How far into a career has a rapper made their best album?

COOLEHMAGAZINE · Post by **COOLEHMAGAZINE** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:22 am

The key word here is "arguably". I thought of this because, depending on the day of the week, I could be convinced that The Black Album is Jay's best work. It probably isn't but sometimes, it seems like it might be.

Same thing with DOOM and Madvillainy, it's not his best but...you could argue that it is with a reasonable amount of credibility. Or Outkast and Stankonia (I wouldn't agree but it's not insane to suggest). Prodigy & HNIC2?

Funnily enough, you could probably argue Golden Arms with Dopium, but that is kind of like rewarding failure. And I like Percee P but that kind of seems like the same thing.

CHANCE RANDOM · Post by **CHANCE RANDOM** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:26 am

tame one, when rappers attack, maybe? if you're not counting artifacts stuff.

vermillion · Post by **vermillion** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:30 am

Not too often does an MC or group make their best album past their first 3. Even more rare is an album after their first three that is agreed by the majority of people to be their best. This is just my opinion, but the first that come to mind are Masta Ace with A Long Hot Summer, The Roots with Things Fall Apart and MF DOOM with Madvillainy. I'm sure there are others, but those stand out.

Mindbender Futurama · Post by **Mindbender Futurama** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:31 am

Stankonia for me

COOLEHMAGAZINE · Post by **COOLEHMAGAZINE** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:37 am

vermillion wrote:Not too often does an MC or group make their best album past their first 3. Even more rare is an album after their first three that is agreed by the majority of people to be their best. This is just my opinion, but the first that come to mind are Masta Ace with A Long Hot Summer, The Roots with Things Fall Apart and MF DOOM with Madvillainy. I'm sure there are others, but those stand out.

The Roots is a good one. Not a lock but arguable with anyone not from Philadelphia.

vermillion · Post by **vermillion** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:44 am

Yeah, I think Masta Ace is the only MC who made their best album that far into their career. 14 years after his debut he released A Long Hot Summer which is my favorite Masta Ace record. Pretty impressive now that I look back at it. He was even on the scene before his debut. He made his debut on record on 1998 on Marley Marl's record..

battlecatmeowstab212 · Fri Feb 12, 2010 5:31 am

vermillion wrote:Yeah, I think Masta Ace is the only MC who made their best album that far into their career. 14 years after his debut he released A Long Hot Summer which is my favorite Masta Ace record. Pretty impressive now that I look back at it. He was even on the scene before his debut. He made his debut on record on 1998 on Marley Marl's record..

Scarface says 'sup?'

Moolah · Post by **Moolah** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 5:32 am

battlecatmeowstab212 wrote:
vermillion wrote:Yeah, I think Masta Ace is the only MC who made their best album that far into their career. 14 years after his debut he released A Long Hot Summer which is my favorite Masta Ace record. Pretty impressive now that I look back at it. He was even on the scene before his debut. He made his debut on record on 1998 on Marley Marl's record..
Scarface says

blessingindisguise · Post by **blessingindisguise** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 8:09 am

Scarface and Masta ace are the only logical answers for a mid-level to commercial lever. You could throw in Raekwon "only built for cuban linx 2" was pretty good but a tier under the original classic. While Snoop dogg"the blue carpet treatment", Ghostface "fishscale", and E-40 "my ghetto report card" while dope as fuck imo can't compare to "Supreme clientile" and "tha hall of game.

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 9:50 am

blessingindisguise wrote:Scarface and Masta ace are the only logical answers for a mid-level to commercial lever.

Yup.

Hair of the Dog · Post by **Hair of the Dog** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 10:43 am

aesop rock - none shall pass

Escobar305 · Post by **Escobar305** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 10:56 am

Cam'ron - Purple Haze

EMCEE DARTH MALEK · Post by **EMCEE DARTH MALEK** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 11:02 am

Yeah scarface. but are you guys thinking last of a dying breed, or the fix?

Gyangsta 4 Life · Post by **Gyangsta 4 Life** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 11:32 am

The Blueprint is Jay-Z's 5th album.

Gyangsta 4 Life · Post by **Gyangsta 4 Life** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 11:36 am

It's garbage to me, but the Carter 3 is Wayne's 6th album.

spitboxer · Post by **spitboxer** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 11:52 am

I thought Born & Raised is Cormega's best album.

Quotashun · Post by **Quotashun** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 11:56 am

spitboxer wrote:I thought Born & Raised is Cormega's best album.

LadyDeathStrizzy · Post by **LadyDeathStrizzy** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 12:02 pm

^ word wtf

Espirando · Post by **Espirando** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 12:11 pm

Escobar305 wrote:Cam'ron - Purple Haze

cenzi · Post by **cenzi** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 12:20 pm

EMCEE DARTH MALEK wrote:Yeah scarface. but are you guys thinking last of a dying breed, or the fix?

If Untouchable isn't your favorite Face album, GTFO.

Now ther are lot's of MC's that put in work as part of a group, then years later they put out solo shit, and sound much better. Like KRS, Sadat X, Monch and Busta.

KhillA · Post by **KhillA** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 12:25 pm

QWALMS wrote:tame one, when rappers attack, maybe? if you're not counting artifacts stuff.

if you're not counting artifacts then that would be his first album. intrepid paradox, son.

Verge · Post by **Verge** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 12:50 pm

Quotashun wrote:
spitboxer wrote:I thought Born & Raised is Cormega's best album.

Not saying I agree, but I think it's a dope album.

Masta Ace: I like Disposable Arts better than Long Hot Summer.
Long Hot Summer had better high's, but awful lows, imo.
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And I'm not from Philly, but I can't see "Illadelph Half Life" not being
considered their dopest album.

Good idea for a thread. I just can't think of any others right now.

EMCEE DARTH MALEK · Post by **EMCEE DARTH MALEK** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 12:52 pm

look into my eyes, tell me what you see

KRS's best solo is either boom bap or self titled, and given that the bdp albums were pretty much KRS solos, that's pretty late.

born & raised is a tough call. great production, def the best of all mega's albums. also he doesn't do punch ins on it. not my fav, but... shit i dunno some of the tracks on there are pretty much his best shit. i can definitely respect that opinion

tupac put out his best album relatively late, whether you think it's me against the world, all eyez, or don killuminati.

jredd109 · Post by **jredd109** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:01 pm

atmos - you can't imagine how much fun we're having.

my favourite atmosphere record anyway...

CHANCE RANDOM · Post by **CHANCE RANDOM** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:02 pm

KhillA wrote:
QWALMS wrote:tame one, when rappers attack, maybe? if you're not counting artifacts stuff.
if you're not counting artifacts then that would be his first album. intrepid paradox, son.

I meant not counting them toward "his" albums as far as solo. They're still a part of his career to me though.

Mindbender Futurama · Post by **Mindbender Futurama** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:12 pm

Verge wrote:
And I'm not from Philly, but I can't see "Illadelph Half Life" not being
considered their dopest album.

i'm with this guy.

'Things Fall Apart' was their highest selling album and it was good, but not as jaw-dropping as 'Illadelph'. And all their new albums are good, but compared to 'Illadelph'... they ain't as as good, straight up. None of them.

CasOne · Post by **CasOne** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:15 pm

are you all serious when you list stankonia as outkast's best album?

cenzi · Post by **cenzi** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:21 pm

EMCEE DARTH MALEK wrote: tupac put out his best album relatively late, whether you think it's me against the world, all eyez, or don killuminati.

am I alone in saying that Strictly was his best? and I BARELY put that over 2Pacalypse...

RoKnew · Post by **RoKnew** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 2:06 pm

CasOne wrote:are you all serious when you list stankonia as outkast's best album?

i too wonder this. that shit had like 5 good songs tops. compared to the first 3 it's dookie.

EMCEE DARTH MALEK · Post by **EMCEE DARTH MALEK** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 2:06 pm

when im listening to strictly i swear its the best
but im more likely to throw on one of his later albums
i know a lot of people say they like 2pacalypse
i guess cause of the political content
but fuck that i wanna hear about the niggaz and bitches