55 Vital Hip Hop Albums.

Posted on by Anthony Santagati

I tried to do 50, really I did. No, really. But I couldn’t…I just couldn’t delete shit, even as I thought of more to add. I know everyone is gonna have some album they think I left off…so if you got em, lemme know, but just be sure you tell me what you would remove to install your shit on this list. got it? get it? good. So without further ado…heeeeeeeere we go.

  1. 2Pac – 2pacalypse Now
  2. Big Daddy Kane – Long Live The Kane
  3. Black Moon – Enta Da Stage
  4. Black Sheep – A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing
  5. Black Star – Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star
  6. Boogie Down Productions – By All Means Necessary
  7. Boogie Down Productions – Criminal Minded
  8. Brand Nubian – One For All
  9. Common – Resurrection
  10. Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill
  11. De La Soul – 3 Feet High And Rising
  12. De La Soul – De La Soul Is Dead
  13. Diamond And The Psychotic Neurotics – Stunts, Blunts, & Hip Hop
  14. Digital Underground – Sex Packets
  15. Dr. Dre – The Chronic
  16. EPMD – Strictly Business
  17. Eric B & Rakim – Follow The Leader
  18. Eric B & Rakim – Paid In Full
  19. Fugees – The Score
  20. Genius/GZA – Liquid Swords
  21. Goodie Mob – Soul Food
  22. Jay Z – Reasonable Doubt
  23. Juvenile – 400 Degreez
  24. K.M.D. – Mr. Hood
  25. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Road To The Riches
  26. LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out
  27. Main Source – Breakin’ Atoms
  28. Masta Ace Inc. – Slaughtahouse
  29. Mobb Deep – The Infamous
  30. N.W.A – Straight Outta Compton
  31. Nas – Illmatic
  32. Organized Konfusion – Stress: The Extinction Agenda
  33. Outkast – Aquemini
  34. Outkast – ATLiens
  35. Outkast – Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
  36. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – Mecca And The Soul Brother
  37. Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
  38. Public Enemy – Yo! Bum Rush The Show
  39. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
  40. Redman – Whut ? Thee Album
  41. Run DMC – Raising Hell
  42. Scarface of the Geto Boys – Mr. Scarface Is Back
  43. Slick Rick – The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
  44. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggystyle
  45. Souls Of Mischief – ’93 Til Infinity
  46. Special Ed – Youngest In Charge
  47. The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die
  48. The Pharcyde – Bizarre Ride II
  49. The Roots – Do You Want More?
  50. The Roots – Illadelph Halflife
  51. Too Short – Born To Mack
  52. Tribe Called Quest – Low End Theory
  53. Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders
  54. Ultramagnetic MC’s – Critical Beatdown
  55. Wu-Tang Clan – Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

0 thoughts on “55 Vital Hip Hop Albums.”

  2. I’ve got to commend you and your list and for the fact that you acknowledged Juvenile’s 400 Degrees. You’re alright with me!!

    PS. Brownskinlady is right, where is the mighty mos???

  5. well done…93 til infinity, yeh. How bout
    Macaveli
    The Roots – DOYOUWANTMORE?

    and damn what bout the ladies? I should know better then to ask.
    MC Lyte – Eyes on This
    Queen Latifah – Black Reign or Hail to the queen
    or I really hate to say Lil Kim – Hardcore. (thanks biggie)

    I don’t have the capacity to wanna remove any you’ve listed though.

  6. hmm…i agree w/a*. can’t remove any…

    but you must show love to the femmes.

    maybe make it 60 vital hip-hop albums???

    but ah, it’s your list.

  9. since I clowned you and your list (jokes) here’s a critical (beatdown?!) breakdown and my own pics….
    1.2Pac – should’ve been All Eyez on Me – time and place make this a more important album and aside from ‘Brendas got a Baby’ this (2x)album whups that ass…
    2.Kane – again excellent artist but wrong album… ‘It’s a Big Daddy Thing’ is the better of the two – title track,Smooth Operator, Pimpin’ ain’t Easy, Warm it up Kane and Wrath Live… c’mon it ain’t even close! ain’t no half steppin’ is the “classic” but this album had it all
    3. Black Moon = overrated, wouldn’t make my list
    4. Black Sheep = a fan favorite but…. not sure if it’s “vital”
    5. Black Star – no argument here
    6. BDP – pro’ly could’ve just left it w/ Criminal Minded, leave more room for some other isht
    7. Brand Nubian – again, overrated in my opinion.. . never really felt’em like that… one of the few groups that was actually better off as individuals then as a unit
    8. Common – Resurrection — again no room for argument as far as its inclusion on any list
    9. Cypress Hill – another ‘fan favorite’ but again not sure if it’s “vital”
    10. De La – actually deserving of multiple inclusions so okay lets give it to them, 3 Feet High
    11. De La Soul is Dead
    12. (and I’ll even give’em) Stakes is High

    There’s your 1st Dirty Dozen… I’ll be back with more if I get the chance… discuss

  10. part ii

    13. Diamond & the Psychotic Neurotics – interesting choice… I’ll give it to you based on the production on this album alone and the fact that it shows you put some thought into this list (ha,ha) but then if we were goin’ for albums based solely on production then, Dr. Octagon (automator) goes somewhere just above Diamond D and Paul’s Boutique (Dust Brothers) goes maybe just below it
    14. Sex Packets?! vital?! NO – fun – yes, vital to my understanding the *69 at a young and impressionable age – also yes, but it shouldn’t be on this list
    15. Dre – The Chronic – gets a nod from Capt. Obvious
    16. EPMD – Strictly Business – also gets a nod
    17. Eric B and Rakim – again, pro’ly could’ve left this one alone after Paid in Full but… it’s whatever if you want to Eric B + Ra albums on here
    19. Fugees – The Score – agreed
    20. GZA – Liquid Swords… hhhmmmm yes/no will have to re-adress this one, not sure if it should make a top 55 list….
    21. Goodie Mob – yeah, okay – even though I don’t like that southern sh!t
    22. Jay – could get multiple mentions here, Reasonable Doubt, Vol. 2 and the Blue Print don’t let the hate influence your choices here
    23. Juvie the “great” – not even really worth discussing… that’s just awfull
    24. KMD – I dunno dood… I guess on the strength of giving the world the phrase “the gas face” but other than that… KMD, just not that good

    so there’s the next 12 and somehow you found room for Digital Underground, Juevenile and KMD but no Gangstarr?! your credibility just took a major hit when your list lacks a Guru/Primo entry….
    hmmm… suspect! (ha,ha,ha more jokes)

  13. Gangstarr- Daily Operation/ Hard to Earn/ or Moment of Truth u pick one,
    Jeru- The Sun Rises in the East! How could that be excluded?
    MF Doom- Operation Doomsday
    take down JUVE cuz that shit ain’t hip hop sorry
    and last but def. not least
    Krs-One-Return of the BOOM BAP

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