Top Ten Rap Albums For People Who Don't Know Shit About Hip-Hop

dogtown1971

And god almighty, not even Mr. Hood by KMD, which was fronted by some guy you might have heard of who now calls himself MF Doom, and no Atmosphere, Freestyle Fellowship, or Living Legends? No Dr. Octagon? seriously? You missed not only a lot of great albums, but genres and styles as well. Sorry, but you don't know shit about Hip Hop, I don't care if you have a job writing about it. I'll stick to my own selections when it comes to introducing people to Hip Hop. Thanks, but no thanks

dogtown1971

In Hip Hop terms...this list is wack. You left off just a lot of more relevant and great albums and missed more than a few artists.

1prettygirlrock4u

(U.D.) Uniquely Divided - this guys are whats-up ...www.facebook.com/uniquelydivided

taiallen

1 Like

list is dull. if you want to know the discipline then choose releases from the various eras.

ruthlessnwa

whata bout KRS One, Mobb Deep, Jeru the Damaja etc. yo busters dont know shit bout that rap shit!

FunkMnkyz

1 Like

Gangstarr!

regend

Leaving out PE and BDP from the this list is a crime.

dogtown1971

@regend My thoughts exactly

iLLz

the two aren't even equivalent...the eighties era of hip hop would be equivalent to the Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry era of rock (you know the beginning) while the early to mid nineties era of rap is more like the Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, Beatles, etc era of rock (ie, when the "album" became a viable medium), now if someone wanted to get into rock would you suggest Johnny B Goode or Exile on Main St?

dogtown1971

@iLLz@iLLz lol, wtf do you know about hip hop? The fact that you try to sound smart by dissecting generations? WTF does that have to do with anything? I would defintely introduce somebody to Johnny B Goode AND Exile on Main St. if they had never heard rock & roll, it's called variety, which is what you would be trying to do if you were to introduce somebody to the genre. And leaving out PE is downright stupid. Yo, bum rush the show & It takes a nation of millions are easily TWO of the GREATEST hip hop albums ever! Period! Leaving either one off this list, and putting Jay-Z on it, proves that the writer knows about as much about what's important in hip hop as you do, which is nothing, nigga please! I can't even believe I'm replying to you, I would never have to explain this to a real hip hop fan.

Balls510

1 Like

there are some random ass choices on this list and while chronic can be top 10 it def shouldn't be number 1. Illmatic is better than ready to die. Roc la familia has NO PLACE in top ten ever. Why the hell would you pick that from Jay-z? That said I thought the De la nod was a good choice and usually under appreciated when compared to the rest on the list.

Feminina

1 Like

U forgot Rakim!!!!

Pride

They forgot Big Pun. This list is invalid for that reason. Peace!

Ace

1 Like

Where do I begin??? That Jay-Z pick is ridiculous. The 2Pac pick is mind-boggling. No "It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back"? What???? It's all one man's opinion and I get that and he has a right to his own opinion... However, I question how deep the writer's roots are. There are some serious albums left off the list...

dogtown1971

@Ace Well said

Patrock

1 Like

As someone who saw Public Enemy play at the Nation of Islam on the side side of Chicago in 1989, I am here to tell you that this list is crap, and most of these comments are crap. There has been no good hip hop since the early '90's. All the fake "gangsta" crap that came after Ice T and N.W.A. has been nothing but commercialized pose. May as well be pop dance, full of hilarious lack of insight. Nothing original since Jurrasic 5, who shamefully did not make this list.

dogtown1971

@Patrock Word where is "Rhyme Pays" on this list?

OKay

I was one nodding and laughing at your jazz list. While I'm vaguely familiar with some tunes in here, I qualify as not knowing shit. I'll give it a room. Starting with Dre.

Jess

Yes, thank you for this!!, I was impressed with this list, glad there are people who know real hip hop, not just the stuff on the radio, that all sounds the same!!! <3 <3 Realshit.

Dasierra

1 Like

don't forget the infamous by mobb deep!!

Quietstorm5420

1 Like

Ummm no mention of EPMD, Rakim or KRS??? Seriously... I get it, young and all that... but seriously... this is laughable...

Chris Martel

1 Like

I feel the same. No mention of EPMD??? terrible

Rowdyruffboys41

Your forgot all of Eminems 3 best albums, who the fuck doesn't that crazy ass sycho who happens to be right up there with 2pac and Big and he's white

Chris Martel

He's not up there with 2pac or Biggie. He's a few steps down.

Rowdyruffboys41

*know

Napoleon323

The Main Ingredient is a classic too. A lot more digestable hiphop for 'those who don't know shit about Hip Hop.'

Wazir Live

1 Like

Not impressed with this list. Public Enemy's "It Takes a Nation"...is the greatest album in rap history...how can you possibly leave this off? Eric B & Rakim's "Paid in Full"? Run DMC first album? These are absolute Hip-Hop essentials...

Moopbrown

1 Like

You limit The Chronic to Best of LA? Really, IMHO The Chronic is in the conversation of Top Hip Hop Album period!

Bewford

Fo sho that Dre’s Chronic album is a must have, it also beganthe ending of “The Golden Years of Hip-Hop”.

You say that “Some might even say this is the best L.A. hip-hop album ever.” Come on now.. Don’t overdue it..

Tha Alkaholics – 21 & Over

The Pharcyde – Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde

Ice Cube – Death Certificate (slept on by many and outshinedby the ‘promotion’ of The Chronic)

Tupac – 2Pacalypse Now – His best, real album

Ras Kass – Soul on Ics – Nature of the Threat- Deliveryunheard of or duplicated

How can anyone create a list, of even 10 Hip-Hop albums, andnot include KRS-One? Common’s Resurrection album?

And then again, I read a post here about someone askingwhere was Kanye Wack…

I gazed through the top 20 list. HELL NO to Suga Free, thewrong Tupac album, I see Death Certificate was included, big up to FreestyleFellowship and Mad Lib shout outs, but still no Alkaholics?

In any case, no diss on you.. The selection at least me knowwe could chill together.. Just dig deeper in the crates..

dogtown1971

@Bewford More like crate, singular

Bewford

Fo sho that Dre’s Chronic album is a must have, it also beganthe ending of “The Golden Years of Hip-Hop”.

You say that “Some might even say this is "the best L.A hip-hop album ever” Come on now.. Don’t overdue it..

Tha Alkaholics – 21 & Over

The Pharcyde – Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde

Ice Cube – Death Certificate (slept on by many and outshinedby the ‘promotion’ of The Chronic)

Tupac – 2Pacalypse Now – His best, real album

Ras Kass – Soul on Ics – Nature of the Threat- Deliveryunheard of or duplicated

How can anyone create a list, of even 10 Hip-Hop albums, andnot include KRS-One? Common’s Resurrection album?

And then again, I read a post here about someone askingwhere was Kanye Wack…

I gazed through the top 20 list. HELL NO to Suga Free, thewrong Tupac album, I see Death Certificate was included, big up to FreestyleFellowship and Mad Lib shout outs, but still no Alkaholics?

In any case, no diss on you.. The selection in your list at least me knowwe could chill together.. Just dig deeper in the crates..

Baggabugga

NWA Straight Outta Compton

DM5

2 Like

More like: "Top 10 rap albums for people who don't know shit about hip hop, written by a person who doesn't know shit about hip hop and can only get a gig writing top 10 lists".

rickdeslick

here's what i'd add:

- little brother - the listening- the pharcyde - labcabincalifornia- jaylib - jaylib- aceyalone - the book of human language- the roots - illadelph halflife- outkast - atliens (and i promoted the aquemini album too)- slum village - fantastic vol 2- cypress hill - black sunday- black star - mos def and kweli are black star- jurassic 5 - jayou

n5 street team, k.i.d.s. promotions represent!

Craig Hlavaty

LOL, white people.

MarcoFromHouston

Interesting posts. Acceptable picks.

909Jeff

Perfect example of why one should READ the entire article...

Judging by some of the comments many of those posting here read the title... Flipped through the photos and thought "I have half of these albums and hes saying I don't know shit about hip hop"

I did the same thing and initially thought "Who the fuck is this Hip Hop Hipster who's too cool for the Chronic" ... I mean c'mon that album alone had a whole generation of little white suburbanites screaming "Easy E can eat a big fat dick"!

then I read the entire article and found that in fact your saying if you don't know anything about hip hop... Here is a good starting point. To which I agree...

Great article... Good list and thanks for sharing...

King213

1 Like

disappointing list. people who dont know shit about hiphop already know about the obvious, pac, biggie, dre, jay-z, outkast shit. everyone and their respective mothers knows about that shit. that shit is played. that's exactly what people who don't know shit about hiphop listen to. and honestly, pac, jigga and dre are big reasons why i stopped listening to hiphop. that shit fucking sucked. it was so predictable and negative and gay. i liked dre's chronic 2001 though. oh, and another thing, fuck caring about hiphop. we need some originality in hiphop journalism... lets get over this pac shit. dude was a clown. hiphop has so much more to offer then that.

eadtuff

I think the straps on your backpack are cutting off circulation to your brain

Ready Cee

1 Like

Maybe this should be Top Ten Rap Albums For People Who Don't Know Shit About RAPPERS, Chaz lol. Because only ONE of the groups listed has a DJ in it and thats fundamentally LACKING in the whole Hiphop department lol. To me anyway... DJ is the foundation, bottom line of Hiphop and if you take that out of the educational process you've already FAILED from day one.

MIAMI

You slept on Snoop Dogg Doggy Style, Eric B & Rakim Paid in Full, Great Adventures of Slick Rick, & Run DMC King of Rock

TheRefriedMexican

I'm sorry but 2Pac's Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z is a mediocre album at best and not even close to some of his best work. The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory would of been a much better choice for rap novices. I see your list is East Coast heavy continuing the trend by rags that only East Coast rap artists make thoughtful, introspective, intelligent albums. Two definitive powerhouse albums I would of added are NWA's Straight Outta Compton and Ice Cube's Death Certificate

Anon

I am a hip-hop fan, but this list is only so-so for a hip-hop newbie. Some of these picks just reenforce the stereotypes of hip-hop, and will turn off someone new to the genre.

In particular, I don't know why on earth you would recommend another Jay-Z album over his debut, Reasonable Doubt, which avoids a lot of the hardcore rap cliches that Jay would fall into in his later albums, and is also his most heartfelt and emotional album.

Same with your pick for the Tupac album. Me Against the World is the obvious choice for the newbie; it's his most mature and honest effort, while still retaining his trademark playfulness, and mostly avoids the primary fault of his other albums, where he tends to come off as a hypocrite when it comes to violence and women.

The Chronic is a fantastic album, but again, it reenforces too many negative stereotypes people have about rap.

I think at least one of the albums on this list should be replaced by The Eminem Show. It's a gateway hip-hop album for many people, myself included. Eminem's Slim Shady persona is largely absent from the album, meaning a lot less violence and hatred compared to the previous Em albums, making it more accessible. However, his rapping isn't watered down at all (unlike on Recovery and Encore), and if anything there's a greater focus on flow and lyricism.

HustlaDaRabbit

No one gave a flying fuck about Reasonable Doubt until AFTER The Blueprint came out. Including you. Cliches Jay-Z avoided? Lmao. The 2 singles on that album were "Ain't No Nigga" and "Dead Presidents".

Jay-Z became great with The Blueprint.

Grandmaster Flash? You old, out of touch, fucktards. Grandmaster Flash may be older than classic dudes in the late 80s and 90s, but he couldn't have had a smaller impact. No one cares about "The Message".

Still, weird list. I think some good choices, and then weird choices by good artists. I'm not saying just list 10 classic albums, because the article would be meaningless at that point. But still... odd choices. Either way, don't disrespect Chaz. This dude cares more about hip-hop than anyone posting here, including me. Don't just throw obvious classics at him and disagree. Actually try to understand what he's saying with the list.

dogtown1971

@HustlaDaRabbit LMAO at you, go back to DatPiff or WorldStar or wherever the fuck you came from, I bet you don't even own a turntable or a mic. You don't even know anyone on here, you cheerleading sidekick. I seriously doubt he cares about hip hop if he doesn't have the decency to include some of the above mentioned artists or albums. This article is for people who don't know about hip hop, so how would those classic albums be obvious to them? You are out of touch fucktard