View Full Version : Best Album Year By Year


The Raging Bull
10-07-2009, 09:48 PM
Right guys, let's get into this **** and compose our lists of our favourite albums year by year. We'll start this in '90 because I admittedly don't know a **** load about 80's rap besides Boogie Down Productions and Rakim.

1990. Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
1991. Main Source - Breaking Atoms
1992. Dr. Dre - The Chronic
1993. Wu Tang Clan - Enter The Wu Tang
1994. Nas - Illmatic
1995. Raekwon - Only Built For Cuban Linx
1996. The Roots - Illadelph Halflife
1997. Wu Tang Clan - Wu Tang Forever
1998. Outkast - Aquemeni
1999. Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
2000. Talib Kweli - Reflection Eternal
2001. Cannibal Ox - Cold Vein
2002. Lost Tapes - Nas
2003. The Black Album - Jay Z
2004. A Long Hot Summer - Masta Ace
2005. Hell's Winter - Cage
2006. A Piece Of Strange - CunninLynguists
2007. Below The Heavens - Blu
2008. Untitled - Nas

That's my list :) What's yours?

The Raging Bull
10-08-2009, 09:47 AM
I take it people aren't interested in having a worthwhile discussion on hip hop

neils7147933
10-08-2009, 10:54 PM
1990 - LL Cool J, Mama Said Knock You Out
1991 - Public Enemy, Apocalypse 91 The Enemy Strikes Black
1992 - Dr. Dre, The Chronic
1993 - Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the Wu-Tang
1994 - Notorious BIG, Ready to Die
1995 - Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
1996 - Jay-Z, Reasonable Doubt
1997- Notorious BIG, Life After Death
1998- Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
1999 - Dr. Dre, 2001
2000 - Eminem, Marshall Mathers LP
2001 - Jay-Z, The Blueprint

No 5-mic classics since 2001 IMO

BEST 10 RAP ALBUMS EVER
Notorious BIG, Ready to Die
Nas, Illmatic
Eminem, Marshall Mathers LP
Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the Wu-Tang
Dr. Dre, The Chronic
Ice Cube, The Predator
Beastie Boys, Licensed to Ill
Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Jay-Z, The Blueprint
Public Enemy, Apocalypse 91 The Enemy Strikes Black

Just outside - Big Pun, Yeah Baby; Makaveli - The Don Killimunati: The 7 Day Theory; Outkast, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik; A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory; E-40, In a Major Way; 2Pac - All Eyez on Me; Raekwon- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx

Cuauhtémoc1502
10-09-2009, 11:05 AM
Right guys, let's get into this **** and compose our lists of our favourite albums year by year. We'll start this in '90 because I admittedly don't know a **** load about 80's rap besides Boogie Down Productions and Rakim.

1990. Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
1991. Main Source - Breaking Atoms
1992. Dr. Dre - The Chronic
1993. Wu Tang Clan - Enter The Wu Tang
1994. Nas - Illmatic
1995. Raekwon - Only Built For Cuban Linx
1996. The Roots - Illadelph Halflife
1997. Wu Tang Clan - Wu Tang Forever
1998. Outkast - Aquemeni
1999. Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
2000. Talib Kweli - Reflection Eternal
2001. Cannibal Ox - Cold Vein
2002. Lost Tapes - Nas
2003. The Black Album - Jay Z
2004. A Long Hot Summer - Masta Ace
2005. Hell's Winter - Cage
2006. A Piece Of Strange - CunninLynguists
2007. Below The Heavens - Blu
2008. Untitled - Nas

That's my list :) What's yours?

Decent list but one thing that sticks out to me is how Hip Hop has gotten worse and worse as the years have gone by.

From 1999 and back on your list it's straight FIRE. Beyond that the quality diminishes.

The Raging Bull
10-09-2009, 02:42 PM
Decent list but one thing that sticks out to me is how Hip Hop has gotten worse and worse as the years have gone by.

From 1999 and back on your list it's straight FIRE. Beyond that the quality diminishes.

Yeah I agree. Seems like in recent times the classic/decent albums are coming from more underground artists when compared to the 90's.

Hip-hop is diminishing slowly but there's still good stuff out there!

Good list btw Neils, I was stuck in 2001 on whether to put BluePrint over Cold Vein or not.

KILLA RIGHT
10-09-2009, 09:24 PM
I take it people aren't interested in having a worthwhile discussion on hip hop

they never do all they do is post threads of the same **** over and over

oldgringo
10-10-2009, 01:04 AM
Right guys, let's get into this **** and compose our lists of our favourite albums year by year. We'll start this in '90 because I admittedly don't know a **** load about 80's rap besides Boogie Down Productions and Rakim.

1990. Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet
1991. Main Source - Breaking Atoms
1992. Dr. Dre - The Chronic
1993. Wu Tang Clan - Enter The Wu Tang
1994. Nas - Illmatic
1995. Raekwon - Only Built For Cuban Linx
1996. The Roots - Illadelph Halflife
1997. Wu Tang Clan - Wu Tang Forever
1998. Outkast - Aquemeni
1999. Mos Def - Black On Both Sides
2000. Talib Kweli - Reflection Eternal
2001. Cannibal Ox - Cold Vein
2002. Lost Tapes - Nas
2003. The Black Album - Jay Z
2004. A Long Hot Summer - Masta Ace
2005. Hell's Winter - Cage
2006. A Piece Of Strange - CunninLynguists
2007. Below The Heavens - Blu
2008. Untitled - Nas

That's my list :) What's yours?

A good list! Here is mine:

1990: Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
1991: A Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory
1992: Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - Mecca and the Soul Brother
1993: Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) & A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders (TIE)
1994: Common - Resurrection
1995: AZ - Doe or Die
1996: The Roots - Illadelph Halflife & UGK - Ridin Dirty (TIE)
1997: Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Forever
1998: Gang Starr - Moment of Truth & Outkast - Aquemini (TIE)
1999: Pharoahe Monch - Internal Affairs
2000: Reflection Eternal - Train of Thought & Binary Star - Masters of the Universe (TIE)
2001: All Natural - Second Nature
2002: AZ - Aziatic
2003: Jay-Z - The Black Album
2004: Masta Ace - A Long Hot Summer
2005: Little Brother - The Minstrel Show
2006: J Dilla - The Shining
2007: Blu - Below The Heavens
2008: Q-Tip - The Renaissance

Something like that. I'm sure I forgot some good albums from year to year but these are the ones I remember the best.

The Raging Bull
10-10-2009, 01:51 PM
A good list! Here is mine:

1990: Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
1991: A Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory
1992: Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - Mecca and the Soul Brother
1993: Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) & A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders (TIE)
1994: Common - Resurrection
1995: AZ - Doe or Die
1996: The Roots - Illadelph Halflife & UGK - Ridin Dirty (TIE)
1997: Wu-Tang Clan - Wu-Tang Forever
1998: Gang Starr - Moment of Truth & Outkast - Aquemini (TIE)
1999: Pharoahe Monch - Internal Affairs
2000: Reflection Eternal - Train of Thought & Binary Star - Masters of the Universe (TIE)
2001: All Natural - Second Nature
2002: AZ - Aziatic
2003: Jay-Z - The Black Album
2004: Masta Ace - A Long Hot Summer
2005: Little Brother - The Minstrel Show
2006: J Dilla - The Shining
2007: Blu - Below The Heavens
2008: Q-Tip - The Renaissance

Something like that. I'm sure I forgot some good albums from year to year but these are the ones I remember the best.

Nice, different list. The first thing I noticed was the ommision of Illmatic.... very brave choice haha! I've never heard that All Natural album, is it really as good/better than BluePrint and Cold Vein? Could you link me up?

oldgringo
10-10-2009, 03:22 PM
Nice, different list. The first thing I noticed was the ommision of Illmatic.... very brave choice haha! I've never heard that All Natural album, is it really as good/better than BluePrint and Cold Vein? Could you link me up?

Yeah....I have and will always contend that Resurrection was the best album to drop in 1994. That album struck me in a very different way than others...it made a great impression on me and remains my favorite album to this day. Besides being my favorite album, I believe I can look at it unbiasedly as an excellent work. Common's best effort and every bit as good as Ready to Die, Illmatic, Sun Rises, The Diary and many of the other great releases that year.

I listed Second Nature because I honestly couldn't recall too many albums released that year. Now that's not to say that the album wouldn't stand up if I actually did research as to the other releases from '01, but it was the album that first came to mind from that year.

The Cold Vein was a cool album...something of a breath of fresh air. It has been awhile since I've listened to it in its entirety, but I remember "Raspberry Fields" and "Vein/Cold Vein" as standout tracks or tracks I kept.

I'll try and find a link for "Second Nature", but here's a sample of the goods til I find something...

<object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oD36BdF8Q14&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oD36BdF8Q14&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object>

oldgringo
10-10-2009, 03:24 PM
found one pretty quickly....here ya go...i hope it works!

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4fynw86o

oldgringo
10-10-2009, 03:36 PM
Nice, different list. The first thing I noticed was the ommision of Illmatic.... very brave choice haha! I've never heard that All Natural album, is it really as good/better than BluePrint and Cold Vein? Could you link me up?

and just one more for good measure....classic track.

<object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e7C3BAtW3Co&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e7C3BAtW3Co&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object>

The Raging Bull
10-10-2009, 07:27 PM
Yeah....I have and will always contend that Resurrection was the best album to drop in 1994. That album struck me in a very different way than others...it made a great impression on me and remains my favorite album to this day. Besides being my favorite album, I believe I can look at it unbiasedly as an excellent work. Common's best effort and every bit as good as Ready to Die, Illmatic, Sun Rises, The Diary and many of the other great releases that year.

I listed Second Nature because I honestly couldn't recall too many albums released that year. Now that's not to say that the album wouldn't stand up if I actually did research as to the other releases from '01, but it was the album that first came to mind from that year.

The Cold Vein was a cool album...something of a breath of fresh air. It has been awhile since I've listened to it in its entirety, but I remember "Raspberry Fields" and "Vein/Cold Vein" as standout tracks or tracks I kept.

I'll try and find a link for "Second Nature", but here's a sample of the goods til I find something...

<object width="320" height="265"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oD36BdF8Q14&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oD36BdF8Q14&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="320" height="265"></embed></object>


I'll be completely honest, when I first heard Resurrection I didn't consider it the classic I regard it as nowadays. It's one of those albums that impresses you more each time you hear it, a pure timeless classic!

I'm gonna give that album a listen tomorrow and I'll let you know what I think :)

oldgringo
10-14-2009, 02:55 PM
I'll be completely honest, when I first heard Resurrection I didn't consider it the classic I regard it as nowadays. It's one of those albums that impresses you more each time you hear it, a pure timeless classic!

I'm gonna give that album a listen tomorrow and I'll let you know what I think :)

Did you get a chance to check out Second Nature yet?

The Raging Bull
10-14-2009, 03:41 PM
Did you get a chance to check out Second Nature yet?

Not yet, I'ma put it on my iTunes now and give it a listen.... I've been giving GZA's discography a re-listen over the past few days. I'm gonna say it, he's up there with the likes of Nas & Ghostface for album consistency. I'll let you know about the album in an hour or so :D

The Raging Bull
10-14-2009, 04:15 PM
I'm on track 7 now (Vegetarian) and it's really surprised me so far. It sounds so fresh and they go hard on each track but it sounds soooo smooth on the ear.

Liking it :luvbed:

KILLA RIGHT
10-14-2009, 09:19 PM
Not yet, I'ma put it on my iTunes now and give it a listen.... I've been giving GZA's discography a re-listen over the past few days. I'm gonna say it, he's up there with the likes of Nas & Ghostface for album consistency. I'll let you know about the album in an hour or so :D

good **** bro i think gza is top 5 with pac,nas,ghost and rakim...imo the greatest lyricist of all time

oldgringo
10-14-2009, 10:36 PM
I'm on track 7 now (Vegetarian) and it's really surprised me so far. It sounds so fresh and they go hard on each track but it sounds soooo smooth on the ear.

Liking it :luvbed:

It's an awesome album. Like I said, I listed it before because I was having a hard time recalling other releases from that year, but hopefully now that you've heard it you can understand why I have it a shout.

oldgringo
10-14-2009, 10:38 PM
I take back my selection for 2002. The best album to come out that year was "O.S.T." by People Under the Stairs. Fuking amazing album.

coup d'état
10-14-2009, 10:41 PM
*****, go contract and S.T.D. From people under the Earth.. fuсk outta here with that fuсk ****.

oldgringo
10-14-2009, 10:46 PM
*****, go contract and S.T.D. From people under the Earth.. fuсk outta here with that fuсk ****.

shut up allan.

MegStarr*
10-15-2009, 01:35 AM
Not yet, I'ma put it on my iTunes now and give it a listen.... I've been giving GZA's discography a re-listen over the past few days. I'm gonna say it, he's up there with the likes of Nas & Ghostface for album consistency. I'll let you know about the album in an hour or so :D

it's funny how everyone sleeps on Beneath The Surface when it is such a dope album...its always about Liquid Swords...which is also great. but still...