Essential Hip Hop List

[Little Skittle]

Let's be real; this forum is dying. In the interest of jump-starting it a little, I present to you the Essential Hip Hop Album List. For those of you familiar with 4chan, this list comes from /mu/. In this thread we discuss the albums listed, say what we would change, suggest albums on this list to others, etc. Anything and everything about this list goes into this thread. Unfortunately, the image is too large to load into this thread, so you must click the link. http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/1843/unled4a.png Let's get this shit started SH.

 

[Ristol]

We all know the essential hip hop stuff, and we all know that we know it. What are we going to do, sit around and list Illmatic and the like all day?

 

[roaches]

no to:

road to riches
stress (personal top 10 though)
things fall apart
blowout comb
return of the boom bap
reasonable doubt
black on both sides
moment of truth
the main ingredient
6 feet deep
endtroducing
lost tapes
stankonia
beauty and the beat
masters of the universe
hell hath no fury
below the heavens
original pirate material (lol)
the listening
jeanius (lol wtf? did this ever actually get an official release?)
da drought 3
by the throat
boy in da corner
evolution fight
grip it on that other level
done by the forces of nature
the message (the song, sure)
black star
dr octagon
slaughtahouse
lifestyles of the poor and dangerous
king of da playaz ball
madvillainy
donuts
deltron 3030
like water for chocolate
absense
take me to your leader
deadringer
marshall mathers lp
metaphorical music
dil cosby suite
the old prince
disposable arts
tronic
i'll sleep when you're dead
quality control

 

[Ristol]

Original Pirate Material is a great album.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

the ken kaniff show

 

[masta247]

Well, there's too much to add to even start. But I found a few albums that are on that list that I've never listened to. Actually I've never heard of some that are there. And I'd definitely change a lot of them. There are much better boot camp album than Black Moon's Enta Da Stage to start with. There are better from the Wu, from Redman and from 2pac. There are better from many artists that are on the list.

 

[Pittsey]

Original Pirate Material is a great album.

Not a hip-hop essential though. And neither is Boy in da corner.

 

[roaches]

Revisiting it again: the only release representing Louisiana is a mixtape of a one-of-a-kind rapper rapping over popular beats. They arbitrarily selected a 90s 666 album to represent Tennessee (I still don't know who Kingpin Skinny Pimp is). No 8Ball and MJG. No Bay Area. No BTNH. No shiny suit rap. No Dipset. No post-Screw H-town shit. No 2 Live Crew. I don't think Timbaland has a single beat on any of the albums listed. Political rap gets no shine except for the token nod to PE.

 

[Pittsey]

The list is subjective. Of course. But I disagree with a large chunk. Although, what exactly does essential hip-hop mean?

 

[Little Skittle]

Well, there's too much to add to even start. But I found a few albums that are on that list that I've never listened to. Actually I've never heard of some that are there. And I'd definitely change a lot of them. There are much better boot camp album than Black Moon's Enta Da Stage to start with. There are better from the Wu, from Redman and from 2pac. There are better from many artists that are on the list.

You think 2pac has a better album than Me Against The World?

 

[Little Skittle]

We all know the essential hip hop stuff, and we all know that we know it. What are we going to do, sit around and list Illmatic and the like all day?

Well you definitely have not heard every album on the list, so how about picking one at random and telling us what you think?

 

[masta247]

You think 2pac has a better album than Me Against The World?

Well, in my book it's not even in top 5. Trying to be fair I'd say it might be after All Eyez on Me and Makaveli. I remember a discussion with poll on this here on hitemup.

 

[Pittsey]

Me Against The World is Pac's best album. I'd make a change or 2. But I'd make a change or 4 on his albums before or since.

 

[Little Skittle]

Well, in my book it's not even in top 5. Trying to be fair I'd say it might be after All Eyez on Me and Makaveli. I remember a discussion with poll on this here on hitemup.

Wow! I think All Eyez On Me is my least favorite by him, but I still love it. I guess that's why he's the best though, almost all of his albums could be construed as his best. There's no topping MATW for me though.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Wow! I think All Eyez On Me is my least favorite by him, but I still love it. I guess that's why he's the best though, almost all of his albums could be construed as his best. There's no topping MATW for me though.

Yeah, All Eyez On Me had way too much filler. MATW and Makaveli are my favourite albums by him.

 

[masta247]

Weird, I didn't know so many people considered MATW as 2pac's best album. To be fair I think that All Eyez on me was still more popular though. Also tracks that I hear getting radio play these days are almost exclusively from All Eyez on me, except Dear Mama, To Live and die in LA, Toss it up and Hail Mary that I've heard once. And obviously Changes and Hitemup but they were not featured on any full album other than greatest hits (which,come to think of it might be the best 2pac album ).
I agree with Little Skittle, it's awesome that there are different things to like about 2pac so different albums might be considered best since there were no bad albums from 2pac (minus some posthumous ones).

I always preferred even the 2nd disk of AEOM alone. Actually second disk of AEOM is one of my favorite CDs of all time, hip-hop aside. I loved beats and emotions on that one (Holla at me, Can't C me).
But then again I always thought that 96 was the best year for him (minus the death part).

 

[Pittsey]

I did like AEOM at the time. But on reflection it isn't as good as I thought. The beats are good and Pac is angry. I liked this back in 96, because I was also angry.

 

[S O F I]

I've always been a fan of angry Tupac as well. Obviously, I like the personal Tupac on MATW, but I really love angry Tupac on Makaveli and AEOM.

I mean, that's why I got into rap in the first place. The anger, the raw emotions, the FUCK YOU MOTHERFUCKERS shit.

 

[masta247]

I'd rather listen to angry "eat shit, THUG LIFE!" than feel gay listening to "Can you get awaaayyyy". Anyway I also like both albums but angry Tupac is awesomeness. I think that beats on All eyez on me were amazing too, they complimented Tupac's rhymes, even if they were too much about drinking, smoking weed, fucking bitches and getting money. Actually it's more about the feeling than lyrics if it comes to DR-era 2pac. I sometimes feel a need to skip most ridiculous parts though.

 

[Pittsey]

I'd rather listen to angry "eat shit, THUG LIFE!" than feel gay listening to "Can you get awaaayyyy". Anyway I also like both albums but angry Tupac is awesomeness. I think that beats on All eyez on me were amazing too, they complimented Tupac's rhymes, even if they were too much about drinking, smoking weed, fucking bitches and getting money. Actually it's more about the feeling than lyrics if it comes to DR-era 2pac. I sometimes feel a need to skip most ridiculous parts though.

I hate sex songs in hip-hop. I don't want to hear about them "banging hoes" or anything about Lil' Kim's vagina. It is so uncouth.