126. 21 Savage & Metro Boomin - Savage Mode 2016 4/5

 

Highlights: X, No Heart, Savage Mode

 

 

When I said before that there was no more UK artists to come, I was obviously mistaken as we have Plaistow's finest 21 Savage making an appearance now. :lol: Savage moved to Atlanta, Georgia at the age of 7 where he has lived forever since. Savage has released two solo studio albums but it is one of the three albums he's released alongside frequent collaborator Metro Boomin that makes the countdown here. Metro Boomin is a producer from Missouri who has released one solo studio album alongside collaborative projects with Gucci Mane, Nav, Big Sean of Offset. He has produced two Billboard #1 singles: Bad and Boujee by Migos & Lil Uzi Vert and Heartless by The Weeknd. 'Savage Mode' is officially credited as an EP rather than an album running 32 minutes and featuring 9 tracks.

 

I'm a fan of 21 Savage. I know that a lot of people give him stick for his monotone delivery and excessively violent lyrics but I've always enjoyed the ominous and menacing ambience that his work produces.

I think the comparably short run-time really works in this EP's favour. I enjoy the duo's signature sound but they stick with to a T on this record and any more and you would start to get bored. The only track that really sounds different is the album closer, Ocean Drive, where they incorporate some slightly misjudged auto-tune. On a whole, I think 21 is an artist who has been getting better and better over the recent years with him usually delivering strong verses whenever he pops up on a guest verse but it's safe to say that lyrics have never been his strongest point. And going back to this, his first mainstream effort, it really does feel very style over substance. Every sounds great and the project is very cohesive but you're not likely to come away from it thinking about any of the lyrics. He's been putting in some really interesting verses of the past few years so I wish they could have included something more recent even if the sequel to this wasn't as well received.

 

I think 'X' was the first track from 21 that I heard and it still remains an absolute banger. It's one of his catchiest songs and Metro's production complements 21's style perfectly and put it a step above all the other trap that was coming out at the time. It even helped elevate Future to sounding pretty decent too. Every other track on here sounds like a decent version of the same song so I think you'll know if you're going to enjoy Savage Mode or not based on your tolerance to this big hit.

I remember not really knowing what to make of the singles from 'Savage Mode' at first but I went back to revisit them later after I got more into his music and I am retrospectively a lot more of a fan ('No Heart' is my fave), think I just needed some time to get used to his monotone style. He's definitely improved over time though, 'SAVAGE MODE II' was a great album.

 

To this day I still can't get used to the fact that he's technically British though. That was just such a baffling news story.

I remember not really knowing what to make of the singles from 'Savage Mode' at first but I went back to revisit them later after I got more into his music and I am retrospectively a lot more of a fan ('No Heart' is my fave), think I just needed some time to get used to his monotone style. He's definitely improved over time though, 'SAVAGE MODE II' was a great album.

 

To this day I still can't get used to the fact that he's technically British though. That was just such a baffling news story.

 

I think 21 Savage is one of those artists where he sticks to his sound so much that you either dig it or you don't. His music does sound odd at first and it all depends on if you can get over the 'lazy' style or not.

125. Drake - If You're Reading This It's Too Late 2015 4.5/5

 

Highlights: Preach, Legend, Know Yourself

 

 

I'm pretty sure everyone knows who Drake is but in case you don't, he is a rapper from Toronto, Canada who first rose to fame as a teenager as an actor in the Teen Drama 'Degrassi: The Next Generation'. He then kickstarted his music career with 3 mixtapes: Room For Improvement (2006), Comeback Season (2007) and So Far Gone (2009) before getting signed to Young Money Entertainment and taking his first steps towards global stardom. He has so far released four studio albums, all of which have topped the Canadian and American charts, but he has also been equally prolific in the mixtape department with four more of those matching the same feat (alongside one compilation album as well). And it's one of those mixtapes that we're looking at today, namely 2015's 'If You're Reading This It's Too Late'.

 

I've realised that I'm personally more of a Drake mixtape man more than his actual studio releases and this is one of those projects that just instantly takes me back to another time as soon as I hear any of it. I've always loved music growing up but, aside from a couple of classics, I wasn't one to listen to full albums in my youth but I remember this mixtape dropping unexpectedly one day and all the hype surrounding it meant that I listened as soon as I could. From there it became one of the first albums that I begun to spam on repeat and what got me into listening to projects in full. It's not exactly a concise listen but surprisingly for a Drake release, there is just no filler here at all. The album starts off great with Legend and Energy being two classics and it just doesn't let up from there. Drake has become known for a slightly odd style of music where he combines a lot of features of R&B and singing with a rant-y style of rap that sounds uniquely Drake. I've heard other since try and copy but nobody is able to make it actually sound cool like Drake does. And this mixtape still sounds so cool. My absolute favourite track on the album remains 'Preach'. I remember the weird use of autotune on PARTYNEXTDOOR's vocals being pretty mind-blowing for me at the time as it was like nothing I'd heard before. This also contains some of Drake's catchiest hooks: "I was running through the six with my woes" is impossible to get out of your head after you listen to 'Know Yourself'.

 

I want to give this album a 5/5 but I think that's just the nostalgia talking. The second half is nowhere near as great as the first and I think the awfulness of CLB is making me retroactively looking at this as more of a masterpiece than it is. But what I will say is this is peak-Drake for me. He feels focused, the production is immaculate and he gets throws in some of the most memorable lines of his career "You need to act your age and not your girl's age".

124. OutKast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below 2003 5/5

 

Highlights: Hey Ya!, The Way You Move, Roses

 

 

OutKast are a rap-duo consisting of André 3000 and Big Boi. Two of the most legendary and influential figures in Hip-Hop, OutKast are credited as being the catalyst for the acceptance of Southern Hip-Hop into the mainstream at a time where the East and West Coast scenes were dominating in the genre. OutKast released 6 critically-acclaimed albums during 1994-2006 before their eventual break-up to pursue solo projects. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below was their 5th album and was their commercial peak, topping the Billboard 200 for 7 weeks and birthing two number singles with 'The Way You Move' being the only song that could knock 'Hey Ya' off the top spot. However, this was released a turbulent time for the duo. As the title suggests, this is a double album with with either side actually being a solo project for each member. After four albums, André was ready to do something different and tried to pursue an acting career and when it came to recording a new album had pretty different ideas to that of Big Boi. The first half' Speakerboxxx' is Big Boi's side and is what you expect from OutKast based on their early releases. It's a traditional 'Dirty-South' record with big beats and some socially-conscious themes. The Love Below, on the other hand, is André 3000's side and is very difficult to define musically but it's safe to say it is a large step away from the traditional sound of the duo. 'Post-Prince unconventional and eclectic psychedelic pop-jazz' would be my effort to give its sound a label.

 

I have definitely written about this album before on this website but I'll repeat myself. This album has a very special place in my heart. This was the first album I ever owned. I was obsessed with Hey Ya! and one day when I was feeling ill, my Dad decided to buy me this album to cheer me up. Looking back now, we can question why he thought it appropriate to buy a 5 year old a 2 hour and 15 minute album that is one half explicit 'Dirty South Hip-Hop' and one half highly-experimental, untraditional jazz-rap but it worked and I absolutely loved it.

 

André is the man but I think it's honestly Big Boi's 'Speakerboxxx' that I think is the best side on here. The Love Below is a sprawling, unfocused, highly experimental ambitious mix of jazz, funk, avant-soul Hip-Hop that I think is almost impossible to consider in any truly critical way. André's album is an experience, with some of the greatest, most iconic songs of their catalogue (Hey Ya!, Roses) and some of the more bizarre moments in Hip-Hop history (Dracula's Wedding, Where Are My Panties, My Favorite Thing). Even if you hate this record, one thing you can never doubt is it's ambition. That's not to say that Speakerboxxx is generic. Big Boi does tinker with the classic sound too, with 808s and big band amongst the sounds mixed in, but more than TLB, he manages to ensure that it still always sounds like an OutKast project. Big Boi and his big-name collaborators (Jay-Z, Killer Mike, Ludacris et al) are all on on top form and I would describe this as the pinnacle of Southern Rap.

 

While the rest of his album might be much less commercial sounding, with 'Hey Ya1!', André created a song that is truly transcendent. Everything about the single is iconic: the Beatlesmania inspired music video, the break 'Shake it like a polaroid picture', The song has appeared in numerous lists of the best songs of all-time and for good reason. The contrast between the ultra-cool and upbeat vocals and arrangement and the darker lyrics about the failings of a relationship (if they say nothing is forever then what makes love the exception?) is perfection and is something only a true musical genius could concoct.

123. Souls Of Mischief - 93 'til Infinity 1993 4.5/5

 

Highlights: Let 'Em Know, 93 'Til Infinity, Live And Let Live

 

 

Souls Of Mischief are a Hip-Hop group from Oakland, California consisting of MCs A-Plus, Opio, Phesto and Tajai. The band is also a part of the larger 'Hieroglyphics' collective alongside Del the Funky Homosapien, Pep Love, Casual DJ Toure and Domino. They have released 3 studio albums as part of Hieroglyphics and a further 6 studio albums under the Souls of Mischief name. Their album to feature here is their 1993 debut that spawned their only success in the Billboard Hot 100 with the title track peaking at #72.

 

This is a really good album. The four rappers work together perfectly and create an album that feels meticulously cohesive with them truly mastering their sound of complicated internal rhyme schemes over jazzy, funky beats. Lyrically, this album can be a bit all over the place but no matter the topic, it always sounds so fresh due to their effortless flows a wonderful poetic penmanship. They might not be a group for harmonies, like Bone Thug-n-Harmony, but everything still sounds harmonious with their rhymes feeling like they were expertly crafted to fit together with each other's verses. The only reason why I decided not to award this a full 5/5 is because there wasn't any specific tracks that really stood out as being ones I would go back to listen to of its own accord. I saw a quote in a review about this album from Steve Huey that really summed my feelings "93 'til Infinity makes its greatest impression through its stunning consistency, not individual highlights". I can definitely see myself throwing this album on again when I want something cool to listen to but there just isn't any massive highlights that I will throw onto any of my playlists.

That Drake mixtape has so many underrated songs of his. I love Energy and 10 Bands in particular. Also Right Hand was a non-album single around the same time I was playing a lot at the time.

Catching up... some of genius albums there and I really love they included Doja even though she needs to drop Dr. Luke right away - no excuses!

 

I have always found Speakerboxx/The Love Below overrated a bit oops. No one needs to hear Hey Ya ever again :lol:

Edited September 5, 20222 yr by Sour Candy

122. N.E.R.D. - In Search Of... 2001 4/5

 

Highlights: Brain, Provider, Lapdance

 

 

N.E.R.D. is a an alternative Hip-Hip group from Virginia founded as a side project for production duo The Neptunes. In 1999, after successfully producing hits for a plethora of artists, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo joined up with Shay Haley to form N.E.R.D. While Pharrell has found larger further success as a soloist, the band have still released 5 studio albums with the most recent being 'No One Ever Really Dies in 2017. The album that features today was their debut and has a pretty interesting story surrounding its release.

 

'In Search Of...' was originally released only in Europe in 2001. This version was more in the classic style of The Neptunes with synthesisers and drum machines proving the instrumentation. However, the band were not happy with it as they wanted N.E.R.D. to be something completely new and not in the style of their previous work. So, for the worldwide release the following year, they re-recorded everything and made what is now called 'the rock' version. The funk band 'Spymob' provided some live drums and guitars and this now formed the basis of the album. They cut of the intro and the 3 skits to make it a much more streamline listen and this is the version that can be found on Spotify and is what I listened to today.

 

Unfortunately, I think that story is more interesting than the actual album. I think I would have preferred to listen to the original version because the new production didn't do much for me. And there is one big elephant in the room when it comes to this album. Pharrell Williams is not a good lyricist. His flow is alright, it's actually quite interesting at times but he has nothing of substance to say on this record. There's plenty of cringy lines but that's not to say there's nothing in here worth listening to. This album tries something that no-one else was at the time with it's experimentation with rock sounds (and it is a lot more rock-influences than Playboi Carti; I'm still not over Rolling Stone's comments on that album) and you have to appreciate the effort to sound original. It's also an album that Tyler, The Creator cites as an influence so it has at least inspired something great. I think this is worth a listen but I'm not sure it's really up there with some of the recent albums in this list.

121. A Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm 1990 4/5

 

Highlights: Can I Kick It, Bonita Applebum, Push It Along

 

 

A Tribe Called Quest are a legendary Hip-Hop group from New York that consist of producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad, rappers Phife Dawg & Jarobi White and their lead rapper and producer Q-Tip. The band is a part of the Native Tongues Collective alongside De La Soul, Black Sheep, Jungle Brothers, Queen Latifah et al. Quest are considered to be one of the most influential figures in rap music, pioneering the Alternative Hip-Hop sound with their jazz samples and their laidback and conscious rhymes. The group released six critically acclaimed albums between 1990-2016 but it's their debut that has earned it's inclusion in this list. I'm not sure but I suspect they might still have appearances to come because I've always heard that their two follow-ups are their best work.

 

Listening to this album, it has all the classic features we recognise the group for and two of their most iconic tracks in 'Can I Kick It' and 'I Lost My Wallet In El Segundo' but they haven't quite mastered the sound yet. They were teenagers when they recorded this album and you can hear the excitement and freshness but also a little bit of naivety and inexperience throughout the project. They sound like they're having a blast and the sense of playfulness comes through to the listener, even when they discuss more serious topics such as domestic abuse.

 

The influence of this album is undeniable and their choice of samples and use of different noises (like the baby crying that opens the album) is fascinating but I think this feels like the test to prove that the sound works before it has been improved on time and time again with subsequent albums in the same genre. This was the first ever album to receive a perfect 5-mic rating from The Source Magazine that shows just how fresh and innovative this sounded at the time

120. Young Thug - Barter 6 2015 3.5/5

 

Highlights: With That, Never Had It, Dome

 

 

Young Thug is a rapper from Atlanta, Georgia who is known for his eccentric fashion and style of rap. He has released two studio albums (So Much Fun in 2019 and Punk in 2021) but has been much more prolific when it comes to mixtapes with 19 credited to his name. And it's one of those that we're looking at today with 'Barter 6' which has his first commercial mixtape distributed be a proper label after he signed with 300 Entertainment.

 

The title of this project is a reference to whom Thug often credited as his idol and proved to be a controversial choice. Originally to be titled 'Carter 6', the mixtape got a late name change days before release after Lil Wayne threatened legal action. The title was a play on 'Tha Carta' albums by Wayne and was released at a time where legal disputes were stopping Wayne from releasing his long-awaited 'Tha Carter V' album. There are times here where Thug sound like he is trying his absolute hardest to sound like his idol, most notably in the opening bars to 'Dream'. But in general, he doesn't really do as much of his high-pitched, often intelligible vocal takes that always have the potential to ruin a track and that made this a better listen than I was anticipating. I still think he gets out-performed by pretty much every feature here but I think this pretty solid on a whole. It sounds exactly like what a lot of the biggest melodic rap sounds like today so I think it's safe to say that it is a really influential from the past 10 years.

 

I like reading up about these albums as I'm writing my comments to see what the general consensus is and I'm reading two threads on r/hiphopheads, one from one from 2015 when this was originally released & one from 2020 and the difference in the replies are fascinating. In 2015, everyone is calling it underwhelming whereas all the comments from 2020 are calling it a classic and providing it with endless praise. I think. in general, Thug is one of those artists' whose sound is so unique that you either completely on board or have no time for it at all. So I'm going to be have a rare middle-ground opinion and say that this is alright; not good enough to be on a list like this but honestly I wouldn't be averse to listening to it again.

119. The Coup - Party Music 2001 4.5/5

 

Highlights: Everythang, Wear Clean Draws, Pork And Beef

 

 

The Coup are a politically-charged Hip-Hop group from Oakland, California that had had plenty of members over the years but have always been led by rapper Boots Riley. I've never listened to any of their music before and I'm more familiar with Boots Riley for being the director of the surrealist 2018 film 'Sorry To Bother You'. Known for their Marxist and Communist lyrics that lampoon and critique capitalism and American politics, the band have been controversial figures with their albums such as 'Kill My Landlord', 'Genocide & Juice' and 'Steal This Album'. However, it wasn't until their 4th album, 2001's 'Party Music' that they reached peak controversy and earned this inclusion in this countdown.

 

Despite there being some hard-hitting political commentary and provocative themes (such as those in '5 Million Ways to Kill a C.E.O'), it's not the lyrical content that caused the controversy but instead the album cover. This album was due to be released in September 2001 and it was announced in June of that year, with an album cover that depicted the World Trade Centre as being up in smoke while members Boots Riley and Pam The Funkstress pose with an apparent detonator (actually a digital guitar tuner). Despite the band originally fighting to keep the cover, the album was eventually delayed until November to allow them time to create alternate album art. I think it's a shame that when Googling this album, the conversation surrounding it is pretty much all about the album art and not about the album.

 

I think there is a stigma surrounding a lot of political rap that the production is often poor compared to the slicker, mainstream side of the genre. But The Coup really dispel any such claims with this album. The use of live instrumentation with funk and electro influences give this album such a groovy feel that help elevate the messages of the song even further. It turns out the 'Party Music' title isn't fully ironic.

 

Despite the political context being at the forefront, one of my favourite tracks on here is the more subtle and sweet ode to Riley's daughter 'Wear Clean Draws'. Even here, he can't help but throw in some incendiary jabs (Tell your teacher I said princesses are evil how they got all they money was they killed people) but overall it just a really nice song that tries to uplift his daughter's future.

118. Tyler, The Creator - Bastard 2009 3.5/5

 

Highlights: Blow, Seven, Parade

 

 

Tyler, The Creator is a rapper from California who rose to popularity as one of the original founders of the Odd Future collective who were known for their music and their Comedy Central sketch show 'Loiter Squad' that spawned one of the greatest Vine videos of all-time. Originally infamous for his transgressive, purposely antagonistic lyrics that led to him being banned from the UK by Theresa May, Tyler's music has matured over time and he even managed to thank Theresa May while accepting a BRIT award at the O2 Arena, London in 2020. Tyler has released 6 studio albums so far with his 2 most recent winning Grammys for Best Rap Album. However, it is not one of his studio albums that have appeared here but his earlier 2009 mixtape 'bast*rd' that is not available to listen to on Spotify.

 

Tyler is one of my favourite artists at the moment. His last two albums, in particular 'Igor' have both been masterpieces and he's one of the artists who I always get excited from when I see a new release. However, at the time of this release, Tyler was just starting and in his edgelord, horrorcore era where it feels like he is being controversial just for controversy's sake. I appreciate that Tyler has been very open with the fluidity of his sexuality recently but the sheer number of f-bombs on this album makes it difficult to listen to for me. There are things to appreciate here, the loose concept of Tyler talking to his therapist is a nice way to allow Tyler to bring us into the inner workings of his mind and you do feel his anger when he talks about his Father (and feels very Eminem) but the frequent rape and homophobic jokes feel endless and aren't over the top enough to to land as intended. Tyler rides a beat in a slightly unorthodox way that means he always sounds cool and unique on a purely melodic level but the beats are pretty bland and forgettable, especially when you compare to the slick production of his newer work.

 

I know what Tyler still has another album to appear but it's not Igor which I think is a travesty because that album is one of the best of recent times and a much better project than this one. Tyler's has moved on to bigger and better things and I think it's best that we leave this one behind.

117. Missy Elliot - Under Construction 2002 4.5/5

 

Highlights: Work It, Pussycat, Funky Fresh Dressed

 

 

Missy Elliott is a rapper and singer from Virginia who started her career as a member of the very-shorted lived R&B group 'Sista' before finding solo success due to her work with frequent collaborator, Timbaland. Elliott is considered to be one of the important voices in hip-hop with her creative and futuristic music videos, her willingness to incorporate pop and electro influences into the production of her songs and feminist and sex positive messages influencing the generations that have come after her. Missy has been crowned the 'Queen of Rap' by multiple outlets and has been credited as the best selling female rapper in Nielsen Music's history.

 

I've always enjoyed Missy's big singles and appreciated how unique her style and flows are, especially on Work It. On her big hits, she always seemed to favour an untraditional rhyming scheme littered with pauses and adlibs that t makes her hits so memorable compared to other big hits at the time. The closest I've heard anyone to recreating it is Doja Cat with 'Need To Know'. Despite being a fan of the singles, this is the first time I've sat down and listened to a full Missy Elliott project and what surprised me the most is how often she sings on this. There's a few tracks here that are just straight-up classic R&B and she really excels at this sound too. 'Pussycat' was a massive highlight for me and for two-thirds of the track is just a straight-up slow jam that (sans the blunt explicitness) wouldn't sound out of place of a Destiny's Child's album from the same time. I was close to giving this a perfect score but I thought the last few tracks just didn't land in the same way as the rest of the album.

 

This was a well-received album, it's double-platinum selling in America and appears in the '1001 albums you must hear before you die' volume of books but is one of the only albums on this list that doesn't have a thread on r/hiphopheads which I think is criminal.

Miss E.. > Under Construction but both are great!

Miss E.. > Under Construction but both are great!

 

You'll be happy to know that Miss E... is still to come :)

116. Jungle Brothers - Straight Out The Jungle 1988 4/5

 

Highlights: Black Is Black, Straight Out The Jungle, Braggin' & Boastin'

 

 

Jungle Brothers are a Hip-Hop group consisting of DJ Sammy B and rappers Mike Gee & Afrika Baby Bam. They are known as being pioneers in the introduction of jazz and house elements into rap music that changed the sound of the scene at the time. They were a founding member of the Native Tongues collective with A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and others who dominated late 80's-90's rap music. The group has released 8 albums overall but it is their debut that remains their most popular and earned it's inclusion here.

 

I think listening to this album in 2022, it's easy to say that it sounds dated because it does, the production seems a bit basic and minimalistic compared to what we're used to now, but you can still hear what made this influential. This album is not afraid to be playful especially in the big dance-crossover hit 'I'll House You' that paved the way for the hip-house sound that became a popular genre in the charts afterwards. Compare this to it's near name-sake 'Straight Outta Compton' that came out only months before and you can really hear the contrast. Jungle Brothers didn't care about sounding gangster and wanted their music to reflect positively and that is something it certainly does. They have fun on tracks such as 'I'm Gonna Do You', 'Because I Got It Like That' and 'Braggin' & Boastin' but it's actually their Afrocentric 'Black Is Black' that left the biggest impression on me. Not only is the song one of the first recordings from a young Q-Tip, the message still feels modern and relevant and gives the track a timeless feel that the rest of the album doesn't quite have. It feels like they've ran out of ideas at the end though, we really didn't need the two largely instrumental tracks (Sounds Of The Safari and Jimmy's Bonus Beat) tacked on at the end.

115. Afrika Bambaataa - Looking For The Perfect Beat: 1980-1985 2001 4.5/5

 

Highlights: Frantic Situation, Jazzy Sensation, Planet Rock

 

 

Afrika Bambaataa is a DJ, rapper and producer from New York who known for his innovation of breakbeat DJing and for founding 'Universal Zulu Nation', an organisation built for the awareness of Hip-Hop as an ideal that encourages "peace, love, unity and having fun for all races, religions, nations, and civilizations". The group was a breakaway organisation from reformed members of the Black Spades street gang after Bambaataa won an essay competition that allowed him to visit Africa where his perspective on life changed. The group was founded to try and encourage the youth in New York not to join a gang by giving them a different community into which to be welcomed. However, in 2016 Bambaataa was forced to step down as leader of the Zulu Nation after four men came forward to allege that he had molested them when they were teenagers.

 

And with that context, it makes this album quite a difficult one to listen to but I will try to keep my comments purely on the musical content. As the title suggests, this is a compilation album of his best work in the early 80's and starts off with two tracks with the same title 'Zulu Nation Throwdown'. This album is 11 tracks and runs for 71 minutes which gives the indication that each track on this album is lengthy. Most of the tracks are at least 7 minutes in length and they all sound pretty similar. This lack of variation means that I doubt I would go and listen to any of the singles on their own but I think as a whole, it all works quite well together and it's something I wouldn't mind throwing on when I just need some decent music playing in the background.

 

This album does sound very much of it's time with it's electro-funk stylings not really being a sound that has lasted. Nobody could be mistaken into thinking that it's recent but there's things here that still work. Planet Rock still sounds pretty good. The track interpolates the melody from Kraftwerks' 'Trans-Europe Express' and still retains the quality of making you want to move. The same can be said about 'Frantic Situation' which was the standout track for me.

114. Digital Underground - Sex Packets 1990 4.5/5

 

Highlights: Underwater Rimes, Rhymin' On The Funk, Freaks Of The Industry

 

 

Digital Underground are a Hip-Hop group based in California whose line-up would change for each album and tour. The leader of the group was the late Shock G (aka Humpty Hump) and the only other constant throughout each line up was Money-B. When Shock G founded the group in 1987, the other original members were Chopmaster J and Kenny-K. Aside from their commercial success, the group holds another distinction that gives them an important place in Hip-Hop history: the career of then unknown Tupac Shakur began as a member of Digital Underground. They released 6 studio albums before their hiatus in 2008 but it is their 1990 debut that we're looking at today.

 

Sex Packets could be considered a novelty album. The opening track, and big single, 'The Humpty Dance' introduces us to Shock G's alter-ego, Humpty Hump, a fake Groucho glasses-and-nose wearing character who assures us of his sexual prowess with lyrics such as "Cause in a 69 my humpty nose will tickle ya rear' and 'I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom". The track is an exaggerated parody of 'dance-rap' and had me a little worried that the album was going to be a bit too juvenile and frivolous. But thankfully, while the album retained the sense of humour without, it also paired it with some incredibly funky production (it's mostly built up of George Clinton and other P-Funk samples) and catchy hooks that made this a complete joy to listen to.

 

'The Humpty Dance' remains a popular track and is one of the most sampled songs of all-time, appearing in over 100 other songs from a variety of artists ranging from LL Cool J ("Mama Said Knock You Out") and Mark Morrison ("Return of the Mack") to Spice Girl ("If U Can't Dance"). But it was the aquatic themed 'Underwater Rimes' and the groovy 'Rhymin' On The Funk' that really won me over. This is one of those albums that were close to getting a 5/5 but I think the album lost a little bit of stream towards the end when it suddenly turned into a loose concept-album about a drug that provides you with sexual gratification that lasts for the last few songs and gives the album it's title. The whole idea felt a little tacked on at the end and a weird thing to base the whole marketing of the album around.

113. Jay-Z - The Black Album 2003 4.5/5

 

Highlights: 99 Problems, Lucifer, Dirt Off Your Shoulder

 

 

Jay-Z is a rapper and entrepreneur from New York who is one of best-selling and most successful artists of any genre of all-time. Some amongst his many musical achievements include holding the record for the most Billboard #1 albums for a solo artist, being the first rapper to be honoured in the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and being awarded 24 Grammys, the joint most for any rapper alongside frequent collaborator Kanye West. Jay-Z's celebrity and influence branches out further than just music, he is part of one of the most famous celebrity relationships with his marriage to Beyoncé Knowles and his successful business ventures allowed him to be Hip-Hop's first ever billionaire. I mentioned that he has the most #1 albums in the US with 14 out of his 18 (if you include his collaborative albums with R. Kelly, Linkin Park, Kanye West and Beyoncé) hitting the top spot. The Black Album was his 8th solo album and was his final release before his first 'retirement' that lasted less than a year.

 

As far as rap music goes, this is a pretty essential album in it's history. '99 Problems' is just such an iconic song that it feels weird that it was just the 3rd single from an album not even 20 years old. I think the Rick Rubin production and the instantly recognisable hook just gives it a timeless, classic feel that it feels like it's been around forever. On the topic of iconic songs, I'd never heard the original Encore before today. I never even knew that Kanye provided some vocals on it alongside his production. I usually love a Kanye production (I'd rank him as my favourite producer) but this version of Encore just sounds boring after hearing 'Numb/Encore' so many times. Thankfully, Kanye does get another track on the album, 'Lucifer' and it's a much better track. It has a repeated vocal sample that sounds completely epic, especially when combined with Jay's religious-themed imagery.

 

I think for most rap fans this would be an easy 5/5 but I've settled on 4.5 as I haven't listened to all of Jay's discography but even out of what I've heard, I wouldn't rank this as his finest album. Don't get me wrong, this would be the magnum-opus in most rapper's careers but Jay is on a completely other level to most. I won't go into too much detail on my favourite of his because I think it's pretty likely to appear at some point. It's very obvious listening to this that it was meant to be Jay-Z's swan-song and it would have been a fitting way to end. A lot of the album is focused on legacy and with the highly-polished production and the elaborately crafted makes his feel like a victory lap where Jay is keen on showing the world that he is the best.