The Grind Date Top 25 Rap Albums of All Time

2009-02-19T09:27:00.000-05:00

#25 - #21

#25 - MF DOOM & Madlib - Madvillainy

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What makes this album so special? Two of the most versatile artists in underground rap collaborating on one album? And performing as demented monster men straight out of comic book lore? AND planning to take over the world through dope hip-hop music.

Quotable: "Just remember all caps when you spell the man's name..."

#24 - Geto Boys - We Can't Be Stopped

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Everyone knows "My Mind Is Playing Tricks On Me", but this album is so much more. Weak moments on this album are few and far between, and the only entirely unnecessary track on the whole LP is the "Rebel Rap Family" intro.

Quotable: "Yo Flav, I give a fuck about a God damn Grammy
But them motherfuckin hoes won't hand me one
At least you was invited by the bigots
The motherfuckers told me to buy a ticket!
To their phony ass ceremony
Fuck Oscar, Emmy, and Tony!
Cause when it comes to award time
Niggaz be standin on the God damn sideline
I'm loadin my nine, cause I got a lot of grudges
I'm 'bout to take out the judges
Willie D won't shit 'cha, but hit 'cha
Take a look at the overall picture
Every year it's the same old story
Same faces, same categories
I sold a lot of records and a lot of people know me
NOW WHERE'S MY GOD DAMN TROPHY!"

#23 - Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death

Download & Listen For Yourself Disc I
Download & Listen For Yourself Disc II

If this were a single disc album; it'd mostly likely be a top 10 or even 5 album imo. But 24 tracks spread over two disc wears a little thin. Some cuts were uninspiring, like Niggas Bleed, Miss U, and Another. The guest raps from Diddy could be done without, and it would be nice to see more of the newfound spirituality Biggie professed in the interviews before his grim death.

Quotable: "Your reign on the top was short like leprechauns
As I crush so-called willies, thugs, and rapper-dons
Get in that ass, quick fast, like ramadan
Its that rap phenomenon Don-Dadda, fuck Poppa
You got ta, call me, Francis M.H.
White in tank-light totes, tote iron
Was told in shootouts, stay low, and keep firin
Keep extra clips for extra shit
Who's next to flip, on that cat with that grip on rap
The mo shady, "Tell em!", Frankie baby
Ain't no tellin where I may be May see me in D.C. at Howard Homecomin with my man Capone, dumbin, fuckin somethin
You should know my steelo
Went from ten G's for blow to thirty G's a show to orgies with hoes I never seen befo' so, Jesus, get off the Notorious penis, before I squeeze and bust
If the beef between us, we can settle it
With the chrome and metal shit I make it hot, like a kettle get
You're delicate, you better get, who sent ya?
You still pedal shit, I got more rides than Great Adventure
Biggie, "How are you gonna do it?"

#22 - Organized Konfusion - The Equinox

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Prince Po & Pharoahe Monch formed one of the most underrated East Coast rap groups ever. And this is the last of three album they put out as a group. This album is pure dopeness.

Quotable: "Nine times out of ten, a nigga wanna shine
But nobody shines brighter than the light Organized
Extra-tight, one hundred percent, drama full armor
The persona is to "Crush Kill Destroy" the bad karma that
hums superb, lyrics emerge from the slums
of the latest gun drug runs, fun feds and dum-dums
Priority and confidential
Organized mission is rippin any instrumental, believe that"

#21 - Jay-Z - The Blueprint

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The Blueprint is Jay's architectural master plan on how to run rap.

1- Minimal Features
2- Dope beats with meaniful samples

Quotable:

"Do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it?"

"To all you other cats throwing shots at Jigga/You only get half a bar, fuck y'all niggas"

#20 - #16

#20 - Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele

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Every member of the Wu experienced a sophmore jinx. Except Tony Starks, infact Supreme Clientele is better than Ironman imo. From the references to the Ironman cartoon from the 60's to Ghost's new style of rap. Where you have to replay every track over and over to try and dechiper what the god said. Every track on this lp including the interludes are bangers which equals a classic.

Quotable:
"Aiyyo, this rappin's like Ziti, facin me real TV Crash at high-speeds, strawberry, kiwi As we approach, yo herb, the Gods bail These Staten Island ferryboat cats bail Fresh cellies, 50 thief up in the city We banned for life,
Apollo kids live to spit the real"

#19 - The D.O.C. - No One Can Do It Better

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Although he was outshined by Cube the D.O.C. was the most lyrical out of all the N.W.A. and the West Coast/South (He was from Dallas) at the time before he injured his larynx. NOBODY was spitting like this in '89. The only people who might even come close are KRS-One, Kane, maybe Kool G. Rap. Add the fact that every track is produced by Dr. Dre and you have instant classic.

Quotable: "I am not illiterate, no not even a little bit Nothing like an idiot, get it? You want the record, cool, I'm with it! Let the rhythm take you, shake it cause it makes you As I turn the knob to the door you escape through Go in like a knot, don't be a puff And I let it play cause Dre's gettin funky enough [...] If, you want another reason, why it must be funky Yo I am not a jackass, meaning not a donkey So I will play the game, like it should be played Drop the funk into the mix so the place will never fade Ship it - ship it the the stations, in your jurisdiction Brothers say I'm dope, and the others say I'm bitchin No crowd can avoid, the D-O to the C When I'm P-E-R-F-O-R-M-I-N-G"

#18 - Kool G. Rap & DJ Polo - Road to the Riches

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Without Kool Genius Rap there would be no Scarface, Raekwon, or Jay-Z when he was raw. Mafioso Drug Rap started right here. Backed by their click the Juice Crew and produced by Marley Marl this album still bumps after 19 years.

Quotable: "I run rappers like races, cut them like razors
Burn them like lasers and stun them like phasers
Cause my brain thinks and it blanks you memory banks
Sharp as shanks and poetry is like big hanks"

#17 - Mobb Deep - The Infamous

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Dunn this was the album that made Mobb-phonics and MD beats a way of life. I could end this with Shook Ones, but track after track shines. Eye For a Eye (Your Beef is Mines) with Shallah Raekwon & Nasty Nas makes me wonder how I forgot how nasty Nasir use to get with it.

Quotable: "Condominium, thug dressed like a gentleman
Tailor made ostrich, Chanel for my women friend
Murderin, numbers on your head while I'm burglarin
Shank is servin em, whassup to all my niggaz swervin in
New York metropolis, the Bridge brings apocalypse
Shoot at the clouds feels like, the holy beast is watchin us
Mad man my sanity is goin like an hourglass
Gun inside my bad hand I sliced tryin to bag grams"

#16 - Gangstarr - Step in the Arena

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The second effort from Premo & Guru is much improved over No More Mr. Nice Guy. It was only '91 and Premier was already at a level where his beats couldn't get any better. Combine that with Guru monotone flow that worked so well over these beats.

Quotable: "I was raised like a Muslim
Prayin' to the East
Nature of my life relates rhymes I release
like a cannon
Cuz I been plannin' to be rammin' what I wrote
straight on a plate down your throat
So digest as I suggest we take a good look
At who's who while I'm readin' from my good book
And let's dig into every nook and every cranny
Set your mind free as I slam these thoughts
And just like a jammy goes pow
You're gonna see what I'm sayin' now
You can't be sleepin'
cuz things are gettin' crazy
You better stop being lazy
There's many people frontin'
And many brothers droppin'"

#15 - #11

#15 - Boogie Down Productions - By All Means Necessary

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In 1988, The Teacher droped the first politically conscious effort in hip-hop. KRS switched up his swag on this lp, and you can tell my the album cover which mimics Brother Malcolm.

Quotable: "Let's begin, what, where, why, or when will all be explained like instructions to a game See I'm not insane, in fact, I'm kind of rational when I be asking you, "Who is more dramatical?" This one or that one, the white one or the black one pick the punk, and I'll jump up to attack one KRS-One is just the guy to lead a crew right up to your face and dis you Everyone saw me on the last album cover Holding a pistol something far from a lover"

#14 - The GZA - Liquid Swords

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Gary Grice, The Genuis, The GZA, Maximillion, Allah Justice, or God Zig-Zag-Zig Allah. Whatever you wanna call him they all equal nice ass emcee. With his second studio album The GZA stopped trying to sound like LL or Kane and brought the real WU sound to the table. This lp has to many classic tracks. From the Shogun Assassin opener to the last track feat Killah Priest. CLASSIC

Quotable: "I slayed MC's back in the rec room era
My style broke motherfuckin backs like Ken Patera
Most rap niggaz came loud but unheard
Once I pulled out, round 'em off to the nearest third
Check these non-visual niggaz, with tapes and a portrait
Flood the seminar, tryin to orbit this corporate
indsutry, but what them niggaz can't see
must break through like the Wu, unexpectedly
'Protect Ya Neck', my sword still remain imperial
Before I blast the mic, RZA scratch off the serial We reign all year 'round from June to June While niggaz bite immediately if not soon"

#13 - ATCQ - Midnight Marauders

Even though the tribe are the headliners for this years rock the bells tour. The name of the biggest group out of the native tongues begins to fade away. Its sad because not alot of artist drop three straight banging albums.

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Quotable: "I proceed with what ya need like Akinyele
a whip looks complete when the tires say Firelli
funk monkey, one rapper fell off, now he's a junkie
There's eight million stories in the city it's a pity"

#12 - Outkast - ATLiens

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From the Comic Book cover to the lyrics and beats this album is just too dope. They're just "Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac)," after all.

Quotable: "Got stopped at the mall the other day, heard a call from the other way
that I just came from, some nigga was sayin some'n
talkin bout 'Hey man, you remember me from school?' Naw not really
But he kept smilin like a clown, facial expression lookin silly
And he kept askin me, what kind of car you drive, I know you paid
I know y'all got beaucoup buckos from all them songs that y'all done made
And I replied that I had been goin through tha same thing that he had
True I got more fans than the average man but not enough loot to last me
to the end of the week, I live by the beat like you live check to check
If you don't move yo' feet then I don't eat, so we like neck to neck
Yes we done come a long way like them Slim ass cigarettes
from Virginia, this ain't gon stop so we just gon' continue"

#11 - Scarface - Mr. Scarface Is Back

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Mr. Scarface is a album from a time when Scarface was young, raw, and hungry. I think this is his most complete album, but over time his content expanded and gained more lyrical growth. But it all began right here.

Quotable: "I made a nut as she fell to the floor
I heard a knock on the front door
I grabbed the twelve gauge from the bed head
'Who is it?' ('Fred')
'What?! Who the fuck is Fred?' I stood by the door
By that time someone jumped in the window
Now what the fuck was I to do?
The bitch packed a twenty-two
Hit him in his head, there she laid him
The nigga standin' by the door, I sprayed him
And headed for the back
I seen that same old brown Cadillac
It kinda fucked me up at first
Cause the nigga that drove that Caddy rode away in a hearse
I opened up fire on the ride, G
Who I was shootin' for was standin' right behind me
I had a double barrel pointed at my ass
Could this be the end of Mr. Brad?"

#10 - #06

#10 - Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

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Cube was the most popular member of N.W.A. in 1990. But at the same time he was the nigga you love to hate. After ghost writing alot of Straight Outta Compton and Eazy-Duz-It, Cube went solo. With beats from the Bomb Squad & Da Lench Mob, he spit political lyrics over dope beats. The angriest man in rap dropped a classic.

Quotable: "They try to keep me from runnin up
I never tell you to get down, it's all about comin up
So what they do, go and ban the AK?
My shit wasn't registered any-fuckin-way
So you better duck away run and hide out
When I'm rollin real slow and the lights out
Cause I'm about, to fuck up the program
Shootin out the window of a drop-top Brougham
When I'm shootin let's see who drop
The police, the media, and suckers that went pop
And motherfuckers that say they too black
Put 'em overseas they be beggin to come back
They say we promote gangs and drugs
You wanna sweep a nigga like me up under the rug
Kickin shit called street knowledge
Why more niggaz in the pen than in college?
Because of that line I might be your cellmate
That's from the nigga ya love to hate!"

#09 - Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt

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Mafiaso Rap was very popular in '96 and not alot of people did it better than Hov. This lp seems like it came from a seasoned vet in the game, not from someones first offical album.

Quotable: "My pops knew exactly what he did when he made me
Tried to get a nut and he got a nut and what
Straight bananas; can a nigga, see me?
Got the US Open, advantage Jigga
Serve like Sampras, play fake a rappers like a campus
Le Tigre, son you're too eager
You ain't havin it? Good, me either
Let's, get together and make this whole world believe us huh?
At my arraignment, screamin
all us blacks got is sports and entertainment, until we even
Thievin, as long as I'm breathin
Can't knock the way a nigga eatin - fuck you even!"

#08 - Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle

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Snoop Dogg + Dr.Dre. Need I say more?

Quotable:"I lay back in the cut retain myself
Think about the shit, and I'm thinkin wealth
How can I makes my grip
And how should I make that nigga straight slip
Set trip, gotta get him for his grip
as i dip around the corner, now I'm on a-nother
mission, wishin, upon a star
Snoop Doggy Dogg with the caviar
In the back of the limo no demo, this is the real
Breakin niggaz down like Evander Holyfield, chill
to the next Episode
I make money, and I really don't love hoes
Tell ya the truth, I swoop in the Coupe
I used to sell loot, I used to shoot hoops
But now I, make, hits, every single day
With, that nigga, the diggy Dr. Dre
So lay back in the cut, motherfucker 'fore you get shot
It's 1-8-7 on a motherfuckin cop"

#07 - Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die

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This album is perfect except for the interlude "fuck me". Big was young & hungry and spit over fire beats.

Quotable: "And now the shit's gettin crazier and major
Kids younger than me, they got the Sky grand Pagers
Goin outta town, blowin up
Six months later all the dead bodies showin up
It make me wanna grab the nine and the shottie
But I gotta go identify the body
Damn, what happened to the summertime cookouts?
Everytime I turn around a nigga gettin took out"

#06 - Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full

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Rakim the god, if your favorite rapper is any good then he is his favorite rapper. It is one of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time.

Quotable: "Thinkin of a master plan
Cuz ain't nuthin but sweat inside my hand
So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent
So I dig deeper but still comin up with lint
So I start my mission- leave my residence
Thinkin how could I get some dead presidents
I need money, I used to be a stick-up kid
So I think of all the devious things I did
I used to roll up, this is a hold up, ain't nuthin funny
Stop smiling, be still, don't nuthin move but the money
But now I learned to earn cos I'm righteous
I feel great! so maybe I might just
Search for a 9 to 5, if I strive
Then maybe I'll stay alive
So I walk up the street whistlin this
Feelin out of place cos, man, do I miss
A pen and a paper, a stereo, a tape of
Me and Eric B, and a nice big plate of
Fish, which is my favorite dish
But without no money it's still a wish
Cos I don't like to dream about gettin paid
So I dig into the books of the rhymes that I made
To now test to see if I got pull
Hit the studio, cos I'm paid in full"

#05 - #01

#05 - Tupac Shakur - Me Against the World

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If you have a beating heart in your chest, you can't not feel the raw emotional energy that Tupac delivers through his words and his voice on this album.

Quotable: "Lord knows I.. tried, been a witness to homicide
Seen drivebys takin lives, little kids die
Wonder why as I walk by
Broken-hearted as I glance at the chalk line, gettin high
This ain't the life for me, I wanna change
But ain't no future right for me, I'm stuck in the game
I'm trapped inside a maze
See this Tanqueray influenced me to gettin crazy
Disillusioned lately, I've been really wantin babies
so I could see a part of me that wasn't always shady"

#04 - Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

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Shaolin shadowboxing, and the Wu-Tang sword style. If what you say is true, the Shaolin and the Wu-Tang could be dangerous. Do you think your Wu-Tang sword can defeat me? En garde, I'll let you try my Wu-Tang style. Those words spoke by Manchu Prince from Shaolin and Wu-Tang are the first thing heard from the Wu (Minus Words from the Geunis and Prince Rakeem crap). Rap would never be the same. People looking for something new from New York rap after the country was only listening to gangsta rap from cali got exactly what they wanted and more.

Quotable: "I rip it hardcore, like porno-flick bitches
I roll with groups of ghetto bastards with biscuits
Check it, my method on the microphone's bangin
Wu-Tang slang'll leave your headpiece hangin
Bust this, I'm kickin like Segall, Out for Justice
The roughness, yes, the rudeness, ruckus
Redrum, I verbally assault with the tongue
Murder one, my style shot ya knot like a stun-gun"

#03 - Nas - Illmatic

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This is the album you would give to a young kid looking to get into rap. This is the album jigga talks about on all his albums until he got called out on it. This is the album that let people know that maybe theres someone out there more talented than Rakim. 10 tracks no famous features from dope producers from a young mc who spit fire bars.

Quotable: "I got so many rhymes I don't think I'm too sane
Life is parallel to Hell but I must maintain
and be prosperous, though we live dangerous
cops could just arrest me, blamin us, we're held like hostages
It's only right that I was born to use mics
and the stuff that I write, is even tougher than dice
I'm takin rappers to a new plateau, through rap slow
My rhymin is a vitamin, Hell without a capsule
The smooth criminal on beat breaks
Never put me in your box if your shit eats tapes"

#02 - Dr. Dre - The Chronic

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Back in 92 rap was either party music or about politics. Dre invented G-Funk and brought it his debut album. Free from Easy & Jerry Heller control Dre was able to do things his way. Which is making beats while Snoop spits on the mic.

Quotable: " Well I'm peepin', and I'm creepin', and I'm creep-in'. But I damn near got capped, 'cause my beeper kept beepin'. Now it's time for me to make my impression felt, So sit back, relax, and strap on your seatbelt. You never been on a ride like this before, With a producer who can rap and control the maestro At the same time with the dope rhyme that I kick. You know, and I know, I flow some old funky shit To add to my collection. The selection Symbolizes dope. Take a toke but don't choke. If you do, you have no clue
Of what me and my homie Snoop Dogg came to do..."

#01 - Raekwon the Chef - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Niggas

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Ok here's my review on THE BEST hip hop album ever constructed.

Striving For Perfection- What a great way to start an album. It's just Rae and Ghost speaking on what they wanna do when this albums done. "Im hanging this shit up if this don't work man." Well, it worked Ghostface.

Knuckleheads- I love the bassline. Rae comes with a great verse. Ghost and U-God come off with better verses though. It's just a great head nodding song.

Knowledge God- One of my favorite beats on the album. I love Rae's verses but the beat takes this with the violens and catch little piano.

Criminology- Oh my god first off the beat is crazy but Ghost and Rae came off so hard on this song. A lot of quotable in this song from both members. Beat fits perfect with their flow.

Incarcerated Scarfaces- I remember first hearing this beat and thinking it was the best I had ever heard. I don't think that anymore but this is still a classic song in its' own right. Chef'll shine like marble.

Rainy Dayz- Every once in a while you'll hear a beat and think "Wow that is production nirvana right there." This beat is like that. A flawless beat and (Blue Rasberry?) has stellar vocals. Rae and Ghost prove to me that they are some of the best lyricists around with 2 great verses.

Guillotine (Swordz)- The beat from Tical! Finally RZA quit messing with us and hit us up with this stellar beat. Rebel INS catches you right off the bat which he seems to like to do as he has done the same with several of his verses. Him and GZA start and end the song perfectly with Ghost dropping some abstract wordplay and Rae kicking his slang rap.

Can It Be All So Simple (Remix)-It's the original beat reverses, and with harder bass. Although the original may be better due to better lyrics, I still amazed at the duo of Ghost and Rae, they vibe perfect together.

Shark Biters- It's one of the best skits. Rae and Ghost talk about biters, talking about people biting their styles and Nas's shit.

Ice Water- A great sample by RZA. It's such a great beat but I love Ghost's and Cappadonnas verses. You can almost feel a change in sound after Shark Biters as there is more guest appearances from here on.

Glaciers of Ice- Another flawless beat by RZA. Best verses have to belong to Rae and Masta Killa though, with Masta coming off the best. Blue Rasberry made this song though, she should get the same amount of credit

Verbal Intercourse- One of the best sampled beats you'll ever hear. "If he....I really love him." How do you take something so profound like that and turn into one of the sickest beats made? RZA did it but even better than the beat is the 3 classic verses, right in a row, dropped by Nas, Rae, and Ghostface. This song is hip hop in its' purest form no questions asked.

Wisdom Body- A short solo Ghosface. He speech seems a little weird, as Ghost said he was probably drunk during a lot of the making of this album. I like the beat although it doesn't amount to the price that Glaciers of Ice and Verbal Intercourse was.

Spot Rusherz- The St. Ides commercial plays at the beginning while Ghost and Rae crack me up. "It's like the sun ain't even up. Well the sun will always shine though, but you know what I mean?" I like the beat alot although it is repetitive. Rae tells a nice story. All in all, it's a great track.

Ice Cream- It's a clever song, but the best verse is Ghostface with Cappadonna finishing out the song but I almost like Meth best for his chorus.

Wu-Gambinos- The Gambinos! Johnny Blaze, Tony Starks, Lex Diamonds, and Noodles and Bobby Steels one by one give out some of the best verses on the album. Another fantastic beat. There is no weak verse on here, they are all great but as for the best verse, I'm going to have to give it to Bobby Steels.

Heaven and Hell- One of my favorite beats and songs. Rae and Ghost do a little duet together, just vibing with the beat. It's just a classic song what can I say.

North Star- Another one of the best beats i've ever heard. When Rae comes and drops his verse, I seriously get goosebumps almost every time. The verse needed to be longer or have Ghost or something on it! This song should have been 8 minutes long with every member dropping a verse. Used to never listen to it because I only thought it was just Popa Wu talking.