50 Best Hip-Hop Albums of All Time

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This month marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. While the official birthday is August 11th, 2023, we’ll be commemorating five decades of this culture-defining movement with a month-long celebration. From unique artist interviews to insightful essays and more, we’ll explore the history of rap from a variety of angles. It all begins today with our list of the 50 Best Hip-Hop Albums of All Time.

Keep an eye out for all our Hip-Hop 50 content throughout the month, and check out our exclusive merch featuring our Hip-Hop 50 design at the Consequence Shop.

Ever since DJ Kool Herc laid down the foundation of hip-hop with his innovative record breaks, countless albums have been released from all sorts of regional scenes and subgenres that have sprouted from the concrete. Breaking down 50 years of LPs by immediate impact and lasting influence, it’s easy to pick out instant classics like To Pimp a Butterfly and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, or groundbreaking releases from the likes of Missy Elliott, Wu-Tang Clan, and OutKast.

However, it’s all too easy to give in to the temptation of assigning multiple entries to the all-time great artists. By limiting each rapper or group to one slot each, we opened up this list to include a wider range of MCs who have undeniably seized their moments. From street rap royalty to oddball outcasts to straight up supervillains, there are hundreds of artists who have spoken to whole generations, shifting culture with their words and beats. We took care to recognize that wide variety to reflect how hip-hop has impacted the cultural landscape over the past five decades.

Even so, with only 50 spots, difficult cuts had to be made. But music is an art and its appreciation is subjective, so we stand behind the heated debates and tough choices that led us here. Check out the 50 best hip-hop albums of all time below.

— Eddie Fu
News Editor

50. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter II

Way before he was “President Carter” with a sweet tooth for some “Lollipop” and “Truffle Butter,” Lil Wayne was steadily pumping out fire album after fire album. Still, The Carter II reigned amid the onslaught of releases in 2005. Young Mula Baby’s fifth album had the perfect cocktail of club-appropriate jams and disgustingly sick freestyle flows. Back then, so many of us could spit “Fireman” and “Hustler Musik” start to finish without hesitation. Lil Wayne had a tight grip on the 2000s, and The Carter II helped him make that grip even tighter. — Cervanté Pope

49. Foxy Brown – Ill Na Na

Foxy Brown was 18 when she dropped Ill Na Na, but she raps like a grown woman. Having already shown that hanging with the fellas presented no problem, Foxy topped some of them on her solo debut. Although Method Man, JAY-Z, and Havoc all came out to play on the album, no one upstaged Foxy. She presented a different lane for women in hip-hop, shunning baggy clothes and never faking modesty about her sexual desires, while positioning herself as a queen of pen crime who ran with her own crew, The Firm, and put other rappers in their place if they got out of line. Even on a song about sex and romance like “Get Me Home,” she’s in control and never once relents. Ill Na Na is a big moment in the now-long history of proving women are just as commercially viable as men, but it’s also great rapping from front to back with talented producers behind the boards. — Marcus Shorter

48. Jeezy – Thug Motivation 101

Coming off his classic Gangsta Grillz mixtape Trap or Die, Jeezy brought his trademark rasp to the big-time on his major label debut without sacrificing the larger-than-life Snowman persona that brought him there. Bringing a well-earned authenticity to his aspirational rhymes, the Atlantan stood toe-to-toe with fellow dope boy (and label boss) JAY-Z on “Go Crazy,” crafting a trap music opus over anthemic beats from frequent collaborator Shawty Redd, Mannie Fresh, and Akon. Jeezy puts it best on “Standing Ovation,” when he proclaims, “I am the trap.”  — E. Fu

47. Gang Starr – Hard to Earn

Times change, and after facing criticism for his perceived reliance on jazz samples, Gang Starr’s resident sonic wizard DJ Premier flipped the bird to the naysayers by crafting nearly an hour’s worth of hard-hitting, relatively jazz-free beats. The late Guru, for his part, adapted to the change in sound like he’d been waiting for it his entire career. The turn earned them their Parental Advisory sticker and first Billboard Hot 100 Hit, “Mass Appeal.” The result was the defining document of the duo, a record that represents both Gang Starr’s innovative music and unflinching ethos. — Jonah Krueger

46. Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon: The End of Day

Even during the blog era when the boundaries of hip-hop were being pushed in new directions, Kid Cudi stood out as a trailblazer. The Lonely Stoner caught the attention of his idol Kanye West and signed to G.O.O.D. Music thanks to a knack for Auto-Tuned melody conveying his emotional struggles in a relatable manner and a unique sound mixing hip-hop with psychedelic rock, indie pop, and electronic music. Coming off the breakout success of “Day ‘N’ Nite,” Cudi brought a sea change to hip-hop as exemplified by deeply personal songs like “Soundtrack 2 My Life” and “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare),” positioning himself at the forefront of a generation and impacting countless rappers who came after him. — E. Fu

45. Nicki Minaj – The Pinkprint

The Pinkprint took just about every critique Nicki Minaj endured in her early years and recontextualized them into a declaration of power: She didn’t need to sleep her way to the top, but would have made her male counterparts look like fools if she had. For the doubters that thought Nicki had lost her spark since her mixtape days, she spit some of the most witty lines of her career. And after being called too pop, Nicki doubled down and mixed in piano ballads and synth bangers with the heavier-hitting tracks. The Pinkprint laid out on the table everything that made Nicki, Nicki, and perhaps more importantly, served as a guidebook for contemporary rappers to follow. — Abby Jones

44. 50 Cent – Get Rich or Die Tryin’

No skips and all bangers is a pretty good blueprint for an album and more artists should try it. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ isn’t what you’d call deep, but it is all-gas-no-breaks fun, starting with the triple threat that opens the album, “What Up Gangsta,” “Patiently Waiting,” and “Many Men (Wish Death),” and including the platonic ideal of the club single, “In Da Club.” The man born Curtis Jackson had a gift for earworm hooks, which could be heard on singles “P.I.M.P.,” and “21 Questions,” as well as deeper cuts like “High All the Time” and “Wanksta.” On this debut, 50 Cent and his executive producers Eminem and Dr. Dre simply never miss. — Wren Graves

43. Geto Boys – We Can’t Be Stopped

By the time Geto Boys dropped We Can’t Be Stopped in 1991, rappers had long addressed the toll of growing up in the projects. However, the trio still found new ground to break on their signature track “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” with intricately detailed lyrics about trauma, suicidal thoughts, and paranoia. Though Scarface was the standout rapper of the group, Willie D and Bushwick Bill were no slouches, either. Together, they put Houston on the map with their brand of horrorcore rhymes and brazenly embraced controversy about their lyrical content by putting a photo of Bill in the hospital on the album cover. On the title track, Geto Boys went one step further and called out Geffen Records for refusing to distribute their previous LP. In the end, the group had the last laugh when We Can’t Be Stopped became their most successful album.  — E. Fu

42. J Cole – 2014 Forest Hills Drive

J. Cole knew he was creating something special when he was working on 2014 Forest Hills Drive, a nod to the address of his childhood home in North Carolina. Consider the fact that halfway through the sprawling “Note to Self,” he starts thanking his collaborators and crew for the success of an album that hadn’t come out yet. But that confidence wasn’t misplaced. Cole is an all-time great curator of beats, with an intuitive sense of how to use his voice to hit the vibe. By going back to basics, 2014 Forest Hills Drive cemented him as an essential voice in the modern hip-hop landscape and, eventually, allowed him to go Platinum with no features. — Mary Siroky

41. Cypress Hill – Black Sunday

Cypress Hill were hardly the first MCs to rap about weed, but they may be the first to turn their love of the sticky icky in to a hip-hop fortune and all that it can buy, including a lifetime supply of the good stuff. Black Sunday starts with “I Wanna Get High,” in case you didn’t grasp their intentions, and tracks like “Legalize It” and “Hits from the Bong” are hard to misinterpret. But Cypress Hill don’t get enough credit for their thoughtfulness, nor their hard-hitting looks at life on the streets, such as “When the Shit Goes Down.” It all comes together in smash hit and thesis statement “Insane in the Membrane,” which captures a deliriously cracked worldview. — W. Graves

40. Run-DMC – Raising Hell

It’s hard to overstate Run-DMC’s importance to the development of hip-hop. From their slew of “firsts” (first rap group to go multi-Platinum, nab a Rolling Stone cover, perform on American Bandstand, etc.) to defining the culture of rap music with their fashion and attitude, Run-DMC deserve quite a few pages in the textbook of hip-hop history — and Raising Hell is the group at its best. With all-time classics like “It’s Tricky,” “Walk This Way,” and “My Adidas,” not only is the album quote-unquote “important,” but it remains a hell of a lot of fun to spin even decades later. — J. Krueger

39. Eve – Scorpion

Eve might have been introduced to the world as the Ruff Ryders’ First Lady, but with Scorpion, she made that requisite token title feel like just a blip on her resume. Her sophomore album was unapologetic at a time when apologies were currency; not only did Scorpion display Eve’s irrefutable range as an artist, but it also encapsulated the range of Black female emotion without a care in the world about being considered too sensitive, too angry, too promiscuous, or too masculine. “Eve want her own cash, fuck what you bought her,” she boasts on the braggadocious “Who’s That Girl?”, a universal declaration of bravado that’s only aged better over time. — A. Jones

38. Juvenile – 400 Degreez

Before throwing butt became part of every social media post, such actions were banished to Freaknik excursions and rap video hijinks. There were quite a few ‘90s bangers primed for bottom jiggling, and Juvenile’s “ Back That Azz Up” (as its known in its uncensored version) is probably one of the most iconic of all time. Coming off Juvenile’s Manny Fresh-produced third album, 400 Degreez, it sits prominently among a slew of classic dirty rap songs, with “Ha” being another high amongst the gold. The album is a rollercoaster you have to ride, containing at least one of twerking’s most prolific anthems. — C. Pope

37. GZA – Liquid Swords

It’s the subject of a hilarious comic book joke but also, like other albums enumerated here, talked about in hushed tones. Liquid Swords might be one of the few records on this list without any commercial aspirations; there’s no single for the radio or obvious crossover jams. In fact, GZA goes completely in the opposite direction, crafting something with dense lyrics about religion, politics, chess, the Brooklyn streets, and music industry pitfalls. He does it all over RZA’s beats that, after taking a brief detour for Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, get back to their Shaw Bros. martial arts movie soundscapes. Yet it felt more mature than what came before, both in sound and subject matter. GZA established himself as the Clan’s sharpest tongue and brightest mind on its darkest album. — M. Shorter

36. Lil’ Kim – Hardcore

Lil’ Kim worked hard for a career so that rappers like Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B could jump into theirs. After fashioning herself as a sharp-tongued adversary alongside mentor The Notorious B.I.G. and Lil’ Cease in Junior M.A.F.I.A., Lil’ Kim’s Hard Core debut marked a shift in how female lyricists were to be perceived going forward. Instead of “having” to stay within the confines of socially forward rhymes dressed in baggy jeans and jerseys (though there’s nothing wrong with that), Hard Core was one of the first to prove that imbuing flows with an effortless sensuality doesn’t take away from the talent itself, but rather adds to it. –– C. Pope

35. J Dilla- Donuts

Among those lost too soon, J Dilla was prolific, mild-mannered, yet massively innovative. His seminal album Donuts exists in a realm all to itself, untouchable by any other instrumental (or near-instrumental) release. Coming just a few days before Jay Dee left this astral plane, Donuts is held in the highest regard. As a “producer’s favorite producer” type of situation, Dilla’s seamless and circular beats fostered his prowess as a beat maker and a drummer, earning him heavy adoration from fans — warranted, as his knack for those lackadaisically hazy beats became highlights from his time in Slum Village to the vast cast and explorations of Soulquarians. Donuts should be regarded as the how-to guide for becoming a beat maker. Period. — C. Pope

34. Mobb Deep – The Infamous…

Play any song from The Infamous and watch certain people undergo their own werewolf transformation: The calmest souls get hyped and the meekest become hardcore gangsters. Prodigy and Havoc perfected paranoid nihilism that is both horrifying and inviting. “There’s a war going on outside no man is safe from/ You could run but you can’t hide forever/ From these streets that we done took,” aren’t words for a Hallmark greeting card. Prodigy’s raps describe a pretty dire situation, and the rest of the song travels deeper down that dark rabbit hole. But when backed by Havoc’s production, it’s hard not to enjoy “Survival of the Fittest” on every level. That summarizes their approach for an album that made painful confessions accessible, and violent threats something to celebrate. Such a violent action as stabbing someone in their face with their nose bone never sounded as sweet, or as empowering, as it does on this album. — M. Shorter

33. Ice Cube – Death Certificate

Ice Cube did the whole “conscious rapper” thing before it became something friendly for those who only consider people like Common, Yasiin Bey, and A Tribe Called Quest when they talk about “good” rap music. Cube presented anger steeped in righteousness and insight on Death Certificate, his second solo album after breaking away from N.W.A. A direct message for Black people recovering from the ‘80s at the dawn of the ‘90s, Death Certificate contained two visions: where we are today and where we need to go. That’s why “Givin’ Up the Nappy Dug Out” lives side-by-side with “Bird in the Hand.” The former illustrates a mentality that leads to sexually transmitted diseases, while the latter finds the main character realizing his plight and looking for a better way out before it’s too late. Cube explains how terrible socioeconomic conditions create men and women who might do things — things those with privilege look down upon or punish. While not as shocking today as it was in ’91, it’s sadly no less relevant. — M. Shorter

32. Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy

Nobody else has taken the zig-zagging path from stripper to social media creator, then reality star, and finally, superstar rapper. But Cardi B is not quite unprecedented: She might be cut from the same cloth as Queen Latifah and Ice Cube in the sense that she is impossibly charming and good at almost everything. It’s easy to imagine alternate universes where she’s a successful actor, a powerful senator, or both. Her debut Invasion of Privacy had plenty of lead-up, with almost a year of “Bodak Yellow” dominating the charts to gin up hype, but it more than delivered. “Get Up 10” is a celebration of bars, “Drip” is a Top 10 song in the Extended Migos Universe, and “I Like It” connected her with Bad Bunny and J Balvin in addition to her Latin roots. Many stars seem to arrive fully formed, but Cardi knew she was already a star, and Invasion of Privacy is just the moment that everyone else noticed. — W. Graves

31. DMX – It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot

“I ain’t really never gave a fuck how n****s feel,” DMX growls on “Get at Me Dog,” making it clear he wasn’t interested in the flossy style of hip-hop that was popular in the late ’90s. Instead, the Yonkers native carved his own lane with an aggressive flow and visceral rhymes expressing pain and violence over rugged, barebones beats primarily crafted by Dame Grease. But it was the breakneck “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” that showed DMX’s mainstream potential. Over Swizz Beatz’s unorthodox beat, the track spotlighted how DMX could bare his soul on one line and threaten harm to foes on the next. These contradictions came through on the spoken word “Prayer,” a peek into his conflicted relationship with God. In spite of, or perhaps because of, his demons, DMX reached an apex when both It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot and its follow-up, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, hit No. 1 in the same year — a particularly impressive feat in an era when Billboard only counted CD sales. — E. Fu

30. Clipse – Lord Willin’

On paper, Clipse’s specialty of street rhymes didn’t seem like a match for The Neptunes’ off-kilter, futuristic production. But maybe there’s just something in the water in Virginia, because the duo of Pusha T and Malice’s raps about moving weight in every way possible fit like a glove with Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams’ innovative blend of spacey synths and minimalist drums. While introducing the lead single “Grindin,” Pharrell promises, “The world is about to feel something that they’ve never felt before,” and both parties deliver. Surgical with their precise flows, the Thornton brothers are seemingly incapable of running out of metaphors and similes for dealing drugs. — C. Pope

29. Drake – Take Care

Though so many of us once only knew Drake as the awkwardly charming, wheelchair-bound Degrassi heartthrob, we all could collectively slap ourselves in the face for not believing. If Thank Me Later wasn’t enough, Take Care solidified and served as the proof that Aubrey Graham was more than just the actor we had known him to be on Canadian TV. He sang with conviction and tenderness, while bringing a mellow confidence to the stage as a rapper. That three-part okie doke he hit us with on “Crew Love,” “Take Care,” and “Marvin’s Room” certainly didn’t hurt when it came to making this album a memorable one. — C. Pope

28. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Piñata

Madlib’s collaborations with MF DOOM and J Dilla may have made his name, but his work with Freddie Gibbs cemented his place as one of the greatest producers of his generation. The beats of Piñata are atmospheric and open-ended, capable of supporting all variety of lyrical rhythms. That’s perfect for a wizard of flows like Gibbs, who weaves polysyllabic tapestries that reinterpret tropes of drugs and violence through his own upbringing in Gary, Indiana. Guest verses from Danny Brown (“High”), Raekwon (“Bomb”), and more confirm that other MCs can eat up these beats, but in 2014 it was impossible to out-rap Gibbs on his own song. Whether conjuring coked-out Pacino (“Scarface”), putting motherfuckers in their place (“Shitsville”),  or enjoying the best fried chicken in the Chicagoland area (“Harold’s”), Gibbs’ Kane Train always delivers. — W. Graves

27. MC Lyte – Lyte as a Rock

MC Lyte’s arrival on the hip-hop scene was not an immediate success, but her 1988 debut, Lyte as a Rock, would eventually become a lauded lightning bolt. Her infectious personality and unbridled confidence are on display; the title track’s spoken intro from Audio Two immediately prepares you for the arrival of a star, and each ensuing jam does little to convince you otherwise. She quickly skewers the abstract notion that hip-hop belongs to the boys — she begins “I Am Woman” with “I am woman, hear me roar,” and does exactly that — and draws upon her experiences as a young Black woman from Brooklyn. The assuredness would go on to inspire thousands of future MCs, and the subtle commentary on songs like “I Cram to Understand U (Sam),” which highlights the crack epidemic’s strain on relationships in a digestible and creative fashion, elevated hip-hop as a means to acknowledge social issues. On the surface, Lyte as a Rock is a breeze — but underneath is a fearless, fiery artist who would go on to make sure there were more seats at the table of hip-hop. — Paolo Ragusa

26. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…

The album that launched a thousand mafia aliases, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… created — or revitalized — an entire rap subgenre: Mafioso rap. Over apex RZA production, Raekwon and the album’s guest star, Ghostface Killah, took the summation of their lives to that point and filtered the stories through the gang culture they witnessed on Staten Island. They also threw in references from Scarface, The Godfather, Once Upon a Time in America, and The Killer for good measure. The Purple Tape, as it’s known by those who know, represented a very different chamber for the Wu-Tang Clan. Yes, the martial arts movie samples showed up, but unlike Method Man and Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s solo projects (which built on the group’s 1993 debut album), Rae and Ghost leaned into a mobster mentality and created their own mafia movie. Maybe that’s why rappers like Nas, JAY-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., and even Foxy Brown established their own mafia ties on records after this album. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… not only encapsulated ’95 hip-hop, but also created a path for its next decade. — M. Shorter

25. Snoop Dogg – Doggystyle

While riding shotgun with Dr. Dre on The Chronic, Snoop Dogg brought G-funk widespread appeal thanks to his effortless cool and distinct, laidback flow. When it was his turn to take the wheel on Doggystyle, the charismatic former Crip painted a realistic picture of his life in Long Beach with vivid rhymes about maintaining his street cred (“Tha Shiznit”), partying (“Gin and Juice”), and fending off thirsty women (“Lodi Dodi”). On songs like “Murder Was the Case,” however, Snoop opened up about his fear of mortality, demonstrating there was more than his unflappable exterior beneath the surface. — E. Fu

24. Queen Latifah – All Hail the Queen

Queen Latifah’s debut album, All Hail the Queen, encapsulates the early sound of hip-hop by pairing poetic rhymes with a fusion of house music, jazz, soul, and reggae. On the Monie Love-assisted feminist rap anthem “Ladies First,” Latifah made it known that there was space for women in a male-dominated genre by rapping, “I’ma mess around and flip the scene into reverse.” Through the collection of upbeat and uplifting songs demonstrating her versatility and influence, the Jersey native delivered on that promise, proving she was here to stay while paving the way for countless women to follow in her footsteps. — Sun Noor

23. Black Star – Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star

The “Intro” promised two “real-life documentarians,” a contrast to the gangster theatrics and Puff Daddy party bops that dominated radio in 1998. Instead, Talib Kweli and Yasin Bey (as Mos Def) offered positivity: joyous pro-Black raps, life-affirming philosophies, goofy jokes, grand stunting, and a whiff of good green. From the double-whammy of “Definition” and “Re: Definition” through the starry night of “Respiration,” Black Star explored moods that had rarely been expressed in such vivid colors. — W. Graves

22. Pusha T – Daytona

Pusha T states his intentions for Daytona very early on: to create his version of Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, and that’s exactly what he did. Pusha locked himself in the studio with Ye and produced seven tracks about dope dealing, champagne wishes, caviar dreams, unforgiven sins, and unfinished rap wars. Pusha’s 2018 outing builds on everything prior (including his Clipse output), and distills what he does best into an efficient collection of raps over beats that fit like an impeccably tailored suit. We can talk about “Infrared” setting off a chain of events with Drake that still echo today, but Daytona stands out because it showed how one producer and one rapper working together towards one goal will always win out over an MC taking random beats from the hottest producers and hoping it gels together. And for several reasons unrelated to music, we may never see that again from Pusha T and Ye, which only increases its value. — M. Shorter

21. Salt-N-Pepa – Very Necessary

Salt-N-Pepa had already made their lasting mark on hip-hop with groundbreaking hits like “Push It” and “Let’s Talk About Sex,” but when it came time to record Very Necessary, the trio felt like they still had plenty to prove. Knowing it would be the last album to feature their manager Hurby Azor’s fingerprints, the Queens trio took creative control by sharing some of the songwriting and production duties, while also insisting that “Shoop” be the lead single. All that effort paid off when the flirtatious track became Salt-N-Pepa’s first Top 5 hit and its follow-up, the En Vogue collaboration “Whatta Man,” landed even higher on the charts, cementing their place among the greatest rap groups of all time. — E. Fu

20. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP

Hip-hop had been this funny before, and this fast, and yes, even this white, but it had never been quite this scary. On his second and best album — one in a long line of Dr. Dre masterpieces — Eminem toggled between his three primary personas: the prankster battle-rapper Eminem, the horrifying villain Slim Shady, and his realest and truest (though still cranky) Marshall Mathers self. He even put versions of them into a dialogue together on “Stan,” a prescient look at fandom in which the rapper has one version inform another, “I say that shit just clownin’ dawg.” From the cartoon jokes of “The Real Slim Shady” to the very real grievance of “The Way I Am,” The Marshall Mathers LP is a white-knuckle ride. — W. Graves

19. De La Soul – 3 Feet High and Rising

It’s crazy that whole generations have barely been able to experience the D.A.I.S.Y. Age. Unavailable on streaming services until March 2023 due to sampling clearances and label disputes, De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising was where progressive rap was born. When every other major record was going hardcore, Posdnuos, Trugoy, and Maseo went playful as Prince Paul stitched bits of Johnny Cash and Steely Dan into imaginative beats that remain unmatched. Rapping about dandruff and individuality between skits of gameshows and orgies, the trio and their producer showed the art in the weird, inspiring decades of outside-the-box thinkers — and now that their work is more readily available, decades more to come. — Ben Kaye

18. Eric B. & Rakim — Paid in Full

A message for everyone reading this: Go see Rakim live. A few seconds of his performance illustrates why Paid in Full belongs on this or any other list lauding hip-hop’s greatest. Rakim is the most imitated rapper in history. Period. And without him shifting the genre through force in ’87, we’re probably not celebrating a 50th anniversary. Eric B. and Rakim’s first foray showed a rapper so far beyond his peers that rhymes from more than 30 years ago sound fresh today. While most of his contemporaries put their own spin on Run-DMC’s style, the rapper from Long Island went an alternate route. That choice created an album that sounds like nothing else before it, but influenced everything after it. “I Ain’t No Joke” is more than a song; it’s a mission statement that stood the test of time because the guy who wrote it envisioned a style that no one else even thought possible. — M. Shorter

17. Madvillain – Madvillainy

Nerds have always run rap, but they’re usually cool nerds, or philosophical nerds, or horny nerds pretending to be the cool nerds. All that is fine and dandy, but what about the nerds who just get high, read comic books, and watch Adult Swim? Two supervillains came to the rescue, Madlib and MF DOOM, whose collaborative masterpiece defies conventions and showcases an experimental blend of off-kilter beats, obscure samples, and DOOM’s cracked wordplay. No other pair would have guessed that an accordion could go so hard (“Accordion”), turned sausage making into dadaist poetry (“Meat Grinder”), or, as they do on closer “Rhinestone Cowboy,” transform applause into bizarro percussion. With non-linear song structures and unconventional storytelling, Madvillainy stands out in all the best ways. — W. Graves

16. The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die

It took some coaxing from Puff Daddy, but The Notorious B.I.G.’s ability to balance his outsized street persona with  his softer side as a ladies’ man allowed him to form a complete picture of the man born Christopher Wallace on Ready to Die. The Brooklyn native was equally adept at weaving stick-up rhymes over hard-hitting production from Easy Mo Bee  (“Gimme the Loot”) as he was rapping over the more radio-friendly beats of Puffy and the Hitmen (“Juicy,” “One More Chance”). However, tracks like “Everyday Struggle” provided a window into his inner turmoil and what made him tick. Even before the pressure that came with wearing the crown as King of New York, Biggie was already feeling plenty of weight, and his debut album served as a testament to that truth. — E. Fu

15. Fugees – The Score

Between Lauryn Hill’s once-in-a-lifetime potential and her tumultuous relationship with Wyclef Jean inside and outside of the group, Fugees weren’t built to last. On The Score, the Jersey trio caught fire and burned so brightly that matching the album would have been a Herculean task anyway. Together with Pras and honorary member John Forté, they collaborated with outside producers like Salaam Remi and Diamond D to create an unmistakable blend of live instrumentation with choice samples and hard-hitting drums. Hill leaned into her extraordinary talents as both an MC and singer on “Fu-Gee-La” and “Ready or Not,” with a cover of “Killing Me Softly with His Song” showcasing her pure vocal chops. Meanwhile, Wyclef took the spotlight when they took on Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry,” and Pras was a formidable rapper in his own right. — E.  Fu

14. Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique

The Beastie Boys’ debut, License to Ill,was carried by their winning personalities, but the beats could be dull and the drums tended towards simple and repetitive. Although follow-up Paul’s Boutique flopped on release, it was musically on another level, building rich soundscapes out of artful samples. The bonkers “Egg Man” and “High Plains Drifter” are great in a different way than Beastie’s hard-partying hits, and “B-Boy Bouillabaisse,” the nine-song suite that closes the album, remains sharp and surprising. With Paul’s Boutique, Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock reached the height of their creative power and made an album that is ambitious, hungry, and endlessly charming. — W. Graves

13. Tupac – All Eyez on Me

Tupac Shakur wasn’t a man of extremes, he was a man of just one extreme — all in. And with All Eyez on Me, one of our most maximalist artists turned in his crowning classic. The 27-track, two-disc extravaganza came together in a blizzard of flows and probably chemicals, too, after Suge Knight and Jimmy Iovine paid $1.4 million in bail to spring Shakur from the pen after charges of sexual misconduct. Shakur might not have been a great man, but he was a great artist, and prison gave his art two gifts: bottomless months in which to think, and a fire under his ass now that he knew how quickly his career could go away. All that philosophy and urgency joined together for one of the most ambitious works in music history. — W. Graves

12. N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A’s first album, Straight Outta Compton, was a raw, explicit, instant classic. With producers Dr. Dre and DJ Yella alongside Eazy-E, Ice Cube, The D.O.C., and MC Ren on the mic, the group presented uncensored, politically-charged lyrics as a response to racism, violence, and police brutality. “Fuck tha Police” became a sensation by capturing a nation’s frustrations, while tracks like “Gangsta Gangsta” anticipated generations of violent raps. But N.W.A. is so much more than their headlines, incorporating elements of funk and dance music throughout the album on “Something Like That,” “Express Yourself,” and  “Something 2 Dance 2.” With taboo-shattering highs and a deep roster of grooves, Straight Outta Compton rings as clear as ever. — S. Noor

11. Nas – Illmatic

How many writers over the last three decades spilled ink over Illmatic? This is hip-hop’s Mona Lisa — not to be confused with Slick Rick’s “Mona Lisa” — or Sistine Chapel ceiling. Nas’ debut entered the discourse in April 1994 and set up a permanent residence. It remains the measuring stick for solo debuts, and (sometimes unfortunately) looms like a shadow over everything Nas does. How does anyone live with a burden bigger than the Empire State Building sitting on their shoulders? Only the man formerly known as Nasty Nas knows that answer, but he and an all-star producer lineup did something few thought possible at the time by leapfrogging beyond what anyone expected from the kid who took rap by the jugular with one verse in ’91. Illmatic still captures the imagination because it’s not only perfection, but hype realized. — M. Shorter

10. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Recent years have revealed just how true to life the title of this album is, but Ye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was one of the great stylistic leaps in hip-hop music. The rapper and controversial figure is more than familiar with transformation, both in private and in practice, so a progression throughout his discography was only to be expected. Though his raps have often unfolded deeper meaning the more you listen, this album exposed a different side to Ye’s production. He toyed with more downtempo beats and perhaps some self-reflection, granted the choice words of “Monster” and “Runaway,” but he also took on boisterous soundscapes on the packed house of “All of the Lights.” He commanded that track despite it featuring Rihanna, John Legend, Elton John, Alicia Keys, and more, which says enough about his highs as an artist, even if his choices outside his art are lower than low. — C. Pope

09. Dr. Dre – 2001

The ‘90s were just about soundtracked by Dr. Dre, with numerous artists and albums becoming emblematic of the sound of Southern California. Before the millennium, Dre had one hell of a comeback with 2001, breaking his seven-year streak of solo-effort silence. Also loosely known as The Chronic II, the album followed its predecessor in an unexpected way, expanding his signature G-funk sound and making the best use of some of the artists he helped put on with it. Eminem, Kurupt, and of course Snoop make appearances, made even slicker by Nate Dogg’s buttery harmonies.

Even though Dre’s usual shine occurred behind the mixing board rather than the mic, 2001 was a reminder that his versatility was not to be taken lightly. “Still D.R.E.” and “Forgot About Dre,” featuring Snoop and Eminem respectively, were literal declarations demanding the populace put some respect back on his name, because no matter how long he steps away from the spotlight, he’s still D.R.E. — C. Pope

08. A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory

From the first rumbles of that double bass, hip-hop would never be the same. With groovy and crisp jazz beats, The Low End Theory stands as a monument to the brilliance of hip-hop’s golden era. Between Phife Dawg’s captivating verses, Q-Tip’s mellifluous flow, and production from Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad that led to cleaner, more layered samples, the album is just as stylish today as it was upon its release.

The Low End Theory is an introspective whirlwind, touching on themes of identity, social consciousness, and personal struggles. It speaks to the Black experience while transcending cultural boundaries, resonating with listeners across the globe. By blending sharp storytelling with infectious grooves, the album’s impact was felt not just in hip-hop, but in all of music. — W. Graves

07. JAY-Z – Reasonable Doubt

JAY-Z often said he’s not a rapper, but rather a hustler who knows how to rap. Well, Reasonable Doubt says otherwise. His performance, layered with metaphors, similes, couplets, double entendres, and more poetic devices than most rappers pack in their entire career, only comes from someone knee-deep in the art of rapping. The debut effort details the life of someone getting out of one hustle — the street life — and into another, but not without explaining why he’s saying goodbye. Those who called Jay “shallow” during his early years seemingly let this entire album fly over their heads as he bears his soul on “D’Evils,” “Regrets,” “Politics as Usual,” and “Can’t Knock the Hustle.”

Or maybe they found themselves so enraptured with the wordplay and imagery that they ignored his anguish over the few career opportunities for young Black men, the guilt over betraying a friend, or the stress that made him “sleep with one eye open like CBS.” Most fans and critics slept on Reasonable Doubt in 1996, but that says less about Jay’s first album and more about the amazing work produced that year and during the ‘90s era as a whole. As it stands, this is Jay’s most complete and uncompromised body of work, and Exhibit A for his Hall of Fame stature. — M. Shorter

06. Outkast – Stankonia

The Dirty South is defined by its murky in-your-face sound, able to walk the very fine line between all-out banger and overly-processed crap with eased precision. OutKast’s approach took it to a whole new level, staying true to the dirty sound and elevated by their own individual flavors. André 3000 and Big Boi themselves have different takes on production in a unique yet complementary fashion, which comes through in how each of their sonic signatures are dispersed throughout the tracks.

Take the album’s lead single, “B.O.B,” at face value, for its berserk BPM (sitting at a very high 155), catchy hook, and André’s hyperspeed flow. It became popular during the Iraq War for its obvious commentary, but the other tracks on Stankonia ended up making just as much noise. “Ms. Jackson” and “So Fresh, So Clean” became the two songs to really grow Outkast’s fandom on top of possessing some of the catchiest hooks in hip-hop history. — C. Pope

05. Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

The fact that Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) remains just as impressive 30 years later is a testament to the Wu-Tang Clan’s power. That it even works to begin with is an absolute miracle. RZA, the Clan’s de facto leader and producer, put together a group who, on paper, don’t all fit together. Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and U-God provide street tales. GZA and Inspectah Deck put the audience through lyrical exercises worthy of several muscle cramps. Method Man does a little bit of everything, but adds a sense of humor and wit, while Ol’ Dirty Bastard… well, there’s a reason why his nickname was Ason Unique.

Like the beats RZA constructed for this album, Wu-Tang is a collective of disparate parts that, when put together correctly, creates beautiful music that becomes mythological. 36 Chambers doesn’t hold anyone’s hand; it drops them in the middle of a universe with its own rules and slang, while providing a shining moment for each member. The album set the stage for Wu’s dominant four-year run and provided the blueprint for every group that dared follow. And no one who came after them made it work as well the Wu-Tang Clan did on this masterpiece. — M. Shorter

04. Missy Elliot – Supa Dupa Fly

Kicked back in a monogrammed baseball jersey and white-on-white Nike Uptowns, Missy Elliott used the album cover of her debut Supa Dupa Fly to do more than just show her face — she presented its contents in a straightforward way. As the first look at Missy’s Afrofuturisc vision of rap reality, the 1997 release sparked a different turn for female rappers at the time. Unlike what Foxy Brown and Lil Kim (who pops up on “Hit Em wit da Hee”) had done with their albums a year prior, Missy chose not to approach sensuality the same way, instead trading sexualized aesthetics for creatively crafted lyrics that were alluring in their own way. She was certainly ahead of her time, especially when paired with Timbaland’s blend of all sorts of styles. The two were made to work together, with “I Can’t Stand the Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” enduring as an all-time banger. — C. Pope

03. Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

In the early ’80s, punk legends The Clash were billed as “The Only Band That Matters.” Later that decade, that title could have easily gone to Public Enemy. While they certainly made a mark with their 1987 debut, Yo! Bum Rush the Show, P.E. revolutionized hip-hop with their 1988 sophomore LP, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.

With a genius use of samples and stellar production by The Bomb Squad (led by Hank Shocklee), the album featured the masterful emcee Chuck D delivering thought-provoking, sociopolitical commentary with power and conviction, as Flavor Flav established himself as rap music’s greatest hype man. Songs like “Bring the Noise,” “Don’t Believe the Hype,” and “Rebel Without a Pause” stand among hip-hop’s most essential tracks, with a far-reaching influence extending to the likes of Anthrax and Rage Against the Machine. Believe the hype: It Takes a Nation of Millions is one of music’s greatest treasures. — Spencer Kaufman

02. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

During her time with Fugees, it was apparent Lauryn Hill’s prodigious talent for rapping and singing meant she was destined to break out on her own. When the group went their separate ways following the massive success of The Score, Hill was able to do just that. In addition to a fractured relationship with Wyclef Jean, she found even more personal inspiration for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in becoming pregnant with her first child, whom she shared with Bob Marley’s son Rohan Marley.

Primarily recorded at Marley’s Tuff Gong Studios in Jamaica, Miseducation was hailed as a masterpiece immediately upon its release. “Doo Wop (That Thing),” her cautionary tale to young women, showcased Hill’s innate ability to rap and sing better than any of her contemporaries and made her the first female rapper to go No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Addressing heartbreak on songs like “Lost Ones” and dedicating others like “To Zion” to the unique love only a mother has for their child, Hill also dropped gems for the youth in inner cities on “Everything Is Everything.” She proved that R&B could be a part of hip-hop when in the right hands, setting the stage for future superstars like Drake. Though Miseducation remains her only studio record, its legacy will remain as one of the greatest albums of all time — regardless of genre.  — E. Fu

01. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly

Kendrick Lamar quickly cemented himself as one of the most important voices of his generation, with his third studio album To Pimp a Butterfly holding the defining Black protest song of recent years: “Alright.” Coming out just before the start of Trump’s chaotic candidacy, it holds both the power to bring about praise for the good that’s happening in Black life and lamentation for the systems that fail it every day. Amid demonstrations demanding answers about Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, and various other police killings, “Alright” was one of the saving graces that got us through rough times — but that’s not to discredit the power of the rest of the album as well.

As soon as the whispers build on the Boris Gardner “Every N***** Is a Star” sample on “Wesley’s Theory,” you’re greeted by contrition regarding success, capitalism, and inner and outer identity, subject matter that is oftentimes belied by a tracks’ upbeat nature. There are other examples of this on the record, like the ever-changing peaks and valleys of “King Kunta” or the contradiction explored on “The Blacker the Berry.” Every generation is entitled to their own greatest hip-hop album, and this is ours. — C. Pope

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50 Best Hip-Hop Albums of All Time
Consequence Staff

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