So seems my last Top Tens post was so popular, not! I’m going to do another today and I’ve not done any posts about Rap music so far, it’s better late than never so I’m covering alot of bases all in one page/post but pretty all these albums need to be added to my Classic Albums list. I guess nothing new is going be included, almost all is old school or just rap’s golden age albums eg. 90’s it’s the best 10 by anyone not just me I think? Are these the most popular rap album of all-time? I don’t know but they’re some big names to come, OK? I’ll love to know your faves because these are my faves so leave a comment if you want to! So here goes:
Public Enemy – It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988) is first because this list is in pretty much chronological order and this was my first rap album, it’s a total classic now. But I remember when it dropped and people were totally shocked by these guys, I don’t know if people who didn’t grow-up then get how in your face this was. It might seem a bit tame now or something now. I even got the 2014 reissue and also I got to see them live a couple of times, once their first Aussie tour and it’s was like my gen Beatles had just landed.
Ice Cube – The Predator (1992) is his third solo album which just amazing to think about quick these guys release records back then, off course that’s after N.W.A. too and also my fave member of them. Timing once again was pretty prefect for this album, The L.A. riots after King’s cop beating video but really what has changed in America? But then again you look back to 60’s civil rights and they’re still fighting for the same things. I’ve got the 2003 reissue with only four extra tracks but it’s so taken it up to 20 tracks here and all of them are so great.
Wu-Tang Clan – Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) [1993] is the first debut album of only two on my list today, oh my god what an album too and can I even do justice to it right now? What can you or I now can say that hasn’t not be said before before? Well, it’s all true if by some amazing fact you haven’t heard this, what planet have you been living on if you haven’t heard it? If I did rated these albums this record could be the number one album overall but I think the chronological order works better.
Beastie Boys – Ill Communication (1994) is the only white guys on this list but they just have to be included because it’s rap group I’ve seen live the most like three or fours and back in the mid-90’s to late-90’s, oh my god they’re one greatest live band of all-time too so it’s live clip below too. This is a 20 track album but it’s just one of the greatest, it’s almost 60 minutes but consider it not too long, I even got the reissue in 2009 so it now can be even longer with all the bonus material.
Ol’ Dirty Bastard – Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (1995) was the second member of the clan to have a solo album but somehow in his lifetime turn into be the joke guy of Wu but this album was just so great maybe his behavior and then later in life got just a little bit crazy but he was and always with be my fave member of the group. I can’t not have it in my ten most fave rap of all-time, 17 amazing tracks here and not one I never skip or anything so another classic album from beginning to the end.
Genius / GZA – Liquid Swords (1995) is the third Wu-Tang album on my list but I’m not apologizing or anything. I can’t have my ten fave rap albums and not have these three, it’s amazing I didn’t included 94’s Tical by Method Man too but it just missed out here. This one of the ever last solo Wu-Tang members debut albums and almost after everyone else but it’s most likely the best and could even be better than that debut by the whole group or clan. Liquid Swords could be the most epic rap album ever and I’m not just saying that, google it and you’ll find it a universally opinion. I even got the chess set reissue too.
Dr. Octagon – Dr. Octagonecologyst (1996) or it’s Kool Kieth which I just have to included something by him here. He’s sometimes dismissed as a nutcase or something but this just show you could rap about just about everything on the face of the earth or some say it’s just some of the ridiculous rhymes in rap music ever but it’s just so great. With 20 tracks and it’s 65 minutes which some would also say it’s too long but I never really want it to end, it’s just that great.
DMX – Flesh Of My Flesh Blood Of My Blood (1998) is the last of my 90’s albums which does make up almost all the ten here but I just can’t go past all these records. This is DMX’s second album and it came in less that eight months after his debut album, why don’t artists do that anymore now? Once again this is totally perfect album even with like sixteen tracks on it, not one can’t/couldn’t be there at all. Just look at that album cover too, why don’t you find artwork like that anymore too?
Jay-Z – The Black Album (2003) is the only record from 2000’s but I guess that’s what happens when you make a top 10 maybe should have make these posts/pages top 20’s, 30’s or 50’s anyway it is what it is now and I should be saying something about The Black Album really. Amazing this is his eight album and he did most likely have bigger albums in the 90’s too but this is my fave album of his, to me this is most prefect one with an overall theme or something, what’s the right word? There’s a flow to this album where I don’t find it on his earlier albums.
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) is the only newish album, the only one from 2010’s here too and West’s best or well, I like it the best. I could have one of his early albums or even his newer albums but it has to be this because if I had to pick just one it would be this album. Released in late November so it’s getting close to six years old now, it’s got a killer track listing as well with not one bad song too. Alot of people just total hate him or just think he’s a idiot or something but he’s just saying what he’s thinking without a pause button which is what rapping is all about.
So here’s Ol’ Dirty Bastard flipping the bird with Mike D and MCA laughing/smiling like crazy! Amazing two of the three rappers in this image are no longer with us 😥
So now what’s your fave rap records/songs? I don’t if you know but you can leave a comment/reply and I really love to know what everyone’s faves are, you know?
a1000mistakes 