorite in this.

Black Star (Mos Def + Talib Kweli) - another fave that was readily accessible. what's the subgenre called.. 'conscious hiphop'? the philosophy kids probably could probably call it 'existentialist hiphop'. i tried one of Kweli's newer albums (The Beautiful Struggle) and notice his vocal style's changed a bit. i wish it hadn't.

Black On Both Sides (Mos Def) - i couldn't play another CD for almost two weeks, so i've got at least "Love" and "Speed Law" memorized.

E.1999 (Bone Thugs n Harmony) - picked this up again after years. i still can't catch wtf they're saying but it's all good lol. though i loved that collab they did with Biggie.. it's like Biggie did homage to their style, and they slowed down a bit lol.


what i've noticed about a lot of the recommendations i can get into is that the artists can sing as well as rap, have good production and generally interesting subject matter. for example, i've tried really hard to find something good to say about Jay-Z, and have just about given up after 2 albums (Blueprint and the Black Album). Nas can be corny sometimes (esp in Nastradamus/Stillmatic) but he's got great rhymes.


newest thing i tried:
And Then There Was X (DMX) - not too bad, but i dunno. rhymes structure just wasn't all that i guess... (A B / C B)? most if not all of the time. awesome vocalist though, nice hard (dark?) lyrics. all the grunting in the background was pretty cool too lol.

[L1qu1d]

^^it's dark and hell is hot is DMX's best work.

good to see you checkin out those albums, heres some that will really really really impress you

eric b and rakim - paid in full
boogiedown production - by all means necessary
big daddy kane - long live the kane
kool g rap - 4,5,6
outkast - aquemini
a tribe called quest - low end theory

[AcEtUrNeDjOkEr]

Outkast - ATLiens
Pete Rock - Soul Survivor
Busta Rhymes - The Coming
Bigge - Life After Death
Goodie Mobb - Still Standing
Wu-Tang - Wu-Tang Forever
GZA - Liquid Swords
Blackstar - Blackstar

[L.one H.iryu S.aga]

Bahamadia - Kollage
Del Tha Funke Homosapien - Future Development
Typical Cats - Typical Cats
J-Live - The Best Part
Nujabes - First Collections (Hyde Out Productions)

Honorable Mentions
Casual - Fear Itself
J-Live - All Of The Above
Nujabes - Metaphorical Music
The Roots - Do You Want More?, Illadelphia Halflife
Wordsworth & Punchline - Mixtape
Lupe Fiasco - The Great

[ShinGouki00]

Bahamadia - Kollage
Del Tha Funke Homosapien - Future Development
Typical Cats - Typical Cats
J-Live - The Best Part
Nujabes - First Collections (Hyde Out Productions)

Honorable Mentions
Casual - Fear Itself
J-Live - All Of The Above
Nujabes - Metaphorical Music
The Roots - Do You Want More?, Illadelphia Halflife
Wordsworth & Punchline - Mixtape
Lupe Fiasco - The Great


Props for Jay Dee and Nujabes mentions.

Anything produced by Jay Dee or Nujabes is pretty much fucking awesome.

[ytwojay]

Who does Nujabes produce for? I thought he only did his own work =O

[subzero44]

The Black Album - Jay Z
Illmatic - Nas
The Marshal Mathers LP - Eminem
College Dropout - Kanye West
everything else...

[FallingEdge]

GZA - Liquid Swords
MF Doom - Operation: Doomsday
Ice Cube - The Predator
DJ Muggs vs GZA the Genius - Grandmasters
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

[L.one H.iryu S.aga]

Nujabes is always on point.

It's a shame he hasn't collaborated yet with some better known emcees.

[Seth]

It's a shame he hasn't collaborated yet with some better known emcees.

yeah, he needs some more exposer. love almost all his work.

[defcon]

GZA - liquid swords

A MUST HAVE.

QFT.

Also recommended:

2pac- Me Against the World (his best LP imo)
JayZ- Reasonable Doubt (donno about everyone hypin Black Album over this... like saying SNK v Capcom > SSF2 or something)

And like many others have mentioned:
Eminem- Slim Shady LP and/or Marshal Mathers LP
Notorious BIG- Ready to Die

[Doctor Who]

Madvillainy- Madvillain
Ironman- Ghostface
Cold Vein- Cannibal Ox
Grandmasters- Gza/DJ Muggs
Only Built For Cuban Linx- Raekwon

[Black Chanler]

GZA - Liquid Swords
MF Doom - Operation: Doomsday
Ice Cube - The Predator
DJ Muggs vs GZA the Genius - Grandmasters
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

Side note...your not going to be able to purchase operation doomsday in any store/site...happy downloads

[glass]

eric b and rakim - paid in full


i picked up a compilation ("100 Greatest Songs of Rap and Hiphop"), and finally heard "You Got Soul". shit, i didn't know the 80s had stuff this good (and it was nice to see where Mos Def took that line). i also finally heard "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash.. awesome stuff.

i had a hard time getting into Midnight Marauders (A Tribe Called Quest) for some reason.

i start to think and then i sink into the paper / like i was ink
when i'm writing i'm trapped in between the lines / i escape when i finish the rhyme

you guys have been great. this is far from a crash course, but it's a nice start for me.

[hubcapsignstop]

im honestly more into beats than lyrics and I usually like funky shit, so keep that in mind while reading:

i like new hip hop its almost exclusively what I listen to but imo it cant hold a candle to the best of 80's early 90's hip hop (prob nostalgia)
some singles off the top pf my head that gives me goosebumps (on albums other than the ones i previously mentioned):
biz markie: my man rich
biz markie: things get a little easier
biz markie: She's Not Just Another Woman (Monique)
big dady kane: warm it up kane
special ed: i got it made
Slick rick: childrens story, mona lisa, hey young world, lick the balls
milk d: milk is chillin
KRS-one: sound of the police
Pete Rock and CL Smooth: they reminicse over you
grand puba: mind your business

...you get the idea

Grand Puba: real to real (whole album)
UMC's: Fruits of Nature (whole album) <--good luck finding it (goes for like $50 used on the internet auctions)

also
If you ever get the chance to buy an album thats just called: SUNNMOONSEKT
get it (very hard to find)
the trippiest, ruggedest beats ever, I have never known anyone to not be blown away by the sound of this album and pester me forever for a copies

whatever
i like this shit

[-JD-]

2Pac - All Eyez On Me (2CD)
Dr.Dre - The Chronic
Dr.Dre - 2001
Snoop Dogg - The Last Meal
Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle

[Sex)packets]

there's 3s at SFSU now???

Jea.

I have another recommedation for you. Another MUST HAVE.

Sage Francis - Personal Journals. It's a bit emo but I like it. One of the best albums I've heard in a while.

[JALbert]

Royce Da 5'9" - Death is Certain (retail album, out of print IIRC)
Papoose - Underground King (mixtape)
Papoose - Bootlegger's Nightmare (mixtape)
Green Lantern - Alive on Arrival (DJ mixtape)
S.A.S - Who Dares Wins (mixtape)


EDIT: Sage Francis is awesome too... Makeshift Patriot is an excellent track.

[glass]

i've just been listening to "Paid In Full" (Eric B and Rakim) for the last few days, and even now the only word i can think of to describe it is "OMFG". i can't believe this shit is from 1986.

i've heard some of R's newer tracks (e.g. "Don't Sweat The Technique", 1992), and i dunno... he wasn't as audible as he was in Paid In Full, and the beats were just eating up his rhymes, at least on that track.

i see tons of praise for Rakim in reviews, read about how he's influenced hiphop, etc, but as far as i've heard he hasn't had any chart-toppers. are any of his albums much better than Paid In Full? i'm hoping to pick up his later stuff, but i'm worried that i've already heard the best of him..

[epsilon_]

paid in full is generally considered his classic album.

[Shankar]

People have already said some great one... and some...


...anyways... here's my list from the top of the head real quick...: (in no specific order)




Major

- Mobb Deep: The Infamous
- Gravediggaz: 6 Feet Deep
- Smoothe Da Hustler: Once Uppon A Time In America
- Nas: Illmatic
- Rakim: 18th Letter (The Book Of Life)
- Helter Skelter: Nocturnal
- The Pharcyde: LabCabinCaliFornia
- Dr. Dre's The Chronic (both of them!!)
- A Tribe Called Quest: Beats, Life And Rhymes
- Busta Rhymes: The Coming
- Bone, Thugs... : Creapin' on the Comeup & E. 1999
- Wu Tang Clan: 36 Chambers, Forever, Ironman, OB4CL, Return to the 36 Chambers, Tical...


Independent

- Atmosphere: Overcast, Lucy Ford & God Loves Ugly
- Aesop Rock: Float & Labot Days
- Soul Position: Unlimited EP & Things Go Better With Rj & Al
- Sage Francis: Personal Journals
- Sean Price: Monkey Bars
- Louis Logic: Sin-A-Matic
- One Be Lo: s.o.n.o.g.r.a.m.
- MF Doom: Op. Doomsday & Viktor Vaughn's Vaudeville Villain
- Del the funky... : Deltron 3030
- El-P: Fantastic Damage
- Canibal Ox: The Cold Vein
- Cage: Hell's Winter
- Blueprint: 1988
- Binary Star: Master's Of The Universe


PS- For those of you interested in getting MF Doom's Operation Doomsday, but can't find it anywhere because it's out of print... Doom recently posted a bulletin on myspace about this. You can get it here:
http://www.emusic.com/album/10601/10601031.html?AID=10364977&PID=1960290&cjsku=10601031

[L1qu1d]

yea man rakim in my eyes was the greatest there ever was. "the golden era" the 80s-96, the best years of hiphop. the lates 80s produced so many ridiculous albums, and yea rakim has a couple of ridiciculosly good albums...follow the leader and don't sweat the technique are amazing....i really really like let the rhytm hitem and his 2 solo albums that came out later in the 90s i feel theyre really slept on rakim never fell off, but of course nothing can match the shit he put out in the 80s

[L1qu1d]

yea man rakim in my eyes was the greatest there ever was. "the golden era" the 80s-96, the best years of hiphop. the lates 80s produced so many ridiculous albums, and yea rakim has a couple of ridiciculosly good albums...follow the leader and don't sweat the technique are amazing....i really really like let the rhytm hitem and his 2 solo albums that came out later in the 90s i feel theyre really slept on rakim never fell off, but of course nothing can match the shit he put out in the 80s

[Difoj]

Ready to Die-B.I.G
36 Chambers-Wu-Tang Clan
Resurrection-Common FKA Common Sense
Liquid Swords-GZA
Only Built for CUban Linx- Raekwon the Chef (surprised I didnt see this one listed, oops nm just missed it the first time)

[Riot Guard]

These are all you need right now with a little bit of variety. Good start.

Cannibal OX-cold vein
Saigon-warning shots
Camron-Purple Haze
Aesop Rock- Bazooka Tooth
Game Over- Volume 2

[glass]

The Lost Tapes (Nas) had some great production.. it's basically replaced the Cafe Del Mar cd in my lounge for a week, so far. does anyone know if the second Lost Tapes album is as good? could anyone recommend any albums w the same kind of laid back jazzy instrumentals and/or introspective rhyming?

picked up God's Son (Nas) and Street's Disciple (Nas) too. mm.. i dunno, the production on SD seemed a little heavy handed (if that makes sense?).. the transition to and from chorus on most songs just wasn't seamless. God's Son was crazy though. which leaves me curious as to what Nas would sound like on a Kanye-produced track..

finally heard College Dropout (Kanye West). craaaaazy production.

i listened to Red Light District (Ludacris) once; i dunno.. after one listen, i really couldn't take it anymore. i guess i really look for the multi-syllabic and internal rhymes now, and this one reminded me too much of And Then There Was X (DMX, who incidentally was on the Ludacris album).

question for anyone up on Rakim; why aren't Rakim's later albums as hot as his first two? is it because he started rhyming about different subject matter, or the production wasn't as tight? what about the fact that he started holding the mic a little further away (e.g. the change seems to drown his voice out sometimes in the bass)? i agree that the first two albums will always outshine the rest, just wondering what the technical reasons were.

does anyone have any articles/links comparing Biggie, Nas, and Rakim in terms of lyrical technique? i'm trying to figure out why i like Biggie's style so much despite having released only one really solid album (Ready to Die). e.g. i keep hearing Rakim's style compared to a musical instrument (e.g. a saxophone..) and Nas' being rather 'slow' and 'poetic'. Biggie has this 'husky voice' apparently, but how does one describe his flow (technically)?

[L1qu1d]

^^yea i don't know, i love all of rakims albums, but the later ones just dont seem to have as much hunger or the right people working with god. who knows though, lyrically hes the sharpest in the shed. flow is how you ride the beat, i inculde breath control too when i talk about flow, delivery and alll that is completely different to me. and the first couple of rakim albums were so unbeliveably groundbreaking, it was just the perfect forumla for the time i suppose. you're not gonna find an article that is gonna break it down to a science like you want it, theres like 25 MCs i lump in the greatest catagory, there is no 1 best MC.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Zvf0kTt6PT4&search=dpg

song has me dancin out of my seat

[Robust]

anything and Everything by E-40

[Ill E]

The Lost Tapes (Nas) had some great production.. it's basically replaced the Cafe Del Mar cd in my lounge for a week, so far. does anyone know if the second Lost Tapes album is as good?

yea, i like lost tapes alot too. and yea , it has a lot of songs with piano melodies.

lost tapes 2 is OK. its really a mixtape, it wasnt released as a CD. it has more songs, including older songs that came out way before the time period that the Lost tapes' songs are from. (songs that were recorded during the recording sessions for "I Am", "Nastradamus" and "stillmatic") it was really just a mixtape, not an official album, so the quality wasnt as good. i have it somewhere tho, if you want a link for it so you can hear it...

[Stuckey]

De La Soul - De La Soul is Dead (my personal fav album of all time)
Prince Paul - A Prince Among Thieves
Common - One Day it'll All Make Sense (or any after it. Resurrection is good too)
Gangstarr - Full Clip: A Decade of Gangstarr (2 discs full of GOOD MUSIC).
Mos Def - Black on Both Sides

Anything that says Definitive Jux on the back and anything from Outkast is also worth checking out.

[EvilKing]

Here's my list.

Snoop Dogg's first album
The Neptunes - clones
Jurasic Five - Quality Control
Beastie Boys - To the Five Boroughs
Outkast - Stankonia

[Black Chanler]

Here's my list.


The Neptunes - clones


Album would have been a classic if there wasnt them filler rock songs and that NORE track.

[EvilKing]

Album would have been a classic if there wasnt them filler rock songs and that NORE track.Agreed more or less. Except for the fact that I like one of those rock songs quite a bit (though admittedly it's hella outta place in the album), and I love the beat on that NORE song, but the lyrics are fuckin' annoying.

Either way, it's one of my favorites.

[zakky]

1. Madvillain - Madvillainy
2. Tupac - All Eyez on Me
3. Dr. Dre - Chronic 2001
4. Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
5. Clipse - We Got It For Cheap Vol. 2

[FragMasterGen]

dr dre - the chronic
snoop - doggystyle
warren g - regulate
tupac - all eyez on me
dj quik - rhythmalism
dr dre - 2001
xzibit - restless / 40 dayz 40 nightz
kurupt - tha streetz iz a mutha
tha dogg pound - dogg food

if u like that style of rap, those are all gems

[SuicidalGrandpa]

93 Til' Infinity - Souls of Mischief
Third Eye Vision - Hieroglyphics
36 Chambers - Wu-Tang Clan
The Score - Fugees
Blackstar - Mos Def and Talib Kweli

I have more, but you said only five :(

[Dime_x]

hmmm... for me it would be, in no particular order:

1 pharcyde- bizarre ride to the pharcyde.

2 nas- illmatic

3 artifacts- first album(cant remember the name)

4 any tribe called quest or dela soul album( i like them all)

5 aceyalone- all balls dont bounce, or book of human language ( both albums are the shit and aceyalone is the best rapper ive ever had the privilege to listen to)

the beatnuts- intoxicated demons

THA Alkoholics

THE Boogiemonsters

kool keith- dr. octagon

gangstarr and hieroglyphics although unassociated are revered among the hip-hop community.

GANGSTA RAP: i dont know much about this but i'll tell you some artists that ive loved:

westside connection- i'm not a fan of cube or mack 10 but that speaks even more for there first album in the westside connection- shit bangs.

dj quick

E-40

Spice 1

tupac

snoop

[Sex)packets]

yo dime.

you have book of human language? that cd is really hard to find.

[Dasrik]

1. Drugs Are Bad
2. They Make You Sad
3. Sometimes Glad
4. But Mostly Sad
5. Drugs

[Don Joff]

Juggaknots - Clear Blue Skies: Re release (Album is pure gold, essential)
Skinnyman - Council Estate Of Mind
Roots Manuva - Run Come Save Me, Awfully Deep
Pete Rock - Soul Survivor
Jeru The Damaja - The Sun Rises In The East

[RodJ]

hmmm... for me it would be, in no particular order:

1 pharcyde- bizarre ride to the pharcyde.

2 nas- illmatic

3 artifacts- first album(cant remember the name)

4 any tribe called quest or dela soul album( i like them all)

5 aceyalone- all balls dont bounce, or book of human language ( both albums are the shit and aceyalone is the best rapper ive ever had the privilege to listen to)

the beatnuts- intoxicated demons

THA Alkoholics

THE Boogiemonsters

kool keith- dr. octagon

gangstarr and hieroglyphics although unassociated are revered among the hip-hop community.

GANGSTA RAP: i dont know much about this but i'll tell you some artists that ive loved:

westside connection- i'm not a fan of cube or mack 10 but that speaks even more for there first album in the westside connection- shit bangs.

dj quick

E-40

Spice 1

tupac

snoop


I like that list but where is resonable doubt,chronic 2001,eminem 1st album(slim shaddy i think it is) and anything by the roots

[cam347]

not my top 5 but ones I just recomend if ya like gangsta rap

Tha Dogg Pound - Dogg Food (though this would be on my top 5)
Daz Dillinger - Retaliation, Revenge and Get Back
Daz Dillinger - R.A.W.
Daz Dillinger - This Is The Life I Lead
Kurupt - Tha Streetz Iz a Mutha
The Game - You Know What It Is Vol. 3
The Game - Ghost Unit
The Game - Stop Snitchin, Stop Lyin'
Yukmouth & The Regime - All Out War Vol. 1 - 3
Yukmouth - The Million Dollar Mixtape

[spideyman]

i like anything by Atmosphere, Common, Beastie Boys, and Talib Kwali. there's more but not enough time to list right now.

[1/2Man1/2God]

1.Nas-Illmatic
2.Jay-Z-Black Album
3.Lupe Fiasco-Food & Liquor
4.Busta Rhymes-Big Bang
5.Cam'ron-Killa Season

Bonus* I don't really like 50 but...GET RICH OR DIE TRYING soundtrack. Almost all the songs are hot!

[Mark Beast]

reup gang -we got it 4 cheap vol.1
reup gang -we got it 4 cheap vol. 2
dj drama and lil wayne -dedication
dj drama and lil wayne -dedication 2
lil wayne -the carter 2

all you need as far as 06 hip hop until the clipse album drops in october.

[Robust]

diplomats vol. 5
Cam'ron - Killa Season
diplomatic immunity 1
cam'ron - purple haze
cam'ron - come home with me

[RodJ]

diplomats vol. 5
Cam'ron - Killa Season
diplomatic immunity 1
cam'ron - purple haze
cam'ron - come home with me


you didn't like diplomatic immunity vol.2..umm kasa(however u spell it) ripped it...man the whole dipset fam is sick even yaya lol.

[Mark Beast]

diplomatic immunity vol. 2 was open ass.

[ssjbrydon]

uhh easy
1. wayne - carter 1
2. wayne - carter 2
3. bg - chopper city in the ghetto
4. juve - 400 degreez
5. bg - chopper city

....well other than cash money i would go


solo
1. mystikal - mind of mystikal
2. nas - illmatic
3. krayzie bone - thug mentality
4. 2pac - all eyes on me
5. eminem - infinite

group

1. hot boys - guerilla warfare
2. wu-tang - wutang forever
3. bone - east 1999
4. tribe called quest - anthology
5. outkast - aquemini

[RodJ]

lol we can tell U from the south but aquemini was a great album too

[Dragon Punch]

Del- Deltron 3030
Masta Ace- Long Hot Summer
The Roots- Things Fall Apart
Mosdef and Talib Qweli- Blackstar
Binarystar- Masters of the Universe

Every album there is a cetified classic.

[OriginaL_DA]

Little Brother:
-The Listening
-Chitlin Circuit 1.5
-The Minstrel Show
-Seperate But Equal
=D

ohh..and Murs:
-3:16
-Murray's Revenge
=]

[Dime_x]

I like that list but where is resonable doubt,chronic 2001,eminem 1st album(slim shaddy i think it is) and anything by the roots


yeah i left a lot of stuff out, but i wasnt trying to make a DEFINITIVE list, that would take posts upon posts. example, lil wayne is tight as hell (to me), solesides also, supernatural seen LIVE will blow your mind with his freestyles, the wu, tunnel rats(NOBODY has heard of these kids) yet they're AWESOME! jeru tha damaja, fukkin L.L. cool j!!! i think he,s the best all around rapper, my friend and i got into a heated argument about who was the G.O.A.T., i picked L.L., he picked fukkin SNOOP. i love snoop but come on? krs 1, freestyle fellowship, RAkim, outcasts, poor righteous teachers ( NOT for everyone) etc. etc.

Jay_z- reasonable doubt, is one of my favorite albums, but i dont see it being the lyrical masturbation that illmatic or bizarre were.

EM's first album i liked but it was too cheesy for my tastes, one or two listens was all i gave it cause after you heard the jokes there wasnt much to listen too(for me)
it reminded me of chino xl without the muscles (if muscles are your thang :) i loved em's 2nd album and its pretty much universally considered the best.


the roots are the best hip-hop band there ever was (take that, arrested development).


no i do not have book or any of his other albums ive got them memorized, but a few calls and i MIGHT be able to get a hold of some burned copies, probably not tho, best bet is tower records. but there ALWAYS out.

[Stuckey]

Little Brother:

-Separate But Equal
=D



Listening to this right now. Hot.

[glass]

i just picked up Capital Punishment by Big Pun. holy fucking shit.

[MrQuotes]

Fugees - The score
Notorious BIG - Ready to Die
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle
Eminem - Marshal Mathers LP

[glass]

could someone give a rundown on Big Pun? just hoping to know how his stuff sits on the tiers. i've wikipediad and googled, but not really much comparing his stuff to Big, Nas, etc. his style seems a lot like Biggie's, except much more violent.

[orochizoolander]

Big pun had a nasty flow no one disputes that but he wasn't 1 of the elite cuz like most ppl in the public eye alot of his hype came from his death.

There have been so many god tier mc's but the list i'm giving u is definitive BUT
only a small portion of the best shit youl evr hear:

1.gza-liquid swords
2.tupac all eyes on me
3. biggie-ready to die
4.eric b. and rakim-paid in full (UNDISPUTABLY THE BEST HIP HOP ALBUM EVER)
5.nas-illmatic

Here are just some of the many musts:

jay z-reasonable doubt*
outkast-aquemeni*
eminem-marshal mathers lp
50 cent-get rich or die trying
fugees-the score
mos def-black on both sides
n.w.a-straight outta compton
kanye west-college droput
common-like water for chocolate*
busta rhymes-genesis
raekwon-only built for cuban linx
wu tang clan-enter the wu tang*
a tribe called quest-midnight marauders*
naughty by nature-povertys paradise
slick rick-the art of story telling

Shit i could name at least a good 50 more albums but for now listen to all of this and nothing else until then.

BTW the ones with a * at the end are the best ones in my opinion next to the top 5.

[dn3000]

Nas - illamatic, God's son or lost tape
Snoop - doggy style, the last meal
Notorious BIG - life after death
Fugees the score
2pac - all eyez on me or makavelli

also

any thing by mos, common, talib, the roots, dr.dre and public enemy

[AdverseSolutions]

uhh easy
1. wayne - carter 1
2. wayne - carter 2
3. bg - chopper city in the ghetto
4. juve - 400 degreez
5. bg - chopper city

....well other than cash money i would go


whoa a cash money loyalist lol. i picked up the latest bg and it was pretty whack. like two good tracks, one of which was an intro haha.

[BornAgainCommunist]

LET MYSELF INTRODUCE MYSELF.....A LITTLE BIT OF A THEME HERE...
Im just gonna pretend that other shit from after 5 years ago doesnt exhist for a second here......

1) Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars/ Killarmy
their other albums werent that good IMO...
but this one worth mentioning their name.

2) Tical 2000: Judgement Day/ Methodman this is a master piece.

3) Wu Syndicate..... gotta here it.

4) Reunion / Capone-N-Noreaga....
If you heard it, then you know, if you didnt... it would be cooler if you did.

5) Get It How U Live !!/ Hot boys .....
Lil wayne looks 5 years old on the cover.... :rofl: I forget about this one sometimes, but I think this might be the greatest hip-hop album ever.

[Chozen1]

dj shadow: endtroducing
U.N.K.L.E. : psyence fiction.
The Roots Game Theory
atmosphere: you can't imagine how much fun we're having
Lastly Rob swift (Solo album, can't recall name and too lazy to dig out my 300+ cd's)
btw, this list has no order just random hip hop I like amongst others. I could throw in j5 power in numbers/quality control for those who like them (much better live though) but just my 2c.

[cam347]

whoa a cash money loyalist lol. i picked up the latest bg and it was pretty whack. like two good tracks, one of which was an intro haha.

cash money sucks. Turns out Lil Wayne didnt even write the Carter 1 lol. Yeah soem great over-rated BS mc he is lol

[The Epidemic]

1. big picture
2. illmatic
3. not built 4 cuban links
4. me against the world
5. the low end theory

[Satomiblood]

Pharcyde: Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, Labcabincalifornia
Nas: Illmatic, It Was Written
The Roots: Come Alive

[SlaughterX]

Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Canibus - 2000 BC
Nas - Illmatic
Mobb Deep - The Infamous
Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt

[aktham]

2Pac - Greatest Hits
Bone Thugs - The Collection Volume 1
Fugees - The Score
Jay-Z - Chapter One: Greatest Hits
NaS - The Best of NaS
Outkast - Greatest Hits

Jay-Z or NaS take your pick, but I would consider these 6 to be essential. If you don't like those then rap/hip-hop is not for you. There are many others i would like to mention...but i don't want to overwhelm you. Get these first and see what you think.

[BornAgainCommunist]

^^^

:rofl: overwhelm? come on....

Skin Dat smoke wagon and see what happens....