The Battle of '98

[stype_ones]

I'm sure there is some album that is missing for someone so pencil it in if you want!

[step one]

Between Jay Z and Gang Starr. Played them both to death at the time.

[stype_ones]

Some others from that year include Cam's debut, Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, DJ Honda, Def Squad, MOP, Method Man, DJ Quick, Daz, Aceyalone, Brand Nubian, Jungle Brothers.. just to name a few...

[hessbz12]

My senior year in HS/freshman year in college. I don't even know how to begin to choose. Planned the hell out of the DMX albums. Especially the second. Love that NORE. A lot of these albums held me down during freshman year away from home in college. I'm gonna have to think about these for a bit.

[madstadik]

Junior year of high school for me, beginning of senior. Had to go gang starr. The climate in hip hop had changed and that was a much needed album at the time

[step one]

I remember playing alot of tracks off DJ Clue's 'The Professional' too. Ruff Ryder's Anthem remix and all that.

[hessbz12]

I remember playing alot of tracks off DJ Clue's 'The Professional' too. Ruff Ryder's Anthem remix and all that.

Yes!

[stype_ones]

This was junior year of college for me. Chose Gang Starr, but could have picked a few others. The Pun record is special for me as is the NORE. Soul Survivor was pretty amazing. Devin The Dude. The first DMX. Black Starr.

[stype_ones]

I remember playing alot of tracks off DJ Clue's 'The Professional' too. Ruff Ryder's Anthem remix and all that.

Thought that was 99 bust just looked and it was Dec 98. I remember it being really cold when I used to drive around blasting that shit so I thought it was like Feb or March of 99 but I was wrong.

[step one]

Banned From TV
Reservoir Dogs
John Blaze
Ruff Ryders Anthem remix
You Know My Steez remix
The Usual Suspects

Great year for posse cuts.

[unclebengi]

Aquemini and it's not close.

In retrospect Pun and Juvy take the 2/3 spots.

Lotta heat left out too-

Young Bleed- My Balls and My Word
Daz Dillinger- Retaliation, Revenge, & Get Back
Aceyalone- A Book of Human Language
M.O.P.- First Fam 4 Life
Lauryn Hill- Miseducation
Xzibit- 40 Days & 40 Nights
DJ Quick- Rhythm-al-ism

[hessbz12]

Banned From TV
Reservoir Dogs
John Blaze
Ruff Ryders Anthem remix
You Know My Steez remix
The Usual Suspects

Great year for posse cuts.

Blackout off that DMX with the Lox and Jay-Z is nice as well

[hessbz12]

The Lox- Money, Power, Respect came out in '98 as well. Damn.

[stype_ones]

The Lox- Money, Power, Respect came out in '98 as well. Damn.

Fuck, thought that was the end of 97. These late or early year releases throw me off.

[Philaflava]

not sure how anyone can vote for anything other than aquemini here.

[stype_ones]

not sure how anyone can vote for anything other than aquemini here.

It's funny, I didn't fully appreciate this album until around 2002 when I just couldn't care less about Hip Hop and was really over it. One day I was going through my CDs and could not find anything I wanted to listen to at that moment. I came to Aquemini and decided for some reason to throw it on and really feel in love with it then. in 1998 I probably listened to it 5 times if that.

[step one]

Outkast has definitely aged better than a lot of things on the list

[step one]

Some other notable tracks. Great year with lots of variety

50 Cent - How To Rob
Bad Meets Evil - Scary Movies/Nuttin Ta Do
Big L - Ebonics
Cam & Mase - Horse & Carriage
Cam & DMX - Pull It
Canibus - 2nd Round Knockout
E40 - Flashin
Ghostface - Cobra Clutch
LL, Redman, Meth, Canibus/Master P & DMX - 4,3,2,1
Jurassic 5 - Concrete Schoolyard
Lootpack - Whenimondamic
Mase, LOX, Black Rob, DMX - 24 Hours To Live
MF Doom - Red & Gold/The Mic
OC & Big L - Dangerous
Sauce Money & Jay Z - Pre Game
Screwball - FAYBAN
Show & AG - Full Scale EP
Smut Peddlers - One By One
The Firm - Firm Biz (World Famous remix)
Warren G & Nate Dogg - Nobody Does It Better

[Philaflava]

not sure how anyone can vote for anything other than aquemini here.

It's funny, I didn't fully appreciate this album until around 2002 when I just couldn't care less about Hip Hop and was really over it. One day I was going through my CDs and could not find anything I wanted to listen to at that moment. I came to Aquemini and decided for some reason to throw it on and really feel in love with it then. in 1998 I probably listened to it 5 times if that.

It definitely took time to fully appreciate it, but now that you did...

[Versive]

Aquemini
Bobby Digital
Heavy Mental
It's Dark and Hell is Hot
Moment of Truth

The more we do these, the more I realize that try as I might to inculcate myself to da soundz ov da golden era, by and large I will always prefer the mid-late '90s hip-hop I grew up on to the early '90s hip-hop I went back to ipso facto.

[madstadik]

94-98 maybe early 99 to me is the beat

[stype_ones]

not sure how anyone can vote for anything other than aquemini here.

It's funny, I didn't fully appreciate this album until around 2002 when I just couldn't care less about Hip Hop and was really over it. One day I was going through my CDs and could not find anything I wanted to listen to at that moment. I came to Aquemini and decided for some reason to throw it on and really feel in love with it then. in 1998 I probably listened to it 5 times if that.

It definitely took time to fully appreciate it, but now that you did...

Even still, I voted for Gang Starr, and it is likely a NY bias (sounds funny cause neither member is actually from NY and I'm anti transplants claiming NY really) but it's also because growing up I was always really a champion for that type of sound getting recognition and with Moment of Truth they finally went Gold, and I remember going to a show around that time at I think Tramps or SOBs and the random MC or DJ curating the show announcing that the album went Gold and every one just being really fired up and happy. Just a great feeling for NYC Hip Hop when shit was changing for the worse. It was great to see Gang Starr, who we all love, finally getting the sales recognition, even if it was as a result of the fact that damn near everyone was selling like crazy at the time. Plus I just love that album, it's well deserved.

I grew to love Aquemini, though. But throughout these polls, I've always been consistent with voting for albums that I loved then as opposed to how I actually feel now.

[WiCkEd22]

not sure how anyone can vote for anything other than aquemini here.

That's exactly how I feel about Moment Of Truth.

OutKast? Uhhhhhh, NO THANKS!! I'm a HipHop head, remember? *shrugs*

[step one]

Voted Jay Z #realhiphop

[Krook]

Between Pun,JayZ and DMX for me..Voted Pun

[WiCkEd22]

Voted Jay Z #realhiphop

[Career Over Like Mike(NJJ)]

Aquemini.

Co-sign the calls for Young Bleed's first album or DJ Quik's rhythm-al-ism. At least The Dude and 400 Degreez are included tho

AZ's Pieces Of A Man is another key omission. Patchy album, but it contains some killer shit. The opening 5 seconds of The Pay Back alone bodies the whole Lyricist Lounge album or that unlistenable Bobby Digital nonsense.

[step one]

Voted Jay Z #realhiphop

Production by 45 King, Premier, Erick Sermon and Kid Capri not hiphop enough for you bro?

[stype_ones]

AZ's Pieces Of A Man is another key omission. Patchy album, but it contains some killer shit. The opening 5 seconds of The Pay Back alone bodies the whole Lyricist Lounge album or that unlistenable Bobby Digital nonsense.

Facts and AZ is one of my favorites. 2nd time I overlooked him. I try to have the polls well rounded but I think sometimes it would be easier to just put like 4 albums and call it a day since we all pretty much agree by the way voting has gone what the 4 best of each year are. Well you might be different, but the general consensus.

Pieces of a Man is my favorite AZ album too. Smh

[Spartan]

I remember buying Tical 2000 and Bobby Digital on the same day.

Gutted.