Top 50 Hip-Hop/Rap Albums Of All Time.

Believer101

Believer101

Well-Known Member
I love reading these list we all do on here.
Gives me inspiration on what albums to buy next and check out new shit if I aint heard it yet.

So drop your 50 GOAT Hip-Hop/Rap Albums!


  • Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, Maad City (2012) Godlike Hip-Hop
  • Kanye West ‎– My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) Hip-Hop
  • 2pac - All Eyez On Me (1996) Hip-Hop
  • Luniz - Operation Stackola
  • Gravediggaz ‎– 6 Feet Deep
  • Fugees ‎– The Score (1996) Hip-Hop
  • Tech N9ne - Absolute Power (2002) Hip-Hop
  • CunninLynguists ‎– Oneirology (2011) Hip-Hop
  • Kids See Ghosts - Kids See Ghosts (2018) Hip-Hop
  • Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) Hip-Hop
  • Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
  • Lil Wayne - Carter 2 (2005) Hip-Hop
  • Lil Wayne - Carter 3 (2008) Hip-Hop
  • A$AP Rocky: At.Long.Last.A$AP (2015) Hip-Hop
  • Joey Badass: All American Bada$$ (2016) Hip Hop
  • Brockhampton: Saturation Trilogy (2017) Left-Field Rap
  • Kendrick Lamar: Damn (2017) Hip-Hop
  • Childish Gambino: Camp (2011) Hip-Hop
  • Kanye West ‎– The Life Of Pablo (2016) Hip-Hop
  • Tech N9ne ‎– K.O.D. (2009) Hip-Hop
  • Big Boi Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty (2010) Hiphop
  • Jpeg Mafia - Veteran (2018) Hip-Hop
  • Childish Gambino: Because Of The Internet (2013) Hip-Hop
  • Big Sean ‎– Dark Sky Paradise (2015) Hip-Hop
  • Bone Thugs-N-Harmony ‎– Btnhresurrection (2000) Hip-Hop
  • 2pac - Me Against The World (1995) Hip-Hop
  • Three 6 Mafia ‎– When The Smoke Clears (Sixty 6, Sixty 1) (2000) Hip-Hop
  • Tech N9ne - Anghellic (2001) Hip-Hop
  • Big Grams ‎– Big Grams (2015) Hip-Hop
  • N.W.A ‎– Straight Outta Compton (1988) Hip-Hop
  • DMX ‎– Flesh Of My Flesh Blood Of My Blood
  • DMX ‎– It's Dark And Hell Is Hot
  • DMX ‎– ...And Then There Was X
  • DMX ‎– The Great Depression
  • Tyler, The Creator - Goblin (2011)
  • Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - Creepin On Ah Come U
  • Insane Clown Posse ‎– The Great Milenko
  • Snoop Dogg - No Limit Top Dogg
  • Twiztid - Freek Show
  • Nelly - Country Grammar
  • OutKast ‎– ATLiens
  • Dr. Dre - 2001
  • A$AP Rocky* ‎– Long.Live.A$AP
  • Jay-z - Chapter One
  • ASAP Rocky ‎– Live.Love.A$AP
  • The Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death
  • Cypress Hill - Black Sunday
  • Natti ‎– Still Motion (2013) Hip-Hop
  • CunninLynguists ‎– Strange Journey Volume Three (2014) Hip-Hop


It was so difficult. I reserve the right to adjust my list over time lol

Whats yours?
 
Not really in order, and I'm certain I'm missing stuff but off the top of my head (gonna keep tweaking):

Kendrick- To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)
Aesop Rock- Labor Days (2001)
The Fugees- The Score (1996)
Outkast- ATliens (1996)
Eminem- Slim Shady LP (1999)
Anderson Paak- Malibu (2016)
Cunninlyguists- A Piece of Strange (2006)
Vince Staples- Summertime 06' (2015)
Nas- Illmatic (1994)
P.O.S.- Never Better (2009)

Outkast- Stankonia (2000)
Aesop Rock- Float (2000)
Atmosphere- Sevens Travels (2003)
Outkast- Aquemini (1998)
Souls of Mischief: 93 Til' Infinity (1993)
Brockhampton- Saturation Trilogy (2017)
Tyler the Creator- Flower Boy (2016)
Kendrick Lamar- Section 80 (2011)
Eminem- The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
Brother Ali- Shadows of the Sun (2003)

Run the Jewels- II (2014)
Deep Puddle Dyamics- The Taste of Rain, Why Kneel? (1999)
Goodie Mob- Soul Food (1995)
Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (1993)
Chance the Rapper- Acid Rap (2013)
Snoop Dogg- Doggy Style (1994)
Beastie Boys- Lisence to Ill (1986)
Kendrick- Damn (2017)
Freestyle Fellowship- Innercity Griots (1993)
Zion I- True and Living (2005)

Blackstar- Blackstar (1998)
Cunninlynguists: Strange Journey Volume 3 (2014)
Home Brew- Home Brew (2012)
Aesop Rock- None Shall Pass (2007)
Joey Bada$$- 1999 (2012)
Pharcyde, Bizarre Journey II (1992)
Dr. Dre- The Chronic (1992)
Saba- Care for Me (2018)
P.O.S.- Ipecac Neat (2004)
A Tribe Called Quest- Midnight Marauders (1993)

Jay Z- The Blueprint (2001)
Atmosphere- God Loves Ugly (2001)
Isaiah Rashad- The Cilvia Demo (2014)
Earl Sweatshirt- Doris (2013)
Del La Soul- Bulhoone Mindstate (1993)
The Roots: How I Got Over (2010)
Queen Latifah- Black Reign (1993)
2Pac- Me Against the World (1995)
Sims: Bad Time Zoo (2011)
Danny Brown- Atrocity Exhibition (2016)

*Little Simz: Grey Area could wind up on here with some more time.
 
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Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full
Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet
Beastie Boys - Pauls Boutique
Black Moon - Enta Da Stage
Smif N Wessun - Dah Shinin'
The Cenubites - S/T
Common Sense - Resurrection
Outkast - ATLiens
Goodie Mob - Soul Food
De La Soul - ... is Dead
Nas - Illmatic
Ultramagnetic MCs - Critical Beatdown
Company Flow - Funcrusher / Plus
Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein
Westside Gunn - Hitler On Steroids
Freestyle Fellowship - Innercity Griots
NWA - Straight Outta Compton
Ice Cube - Amerikka's Most Wanted
Wu Tang Clan - 36 Chambers
Juggaknots - Clear Blue Skies
MF Doom - Operation Doomsday
Volume 10 - Hip-Hopera
Three-6 Mafia - Chapter 2: World Domination
Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Del - No Need For Alarm
Biggie - Ready To Die
Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt
Da Lench Mob - Guerillas In Tha Mist
The Grouch - Nothin' Changes
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Mecca & The Soul Brother
Atmosphere - Overcast
The Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
El-P - Fantastic Damage
Eminem - Slim Shady
Latyrx - The Muzapper Mixes EP (sure, just an ep.. but i like it better than their album)
The UN - UN or U Out
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter
Project Blowed
Cam'ron - Purple Haze
Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep
Method Man - Tical
Roc Marciano - Marcberg
MURS - Comurshal
Geto Boys - Can't Be Stopped
Digital Underground - Sex Packets
Ghostface - Supreme Clientele
Kanye - Late Registration
KA - Grief Pedigree

That's what I got for now.. ask me in five minutes and i'm sure it'd be different.
 
interesting to define what is hip-hop (which, to me, includes everything from frank ocean to massive attack to regurgitator) and what is rap (a much narrower definition of sound where the focus is on the mc rather than the combination of beats and rhymes)

i'll go with this for top 20 hip-hop:
  1. Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Butterfly
  2. Massive Attack - Mezzanine
  3. The Avalanches - Since I Left You
  4. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing…
  5. Outkast - Speakerboxxx / The Love Below
  6. Common - Be
  7. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
  8. Nas - Illmatic
  9. Frank Ocean - Blonde
  10. Missy Elliott - Miss E…So Addictive
  11. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
  12. Frank Ocean - Channel Orange
  13. Kendrick Lamar - untitled unmastered.
  14. Dr Dre - The Chronic
  15. N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
  16. Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City
  17. De La Soul - Three Feet High & Rising
  18. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
  19. Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
  20. Kanye West - Late Registation
 
whatwhatsaywhat said:
interesting to define what is hip-hop (which, to me, includes everything from frank ocean to massive attack to regurgitator) and what is rap (a much narrower definition of sound where the focus is on the mc rather than the combination of beats and rhymes)

i'll go with this for top 20 hip-hop:
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I think it's a big stretch to call Mezzanine hip-hop. Frank Ocean as well. Especially Blonde.

Then again, I am contemplating adding Symettry's Dusty Pickup which almost nobody has heard. So who really cares. Lol.
 
I hate making long lists, but here goes:


Outkast - Aquemini
Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly
A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
Common - Resurrection
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle
CunninLynguists - A Piece of Strange
Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt
The Roots - Game Theory
Ice Cube - Amerikkka's Most Wanted
Blackstar - Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are...
Outkast - ATLiens
Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city
Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang
Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die
Nas - Illmatic
Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
Blu & Exile - Below The Heavens
Reflection Eternal - Train of Thought
Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
Little Brother -The Listening
Mobb Deep - The Infamous

Souls of Mischief - 93 'Til Infinity
The Roots - How I Got Over
Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Digable Planets - Blowout Comb
Atmosphere - Lucy Ford
Aesop Rock - Labor Days
Brother Ali - Shadows On The Sun
Aesop Rock - Skelethon
Chance The Rapper -Acid Rap
Immortal Technique - Revolutionary Vol. 2
Common - Be
Atmosphere - You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We're Having
Goodie Mob - Soul Food
Kanye West - Late Registration
De La Soul - ...Is Dead
Jay-Z - The Black Album
Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Mecca & The Soul Brother
MF Doom - Operation Doomsday
Madvillain - Madvillainy
Fugees - The Score
NWA - Straight Outta Compton
CunninLynguists - Dirty Acres
The Roots - Illadelph Halflife
Nas - Lost Tapes
 
DownIsTheNewUp said:
*Old school in it's sensibilities*
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I guess? When I think old school, I think.. like Sugarhill Gang, Treacherous Three, Afrika Bambaata, etc.. and to me, while being true pioneers of the artform.. did some really basic shit (don't @ me please) ..it wasn't until the Rakims, Phill Most Chills, Percee Ps of the world started rapping that it truly started to take form (hot take again maybe? don't @ me) .. fast rap is what brought me into the game and it's really kinda sad that we don't really see that anymore. We've almost seen it devolve back into some basic shit (don't @ me) ..

But it has me wondering if younger heads looking at my list as some 'basic shit' that has since been perfected.. and if you think so, who were those artists and what did they do?
 
Also just going to add that my list didn't have a single Tribe record, which is should.. and maybe a different Cube record? Maybe FF's To Whom It May Concern instead.. ?
 
Clint Howard said:
But it has me wondering if younger heads looking at my list as some 'basic shit' that has since been perfected.. and if you think so, who were those artists and what did they do?
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I mean, I wasn't completely serious-- but I guess where I was also coming from is how much of your list is sample/turtable driven when to comes to the beats. Which is what I think of when I think of "old school".

As to somebody perfecting the genre, I mean, Kendrick is my favorite of all time, but I would never describe his work as "perfecting" the art form. That does a disservice to all the great artists to come before him. And would presume that taste was something other than subjective.

I do think there are a lot of modern artists who are doing everything they can to push the genre forward / evolve though. Young Fathers, Chance, Brockhampton, Tyler and maaaybe Vince Staples (due to his collaborations and incorporation of electronic music) come to mind.
 
DownIsTheNewUp said:
I mean, I wasn't completely serious-- but I guess where I was also coming from is how much of your list is sample/turtable driven when to comes to the beats. Which is what I think of when I think of "old school".

As to somebody perfecting the genre, I mean, Kendrick is my favorite of all time, but I would never describe his work as "perfecting" the art form. That does a disservice to all the great artists to come before him. And would presume that taste was something other than subjective.

I do think there are a lot of modern artists who are doing everything they can to push the genre forward / evolve though. Young Fathers, Chance, Brockhampton, Tyler and maaaybe Vince Staples (due to his collaborations and incorporation of electronic music) come to mind.
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That first point is totally fair. I just see sampling and hip-hop as going hand in hand despite loving stuff across the board including stuff that isn't sample based. The thing is though, most of the newer artists I listen to are still going by that aesthetic as well.. which is why I don't necessarily equate it to a certain school but like I said, just a huge part of hip-hop. I mean, I love Young Thug but dude hasn't put out a great record yet. Kendrick is really dope and maybe will be on a top 50 list for me some time but right now, I feel like he's grossly overrated. And it's not just cause he is 'new' either.. hell, I thought Nas was super overrated in the 90s during peak-Nas-era.. so just don't equate it to new vs. old either.

And out of all those new artists you listed (granted, I haven't heard them all) .. nobody really is doing anything new? Like those 5 artists you listed.. what are they doing to push the genre forward / evolve it? And incorporating electronic music or collaborations isn't really new.. they were doing that shit in the 80s.

Believer101 said:
the old school/new school line adjusts every new generation lol and your list is many gens ago lol
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damn, way to make me feel old. many gens ago? maybe 1? please say it's just one!

KenKaniff said:
Shocked nobody put Diamond D - Stunts, Blunts & Hip-Hop.

I believe that's one of the most underrated classics that misses the conversations.
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That is a great record and I'd argue that there are a bunch of DITC records that could all be up for discussion. I just could never stand by his rapping which kinda makes it not a GOAT record for me. Not saying he's bad but .. like, he ain't even the best rapper out of the rapper/producers in DITC..
 
I dont judge an album entirely on its lyrical ability/flair.

Sometimes I can hold a great produced album over the greatest lyric album.

The older I get the more I prefer well produced over lyrical aswell.

  • CunninLynguists ‎– Oneirology (2011) Hip-Hop

^ This album blends both perfectly and is why its so high on my list.

  • Kanye West ‎– My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) Hip-Hop

^ Some could argue this is more a great produced album over a lyric album.

Going by your list tho @Clint Howard you are the complete opposite and a hiphop purist (lyric is all)
 
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Clint Howard said:
That is a great record and I'd argue that there are a bunch of DITC records that could all be up for discussion. I just could never stand by his rapping which kinda makes it not a GOAT record for me. Not saying he's bad but .. like, he ain't even the best rapper out of the rapper/producers in DITC..
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Love the album; not saying he's consistently a great rapper in general but this album just clicks for me. Great production from D, Large Pro, Tip, Biz & others. Early looks for Fat Joe & Big L as well.
 
This is tough... and in no order;

Top 50 (No order)

Gang Starr - Full Clip
A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
A Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory
Das Efx - Straight Up Sewaside
Wu Tang - 36 Chambers
Beastie Boys - License to Ill
INI - Center of Attention
De La Soul - Stakes is High
Roots - Come Alive
MF Doom - Operation Doomsday
Digable Plents - Creamy Spy Chronicles
Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Mos Def - Black on Both Sides
Black Star - Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are...
Raekwon - Only Built for Cuban Linx
Dead Prez - RBG
Mr Lif - Live From the Plantation
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Mecca and the Sould Brother
Little Brother - The Minstrel Show
Goodie Mobb - Soul Food
Outkast - ATLliens
Outkast - Aquemini
LL Cool J- Walking With a Panther
Mobb Deep - The Infamous
J-Lie - The Best Part
Ice Cube - Letal Injection
NWA - Straight Outta Compton
Talib Kweli - Eardrum
Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Fugees - The Score
Notorious BIG - Ready to Die
Jeru The Damaja - The Sun Rises in the East
Nas - It Was Written
Smif N Wessun - Da Shinin
Black Moon - Enta Da Stage
Jay-Z - MTV Unplugged
2Pac - Me Against The World
Amerigo Gazaway - The Departure
Beastie Boys - Pauls Boutique
Big L - The Big Picture
Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded
Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions
Camp Lo - Uptown Saturday Night
Common - Be
Handsome Boy Modeling School - So how Your Girl?
Dr Octagon - The Octagonolygist
Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus
EPMD - Stricly Business
Everlast - Whitey Ford Sings The Blues
Slick Rick - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
 
Clint Howard said:
That first point is totally fair. I just see sampling and hip-hop as going hand in hand despite loving stuff across the board including stuff that isn't sample based. The thing is though, most of the newer artists I listen to are still going by that aesthetic as well.. which is why I don't necessarily equate it to a certain school but like I said, just a huge part of hip-hop. I mean, I love Young Thug but dude hasn't put out a great record yet. Kendrick is really dope and maybe will be on a top 50 list for me some time but right now, I feel like he's grossly overrated. And it's not just cause he is 'new' either.. hell, I thought Nas was super overrated in the 90s during peak-Nas-era.. so just don't equate it to new vs. old either.

And out of all those new artists you listed (granted, I haven't heard them all) .. nobody really is doing anything new? Like those 5 artists you listed.. what are they doing to push the genre forward / evolve it? And incorporating electronic music or collaborations isn't really new.. they were doing that shit in the 80s.
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I mean, your not wrong? Samples & turntables are the foundation of hip-hop. I never would have said anything about your list. It's a great fucking list that's full of masterpieces with a legacy (as opposed to mine which is comprised of favorites). I just thought Believer's comment was funny because your list is pretty darn old-school and boom bap heavy. (It's not the only one like that either). Late Registration might be the newest album on there.

But it makes sense cause a list of favorites is all about the era you grew up in. If I'm not mistaken you have a past working with labels as the genre was coming up no?

In contrast, I was born in 1987 and grew up confined to what the radio stations of Denver chose to show me. Outkast, Eminem, Dre, Tupac, Nelly, Snoop and early Jay Z were the foundation laid in middle school before I became more rock centric in high school. Then I moved to LA for college and my best friend was from St. Paul (where Rhymesayers was thriving) and he got me back into hip-hop. At which point I began inhaling the underground of the 00's, underground of the 90's and all the Native Tongues era stuff. Oh and discovering classic albums like Illmatic and The Score that you didn't hear much of in Colorado because all the suburban whites there were G-Funk focused.

Anyways, I personally love the modern era because artists have a lot more creative freedom both lyrically and sonically. Production-wise all the groups I mentioned are basically genre-less. They're fusing different sounds / styles together in a way that feels shapeless and free. Yes, there have always been artists that do that to a degree, but a lot of them were confined to the underground because major labels were intent on formulating hits. So the production values granted eclectic artists are better than they've ever been.

As to the Kendrick hate, I don't know what to say. I think he's fucking brilliant-- both lyrically (maybe the greatest of all time in that regard), and in the way every album shifts in production style.
 
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