Dj Premier Discography Rar
DJ Premier in 1999Premier is known for producing all of 's songs as well as many of those composed by the. Notable artists he has worked with include, and more.Premier collaborated with MC on the album, released in 1994, as well as the 1996 follow-up,. Premier produced and supervised by, also from the Gang Starr Foundation; although overlooked at the time of its 1995 release, the album eventually received acclaim.In 2006, pop/R&B singer recruited Premier to produce her album. Premier explained the reservations he heard from people regarding the collaboration:When Christina Aguilera had me work with her, people were like, 'Oh no. Please don’t.' Then when they heard 'Ain’t No Other Man,' 'Back In The Day,' and all the other records were still constructed like Premier tracks they were like, 'Yo, I really love this album. I was really impressed.
I was worried, but you totally sound like what we love about you.' Until you hear it, don’t say a word.
I never want to be just attached to hip hop. I want to be attached to music—country, rap, soul, jazz, blues, it doesn’t matter, gospel music—I come from all of that.In 2008, Premier appeared in as himself - the host for radio station.Premier produced the majority of 's, which was released in mid-2009.
Premier contributed a song on 's 2011 album,. Also in 2011, Premier appeared on the song 'Gangster', on 's album. Performing in Germany, 2001Premier was one of the artists followed in the 2012 documentary, Re:GENERATION. The film followed his production of the song 'Regeneration,' for which he used a live performance of his work by the Berklee Symphony Orchestra.In September 2012, said that a song called 'Born in the Trap,' on his upcoming album, titled The Middle Passage, would feature production by Premier.In early 2014, Premier revealed that he is working with Aguilera again in an interview with New Zealand's Rip It Up magazine. Premier produced Y'all Ready Know by, from the album, and the music video was published in November 2014.In mid-2014, Premier collaborated with Korean hip-hop group on two singles 'AEAO' and 'Animal', which were both warmly received.A mid-January 2015 announcement from Premier stated that the producer's studio, D&D, also known as 'The HeadQcouterz,' will cease to be operational.
As part of the announcement, Premier confirmed that he is working on the album, Last Session @320, after he relocates to a recording space in Astoria, New York City, U.S.DJ Premier hosts a weekly two-hour show, Live From HeadQCourterz, on 's Hip-Hop Nation. DJ Premier served as one of the three curators for the soundtrack to the video game, alongside. Collaborations The early line-up of the in the mid-1990s included, and Gang Starr. Premier was fully responsible for the production of Jeru the Damaja's first two albums, The Sun Rises in the East and Wrath of the Math. Jeru released three subsequent albums that did not include Premier's involvement.
In terms of his Group Home collaboration, Premier commented in a 2003 interview: 'They Group Home don't respect what fed them.' He further explained that he only agreed to produce the track 'The Legacy' because of Guru's involvement.Other artists closely tied to the Gang Starr Foundation who Premier collaborated with include:, Big Shug, Smiley the Ghetto Child, and NYGz.Afu Ra explained Premier's influence in a September 2014 interview with the 'Lyrically Fit' website:Premier definitely coached me when I was in the booth. 'harder.stronger.more this.more that'—I was an untamed artist and rapping next to recording your vocals are different. He gave me this knowledge through the work we did.Besides the Gang Starr Foundation, Premier is closely affiliated with, which he names as one of his all-time favorite groups. The relationship started with the remix of “Rugged, Neva Smoove” in 1994, a single from the group's first album, which also included the exclusive B-side “Downtown Swinga.” From then, Premier produced about one-third of the songs on each subsequent album and overseeing and mixing the projects. S 2009 album, Premier provided only one track, which was called 'What I Wanna B.'
On May 16, 2019, DJ Premier released a collaboration with Buffalo, New York rappers Conway The Machine, Westside Gunn, and Benny the Butcher, called 'Headlines.' Style and influences. DJ Premier in 2019DJ Premier's style of production epitomizes the New York sound of his earlier peers. He is known for, and artists, as well as sampling an artist's past work when creating a new track for that same artist. For example, on Jay-Z's 'So Ghetto', from the 1999 album, Premier samples an older Jay-Z song, 1997's 'Who You Wit II'. In addition, his encyclopedic memory of hip-hop lyrics allows him to distinctively speak with his hands by scratching in lyrics from several different songs to construct new phrases.
Premier's beats are known for his oft-imitated combinations of short vocal samples, often from multiple artists, to create a chorus. Premier has also experimented with samples that are not confined to soul, jazz, and funk. For example, he sampled and chopped up seminal music from the 1960s on the track “Physical Stamina” by Jeru the Damaja.In an interview with, DJ Premier was asked how his sound evolved, to which he replied, ' is my number-one inspiration., Mix Master Ice,. Grandmaster D, and.,. Seeing them do what they do. It’s black music, it’s black culture, it comes from the ghetto.
How can you not relate to ghetto people when that’s the rawest form of blackness? Even though it’s not a good place in regards to the economy and how bad people have it in the neighborhood, the realism’s there, and that’s what we were born out of. So I very much pay respect by doing the same type of music in return.' DJ Premier attended Prairie View A&M University and may have been influenced by the musical atmosphere at the university while serving as the campus DJ and occasional performer with the world-famous Marching Storm band. Business career. DJ Premier's studio at in 2000As a businessman, DJ Premier has his own record company named Year Round Records.
Among its artists are New York group NYGz, New Jersey rapper Nick Javas, and Houston rapper. By Blaq Poet, which features 13 Premier productions, was released by Year Round Records through Fat Beats Records in June 2009.
Legacy For its 20th-anniversary issue in 2008, selected DJ Premier for its list of the 20 greatest producers in the magazine's history. He also made the finals in magazine's 2010 search for the greatest hip hop producer of all time—he finished second after Dr.
Dre received 62 percent of the votes. Personal life DJ Premier has lived in Brooklyn for much of his professional career.Discography.
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at. discography at.
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory (1991)is the definitive statement about what creativity, innovation, artistry, fun and raw talent can produce. Building on the quality work of their debut, perfected the fusion of jazzy influences and bass-heavy Hip Hop beats. The album is so coherent and consistent, it almost feels like one long song – in this case, a good thing. Phife, who only played a small part on the first album, really increased his skills as an emcee and establishes a perfect interplay with the always exceptional Q-Tip.
Clever lyrics and smooth and warm music – this album is nothing short of perfect. Wu Tang Clan - Enter The Wu Tang (1993)What can be said about this seminal album that hasn’t been said a thousand times over already? One of the most innovative, groundbreaking, influential and important Hip Hop albums EVER. New York’s answer to Dr. Dre’s worldshaking The Chronic of the year previous.
RZA’s incredible innovative production resulting in that trademark dirty and gritty Wu-Tang sound, complemented by 9 emcees who all bring their A-game and show crazy versatility and never-seen-before lyrical creativity: unbeatable. Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full (1987)In a music genre still in its infancy, this masterpiece was a game-changer.
Seductive, smooth yet hard beats laced with ’s innovative and intricate rhyme style, make for this groundbreaking and seminal work.This is one of the albums that can be seen as a precursor to 1988, Hip Hop’s break-out year. An album that established Hip Hop as a musical genre that was there to stay. Will forever be recognized as one of Hip Hop’s ultimate classics. Filled with unforgettable tracks and Hip Hop anthems this album is a must-have. If you don’t own this album, your Hip Hop collection is incomplete. Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Mecca And The Soul Brother (1992)A timeless musical masterpiece, tasteful and irresistible.
After the excellent All Souled Out EP they dropped the year previous, followed up with this brilliant album. Pete Rock’s multi-layered, horns-filled, bass-heavy boom-bap production is simply masterful. CL Smooth delivery serves as another instrument to complete the musical feast this album is from start to finish. Incredibly consistent throughout, is one of Hip Hop’s all-time greatest albums. Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded (1987)After making a name for themselves in the NYC Hip Hop underground, former social worker Scott La Rock and one of his clients, formed and came out in 1987 with Criminal Minded. The sparse production by the artists – and the at the time uncredited Ced Gee of the Ultramagnetic MCs – combined with KRS One’s lyrical content and distinctive delivery make this album a definitive Hip Hop classic, that without a doubt is up there with.Together with other groundbreaking 1987 debuts of Eric B & Rakim (Paid In Full) and Public Enemy ( Yo! Bum Rush The Show), this album set the standard for Golden Age of Hip Hop.
De La Soul - 3 Feet High And Rising (1989)Innovative and hugely influential – this cooperation between and producer Prince Paul is truly a landmark album in Hip Hop (and music in general). This album introduced the skit to Hip Hop albums; and although skits more often irritate than add value, on this album they work. The whole album is consistent and all the songs are awesome – no filler tracks here. Clever wordplay, deft rhymes, playful production, positivity, and fun: represented a new direction for Hip Hop, clearly a reaction to cliches already emerging in Hip Hop, even in its early years.
De La Soul’s debut is a must-have for anyone who loves Hip Hop and an all-time classic. Straight Outta Compton (1988)This album was a game-changer; for better or for worse. One of the first real ‘gangsta rap’ albums, and one of the most successful, going multi-platinum without any radio play. It influenced and changed the direction of Hip Hop, producing countless clones for decades to come.
The difference between all the clones and this album is the originality and authenticity of; combined with the revolutionary & flawless production of and the raw energy & at the time shocking lyrical imagery of, &. Raekwon - Only Built For Cuban Linx. (1995)The best Wu-Tang solo album? It’s not even a ‘real’ solo album – every Wu-Tang Clan member appears on one or more tracks and production is in the more than capable hands of RZA.
That makes this album even more of a group effort than most other Wu-Tang solo releases.After Kool G Rap, can be seen as one of the pioneers of the mafioso sub-genre and this album is one of the best, if not the best of its sort. Was loosely composed to play like a film with Raekwon as the “star,” fellow Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah as the “guest-star,” and producer RZA as the “director.” The cinematic feel of the album, along with the top-notch production and emceeing, make this one an all-time classic. Dr Dre - The Chronic (1992)is one of the most influential Hip Hop albums of all-time. A 1990’s masterpiece that is about the production first and the lyrical content second. ‘s production on this album is just INCREDIBLE. Often imitated, never duplicated.
It also showed us the full potential of Hip Hop’s next superstar – a young. Along with lyrics from a host of other talented rappers and Dr.
Dre himself, The Chronic is filled with the ‘standard’ gangsta themes (violence, sex, drugs, parties) – difference from most of the copy cat others is that on this album it sounds GOOD instead of just dumb. Run DMC - Raising Hell (1986)One of the first mega-sellers in Hip Hop and the album that would cement the status of as the most important Hip Hop act of the time.
A brilliant album, with perfect interplay between Jam Master Jay – one of the first great all-around DJ’s in the game – and the back-and-forth rhyming of DMC and Run.This album, together with ‘ debut from the same year, was responsible for opening Hip Hop to all kinds of audiences all over the world. Run DMC “took the beat from the street and put it on TV”.
Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle (1993)In the pre-internet and Social Media days, when music promotion was a whole different ballgame, there have been few albums that were as hyped and anticipated as ‘s solo debut. Having made an incredible impression with his unique style on Dr. Dre‘s “Deep Cover” single and later as the top emcee on Dre’s monumental The Chronic, Snoop was hailed as Hip Hop’s next superstar.With mentor Dr. Dre on the boards, managed to meet the crazy high expectations. An all-around Hip Hop classic, on the West Coast arguably only surpassed in ‘classic-ness’ by N.W.A.’s and Dre’s The Chronic, Doggystyle is and always will be Snoop Dogg’s magnum opus. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (1989)Was there ever an album, in any genre, that used sampling more brilliantly and creatively than? This album truly is sampling heaven.
Paul’s Boutique was completely different from ‘ much easier accessible and commercially super successful debut album, and not what a lot of fans of that album were expecting.Initially a commercial failure, Paul’s Boutique aged like fine wine and with it the appreciation for it. Now considered a landmark album in Hip Hop, it’s the ultimate example for what the Beastie Boys always stood for: creativity and innovation. They were never afraid to reinvent themselves and stretch (and cross) genre boundaries, while at the same time keeping it real.
A timeless masterpiece, Paul’s Boutique will forever be remembered as a classic album, in music, not just in Hip Hop. The Notorious B.I.G. Ready To Die (1994)Another landmark album and an all-time classic.
Dj Premier Discography Rar Download
The made a big splash on the scene with his classic debut single “Party & Bullshit”. Expectations were high for his full-length debut album and boy did he deliver with. One of the most naturally gifted emcees and storytellers in the Hip Hop game ever, everything came together for him on this album.
Excellent production throughout with Biggie’s simultaneously brash and vulnerable lyrics to top off the banging instrumentals. Few others were ever able to express their thoughts and feelings the way Biggie was. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead (1991)more or less invented the rap-skit and to this day, they remain one of the very few acts who know how to use it. Where in 95% of the cases skits do not add anything, except annoying breaks in the flow of albums, De La actually know how to use a skit in the right way – to give a thematic and coherent feel to an album.is a long album, but packed with brilliance, musically and lyrically. A marked change in style and feel to their equally brilliant debut, De La Soul Is Dead showed a darker and more contemplative side of De La Soul. Gone is the happy-go-lucky positivity of their debut, instead we get De La’s disillusioned vision on the state of Hip Hop, which would turn out to be highly prophetic. This album was so ahead of its time, Hip Hop still hasn’t caught up yet.
Public Enemy - Fear of A Black Planet (1990)“Most of my heroes don’t appear on no stamps” (Fight The Power)How do you do you follow up on the? The answer is: with.Building on the perfection of Fear Of A Black Planet consolidated ‘s status of most important Hip Hop group of the time.Fear Of A Black Planet is fiercely political, intelligent, unrelenting, uncompromising, profound, powerful, intense, boundary pushing – a landmark album in (Hip Hop) music history.Perhaps a little less accessible than It Takes A Nation but equally important and a bonafide classic.Top tracks: Burn HollyWood Burn Fight The Power Welcome To The Terrordome 911 Is A Joke.
Ice Cube - Death Certificate (1991)Still angry, still hungry. Picks up where he left things with his classic debut AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted and even takes things a bit further. Raw and uncompromising, was highly controversial in its subject matter. Ice Cube pulls no punches and spares no one in his examinations of early 90s American society, which can make it an ‘uncomfortable’ listen at times.Sonically, there is nothing wrong with Ice Cube’s and Sir Jinx’s production – although the funk induced beats on Death Certificate may be a little less appealing than the Bomb Squad’s stand-out work on AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted – but this album is all about the lyrical content.
Widely considered Ice Cube’s best work (together with AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted), Death Certificate is an important album in Hip Hop history. Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus (1997)Underground Hip Hop at its finest. A hate-or-love-it kind of album for many due to its innovative and experimental nature, but a doubtless a classic. Company Flow, consisting of El-P (beats & rhymes), Big Juss (rhymes) & DJ Mr. Len (beats & scratches), dropped this gem to bless Hip Hop in a time period where shiny suit rappers and gangsta posers were already getting most of the spotlight, proving real Hip Hop will always survive – if necessary underground.
Ahead of its time and very influential, Funcrusher Plus paved the way for countless left-field Hip Hop acts, who were and are instrumental in keeping the genre fresh. OutKast - Aquemini (1998)Always creative and innovative, it’s hard to agree on which album is OutKast’s best. They are all classics in their own right, with this one arguably being their magnum opus, where everything that makes OutKast part of Hip Hop’s elite comes together. The beats, the lyrics – both are truly excellent, but it is the overall vibe of the album that makes Aquemini so special. A stylistic and musical experience that transcends Hip Hop – is a creative masterpiece that belongs in every music lover’s collection. Ice Cube - AmeriKKKas Most Wanted (1990)Young, hungry and angry.
Hit his peak after leaving N.W.A with this album. Creatively it is truly outstanding. Recruiting the Bomb Squad for an East Coast sound on the production resulted in a sonically epic album.
Lyrically Cube murders every track on the album. Raw, hard and unapologetic, Ice Cube dropped a bomb on the (Hip Hop) nation when it was released.
Is a unique blend of political, socially conscious and gangsta rap, Ice Cube at his best, and a true Hip Hop classic. Octagonecologyst (1996)Is this Kool Keith‘s best album (outside Ultramagnetic’s debut Critical Beatdown)? In a catalog as deep and diverse as Kool Keith’s, it may be hard to choose – but Dr. Octagonecologyst definitely is our Kool Keith solo favorite. An all-time underground favorite, Dr. Octagonecologyst simply is a near-perfect album. Production by Dan The Automater is absolutely phenomenal. Innovative, eery, spaced-out: the instrumentals provide the perfect backdrop for Kool Keith’s trademark bizarre lyrics.
Pete Rock & CL Smooth The Main Ingredient (1994)Lacking a monster hit-single like T.R.O.Y. From their classic full-length debut album Mecca And The Soul Brother, The Main Ingredient is often overlooked when it comes to considering Hip Hop’s best albums. That is wrong because this one is just about as flawless as its predecessor. True enough: CL Smooth isn’t the greatest emcee or lyricist ever, but these albums are all about Pete Rock’s production, which is as good as ever on this top-notch feel-good album.
Camp Lo Uptown Saturday Night (1997)Camp Lo‘s Sonny Cheba and Geechi Suede come off as sort of hybrid of OutKast, The Pharcyde, and De La Soul. Their insanely smooth flows and outstanding creativity and originality make for an atypical late nineties NYC Hip Hop album. Even though it contained the smash hit “”, Uptown Saturday Night never really got the recognition it deserved, certainly not at the time of its release. It has aged really well though and is deservedly recognized now by many as the masterpiece it is.
OutKast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1994)After quality releases from groups like Geto Boys, UGK, Eightball & MJG, and others in years previous, OutKast‘s was THE album that put Southern Hip Hop on the map as a major part of Hip Hop, which after this album could no longer be divided simply in East- and West Coast. Not immediately recognized as such upon its release, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik gained more and more recognition over the years and is now universally recognized as a staple of (Southern) Hip Hop.
De La Soul - Buhloone Mindstate (1993)De La Soul‘s third album, De La Soul’s third classic. Few groups in Hip Hop, if any, can boast both the longevity and consistency De La Soul has shown over the years. Arguably is the most underappreciated album of De La Soul’s first four. The reason for that probably is that it has less commercial appeal than the other three.
Artistically it is every bit as strong, though – cohesive and consistent throughout – an artistic peak for both De La Soul and producer Prince Paul. De La Soul’s first four albums are all classics, this one is definitely up there with the others. A Tribe Called Quest - Peoples Instinctive Travels On The Paths Of Rhythm (1990)The third part of the Native Tongues triple classic album introduction to the world (the first two being the Jungle Brothers‘ Straight Out The Jungle and De La Soul‘s 3 Feet High And Rising) – introduces us to A Tribe Called Quest.People’s is a musical masterpiece.
An innovative fusion of hard beats and jazzy samples, combined with fun, clever and positive lyrics – mainly from Q-Tip (Phife was still finding his voice here and his lyrical skills would improve significantly on Tribe’s follow up The Low End Theory). This one – along with Tribe’s 2nd and 3rd album, should have a place in any music (not just Hip Hop) lovers record collection. KRS One - Return Of The Boom Bap (1993)After 5 albums as Boogie Down Productions, KRS-One decided to start releasing albums under his own name. In his 30-year career, KRS dropped many classic albums – this is. Lyrics, flow, delivery, message, beats, diversity – this album has everything.
“Sound Of Police”, “Outta Here”, “Mad Crew”, “Return Of The Boom Bap”, “Uh Oh”, “I Can’t Wake Up” – you know you can’t go wrong with KRS-One. On later albums KRS’ lyricism would occasionally be let down by weaker beats, but not here. With the likes of DJ Premier, Showbiz, Kid Capri and KRS himself on the boards the result had to be a classic. Main Source - Breaking Atoms (1991)Large Professor, one of Hip Hop’s most respected producers, exploded on the scene with this classic album – showing both his extraordinary talents on the boards and on the mic. Breaking Atoms is an important and hugely influential album in the history of Hip Hop and a testament to the brilliance of Large Pro.
And not to forget: this album contained the official debut on wax from young Queensbridge emcee Nasty, with a brilliant opening verse on the dope posse cut “Live At The BBQ”. Nas - It Was Written (1996)Although Nas‘ debut album Illmatic initially sold underwhelmingly, it was an overwhelming critical success. So, how to top or even equal a classic like Illmatic? An impossible task, even if It Was Written turned out to be another excellent Nas album. Going for a more commercial-friendly sound here and there, and trying out the mafioso subgenre on some tracks, It Was Written just feels a little less tight and coherent than Illmatic did. Nas’ lyrical brilliance is still on full display, though.
With It Was Written Nas cemented his status as one of the most talented, all-around skilled emcees in the game. Wu Tang Clan - Wu Tang Forever (1997)‘s second album had A LOT to live up to. In addition to their monumental debut, the classic Enter The Wu-Tang, there were 5 outstanding solo projects by Wu-Tang Clan members released prior to this sophomore effort.
Is a double album, which is always tricky. The risk is that the album loses focus and cohesiveness, that there are some tracks that will be seen as filler material and that the album simply is too long(winded).Not the case here. Sure, it could have done with fewer tracks (and certainly with fewer skits), but overall this is an excellent album and great addition to the Wu-Tang catalog. Sadly, Ol’ Dirty Bastards’ input is very limited, but the others are lyrically on point, with RZA producing some of his most captivating soundscapes ever.
Gang Starr - Hard To Earn (1994)Markedly darker – both sonically and lyrically – than their previous albums, Guru is great and especially DJ Premier is in top form as always, cementing their combined status of one the most consistent acts in Hip Hop ever. 1994 may just have been Premo’s very best year in terms of quality output (also think of his work for Jeru, Nas, and others). With cuts like “Code Of The Streets”, ”Suckas Need Bodyguards”, “DWYCK”, “Tonz ‘O’ Gunz” and especially the uber-classic “Mass Appeal”, Hard To Earn is one of the. Jay Z - Reasonable Doubt (1996)Jay-Z’s first and second-best album (after 2001’s The Blueprint). Because of a string of mediocre later releases and probably also because of his mega-successful business dealings, Jay Z has become a love-him or hate-him kind of figure. There’s no denying the excellence of this album, though.
A young, hungry and ambitious Jay Z paints a compelling picture of his life as a hustler. Masterful production, brilliant lyricism, Reasonable Doubt shows us Jay Z at his peak as the Hip Hop artist he was (and not the business mogul he would become). Gang Starr - Daily Operation (1992)Another Gang Starr album, another classic. Deep lyrics and deep beats – a testament to Guru‘s hypnotizing and intelligent emceeing and DJ Premier‘s superiority on the boards. If Step In The Arena was their breakthrough album, Daily Operation is the one that firmly secured Gang Starr’s place among Hip Hop’s elite.After discovering their signature sound on Step In The Arena, Premier and Guru perfected it here, dropping another gem that can be played from beginning to end without having to skip any tracks.
“Take It Personal”, “Soliloquy Of Chaos” and “Ex Girl To Next Girl” alone are enough to ensure the classic status of this album, but knowing the rest of the tracklist is completely up to par, makes Daily Operation. Freestyle Fellowship - Innercity Griots (1993)The follow-up to their dope but somewhat rough around the edges debut To Whom It May Concern. With this sophomore effort, Freestyle Fellowship really deliver the goods. The jazzy production provides the atypical backdrop for a West Coast album, but perfectly complements the lyricism – and that’s what this album is all about. Conscious, humorous, clever, versatile: emcees Mikah 9, P.E.A.C.E., Self Jupiter and Aceyalone bring it all.
This highly original album is a slept-on lyrical masterpiece. Public Enemy Apocalypse - 91. The Enemy Strikes Black (1991)Public Enemy‘s fourth effort continues the trend set by their previous outings: excellent, hard-hitting beats that perfectly complement Chuck D’s powerful voice and intelligent, thought-provoking messages. After the utter brilliance of It Takes A Nation and Fear Of A Black Planet it was always going to be hard to come with a follow-up.
Overall Apocalypse 91 may lack the special spark of its two predecessors, but there are enough strokes of brilliance here as well. Public Enemy will forever be one of Hip Hop’s most important and celebrated groups and Chuck D on of Hip Hop’s most respected and eminent figures.
Apocalypse 91 is a strong part of P.E.’s excellent discography and should be in any Hip Hop fan’s collection. Scarface - The Diary (1994)Raw and haunting, the cinematic The Diary arguably is Scarface‘s magnum opus and certainly our personal favorite from his overall outstanding discography.
The Diary – his third solo album – is short and tight (10 full songs) with only one guest (Ice Cube), which makes it all the stronger. “I Seen A Man Die”, “Hand Of The Dead Body”, “The White Sheet”, “No Tears”, “Goin’ Down”, “Mind Playin’ Tricks ’94” – all classic Scarface cuts, there is no filler material on this album. & Rakim - Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em (1990)On the heels of the super classics Paid In Full (1987) and Follow The Leader (1988) Eric B and Rakim drop their third album Let The Rhythm Hit Em. Maybe because of the epicness of their first two albums, this one is often overlooked in best-of Hip Hop album lists. It should not be though. Let The Rhythm Hit Em is a super tight album, a bit ‘darker’ sounding than the previous two, with Rakim as good as ever. Lyrically NO ONE can touch the R.
The production is excellent as well (although the question is how much Eric B should be credited for that – look it up); the whole album is consistently dope, with a few stand out tracks, the title track, “In The Ghetto” and “Mahagony” first and foremost. The Notorious B.I.G.
Life After Death (1997)Biggie‘s sophomore album is one that will forever polarize opinions. Although commercially even more successful than his monumental debut Ready To Die, it is not quite as good. Even though Biggie stepped up his already off the charts storytelling abilities and rapping style a notch, the album is not as cohesive and consistent as his debut was.
Much like 2Pac’s All Eyez On Me, the album is just a bit too long. Had they left out the Puffy shiny-suit pop songs and the skits and released the 14 best songs as one tight album, Life After Deathwould have been a super classic. As it is, it’s still an awesome album packed with classic tracks – just a tad short of the masterpiece it could have been. Dre - 2001 (1999)The excellent follow-up to Dr. Dre’s epic classic The Chronic. Not quite as revolutionary as The Chronic was – but a definitive reaffirmation that Dre still was the West’s top-producer, even after a seven-year hiatus between albums (under his own name that is – of course he produced a whole lot of classic music for others in the meantime).Whereas The Chronic changed the face of (West Coast) Hip Hop, with 2001 Dr. Dre just holds it down. Superior production from start to finish – the only criticism could be that the album contains a few misses (“Let’s Get High” most notably) and that it could have done without the pointless, irritating skits.
Other than that: 2001 simply is another Dr. Mood - Doom (1997)This crew from Cincinnati, Ohio dropped an underground sleeper classic with Doom. Atmospheric and melodic production complemented with clever lyrics – this is real Hip Hop at its finest. The album features production by Hi-Tek and guest appearances by Talib Kweli and Wu-Tang-affiliated group Sunz of Man, and this album can be seen as a springboard for all their careers. Mood emcees Main Flow and Donte do an excellent job over Hi-Tek’s beats, the result is a slept-on masterpiece. It’s hard to single out standout tracks from this album because its strength is its consistency: one hour of excellence. Ice T - The Iceberg (1989)Ice-T‘s grittiest album, but one with great variation lyrically as well as sonically.
Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth Funky Technician (1990)Founder of the legendary Diggin’ In The Crates Crew, Lord Finesse is one of the sickest punchline emcees in Hip Hop history, together with fellow DITC member Big L. Funky Technician can be seen as the first DITC album, and a dope album it is, start to finish. Finesse’s braggadocious rhymes are second to none and the production is typical early 90s NYC style. Funky Technician is slept-on by many, as is Lord Finesse himself.
True Hip Hop heads will know what’s up though and will surely have this one in their collection. Jewelz (1997)It can be argued that the labels ‘slept on’ and ‘underrated’ are overused and applied to far too many emcees – who are either not very good or not slept on at all. Is an underrated emcee who well deserves the label. After his perfect (and yes – slept on) debut Word Life in 1994, he returns with another outstanding (and slightly more accessible) album. Production is tight and comes from renown producers like DJ Premier, Lord Finesse, Showbiz, Buckwild, Da Beatminerz. Guest appearances from Big L, Organized Konfusion and Freddie Foxxx are the icing on the cake. Styles of Beyond - 2000 Fold (1998)This album from Los Angeles underground crew Styles Of Beyond is a forgotten gem.
Originally released in 1998, it suffered from lack of promotion and several re-releases, which ensured it never really got any spotlight. The album stands heads and shoulders above most other albums released in the late nineties, however. Great synergy between emcees Ryu and Tak, who sound like confident veterans (even though this is their debut). Excellent production, dope sampling, clever rhymes, and wordplay – this album is an underground classic. Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep (1994)Gravediggaz was a supergroup consisting of Prince Paul (The Undertaker), Frukwan (The Gatekeeper), Poetic (The Grym Reaper) and RZA (The RZArector). Two superproducers working together, that has to result in something special, right? This pioneering album is perhaps the best and best-known album of the ‘’ sub-genre.
Taken as the fantasy it is, it is a fun album with a wonderfully dark sense of humor. Excellent production and top-notch emceeing – this is a classic, strangely enough with underground as well as mainstream appeal.
Souls of Mischief - 93 'til Infinity (1993)Together with Hieroglyphics‘ 1998 group album 3rd Eye Vision, this album is the crown jewel in Hieroglyphics’ all-around excellent catalog. Souls Of Mischief – part of the Hieroglyphics collective – succeeded in dropping a West Coast album without the gangsta cliches, and that is what makes it a classic Hip Hop album that sounds as fresh today as it did when it came out. Amazing, rapid-fire wordplay by Opio, Phesto, A-Plus, and Tajai, who flow together really well with intelligent, funny, and clever lyrics.
Dope beats, dope rhymes – dope album. 2Pac - All Eyez On Me (1996)Now, some of you will get all upset because you want to see this album ranked higher. Many people see this album as 2Pac’s magnum opus and one the best, if not THE best, Hip Hop album ever.
Often though this is just parroting behavior by casual Hip Hop listeners who just don’t know many other Hip Hop albums, so who really can’t compare. Of course, because of the number of units sold and its iconic status, All Eyez On Me is a classic.
All Eyez On Me probably is 2Pac‘s most popular album, released when he was at the peak of his fame (while alive). It certainly was a bestseller, selling upwards of ten million units in the US alone. Packed with classic songs – like “I Ain’t Mad At Cha”, “Ambitionz Az A Ridah”, “Life Goes On”, “California Love”, “Only God Can Judge Me”, “Heartz Of Men” and “Picture Me Rollin’” – and showcasing 2Pac’s signature mix of “thug-ism” and his vulnerable, thoughtful side, All Eyez On Me surely is a landmark album. But is it a flawless classic, or even 2Pac’s best album? No, and no.A double album, All Eyez On Me just is too long (and a little too heavy on the ‘thug’ side) for its own good, especially the second album contains a bunch of filler tracks.
The album would have been better with fewer guests, too. Much like Biggie’s Life After Death, it probably would have been better had the best 14 tracks been released as one album – which would have made All Eyez On Me the all-time classic it could have been. As it is, it is far from flawless – but still a good album, and no doubt one the highlights of 2Pac’s epic career. Aceyalone - A Book Of Human Language (1998)Aceyalone is an incredibly talented and unique MC, always pushing lyrical boundaries and succeeding effortlessly in all styles he employs. He released a string of excellent creative and innovative albums throughout his career, and this one is his very best. A Book of Human Language combines intelligence, creativity, and superior lyrical skill – resulting in a brilliant concept album that should be a part of any real Hip Hop fan’s music collection.
A Book of Human Language is a left-field masterpiece. Geto Boys - We Can't Be Stopped (1991)We Can’t Be Stopped contains the monster track “” – one of Hip Hop’s biggest tracks, ever. The album has more to offer, though. Besides the Geto Boys trademark psychotic (“Chuckie”) and sexual lyrics (“Quickie”, “The Other Level”), the album also offers some political and social commentaries (“F. A War”, “Trophy”). On top of that Willie D, Bushwick Bill and Scarface are all dope rappers, with their own, distinct voices. A strong album and an early Southern classic.
Digable Planets Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) (1993)Smooth and jazzy, Digable Planets’ debut album deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and The Roots albums of that era. All about positivity and empowerment, Digable Planets sadly flew a bit under the radar in a time when gun-toting gangsta posers started to get more and more of the spotlight.
Reachin’ was and is a flawless listen from start to finish though, and it has definitely stood the test of time. 133.DMX - It's Dark And Hell Is Hot (1998)It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot is DMX‘s debut studio album and an immediate mega-success – going quadruple platinum eventually. With DMX’s grimy rap style and the album’s gritty production, the massive mainstream success it garnered wasn’t a given – DMX’s charisma and star power surely had a lot to with that, as well as excellent marketing by the Ruff Ryders label.This is DMX at the top of his game: introspective, hardcore, and emotional at the same time. He would never top or even equal this album, even though the follow-up Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood, which came out later in this same year, was a pretty good album as well. Jeru The Damaja - Wrath Of The Math (1996)In an era when consciousness in Hip Hop was on its way out in favor of tales of violence and materialism, Jeru kept doing his thing.
Wrath Of The Math may not be quite the classic Jeru’s debut The Sun Rises In The East was, but it is an excellent album in its own right. Insightful and profound, Jeru is relentless in his condemnation of gangsta posturing and the pimping out of Hip Hop by the big money suits, a condemnation which turned out to be highly prophetic. Dred Scott - Breakin' Combs (1994)Wrong year, wrong coast?
If this outstanding album had dropped in NYC a few years earlier, it probably would have been bigger back then and universally recognized as a classic right now. As it is, Breakin’ Combs is an unjustly forgotten album. Entirely self-produced, Dred Scott delivers smooth, jazzy beats reminiscent of A Tribe Called Quest. Nothing wrong with his lyrics and emcee skills either.
Why this album is so underappreciated is a mystery, but it deserves its props. Prince Paul- A Prince Among Thieves (1999)Producer extraordinaire Prince Paul (Stetsasonic, De La Soul, Gravediggaz) comes with his second solo album – the brilliant concept album A Prince Among Thieves, sometimes dubbed the first ‘rap opera’. The album tells the story of a young guy named Tariq, who is trying to get a record contract and needs to make some money to finish up his tracks and get his demo tape ready for a meeting with Wu-Tang Clan’s The RZA. A Prince Among Thieves features cameos by Kool Keith, Big Daddy Kane, Chubb Rock, Biz Markie, De La Soul, Everlast, Sadat X, Xzibit, Kid Creole, Special Ed, Chris Rock, RZA and Buckshot. Fresh beats and dope rhymes throughout – without a doubt, this is one of the ever.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - E. 1999 Eternal (1995)The debut full-length album from this Cleveland crew under the name Bone Thugs N Harmony. This group of talented Eazy E protegees pioneered their own style of harmonized sing-song rapping, and with this album they really delivered on the promise made by the BNTH’s EP of the year previous. Because of their unique style, their undeniable chemistry and the eery vibe of the album, E.1999 Eternalhas been universally recognized as a Hip Hop classic – influencing many later rappers’ styles.
2Pac (Makaveli) - The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996)Released just a few months after 2Pac’s murder (and the last album completed during his lifetime), The Don Killuminati The Seven Day Theory turned out to be extremely prophetic with so many references to (his own) death it’s chilling. The album features some of the best instrumentals Pac ever got to work with and lyrically it’s 2Pac at his most angry and harsh, yet emotional and poetic best.
Too many feature appearances from The Outlawz and others on a few filler tracks prevent a higher ranking – but because of 2Pac’s iconic status, this is a classic album nonetheless. 151 - 200151.
A Tribe Called Quest – Beats, Rhymes & Life (1996)152. Boogie Down Productions – Sex & Violence (1992)153.
Hieroglyphics – 3rd Eye Vision (1998)154. EPMD – Business As Usual (1990)155. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – He’s The DJ I’m The Rapper (1988)156. Ice Cube – The Predator (1992)157.
Jurassic 5 – Jurassic 5 (1998)158. Masta Ace – Take A Look Around (1990)159. Beastie Boys Check Your Head (1992)160.
Smif-n-Wessun – Dah Shinin’ (1995)161. UGK – Super Tight (1994)162. Poor Righteous Teachers – Holy Intellect (1990)163. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Live And Let Die (1992)164. Run DMC – King Of Rock (1985)165. Lootpack – Soundpieces: Da Antidote (1999)166.
The Beatnuts – The Beatnuts (1994)167. Ultramagnetic MCs – The Four Horsemen (1993)168. Mobb Deep – Hell On Earth (1996)169. Cypress Hill – Black Sunday (1993)170.
Capone-n-Noreaga – The War Report (1998)171. Gang Starr – No More Mr. Nice Guy (1989)172. KRS-One – KRS-One (1995)173.
Method Man – Tical (1994)174. Mantronix – Mantronix (1985)175. DJ Quik – Safe + Sound (1995)176. The Coup – Genocide & Juice (1994)177. Goodie Mob – Still Standing (1998)178.
MC Lyte – Eyes On This (1989)179. Redman – Dare Iz A Darkside (1994)180. Handsome Boy Modeling School – So How’s Your Girl? Aceyalone – All Balls Don’t Bounce (1995)182. Boogie Down Productions – Edutainment (1990)183.
Digital Underground – Sex Packets (1990)184. N.W.A – Efil4ziggan (1991)185. Jedi Mind Tricks – The Psycho-Social, Chemical, Biological & Electro-Magnetic Manipulation Of Human Consciousness (1997)186. Paris – Sleeping With The Enemy (1992)187.
Xzibit – 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz (1998)188. Too Short – Short Dog’s In The House (1990)189. Warren G – Regulate G Funk Era (1994)190. Whodini – Escape (1984)191. Intelligent Hoodlum – Intelligent Hoodlum (1990)192. Lord Finesse – Return Of The Funky Man (1992)193. AZ – Doe or Die (1995)194.
Low Profile – We’re In This Together (1989)195. The Coup – Steal This Album (1998)196. EPMD – Business Never Personal (1992)197. Nice & Smooth – Nice & Smooth (1989)198.
The Dynospectrum – The Dynospectrum (1998)199. Beastie Boys – Ill Communication (1994)200. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Rock The House (1987).