Your Top 10 Non-Canonical Albums

[Thun]

Ok, I think this will be an interesting exercise.

List your top 10 albums that are not culled from the usual pool of widely acknowledged classics or those artists that are considered enshrined in the hall of fame (obviously there will be some discord as to which albums fall into this category, but there are a bunch that mostly everyone agrees upon, ATCQ, PE, De La, NWA, Nas, etc.), but you feel deserve mention and in some ways can hang with the "classics."

Let us know which albums you think are good enough to be discussed among the best but are never mentioned. Don't be afraid to spark controversy but don't be contrarian for the hell of it; be prepared to offer cogent explanations. Don't just pick personal whimsical favorites that everyone else hates unless you can really defend the choice. Try to stay away from albums that people generally put in their top 30 but you think should be higher, like the Pharcyde's first album or whatever. You should be able to claim that your albums work well as albums: that they are cohesive, representative works that sound consistently good.

Pre-emptive: Clark Bent, we get it, your super-duper empirical rating and numerical ranking system is the final word and cannot be contested.

My list is as follows (generally, I feel that these albums are both innovative and dope, at a level far above the average that warrants their mention).

The Future Sound "The Whole Shabang, Vol. 1"
UMCs "Fruits Of Nature"
Boogiemonsters "Riders Of The Storm"
Digable Planets "Blowout Comb"
Freestyle Fellowship "To Whom It May Concern"
KMD "Black Bastards"
Aceyalone "A Book Of Human Language"
Blackalicious "Melodica"
Funktown Pros "Reachin' A Level Of Assassination"
Sir Menelik "Seven Eyes, Seven Horns"

[Roy Johnson]

Four from your list:

Freestyle Fellowship - To Whom It May Concern
Aceyalone - A Book Of Human Language
Blackalicious - Melodica
Funkytown Pros - Reachin' A Level Of Assassination

Plus these:

Krown Rulers - Paper Chase
Keith Murray - The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World
L.O.N.S. - Time
Ras Kass - Soul On Ice
Bush Babees - Gravity
Quasimoto - The Unseen

[Thun]

Four from your list:

Freestyle Fellowship - To Whom It May Concern
Aceyalone - A Book Of Human Language
Blackalicious - Melodica
Funkytown Pros - Reachin' A Level Of Assassination

Plus these:

Krown Rulers - Paper Chase
Keith Murray - The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World
L.O.N.S. - Time
Ras Kass - Soul On Ice
Bush Babees - Gravity
Quasimoto - The Unseen

I definitely considered LONS and Ras Kass, and thinking back, regret not putting them on the list, perhaps in place of KMD and Sir Menelik.

Krown Rulers is an interesting choice, and one I wouldn't really disagree with. For that mid-skool era between drum machines and full on mastery of samples that Paul C brings, it really is as good as it gets.

Quasimoto is also another awesome choice, as it is totally out of left field and weird and so good. It's kind of like what Psychoanalysis was aspiring to be.

Keith Murray - I'm a big fan of this record, but the same-ness of Sermon's production can bore me. But then again it isn't fair to just dismiss his work as more of the same here, he gave Keith a distinctive sound that was futuristic and yet back to basics, which match's Keith's whole steez and I think paved the way for the kind of stuff you find later in the 90s like Planet Asia's debut EP.

Bush Babees - While I wouldn't put this in my top 10 I can see a justification for it in that it totally masters the stripped down "underground" sound that would dominate the indie scene in the late 90s, but nobody ever made it sound more crisp and inviting, with the possible exception of that Walkin' Large album. I'm curious, though - why did you pick it?

[fatboybrandon]

Two from your list:

UMCs "Fruits Of Nature" (was just enjoying this yesterday after a long time of not hearing it)
KMD "Black Bastards"

I have yet to hear the rest of the other LPs you listed in entirety but have heard some songs from them before. I'm glad to see the list and look forward to other people's so I can look forward to getting each album.

8 more:

Brand New Heavies - Heavy Rhyme Experience (I've learned to appreciate this album more over the years and I think it was ahead of it's time for bridging live Funk with MCing)

Ice-T - O.G. Original Gangster

Dr. Octagon debut LP

The Genius - Words From A Genius

The Foreign Exchange - Connected (an album which many like myself, Spinna, Jazzy Jeff and others look at as a classic, but I notice still remains under-appreciated by traditionalists who prefer the raw sample-based tradition of Hip Hop over the level of musicality and "happy" sound it introduced. This is an album which showed the influence of Dilla upon the sound of Hip Hop from the mid 2000's to the present day by bringing increased musical elements and feel-good emotions)

Dead Prez - Let's Get Free

Percee P ‎– Now And Then

Freddie Foxx - Industry Shakedown

lemme know what you think..

[Roy Johnson]

Bush Babees - While I wouldn't put this in my top 10 I can see a justification for it in that it totally masters the stripped down "underground" sound that would dominate the indie scene in the late 90s, but nobody ever made it sound more crisp and inviting, with the possible exception of that Walkin' Large album. I'm curious, though - why did you pick it?

You captured it.

It's just a terrific front-to-back listen that puts me in a good mood.

The reggae dude (Light aka Y-Tee) is awesome. I can't even understand what he's saying at times, but it doesn't matter.

Every single Lee Majors verse is solid. It's a shame that he dropped off the map after '96 (aside from his '99 comeback attempt on Tinseltown To Boogiedown, which I never cared for).

Mr. Man is a hack rapper, but his production work was crucial to the album's sound. He contributed Wax, Maybe, S.O.S., The Ruler, The Ninth Presentation, etc.

It's hard for me to go back and listen to Mos Def, but this album would be an exception. I'm not really trying to hear any of his Rawkus material these days.

The title track is up there with my favorite Jay Dee productions. He also contributed 3 MCs, which is solid (maybe a little overrated).

The construction of this album also coincided with Shawn J Period's peak (That's Them came out right around the same time).

Everything just came together beautifully.

[Blockhead]

Shiiiiit. great topic.
I'm sure this kinda thing might be subject to change but off the top (pardon the repeats)...

1)Done by the forces of nature: jungle brothers
2)KMD: Black bastards
3)Goin' out like a soldier: Willie D
4)Book of human language: Aceyalone
5)How real isreal?: Da Bushwackass
6)Latyrx:Latyrx
7)Skills to pay the bills: Positive K
8)Walking with a panther: LL Cool J
9)Wolf in sheep's clothing:Black sheep (too obvious? I wasn't sure)
10)My own: Young Bleed

I was gonna throw in TIm Dog in there but I didn't wanna go overboard.
Shout out to a bunch of the picks in this thread though. Lots of great albums. ALso, I picked more for personal favorites than I did "best" in the larger sense. I realize a few of these albums are greatly flawed but I still love them.

[Slick Vicious]

In no particular order, 3 from Thun's list...

Freestyle Fellowship - To Whom It May Concern...
Aceyalone - Book A Human Language
Digable Planets - Blowout Comb

These as well...

Organized Konfusion - Stress: The Extinction Agenda
The Beatnuts - Stone Crazy
Black Sheep - A Wolf In Sheeps Clothing
Abstract Tribe Unique - South Central Thynk Tank
Saafir - Boxcar Sessions
Smif N Wessun - Da Shinin'
Ice Cube - Death Certificate

These 10 are actually from a list I composed of my Top 25... I jus picked some of the 1's I thought may fit with the topic at hand...

[Blockhead]

^Shit...this dude's list just reminded me of like4 albums i woulda put on mine. Fuck.

[vaporized2]

Blak Forest - You Are Now Entering...
Walkin' Large - Riverside Pictures
Da Youngsta's - I'll Make U Famous
Killafornia Organization - Killafornia Organization
DEA - Screwed For Life
Heather B - Takin Mine
Real Live - The Turnaround
Red Hot Lover Tone - #1 Player
Junior Mafia - Conspiracy
MJG - No More Glory

or something.

[Thun]

Guys, I appreciate the responses but I think it's reasonable to suggest that A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing and Stress fall within the TROY canon...

[Slick Vicious]

Ok, my bad Thun...

I'll change those 2...

Brother Lynch Hung - Loaded
Various - Project Blowed, Sector 21310

[Freezy Pazzy]

I picked more for personal favorites than I did "best" in the larger sense.

Same here.

And it goes a lil' somethin' like this, in no particular order :

- K-Dee - Ass, Gas Or Cash (1994)

- Frankenstein - UV (1998)

- Chino XL - Here To Save You All (1996)

- Esham - Dead Flowerz (1996)

- Ray Cash - Cash On Delivery (2006)

- Concrete Click - Lyrical Terrorism EP (1995)

- Ultra - Big Time (1996)

- Born 2wice - Niggaracci In P.I.M.P. Vol.1 (2000)

- Crooked Lettaz - Grey Skies (1999)

- Gena Cide - Waste Uva Cular (1994)

[jredd109]

aceyalone - book of human language (1998)
micranots - obelisk movements (2000)
cryptic one - the anti mobius strip theory (2004)
l'roneous - imaginarium (1998)
yaggfu front - action packed adventure (1994)
the nonce - world ultimate (1995)
styles of beyond - 2000 fold (1998)
anti pop consortium - tragic epilogue (2000)
babbletron - mechanical royalty (2003)
sonic sum - the sanity annex (1999)

i might have broken the rules, or picked stuff that's too recent.


also, vaporized, if you want to rip that red hot lover tone and upload it that'd be great.

[Thun]

Brand New Heavies - Heavy Rhyme Experience (I've learned to appreciate this album more over the years and I think it was ahead of it's time for bridging live Funk with MCing)

Ice-T - O.G. Original Gangster

Dr. Octagon debut LP

The Genius - Words From A Genius

The Foreign Exchange - Connected (an album which many like myself, Spinna, Jazzy Jeff and others look at as a classic, but I notice still remains under-appreciated by traditionalists who prefer the raw sample-based tradition of Hip Hop over the level of musicality and "happy" sound it introduced. This is an album which showed the influence of Dilla upon the sound of Hip Hop from the mid 2000's to the present day by bringing increased musical elements and feel-good emotions)

Dead Prez - Let's Get Free

Percee P ‎– Now And Then

Freddie Foxx - Industry Shakedown

lemme know what you think..

Haven't heard the Percee P or Foreign Exchange. I highly doubt I'd like either as much as you do but I'd like to hear them now that you have recommended them.

I thought Dr. Octagon was considered canonical top 20 material by most people, but I could way off on that. If not, it is certainly an album that is one of my favorites and I think damned near perfect in every way, so it definitely competes.

Words From The Genius is a great pick.. I'll have to revisit to see how I'd rank it for the purposes of this thread, I can't remember how much filler there was. Same with Dead Prez.

Industry Shakedown was dope, I'd have to revisit it.

Brand New Heavies - hmmmmmmm. I love the tracks featuring Black Sheep, Main Source, Masta Ace, and Kool G Rap, but the band to me just wasn't that great. I feel like the rappers totally carry this.

[Thun]

Blak Forest - You Are Now Entering...
Walkin' Large - Riverside Pictures
Da Youngsta's - I'll Make U Famous
Killafornia Organization - Killafornia Organization
DEA - Screwed For Life
Heather B - Takin Mine
Real Live - The Turnaround
Red Hot Lover Tone - #1 Player
Junior Mafia - Conspiracy
MJG - No More Glory

or something.

Dope list!

The Real Live album is a pretty obvious one that I missed. The beats are just ... fucking perfect. Larry-O is not great, but it almost doesn't matter.

Junior Mafia "Conspiracy" is one I totally forgot about it, excellent production and some decent rhyming from time to time.

Red Hot Lover Tone "#1" Player: Another perfect production album! You've got a great ear for beats, dunny.

Walkin' Large album is ridiculously flavorful, and some of the only bork rapping that doesn't make me want to kill someone.

I dig the Blak Forest album, not sure if it is an essential slept on one, though. But people should check it out.

Da Youngstas is a cool left field choice, don't think I'd include it in an essentials list, but it's worth peeping for sure.

Have not heard the rest of those albums in their entirety.

[Thun]

Ok, my bad Thun...

I'll change those 2...

Brother Lynch Hung - Loaded
Various - Project Blowed, Sector 21310

Haven't heard either.

[Thun]

aceyalone - book of human language (1998)
micranots - obelisk movements (2000)
cryptic one - the anti mobius strip theory (2004)
l'roneous - imaginarium (1998)
yaggfu front - action packed adventure (1994)
the nonce - world ultimate (1995)
styles of beyond - 2000 fold (1998)
anti pop consortium - tragic epilogue (2000)
babbletron - mechanical royalty (2003)
sonic sum - the sanity annex (1999)

i might have broken the rules, or picked stuff that's too recent.

Too recent isn't a problem (though I'd personally really have to strain to consider any rap released past around 2004 to constitute a good album. The form has suffered tremendously, in my opinion.

Not sure what rules you abided by, but the reason I didn't want people just picking personal favorites is because we could spend all year talking about that, would rather have a focused discussion on albums we can defend in comparison to what most of us agree constitutes a good album.

Anyhow - Yaggfu Front, The Nonce, Sonic Sum, Styles of Beyond, and Micranots are all solid. I don't think I'd put any of them high on my list for various reasons.

L'Roneous "Imaginarium" is an excellent pick and one I had considered for my top 10. It's up there for certain.

Not a fan of the Cryptic One or Anti-Pop Consortium albums, but I don't necessarily despise them.

Need to peep the Babbletron, been putting that off forever.

[Thun]

Shiiiiit. great topic.
I'm sure this kinda thing might be subject to change but off the top (pardon the repeats)...

1)Done by the forces of nature: jungle brothers
2)KMD: Black bastards
3)Goin' out like a soldier: Willie D
4)Book of human language: Aceyalone
5)How real isreal?: Da Bushwackass
6)Latyrx:Latyrx
7)Skills to pay the bills: Positive K
8)Walking with a panther: LL Cool J
9)Wolf in sheep's clothing:Black sheep (too obvious? I wasn't sure)
10)My own: Young Bleed

I was gonna throw in TIm Dog in there but I didn't wanna go overboard.
Shout out to a bunch of the picks in this thread though. Lots of great albums. ALso, I picked more for personal favorites than I did "best" in the larger sense. I realize a few of these albums are greatly flawed but I still love them.

Not sure if the JB's count here, it's hard to claim that a core Native Tongue group album can be truly slept on. This is probably the msot slept-on Native Tongue album, though, so not a bad pick.

The Willie D album is entertaining, can't say that I think everyone should run out and check it out if they haven't.

Positive K is definitely one I had considered for my list. So good.

Never liked that Bushwackas album for whatever reason, I just find it tedious.

Walkin' With A Panther is an interesting choice. Like the JBs, it's hard to think of LL as being slept-on in any way, but then again this album is very unfairly maligned. But then again I don't really think anyone is missing out by skipping on it, necessarily. It would help if LL was far less of a d-bag, maybe.

I peeped that Young Bleed on your recommendation and I still do not understand what you and everyone else sees in it.

I am pretending you didn't mention Latyrx.

[Thun]

I picked more for personal favorites than I did "best" in the larger sense.

Same here.

And it goes a lil' somethin' like this, in no particular order :

- K-Dee - Ass, Gas Or Cash (1994)

- Frankenstein - UV (1998)

- Chino XL - Here To Save You All (1996)

- Esham - Dead Flowerz (1996)

- Ray Cash - Cash On Delivery (2006)

- Concrete Click - Lyrical Terrorism EP (1995)

- Ultra - Big Time (1996)

- Born 2wice - Niggaracci In P.I.M.P. Vol.1 (2000)

- Crooked Lettaz - Grey Skies (1999)

- Gena Cide - Waste Uva Cular (1994)

I see that you picked all of the ones with memorable Source ads!

I love the K-Dee album, not a bad pick.

I need to hear the Frankenstein album in its entirety.

The Chino XL album is slept on for certain, and super creative.

Haven't heard any of your other albums, highly doubt I can get into Esham but the others I wouldn't be opposed to giving a whirl.

[Larry2times]

mad someone got to the Real Live album before me
Slick Rick -The Art of Storytelling
Mase -Harlem World
Youngbloodz - Against Da Grain
Suga Free - Street Gospel
Raheem ‎– The Invincible
Schooly D - Am I Black Enough for You?
Rappin 4-Tay - Don't Fight the Feelin'
Mantronix - In Full Effect
Poison Clan -Poisonous Mentality
Kingpin Skinny Pimp - King of the Playaz Ball(probably "canon" within that region though so put Aktapuss here instead)

[Larry2times]

oh if recents not a problem Id put Crunk Juice over the last entry even if it meands being laughed out the thread

[Mark 563]

Great topic.

With regards to the Bush Babees album, before I scrolled down, my first though was actually 'Ambushed', which I think is a cracking album, but maybe not enough of a benchmark album to be considered in this thread. Either way, I prefer it to 'Gravity'

Here are some of my choices:

* DJ Quik 'Quik Is The Name' - not sure if this isn't one of the obvious albums, but I rarely see it get the love it deserves.

* Akinyele 'Vagina Diner' - rapping aside (even though I really dig Ak as an emcee), this is Large Pro at his finest.

* Tragedy 'Saga Of A Hoodlum' - this album may well be top 10 for me, yet I don't see it get credit very often.

* Low Profile 'We're In This Together' - classic WC and Aladdin.

* Coolio 'It Takes A Thief' - I may be alone with this one, but I have a lot of love for this record. I know he is corny, but he was great on the WC & The Maad Circle album, and this LP is filled with quality tracks.

* Kurious 'A Constipated Monkey' - this may just rank as a personal favourite, but I've always loved this album. Kurious was a great, conversational emcee, and the best we're on point throughout.

* Digital Underground 'Sex Packets' - incredible album. Shock G is criminally underrated.

[djfilthyrich]

Smif n Wessun - Dah Shinin
PRT - new world order
funkdoobiest - which doobie u b
fu schnickens - f.u. dont take it personal
mc eiht - we come strapped

[Mark 563]

Smif n Wessun - Dah Shinin
PRT - new world order
funkdoobiest - which doobie u b
fu schnickens - f.u. dont take it personal
mc eiht - we come strapped

I thought about the Funkdoobiest just after I posted my list.

[Jaz]

This needs some serious thought for me, great idea Thun.

[vaporized2]

I dig the Blak Forest album, not sure if it is an essential slept on one, though. But people should check it out.

Da Youngstas is a cool left field choice, don't think I'd include it in an essentials list, but it's worth peeping for sure.

Have not heard the rest of those albums in their entirety.

yeah the Youngstas and Blak Forest are maybe a couple of those more 'whimsical' picks but I rate them up there with most mid 90s stuff

also, vaporized, if you want to rip that red hot lover tone and upload it that'd be great.

only have his 1st album on me at the moment, this link looks okay : http://1994hiphop.blogspot.co.uk/2013/0 ... 5-320.html

[fatboybrandon]

Thanks for the opinions Thun and your thoughts about everyone else's sounds good. It's interesting to think about the space we are in now as opposed to the 90's when judging classics as a Hip Hop community. I remember a lot of people used the publications to judge but now the scope is more broad in discussing the topic online.

Haven't heard the Percee P or Foreign Exchange. I highly doubt I'd like either as much as you do but I'd like to hear them now that you have recommended them.

The Percee album is pretty much a mashup of the demo and b-side singles he made in the late 80's/early 90's that have been circulating, you've probably heard most of them. I like to think of it as the album he should have put out back then before the one he finally released on Stones Throw.

I feel like the FE album is part of what inspires the vision you see at cratsofjr towards my posts which explore the musical scope, depth and boundaries of Hip Hop beyond boom-bap and loops. The album brings the foundation of Hip Hop I've love for years but also takes a step forward into a new vision of production and songwriting. It's on of a few albums of the 2000s that opened my mind up and got m out of the closed-minded phase I used to b in about Hip Hop and music as a whole during my days of shopping at Fat Beats in the late 90''s. Good luck in enjoying both albums.

[vincentlopez]

I think most of mine were mentioned previously and you listed two of my all time favorites already:

Boogiemonsters - Riders Of The Storm
Digable Planets - Blowout Comb

I'd also like to add:

Del the Funky Homosapien - I Wish My Brother George Was Here
Odd Squad - Fadanuf Fa Erybody

[Echo Leader]

This needs some serious thought for me, great idea Thun.

Same...currently vexed.

[Philaflava]

Here is my list. Maybe too safe, but I breakdown the reasons why. No order.

Big Mike - Something Serious
Replacing Willie D is not easy. Big Mike had similar qualities though, especially that big husky voice but what made this album so great for its time was what I like to consider the start of that Southern gumbo funk era. Mike Dean and N.O. Joe did some marvelous shit on here. Plus it featured a plethora of great songs. A great smoking album.

Ras Kass - Soul On Ice
Already covered a million times.

MC Eiht - We Come Strapped
This may be a bit too popular for this board, but it never got the respect it deserved. Sure 4 mics and the Menace exposure helped but Slip and Eiht were a great combo but this album really got lost due rise of the Deathrow. Plus this album contains one of the greatest east/west collabos ever.

Lords of The Underground - Here Come The Lords
This did not age well. It's pretty ridiculous now when you listen to it and none of them are great lyricists, but it's a fun album. Its as fun as you can have on an album actually. The beats were so good, vintage Marley and early K-Def. So many singles too. People don't realize just how good this was at the time. I still fucks with Psycho and Funky Child. If I hear Chief Rocka on the radio I loose it.

Too Short - Get In Where You Fit In
Another album that got lost because of the '93 direction hip-hop took. Short story telling at its finest. QDIII was dope on here too.

Ultramagnetic MC's - The Four Horseman
On most days my favorite Ultra album. Godfather's hands were all over this shit. Keith at his best and Ced Gee tolerable. See The Man On The Streets > your life. Album fathered so many styles its not even funny.

Brand Nubian - In God We Trust
Fuck the noise. The best Nubian album and it didn't even have Puba. Ok, hyperbolic, maybe not the best but damn good. My personal favorite. Sadat was so sharp on here. A complete 180 from One For All. This was the album you worked out to.

Da Lench Mob - Guerillas in tha Mist
A personal favorite for all the wrong reasons. VOODOO running from my magic.

X-Clan - To the East, Blackwards
Nuff said.

Red Hot Lover Tone - #1 Player
Good call by vaporized2. Tone wasn't the greatest rapper, but you didn't listen to him because you thought he was dope. You listened because he knew had to make songs. A great producer, serviceable rapper with tons of charisma and energy seeping through his albums. #1 Player was the type of album your chick didn't mind you playing while you were fucking her. A great driving record too.