For the new jack: Essential albums

[David]

Let's say I (or anyone) was just getting into hip-hop, what are the monumental albums that absolutely need to be heard? I'm putting this in TROY because the canon ends at 1998 at the very latest (I'm not sure I like the idea of a canon, but that's another thread). You should say why you think each selection is so nessecary, but especially say why if it isn't one of the albums that are always named.

I'll start it off with some obvious ones.


Nas - Illmatic - Aside from having dope beats and rhymes that mesh almost perfectly, this album has some of the best lyrics ever. It is an intensely personal album, unlike many of the other standouts of hip-hop, but at the same time the listener feels like he or she can really relate to the protagonist, a fictionalized 20 year-old Nas.


PE - It Takes A Nation Of... - Actually someone else should do this one, because it's far from my favorite, so I might very well be missing essential aspects of it.


Ice Cube - Amerikkka's Most or Death Certificate - I can't decide which one or whether both of these should be included, but clearly at least one of them is necessary. Masterpieces of lyricism on the same level as Nas, they tackle large social issues in accessable ways. Ice Cube had so much to say. The songs bring together humor, visual imagery, anger, and blazing intensity, backed by appropriate beats.

I have to get ready for class now, so I'll stop now and add some more later.

[MD]

Paid In Full - Essential not only because the songs are all-time Hip-Hop classics, but because of the countless references to it in songs / albums since it was released.

[the brow]

Scarface: The Diary

[ardamus]

Cypress Hill's debut.......this is a must have

[Dunnnnleavy]

Wu-Tang Clan "Enter the Wu: 36 Chambers"- A one of a kind album that's grimey and unpolished, but extremely accessible at the same time. i don't know a whole lot about punk music...but i'ld call "36 Chambers" the equivalent to the Ramones debut...well known and appealing to any fan of the genre with a style all it's own...unpolished sound, but catchy. undoubtabley a staple in it's genre's history.

De La Soul "De La Soul Is Dead"- Conceptual masterpiece...just a great album to play front-to-back. You'll laugh, you'll cry...it's a hiphop epic.

A Tribe Called Quest "Midnight Marauders"- Picture perfect overall meshing of beats, lyrics, and flow. With all the artists on the cover-art this is kind of like a summer hiphop block party...it just makes you feel good.

Raekwon "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx" and GZA "Liquid Swords"- Especially if they liked "36 Chambers"...these albums will make you wanna watch alot of mafia and kung-fu flicks. It would be easier to explain their genius to an already hiphop firmiliar audience mostly cuz than you can explain how RZA's production makes you want to go choppin heads.

[jess]

Organized Konfusion - Extinction Agenda : shows how creative an MC can come with their delivery, great content too, I was blown away the first time I heard "Stray Bullet"

Mos Def - Black On Both Sides : shows how diverse hip-hop can be on one album while maintaining a nice smooth flow from song to song from beginning to end

[Nl5H]

nwa straight outta compton

[Stunna7516]

Black Moon - Enta Da Stage : Gritty grimey hard production similar to what the RZA was doing but different enough to have a unique sound. Buckshot is one of the sickest MCs Ive ever heard, and his performance here is one of the best on any album. Lyrics are just as hard as the beats, Black Moon created perfection with this album.

[Sebastian gets busy]

black sheep - a wolf in sheeps clothing.

this album is good because of the way dres handle's serious subjects (alongside the light hearted stuff) in a non preachy, often humorous fashion but without being corny. Each idea is presented in an imaginative way. The production is slamming and his rapping is one of the best emcee performances ever. (actually all of d.r.e.s.'s appearances on b sides, remixes, and his cameos on native tongue related cuts and on other albums from around this time have were incredible.)

[Sebastian gets busy]

digable planets - blowout comb

intelligent, mature, and very slick rhymes. stellar production. This album cooks.

[Sebastian gets busy]

PE - It Takes A Nation Of... - Actually someone else should do this one, because it's far from my favorite, so I might very well be missing essential aspects of it.

IT was a polished up version of what was hinted at by "yo... bumrush the show"

the bombsquad and rick rubin layed down insane influential instrumentals out of a riveting, thick mix of blaring obscure samples and classic heavy funk.

Chuck D stepped up his rhymes and was quite a bit more focused with his flow and with his handling of a diverse array of "conscious topics." He wasn't as lyrically clever as rakim or krs one, but he was obviously intellignet and adept at driving home his messages with a clear vision, lots of power and force.

flavor flav's absurd rapping also stepped up and he became the perfect hypeman/partner/comedic relief for the group.

[Money Gripp]

This album had so much impact on everything that came after it, that it's almost taken for granted. However, this album should never be taken lightly. It's simply a great album, whether the year is 1987 or 2004. KRS was pretty much the first "intelligent thug" although not in the wack, played-out modern sense of the term. He was a b-boy from the ghetto who wanted to spread awareness of inner city problems, but also wreck shit on the mic and even indulge a criminal fantasy or two. There hasn't been an MC quite like him before or since. The production might sound dated to some ears, but it's one of the best produced albums before 1988 and perfectly bridges the gap between the old school sound and the James Brown sampling craze that would dominate the Golden Era of hip hop. It's got just about everything: clever and quotable lyrics, dope samples, topical variety, a great sense of humor with a dose of "realness", the best dis track ever in "The Bridge Is Over", and arguably the best hometown anthem of all-time in "South Bronx". It's the best album made before the release It Takes A Nation... and is undeniably essential.

[Smooth Lou]

One of the greats in top form.

OWN THIS ALBUM BITCHES!!!

[Money Gripp]

Wu-Tang Clan "Enter the Wu: 36 Chambers"- A one of a kind album that's grimey and unpolished, but extremely accessible at the same time. i don't know a whole lot about punk music...but i'ld call "36 Chambers" the equivalent to the Ramones debut...well known and appealing to any fan of the genre with a style all it's own...unpolished sound, but catchy. undoubtabley a staple in it's genre's history

That's a great analogy too when you think about the climate of the respective genres at the time the two albums were released. Hip hop had become overblown and excessively commercial at the time 36 Chambers was released the same way it had in the 70's when The Ramones debut came out. Both albums took it back to the basics and embodied the value of the DIY ethic (even if they were both on majors at the time).

[David]

You guys stole all the ones I was thinking of. Now I'll have to think of more.

Good posts. Thanks.

[Stoned Starks]

i would add to the list the following:
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
one of the best produced albums of all time and the emcee's all come off real dope. Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, Lady of Rage, RBX, and even Dre all in their primes.

The Notorius B.I.G. - Ready to Die
the personification of style on a record. his presence, flow, tone, everything really, are just jaw dropping. classic songs abound.

The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride
all i can say is it's just fucking fun to listen to

peace

[rlorg]

One of the greats in top form.

OWN THIS ALBUM BITCHES!!!

ah ya bastad...
ya beat me to it...

[BIG GONZO]

I'll nominate Jeru tha damaja: The sun rises in the east

Some of primo's best production and pretty intelligent lyrics from Jeru. Like a gangstarr album with slighty better MCing IMO. The trombone of "the bitchez" is too ill.

[zpt4]

gravediggaz - 6 feet deep



shows how just how creative hiphop can be. funny one second, disturbing the next. all basis are covered on this album.

[Employee]

This album had so much impact on everything that came after it, that it's almost taken for granted. However, this album should never be taken lightly. It's simply a great album, whether the year is 1987 or 2004. KRS was pretty much the first "intelligent thug" although not in the wack, played-out modern sense of the term. He was a b-boy from the ghetto who wanted to spread awareness of inner city problems, but also wreck shit on the mic and even indulge a criminal fantasy or two. There hasn't been an MC quite like him before or since. The production might sound dated to some ears, but it's one of the best produced albums before 1988 and perfectly bridges the gap between the old school sound and the James Brown sampling craze that would dominate the Golden Era of hip hop. It's got just about everything: clever and quotable lyrics, dope samples, topical variety, a great sense of humor with a dose of "realness", the best dis track ever in "The Bridge Is Over", and arguably the best hometown anthem of all-time in "South Bronx". It's the best album made before the release It Takes A Nation... and is undeniably essential.

Excellent choice.

[solace]

all the best ones have been taken but ill nominate:

common sense - resurrection
souls of mischeif - 93 til infinity
the roots - do you want more

[Wordsmith]

main source- breaking atoms



Hip Hop like this doesn't exist anymore. monumental album with amazing production, solid rhymes, and the first appearances of nas and akinelye. ha, that sounds like a throwback to the days of comic books.

notable tracks: looking at the front door, live at the bbq

o.c.- word...life



possibly one of the most overlooked Hip Hop classics. o.c. rips it from start to finish. deserves to be ranked up there with the illmatics, the 36 chambers, etc.

notable tracks: born 2 live, time's up

ghostface killah- ironman



while it may not be as highly regarded as the other wu solos, it's just as important. the trio of ghostface/raekwon/cappadonna delivers an all out lyrical assault. ferocious. cappadonna might be driving cabs around nowadays, but back when this album dropped, he was bringing it strong. his verse in winter warz was allegedly freestyled in the studio. ghostface rips the album with his gibberish style, but switches it up and delivers perhaps one of the most heartfelt tracks of all time in "all i got is you."

notable tracks: camay, winter warz, all i got is you

common-resurrection



one of the rare albums that gets better with each listen. this album single handedly cemented com sense's name on the greatest of all time list. dense, dense wordplay that never gets old. no i.d. handles the production very well. i used to love H.E.R. is perhaps one of the most important Hip Hop songs of all time. hey, someone even made a movie based on the ideas introduced in that song. "cuz who i'm talking bout y'all is Hip Hop..."

notable tracks: thisisme, resurrection, i used to love H.E.R.

jay-z- reasonable doubt



yeah, a lot of purists refuse to take jay-z seriously, but you can't deny the quality of this album. true, he tends to be stuck on the same subject matter. and yes, his lyrics tend to degrade women and glorify a life of materialism and crime. and yeah, he might not have much to rap about if he never saw that scarface movie, but this is STILL one of the most consistent albums of the 90s. you can't deny hove's finesse on the mic and his sheer rapping ability.

notable tracks: can i live, regrets

goodie mob- soul food



holy crap, goodie mob (and outkast) made me shut up after saying for years that the south had no content and couldn't rap. amazing album.

notable tracks: cell therapy, soul food

dj shadow- endtroducing



wow, a Hip Hop album with no lyrics? is it even Hip Hop then? hell yeah it is, shadow shows the world exactly what can be done with an mpc, a crate of records, and a truckload of ingenuity. atmospheric (no, not that atmosphere, you emo-boys), melodic compositions that truly stretch the boundaries of Hip Hop music. plus, the perfect soundtrack for a late night drive.

notable tracks: organ donor, midnight in a perfect world

souls of mischief- 93 til infinity



while most people an mp3 of the title track somewhere on their hard drive, not everyone has actually heard the entire album. souls of mischief was the west coast's answer to the native tongue movement. this album was beyond its time- released in a california that was full of death row/g funk, etc. SOM flip some of the most energetic, complex rhymes that have been recorded in the past 10 years.

notable tracks: 93 til infinity (duh), let em know

more recently:

all natural- no additives, no preservatives



slept on album from capital d and tone b nimble. the rhymes remind me of common's resurrection, and not just because all nat is coming out of the windy city. top notch Hip Hop. it seems like stuff like this is few and far between.

notable tracks- its okay, 50 years

binary star- masters of the universe



wow. just, wow. i had no idea that something like this was even possible. mindblowing emceeing with production to match.

notable tracks- honest expression, reality check, glen close

mf doom- operation doomsday!



zevlove x disappeared from the earth after his brother subroc died in a car accident in the early 90s, only to re-emerge six years later as the super villain DOOM! some of the most unique Hip Hop that has been released in a minute. he speaks gibberish, but it's cool gibberish. i could listen to DOOM babble all day. he may not be the most technically sound emcee, his beats might not be the most complex, but you can just FEEL him. he just has some certain soulful element to him that can not be described, only experienced.

notable tracks: doomsday, rhymes like dimes, hey!

[RacquetballGangsta]

de la soul - stakes is high: another great album from perhaps the most creative hiphop group of all time, proving they could make a classic without the genius prince paul overseeing the project. a great commentary on the state of rap music and the larger black culture. incredibly diverse in subject matter. posdnuous and dave at the height of their powers.

mobb deep - the infamous: grimey, qb hiphop. something in the some vein as illmatic, id say. great production, overseen and influenced by the abstract, q tip. haunting and hard hitting. top quality throughout, and the chemisty between hav and p is unbelievable...just something intagibly dope about this record.

the roots - illadelph halflife: the roots get rid of the overtly jazzy sound and show they can get raw...black thought puts in one of the greatest emceeing performances ever. people hate on it because its hiphops first band, for all intents and purposes, playing in order to SOUND like samples. but that notwithstanding, the production is ridiculous.

a tribe called quest - the low end theory: great jazzy hiphop. the use of samples is ingenious. q tip and phife just come with their brand of candid and honest rhymes that just beg u to recite along with them. tribe's best album.

ghostface killah - ironman: one of the greatest emcees of all time's debut solo. nothing resembling a weak song on the album. it hits hard from the intro to the outro...using samples from obscure and well known movies to weave together the drug dealing tales of tony starks and his cohorts. just that wu goodness. the last of the great solo albums from the camp.

gza - liquid swords: the genius at work. top quality production from rza. great skits straight out of the world of shaolin and wu tang films. nothing much more to say...

outkast - atliens: the south showing it can get down with creative hiphop, with meaningful and insightful lyrics. andre and big boi showed growth on this album, mixing their southernplaystic style with some more serious social commentary, showing improvement in every department. organized noize blesses them with lovely southern funk, with a spaced out futuristic flavor.

[Sebastian gets busy]

showbiz and ag: runaway slaves

stellar, layered, gritty production. Just beautiful. A classic dres guest appearance, diverse topics... expressive, energetic raps by AG... there is nothing not to love. the album is raw NY hip hop at its finest

brand nubian: one for all

complex, sometimes abstract rhymes, handled masterfully especially by sadat x and grand puba... lots of 5 percent science... slammin production, some catchy hooks. aggressive counterpart to the native tongues.

x clan: to the east, blackwards

technically adept, urgent yet very smooth raps by the extremely underated mc brother j who covers socially aware topics... coupled with professor x's hype man type appearances, and great production make this album unmissable. get it, sissies.

[Stab WOud]

Kool Keith as Dr.Octagon - Dr.Octagonecologyst

Revolutionary stuff. Crazy production, rhymes, and some of the best scratching ever. Cool concept, awesome album.

[ThaJim]

Tupac- Me Against The World This album will show anyone that hip hop does have a soul. Dear Mama what has not already been said about that song that I could add. One of the most honest songs about an artist trying to stay faithful while on the road in Temptations. Can U Get a Way about a man tying to save a women from Domestic violence. Old Skool a great primer on Old Skool artist. All the songs fortelling his death and the hopelessness and yet power he felt from knowing his death was right around the corner. Then Me against the World the best song about just saying fuck your friends, your job, wifey/girlfriend, family etc and doing what you need to do. This album is from the soul.

[rlorg]

Tupac- Me Against The World This album will show anyone that hip hop does have a soul. Dear Mama what has not already been said about that song that I could add. One of the most honest songs about an artist trying to stay faithful while on the road in Temptations. Can U Get a Way about a man tying to save a women from Domestic violence. Old Skool a great primer on Old Skool artist. All the songs fortelling his death and the hopelessness and yet power he felt from knowing his death was right around the corner. Then Me against the World the best song about just saying fuck your friends, your job, wifey/girlfriend, family etc and doing what you need to do. This album is from the soul.

Arguable...


Upping because this needs to continue...

[bizzlestiltskin]

Ahh, I've never really listened to Tupac because his whole style just bugs me. I've heard a lot of his songs and I just don't "get it."

My nominations would be:

The Fugees-The Score
Raekwon-Only Built for Cuban Linx
Niggaz4life-NWA and Straight Outta Compton
Gang starr-step in the arena

[KRS-THUN ATTACK!]

Regardless of what anyone thinks about Tupac, "Me Against the World" does not belong in this thread, largely because it is the kind of album that even a new jack from Alaska has heard.

[Naught]

Great thread... upping.