49. N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton 1988 4.5/5

 

Highlights: Straight Outta Compton, Parental Discretion Iz Advised, Gangsta Gansta

 

 

N.W.A (an acronym for N****z Wit Attitude) were a Hip-Hop group from Compton, California that was formed in 1987 by Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube and Arabian Prince with MC Ren and DJ Yella joining not long afterwards. With their first album, they took over the world with their unsanitised tales of street life with what they called 'reality rap'. They quickly shot into the limelight and temporarily became the biggest stars in music. The album was demonised by critics for it's explicit and misogynistic nature, its perceived glorification of drugs and crime and encouraging of violence towards enforcers of the law. The controversy led to radio's banning their music and difficulties in touring as police refused to provide security to their concerts. However, the controversy only increased their notoriety, with the album eventually reaching triple-platinum status. However, not all was well within the group. The group's manager Jerry Heller had been accused of mis-managing the groups income and not distributing the money fairly between the members that led to Ice Cube and Arabian Prince leaving the group before the release of the groups second and final album 'N*ggaz4Life'. We have already seen projects from Ice Cube and Eazy-E already in this list and something is telling me we might be hearing some more Dre before too long.

 

No list that claims to rank the most culturally significant or important albums of all-time is complete without the inclusion of the debut album from Compton's premier rap group. In a similar way to how 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' changed Rock, it's fair to say that you can define Hip-Hop eras as being pre-Straight Outta Compton and post-Straight Outta Compton. It's safe to say that this album's release and it's no holds barred violent, misogynist anti-authority lyrics shook America. 'Fuck Tha Police' is probably the most infamous tracks, causing the ire of the FBI who sent a letter of warning to their record company. They weren't quite the first to create the sound and they never quite liked the 'gangsta rap' label themselves but they are undoubtedly the people who popularised one of the most enduring sub-genres of rap. However, anyone who is only familiar with N.W.A through the movie or their most-incendiary songs might be surprised if they give this a listen. There are actually quite a few songs that are 'clean' and doesn't feature any bad language, including Dre's solo effort 'Express Yourself'. The song, of course, borrows the chorus from one of the most sampled songs ever, Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band's song of the same name, and actually sees Mr Chronic himself disavow the use of weed, only 4 years before his legendary stoner record. Their controversial nature is what is remembered about the group, but this song in particular is a reminder that it wasn't all they did.

 

1988 is considered by many to be the greatest year ever for rap music, we've already seen albums from Ultramagnetic MC's, Ice-T, Boogie Down Productions, Slick Rick. Eric B. & Rakim, Biz Markie, Jungle Brothers, Eazy-E, Marley Marl, MC Lyte and Too $hort and now we have back-to-back '88 releases with this and EPMD's Strictly Business. And while this album is certainly the most influential of the two and does have the highest highs, I think overall, the EPMD album is the stronger record as it concise and consistent. 'Compton' runs out of stream towards the end a bit for me. Ice Cube's solo track 'I Ain't That 1' is pretty wack and is just a weaker version of the 'girls are hos' shtick he did more interestingly and creatively on his solo albums. And the last track 'Something 2 Dance 2' is an obvious attempt to create a pop-radio hit that just feels like it goes against what they group are seen to stand for. Especially as Dre says earlier in the album "Cause I don't give a fuck about radio play". However I don't think there's an introductory line to any album more iconic than 'You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge'. As soon as you heard that, you know something special is going to start. And when this album is hitting, its hitting about as hard as any album has ever done. The title track is one of the greatest songs ever made and opening up with that, Fuck Tha Police and Gangsta Gangsta makes it almost impossible for the album to remain at the same level throughout.

48. J Dilla - Donuts 2006 3.5/5

 

Highlights: One For Ghost, Stop, People

 

 

J Dilla was a record producer and drummer from Detroit, Michigan who we've seen before as a member of Slum Village (Fantastic, Vol. 2 (#137). We have also seen him producing for a few different artists during this countdown, most notably on Common's 'Water For Chocolate' for which his work was highly praised. Highly influential in both production and drumming, ?uestlove of The Roots (who worked with him as part of the Soulquarians) called Dilla 'the world's greatest drummer'. Dilla released 2 solo studio albums during his lifetime, with the last of these 'Donuts' being produced while he was in hospital dying from a rare blood disease. The album was released on his 32nd birthday and he tragically died 3 days later. Since his death, 4 further studio albums have been released under his name.

 

I've ended up giving this the same 3.5 rating that I awarded 'Endtroducing'. I'm sorry to say that instrumental Hip-Hop albums are just not really my cup of tea. I would say that overall, I preferred this to the aforementioned DJ Shadow album because each track was much shorter (every track on here in under 2 minutes) with each having a pretty distinct sound and means if one track doesn't work, it's over soon and we move on to something completely different. This is a true original and I'm not sure I've ever really heard anything else quite like it. However, the whole time I was listening I was thinking about how much I was wishing someone could come on and rap over it. And thankfully, two of these were created for Ghostface Killah and already used on an album we've already seen in this list (Fishscale, #131), including my highlight, the aptly named 'One For Ghost' that even samples on of Killah's lines on the track. Other MCs who have used songs from this album as instrumentals include Drake, Nas, Big Sean, Lupe Fiasco, MF Doom, The Roots and Talib Kweli.

 

The sampling on this record is insane and I really appreciate the unbridled creativity to create something like this but rap such is a vital part of Hip-Hop for me that I don't feel like I can really appreciate it for what it's worthy. I would just feel fraudulent trying to talk about what has made this such an acclaimed and significant release.

55. A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders 1993 5/5

Also to put into a bit of perspective what a crazy time the 90’s were for rap, this was released on the same day as Wu-Tang’s debut album that is most certainly still to come in this list. Two classics released on the same day and it wasn’t even that rare an occurrence. Doggystyle came out only two weeks later too.

Not hip-hop but also this is not a first case for Tribe, The Low End Theory (which I imagine must be higher on this list) was released on the same day as "Nevermind" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"(!)

 

Also I'll speak up as a defender of Endtroducing & Donuts, both classics :D

47. Missy Elliott - Supa Dupa Fly 1997 3.5/5

 

Highlights: Sock It 2 Me, The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly), Gettaway

 

 

We've already seen Missy once during this countdown (Under Construction, #117) and we'll be seeing her again but for now we go back to her 1997 debut album 'Supa Dupa Fly' that was reportedly recorded in just two weeks and went on to sell over 1.2 million copies in the United States. It feels slightly unfair to credit this album solely to Missy Elliott as Timbaland fully produced this album, pops up for a few vocal features and gets shouted out by name from Missy on every other track. Read pretty much any review of this album and his name is mentioned more than Missy. Critics called his production 'futuristic, unique and revolutionary'. Timbaland would then become the biggest producer in the world and for a spell in the 00s, seemed like he produced every hit song on the radio and I think this album is, for me, a victim of his later success. I associate Timbaland's signature sound for much with a time period about 15 years ago, that this doesn't sound revolutionary or futuristic for me at all. Dare I say it, it kinda sounds a bit dated. A word that seems to get thrown around from what I've read about this album is 'avant-garde'. Maybe it's just because I wasn't around at the time of this albums release and I'm struggling to put it into context on 1997's music scene but I didn't really hear much to justify that description in this. In general, I think the label certainly could apply to Missy, her extravagant music videos with preposterous outfits and she has some nice quirks in her biggest hits (the backwards lyrics in 'Work It' and her onomatopoeic adlibs) but the music on this album, I just found a bit... boring? Missy Elliott is one of the most exciting rappers of my lifetime, but she hardly raps at all in this 60 minute album. If you add up the time her guest features (Lil' Kim, Magoo, Da Brat, Space Nine) spend rapping in their verses, I'm sure it would outweigh the time Missy spends rapping which is such a shame because when she does, the album lights up for me. For too much of this album is dedicated to 5 minute tracks where Missy just sings all her verses and choruses without much to mix the track up. This album feels more R&B and soul influenced than Hip-Hop and I just wish it embraced the later side of it more.

 

I feel bad that there's now been two albums considered 'classics' in a row that I just don't get. I really wanted to love this album but it just didn't do much for me. I will give it another chance in the future but I would say this has been my biggest disappointment of the list so far.

Not hip-hop but also this is not a first case for Tribe, The Low End Theory (which I imagine must be higher on this list) was released on the same day as "Nevermind" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"(!)

 

Also I'll speak up as a defender of Endtroducing & Donuts, both classics :D

 

Ah wow, they certainly had a talent of picking iconic release dates :lol:

 

Please do shout up for Endtroducing and Donuts, I don't feel like I appreciate their genre enough to give them their proper due.

46. Tyler, The Creator - Call Me If You Get Lost 2021 5/5

 

Highlights: Wusyaname, Lumberjack, Wilshire

 

 

Tyler made his first appearance with 2009's bast*rd (#118) but now we jump 12 years into the future and with surely the most recent album of the list and the current holder of the Grammy Award for 'Best Rap Album', Call Me If You Get Lost. Tyler has won this award with his last two albums and while I do adore this album (as evidenced by it's 5/5 rating), including this in the list and not his other winner, the masterpiece 'Igor', is utter madness. I don't want to make this post all about 'Igor' so I will leave it at this: Igor is a truly transcendent album whose, I imagine, legacy and importance will only continue to grow. 'Call Me If You Get Lost', on the other hand, is simply just a brilliant piece of work. It's great and would be a centre-piece in most artist's discographies, but it lacks anything that makes it revolutionary. It's louder. brasher and bolder than 'Igor' with obvious influences from DJ Drama's 'Gangsta Grillz' mixtapes with Drama himself narrating the album and adding in his infamous adlibs. Igor was a departure from his aggressive sound and moved towards smooth soul and funk styles, while this is much more in line with the brash sounds of 'bast*rd' and 'Cherry Bomb' that made his name.

 

However, what has remained from the 'Igor' is his more mature, effecting lyricism and the ability to get you hooked into his stories. This is obviously most notable in 'Wilshire'. One of the quieter moments on the album, the 8 minute track sees Tyler completely stripped back and, almost through spoken word, just telling the story of how he fell in love with the girlfriend of one of his friends and the mess and heartbreak it caused all around, over a beat that stays consistent throughout the whole song. There's nothing else to distract, so for the track to work, you have to be truly invested in his words and by the few lines you're already hooked. Apparently recorded in just one take, it's something special and can only come from an artist who is at the top of their game. The other track that I feel needs a mention is one that I just couldn't find space for in my highlights but is just as good as the other tracks is 'Sweet / I Thought You Wanted To Dance'. Anyone familiar with Tyler albums knows that the 10th track is a double song and both parts of this is wonderful and probably the closest thing on here (with 'Wusyaname) to an Igor track. The song tells the same story as 'Wilshire' but in a more artistic manor, focusing on the emotions rather than the story. 'Sweet' is at the height of Tyler's infatuation with the girl and features additional vocals from Brent Faiyaz. It's is a romantic, R&B track with a hook that you won't be able to stop singing and 'ITWYTD' is after she choses her boyfriend and Tyler is finding it hard to compute with Fana Hues (beautifully) providing the voice of the girl. This has another killer hook but it's Tyler's verse that stands out to me. It might be my favourite verse on the album, his technique is somethings special.

 

This will be the final post in here for a while as I'm going to take a World Cup induced break. I'll probably post a few times here and there in the meantime, but this will be back properly by January.

That's a great album to leave off on before the break! I do agree 'IGOR' is better but 'CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST' is still absolutely packed with bangers and it was good to see him back to fully rapping as much as I enjoyed the change of pace on 'IGOR'.

 

The biggest drawback of CMIYGL for me is that I think both of the 8+ minute songs are among the weaker songs on the album which is unfortunate given how much of the run time of the album they collectively account for - 'WILSHIRE' in particular was fine for one listen as a sort of diary entry track but it's not something I would ever really care to go back to.

 

'CORSO' is my favourite from the album (with 'LUMBERJACK' a close second), so many quotable lyrics. Also a shoutout to Lil Wayne's fantastic verse on 'HOT WIND BLOWS'.

That's a great album to leave off on before the break! I do agree 'IGOR' is better but 'CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST' is still absolutely packed with bangers and it was good to see him back to fully rapping as much as I enjoyed the change of pace on 'IGOR'.

 

The biggest drawback of CMIYGL for me is that I think both of the 8+ minute songs are among the weaker songs on the album which is unfortunate given how much of the run time of the album they collectively account for - 'WILSHIRE' in particular was fine for one listen as a sort of diary entry track but it's not something I would ever really care to go back to.

 

'CORSO' is my favourite from the album (with 'LUMBERJACK' a close second), so many quotable lyrics. Also a shoutout to Lil Wayne's fantastic verse on 'HOT WIND BLOWS'.

 

The two long tracks are both well amongst my favourites :kink: I actually thought S/ITYWTD was rubbish when I first heard the album but it's grew on me loads.

 

Wayne is great on Hot Wind Blows!

45. LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out 1990 4.5/5

 

Highlights: Murdergram, Around The Way Girl, To da Break of Dawn

 

 

This thread is finally back and we're getting back into it with the second appearance from LL Cool J after Radio (#147). For now we're jumping ahead to his 4th studio album: Mama Said Knock You Out. For a bit of historical context, this was released one year after his 3rd album 'Walking With a Panther' came out to commercial success but was panned by critics and the common consensus was that the then 21 year old rapper had 'sold out'. It was an easy time to clown on LL with plenty of MCs taking the opportunity to take shots at him. The story goes that he was expressing his concerns that could not longer compete with the Gangsta MCs of the world and his Grandmother who told him "Oh baby, just knock them out" and history was made. LL is going for broke on this album. This was designed to put him back on top of the game. This whole album was produced by the legendary Marley Marl and it's 'something for everyone' approach became a template for rappers in the years to come. There's tracks here for the ladies, there's tracks for the wannabe gangsters, there's tracks for the pure hip-hop heads and there's tracks for those just here for the drama. Remember when I said that MCs were lining up to take shots at him? Well, he certainly takes the chance to shoot some rocket launchers back. LL is famous for his beefs and the diss tracks are where this album truly sings for me. 'Murdergram' is aimed at Kool Moe Dee and features the strongest rapping on the album. The flows here are great and wouldn't sound out of place coming from an emcee today. To da Break of Dawn is an explosion of shots. The track has three verses, all aimed at different rappers (Kool Moe Dee, MC Hammer and Ice-T) and features a classic lyric that Jay-Z borrowed for 99 Problems ("You couldn't bust a grape in a fruit fight"). LL took his grandmother's advice to heart and kept his fire for the shots.

 

This album definitely had a huge cultural impact and has maintained a strong legacy. The title track is one of the best regarded of the genre with even Bob Dylan recognising it's importance, Eminem waxes lyrical about the album and famously prank-called into a radio show that had LL as a guest and rapped the opening lines to 'Eat Em Up L Chill' and Run The Jewels are even named after a bar in the intro to the track 'Cheesy Rat Blues'. Being released in the year 1990, it is technically a 90's album (and there are signs of the new decade) but there's still a lot of 80s rap in this album. Just the fact that it was 1990 instead of 1989 makes it sound so much newer that it's easy to forget that this album will be 33 years old later this year. But even the age of the album doesn't explain the r*pe bar in 'Mr Goodbar'. I don't think telling a girl you wouldn't r*pe her has ever been a good chat-up line. It really feels odd and out-of-place on a track where he's trying to portray himself as some sort of smooth, James Bond type of 'player'. However, the only true turkey on this album for me is '6 Minutes of Pleasure'. It feels weirdly 'Migos' in the flow where he doesn't say full sentences and it's really irritating. How did that become a single?

44. GZA - Liquid Swords 1995 5/5

 

Highlights: 4th Chamber, Liquid Swords, Duel Of The Iron Mic

 

 

GZA is a rapper from New York who is best known as being a founding member of Wu-Tang Clan. The eldest member of the group, GZA was the first member to have a record contact and released his debut album ‘Words from the Genius’ under the name ‘The Genius’ in 1991. Before this he had been in a group called FOI with his cousins (and eventual fellow Wu-Tang founders) RZA and Ol’ Dirty bast*rd. After his debut was not a commercial success, GZA left his label and, a year later, the Wu were formed. He is known for this lyrical ability and political and philosophical intrigue in his music. Often regarded as one of the worlds greatest lyricists, a study shown that he has the second largest vocabulary in Hip-Hop. Outside of his music with Wu-Tang, GZA has released 5 studio albums of his own.

 

Liquid Swords was GZA’s second studio album and first since finding huge success with his groupmates. And like all Wu-Tang related product at the time, this album was fully produced by his cousin RZA and has appearances from every other member of Wu-Tang Clan. Because of this, all of these albums feel pretty similar. They all have a very distinct sound so it can be hard to distinguish this from the Ghostface Killah albums that I’ve already listened to for this countdown. However, this is also their works biggest strength. RZA is a brilliant musical mind and knows exactly what beat every song needs, his work is new obvious or overwhelming but is perfect to help accentuate the words from each MC. All of these albums are so consistent, you known exactly what you’re going to get and with this being a GZA album, you know that you’re going to get something special with the lyricism too. It’s well documented that Wu-Tang’s main influence is old Kung-Fu movies and one movie in particular takes centre-stage here, 1980’s ‘Shogun Assassin’. About half of the tracks here have at least one sample of the dialogue from the movie and really helps set the mood and makes a Wu-Tang album stand out amongst their contemporaries. My favourite track here is the song that is most Kung-Fu influenced, ‘4th Chamber’ that sees Killah Priest and RZA drop some knock-out verses. RZA’s might actually be my favourite on the whole album. One side note about this album that I did notice and think it’s pretty interesting is the complete lack of any songs or even lyrics that reference girls. There’s nothing about love or sex on here and that feels so unique for a Hip-Hop album.

Good to see this back!

 

(though likely returning to mostly lurking and not having much to say about most of these due to having not heard them haha)

Good to see this back!

 

(though likely returning to mostly lurking and not having much to say about most of these due to having not heard them haha)

 

Thanks :)

 

I'm sure they'll be a few more you have heard still to come.

43. Run-D.M.C. - Run-D.M.C. 1984 4.5/5

 

Highlights: It's Like That, Rock Box, Hard Times

 

 

Run-D.M.C. are back for their second entry after 'Raising Hell' appeared at #100. But for this we go back to the very start with what is often considered as the first 'essential' Hip-Hop album. their eponymous 1984 release. This was the first rap album to ever receive a gold certification in the US and I'm pretty sure its the oldest album on the list, but to give it credit, I think there's been over albums from a fair bit later that sound much more dated (including Raising Hell). There is a bunch of firsts we can throw at this album: 'It's Like That' has been called 'the first hardcore rap song', 'Rock Box' has been called the first rock-rap crossover (as well as the first rap video to be played on MTV) and 'Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove 1)' is one of the first diss-tracks, but what I found most impressive with this was how little doesn't still work. It's difficult to truly compare an album from the infancy of a genre like this and an album from one of today's best artists and I'm not sure I could really call this album 'better' than (for example) the Missy Elliott album I rated 3.5 a couple of reviews ago but you do have to give some props for longevity and influential-ness and this has both of them in abundance.

 

'It's Like That' is Run-D.M.C.'s best song for me and I much prefer this version with the original production to the remix that topped the charts in the 1990s. The minimalist style of the production with Jam Master Jay's scratches and drum-machine beats was a step away from the disco-inspired rap that was popular at the time and changed the sound of Hip-Hop music forever. The aggressiveness instead comes from the two MCs who's distinctive flows are pretty genius, they have an unbeatable chemistry and the way the drop in and out lines just sounds so cool. I think a couple of songs go on for a tad too long but other than that it's a pretty concise record that's still able to excite if you can get past the old-fashioned style.

Definatlu the controversy is to come, but some great records on the way

42. Big Daddy Kane - Long Live The Kane 1988 4.5/5

 

Highlights: Ain't No Half Steppin', Set It Off, Raw (Remix)

 

 

Big Daddy Kane is a rapper from New York who was a member of Marley Marl's 'Juice Crew' and is known as being one of rap's greatest lyricist and battle MCs to grace the genre. Ice T said "I would put Big Daddy Kane against any rapper in a battle. Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem, any of them. I could take his 'Raw' "swagger" from 88 and put it up against any record from today. Kane is one of the most incredible lyricists… and he will devour you on the mic". As his career progressed, Kane portrayed himself as a ladies man, with his shows inculpating dance routines and tracks focusing on women and this 'playa' persona has made him one of the most imitated artists in rap. Eminem named him (on 'Yellow Brick Road') as someone who's influenced his style through his use of tight internal rhymes "on the same shit, that Big Daddy Kane shit, where compound syllables sound combined". Kane has released seven studio albums in his career with his most recent being all the way back in 1998.

 

Long Live The Kane was his debut album and contains Kane's most iconic track, 'Ain't No Half Steppin'. The song's an absolute banger and well-deserving of it's legendary status, no doubt helped in part due to it's use a sample on Biggie's 'Ready To Die'. The other highlight is 'Set It Off', On this track, Kane delivers some high-speed raps that feels lightyears ahead of the styles I've gotten used to from listening to all these 80s albums. It stills feels genuinely exciting to hear in 2023. It's no surprise that Kane has named it as his favourite song off the album. He wanted to release it as a single but the label wanted something else. Maybe, they just weren't ready for it in 1988. There's some really nice multisyllabic rhymes on this album and being produced by the legendary Marley Mary, it always sounds pretty tight.

 

Despite later becoming known for this R&B-tinged love jams, his such effort on this album (The Day You're Mine) is probably it's weakest point. The verses are grand but, my god, the vocals on the hook are awful. Instead of deploying a hot R&B artist from the time to croon on the chorus, Kane takes on the responsibility himself to embarrassingly poor results. It honestly sounds like one of those joke videos you would see a few years ago where they would shred the vocals of Jessie J. If you get a chance, just take a listen of the chorus on the track so you can see just how bad it sounds. It's almost parodic. Aside from that chorus, there's nothing bad on here but there's just one too many forgettable tracks to be a full 5/5. 'I'll Take You There' and 'Word to the Mother (Land)' in particular did nothing for me.

41. Kanye West - Late Registration 2005 5/5

 

Highlights: Gold Digger, Touch The Sky, Drive Slow

 

 

It feels obligatory to start any discussion about anything related to Kanye West now by mentioning how pathetic and disgusting his actions have been, especially over the past 12 months. But I want to make these posts (at least in the most apart) about the music and so I won't mention any more. I've already talked about it elsewhere on the site.

 

Kanye has been all over this countdown through his production and features and has already had his Jay-Z collaboration (Watch The Throne, #77) and his debut album The College Dropout (#52) making appearances. We now go to his second studio album 'Late Registration' that does everything you'd expect from a follow-up album, the bars are cleaner, the production is bigger, the big name guests are more frequent and it works. Easily another 5/5 album from him but it's still just not 'The College Dropout'. It's probably Kanye's best produced album; he said he took inspiration from Portishead's ''Dummy' album and their 1998 'Roseland NYC Live' album that was recorded with a full orchestra. So that's what we get here, a full 20 piece orchestra sprinkled in throughout the album. It's epic but it just misses the rawness and excitement that you hear, even now, when you put his debut album on. 'Gold Digger' and 'Touch The Sky' have strong shouts as being Kanye's two greatest songs and tracks like the 'Diamonds from Sierra Leone' remix show his artistry has developed but this album just misses the fun that made Kanye stand out from the crowd on his debut.

 

You still can't go wrong with early Kanye though and hearing songs dedicated to his Mum like 'Hey Mama' and about his Grandmother's death 'Roses' really makes miss what once was and rue what has since become from him. The lines on Roses about the nurses more interested in him than looking after his grandmother ("I asked the nurse, "Did you do the research?". She asked me, "Can you sign some t-shirts?" "Bitch, is you smokin' reefer? You don't see that we hurt?) still hit hard as you reflect on what this album represents. This is an album that discusses some big topics in a way that feels honest (racism, education, how we exploit the third world) and it's so hard to see a through line from this to what he has become. There's very little to critique here. Adam Levine sounds like such a random artist to chose for your hook but it works well on 'Heard 'em Say' and Brandy provides a divine hook on 'Bring Me Down' that is let down by from slightly cringy lyrics from Kanye. I could do without the skits too but other than that there's not a single thing I'd change. This is another one of those albums that completely changed the game and shows why Kanye is probably the most important and influential man in popular Hip-Hop in the 21st century.

Late Registration is good and a 21 century rap classic but, rolling stone have certainly got something wrong with putting this in front of The College Dropout. The College Dropout is an album that totally changed the game forever. Still respect LR being on the list though.

Late Registration is good and a 21 century rap classic but, rolling stone have certainly got something wrong with putting this in front of The College Dropout. The College Dropout is an album that totally changed the game forever. Still respect LR being on the list though.

 

I agree that The College Dropout should have been higher. That album is really something special.

40. Dr. Dre - The Chronic 1992 4.5/5

 

Highlights: Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang, Deeez Nuuuts, Stranded On Death Row

 

 

Dr. Dre is the legendary producer and MC from Compton, California who started off as a member of the biggest Hip-Hip group of all-time before releasing some of the most iconic albums of the 90s, (co-)forming Death Row Records and Aftermath Records, discovering Snoop Dogg & Eminem and becoming a (near) billionaire after founding Beats Electronics. The man's influence on pop culture is undeniable and it feels like he doesn't really need any introduction. We've already seen him as a member of N.W.A. (Straight Outta Compton, #49) as well as seeing his fellow group members Eazy-E (Eazy-Duz-It, #153) and Ice Cube (Death Certificate, #93 and AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, #58). As a solo artist, Dre has released three studio albums with his final release, Compton, being in 2015.

 

The Chronic was Dre's debut album in 1992. Thanks to the popularity of the album, the term is now a widely understood term for 'weed' but it was actually created by Snoop and Dre after they misheard the word 'hydroponic' as 'hydrochronic' and decided to run with it. With that title and aside from the weed-centric 'The Roach', this album is never really about chronic as much as you'd might expect. The opening track 'F*ck wit Dre. Day' is a savage (and slightly petulant) annihilation of former band mate Eazy-E and violence is never too far away from the front of the mind, this is a gansta rap album after all. There's two things above all else that makes this album a classic that stands tall today and one of those is the production. Dr. Dre is not the greatest rapper in the world and he would be the first to admit that. Everyone knows he uses ghost-writers and you can tell when he's written the bar himself (see the iconic "Never let me slip, 'cause if I slip, then I'm slippin" line on 'G-Thang') but what he is, is one of the most innovative and influential beatmakers rap has ever seen. You can hear the progression from N.W.A. to this album. This is considered to be what made 'G-Funk' mainstream and it's a sub-genre that then dominated Hip-Hop music in the years to come. There's not a rap hit released between 1993-1998 that you can't hear The Chronic's influence on.

 

The second reason this album is still a classic is because it introduced the world to a then-young and up-and-coming rapper named Snoop Doggy Dogg. He probably deserves a co-credit on this album, he appears on 9 of the first 10 tracks! He absolutely steals the show at the start, for what was practically his first recordings, his confidence and skills on the mic are extraordinary and made him a star before he released his own song. To put into context just how big this album was and how much of a star Snoop became, in it's opening week The Chronic only entered at #27 on the Billboard charts before eventually climbing to #3 and spending 8 months in the top 10. However, Snoop's debut album 'Doggystyle', released less than a year later debuted at number one with 806,858 copies which was at the the time not only the biggest sale for a Hip-Hop album but also the highest ever sale for any debut album.

 

After Snoop dominates the start of the album, we get a big switch at the halfway point where two skits are introduced (one awful "The Doctor's Office" and one that's actually pretty enjoyable "The $20 Sack Pyramid") and other rappers start making multiple appearances (Kurupt, RBX and The Lady of Rage). I do like the energy they bring but I think I prefer the first half of the album, It just feels more consistent and the one-two punch of 'Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang' and 'Deeez Nuuuts' is unbeatable. If it wasn't for the album still to come, I think this would have been much higher up in this countdown.

 

Put this album back on Spotify immediately Snoop!

39. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III 2008 4.5/5

 

Highlights: Lollipop, Mr. Carter, Comfortable

 

 

We're back to Wayne after 'The Carter II' (#99) and we heard some of his very early stuff on Juvinile's '400 Degreez' (#68) and this time we go to 2008 and his sixth studio album (and third of Tha trillogy) Tha Carter III. Just as I mentioned with 'Late Registration' recently, this is a much larger, more polished release than its predecessor and shows a Wayne right at his commercial and egotistical peak. Wayne has always been divisive figure; there's always been people who clown on him for his unorthodox style but, in 2008, after a slew of classic mixtapes and esteemed features, this was a time where his talent was becoming undeniable. He was being dubbed 'the greatest rapper alive' by multiple outlets (even by rap legend KRS-ONE) and you can hear the arrogance flowing throughout this album. The lead single 'Lollipop' provided Wayne with his only #1 single as a lead artist (he also featured on Jay Sean's 'Down'(!) and DJ Khaled's 'I'm The One') and the album also spawned what is probably his most iconic song' A Milli'. The bests selling album of 2008, Tha Carter III had one of the best opening week sales of any album in Billboard history selling over 1 million copies and eventually won there Grammys and went 8x platinum.

 

Lollipop is not really the best track on the album. In all recognisable terms we might try to evaluate music in some form of objective way, 'Mr. Carter' is a better song all-around. The verses are all killer, the premise is great with one legendary Carter (Jay-Z) passing his throne to the younger artist and the hook is perfect but 'Lollipop' has the nostalgia factor to takes it to another level for me. Static Major tragically died just two weeks before the songs release and his hook is one of the defining moments of the song. His vocals are so smooth and stops the track from becoming too much of a gimmick. And 'Mr. Carter' just doesn't have a lyric as legendary as '"He's so sweet, make her wanna lick the wrapper. So I let her lick the rapper".

 

As I always say, Kanye's production is always first class and his two efforts here are both standouts. 'Comfortable' is an R&B, Beyoncé-inspired jam that is elevated by Yeezus blessing us with the beat. Often the 'songs for the girls' is the weakest point of any Hip-Hop album but Wayne's take where he's telling his girl that he loves her but if she not to take it for granted because she can be replaced is dickheadish but just feels more real and appropriate than the straight up love song his contemporaries often attempt. The other Ye (co-)production is 'Let the Beat Build' which might be the most interesting idea. The beat and sample progressively gets more epic while Wayne's verses become more rapid and energetic. It works really well and by the end you're properly bopping along. However, the shock heart of the album is actually 'Tie My Hands'. The track features (and was actually produced by!) Robin Thicke and is a scathing criticism of George Bush in the wake of Hurricane Katrine that hit Wayne's hometown of New Orleans. The track highlights that Wayne has all the potential to create some proper, hard-hitting serious music if he ever gets tired of the punchlines.

 

The other tracks that need mentioning are Dr. Carter and La La. A lot of rappers declare Hip-Hop to be dead but few do it with such an interesting concept as 'Dr. Carter'. Wayne declares himself a doctor who is here to revive the genre. It has some proper street cred it the rap scene with Talib Kweli (of Black Star fame) declaring it the best rap song of all-time. I wouldn't go that far but I agree with the sentiment that Wayne has too many haters. 'La La' also needs a mention as the beat was recycled after originally being made for the Shrek 3 soundtrack! It's one of the weaker tracks but I'm a little obsessed with how inappropriate Busta Rhymes verse is in that context. I don't even think I could type here some of the lyrics!

 

I wanted to give this album a perfect 5/5 score but there is a couple of things that has aged the album. The track 'Got Money with T-Pain sounds like an artefact andunironically using the phrase 'No Homo' three times is <_< especially when paired with a use of the f-word on 'A Milli'. But, the main reason I dropped the score is because of a track that was not even on the original pressings of the album. When the album was first released, track 14 was called 'Playing with Fire'. However, Abkco Music Inc. sued Wayne for the track, claiming it was an unauthorised use of Rolling Stone's 'Play with Fire'. So if you listen to the album today, you will now hear a track entitled 'Pussy Monster'. Admittedly, the track did make me laugh ("And I hope she make me eat my words 'cause my words is Pussy, pussy-pussy, pussy-pussy, pussy, pussy-pussy") but I don't think I need to say another more than just the title to show why it's worth dropping the score. Overall though, this album has something for everyone (hardcore rap, pop-crossovers, R&B tinged jams) and does everything well enough that everyone will get something out of the album. Personally, I prefer 'II' but this was the album for the mass audience and it was definitely successful in that aim.