Best Rap Album Each Year of The 90s

[NumberSix]

1990. LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out
1991. NWA - N*ggaz4Life
1992. Dr. Dre - The Chronic
1993. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
1994. Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die
1995. 2Pac - Me Against The World
1996. Redman - Muddy Waters
1997. Capone-N-Noreaga - The War Report
1998. OutKast - Aquemini
1999. Black Moon - War Zone

[KobesFinger]

I don't know much, if anything, about rap pre-1994. I know about 2Pac and NWA (and by extension Eazy E and Dr Dre) but thats about it.

1994 - You're going to get a lot of comments saying "LOL no Illmatic" but IMO its a coin flip for those two albums.
1995 - I'd have Liquid Swords personally but MATW is the best 2Pac album IMO.
1996 - I'd put Reasonable Doubt or ATLiens, only because I've never listened to Redman's album.
1997 - I'd have Life After Death for the same reason as above
1998 - Agree, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot deserves an honourable mention too.
1999 - I'd have 2001 because I've never heard that album

[L.Kizzle]

1990. LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out
Around the way Girl is my shit, but that album is behind Amerikkkas Most Wanted, Tribe Called Quest and Fear of a Black Planet.



1991. NWA - N*ggaz4Life
Can't go wrong with NWA, though Tribe, Cube again and Geto Boys are contenders of the thrown this year.



1992. Dr. Dre - The Chronic
Correct.



1993. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
I'd have Wu-Tang 36 Chambers #1. Although Tribe and Black Moon are contenders also.



1994. Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die
BIG or Nas one or the other. Scarface The Diary is mad underrated also.



1995. 2Pac - Me Against The World
Raekwon, GZA or Mobb Deep at the #1 spot.



1996. Redman - Muddy Waters
All Eyez on Me, Jay-Z, Mobb Deep, and the never talked about Stakes is High from De La Soul.



1997. Capone-N-Noreaga - The War Report
Life or Death, Wu Tang Forever, When Disaster Strikes is underrated.



1998. OutKast - Aquemini
Black Star, Big Pun, Goodie Mob, DMX, Soulja Slim's Give It 2 Em Raw.



1999. Black Moon - War Zone
Mos Def's Black on Both Sides.

[NumberSix]

I don't know much, if anything, about rap pre-1994. I know about 2Pac and NWA (and by extension Eazy E and Dr Dre) but thats about it.

1994 - You're going to get a lot of comments saying "LOL no Illmatic" but IMO its a coin flip for those two albums.
1995 - I'd have Liquid Swords personally but MATW is the best 2Pac album IMO.
1996 - I'd put Reasonable Doubt or ATLiens, only because I've never listened to Redman's album.
1997 - I'd have Life After Death for the same reason as above
1998 - Agree, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot deserves an honourable mention too.
1999 - I'd have 2001 because I've never heard that album
Personally, I think "illmatic" is very overrated.

[kurple]

you gotta go with illmatic in 94

[kurple]

BIG or Nas one or the other. Scarface The Diary is mad underrated also.

not as good as BIG and Nas albums, but i love Southernplayalisticaddilacmuzic

mad underrated as well

[Real14]

you gotta go with illmatic in 94
I think Illmatic is 1a and ready to die is 1b.

[Real14]

Ironically, it's my least favorite on the list :yaohappy:
Exactly, what's wrong with that kid:lol

[ducktape]

1990: a tribe called quest - people's instinctive travels and the paths of rhythm
1991: a tribe called quest - the low end theory
1992: the pharcyde - bizarre ride ii the pharcyde
1993: a tribe called quest - midnight marauders
1994: digable planets - blowout comb
1995: e-40 - in a major way
1996: dr. octagon - dr. octagonecologyst
1997: kool keith - sex style
1998: juvenile - 400 degreez
1999: dr. dooom - first come, first served

[That_Admiral]

1990: People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm
1991: The Low End Theory
1992: The Chronic
1993: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
1994: Illmatic
1995: Liquid Swords
1996: Reasonable Doubt
1997: Life After Death
1998: Aquemini
1999: 2001

[NBAplayoffs2001]

Only started to listen to rap from 1994 and onwards (when East coast hip hop started popping... not a huge fan of the west coast. Really cool beats but I like the content on the East coast a lot more)

1994- Illmatic by Nas. Only album I really can't think of a song I don't like
1995- The Infamous by Modd Deep. Shook Ones is a great song, some very solid songs in the album. Lifestylez Ova Da Poor and Dangerous would be up there to be honest if it had better production. I love Big L but I also thought he was a freestyle god but he couldn't really make solid songs or albums. Ebonics is his only crown jewel. Queensbridge Projects had some insane talent in the mid 1990s. I've driven by that area and always think of the song, Shook Ones, lol.
1996- It was Written by Nas. I just really like this album.
1997- Life After Death by Notorious B.I.G.
1998- Blackstar with Mos Def and Talib Kweli. Songs were great. The song, Respiration, in this album is legendary at least for me (I love listening to it while walking home sometimes).
1999- Black on Both Sides by Mos Def. It's simple mathematics... This album had a few meh tracks, I will admit but some really good ones. One of the first few songs, Hip Hop, was really solid. The intro for this album was my favorite.

On top of all of this, New York Knicks for me represented hip hop. During the early to mid 1990s, they were tough and gritty. They were the best defensive team in the early 1990s. Also post 9/11, the city changed big time. Rent is insanely high now and living in Manhattan is nearly impossible unless you are loaded.

On the side note, I think that's why people are nostalgic about basketball in the 1990s. Hip hop definitely added to its' popularity. Heck, I often see people have throwback 1990s jackets of their teams at my gym.

[~primetime~]

1990 - Ice Cube: Amerikkka's Most Wanted
1991 - Ice Cube: Death Certificate
1992 - Dr. Dre: The Chronic
1993 - Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers
1994 - Nas: Illmatic
1995 - Mobb Deep: Infamous
1996 - 2Pac: All Eyez on Me
1997 - Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death
1998 - DMX: It's Dark and Hell is Hot
1999 - Dr. Dre: 2001


that's what I got...

[KNOW1EDGE]

That seems like a decent list. :cheers:

But Illmatic is possibly the greatest rap album of all time, so it's gotta be 1994.

It's just all a matter of opinion and preference, everyone's list should be different

[NBAplayoffs2001]

That seems like a decent list. :cheers:

But Illmatic is possibly the greatest rap album of all time, so it's gotta be 1994.

It's just all a matter of opinion and preference, everyone's list should be different

Yep I blast NY State of mind by Nas and Ya out there by Rakim when I drive into Manhattan. I do it everytime :banana: I go into the center of The Big Apple.

[NumberSix]

That seems like a decent list. :cheers:

But Illmatic is possibly the greatest rap album of all time, so it's gotta be 1994.

It's just all a matter of opinion and preference, everyone's list should be different
If think that illmatic kinda just lives off reputation and people feel like illmatic is what they're SUPPOSED to say, kinda like how some people feel like they have to say citizen Kane is the best movie ever.

[KNOW1EDGE]

If think that illmatic kinda just lives off reputation and people feel like illmatic is what they're SUPPOSED to say, kinda like how some people feel like they have to say citizen Kane is the best movie ever.

I agree. but I genuinely feel it is one of the best rap albums of all time. But I get what ur saying and it's def true in some instances.

[kurple]

illmatic isnt just hype

its one of the best albums of all music

[Top Gun]

Illmatic is about as close as you can get to a perfect album.

[NBAplayoffs2001]

90 - People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm - A Tribe Called Quest
91 - I Wish My Brother George Was Here - Del tha Funkee Homosapien
92 - The Chronic - Dr. Dre
93 - 36 Chambers - Wu-Tang
94 - Illmatic - NAS
95 - The Infamous - Mobb Deep
96 - Reasonable Doubt - Jay Z
97 - The War Report - Capone-N-Noreaga
98 - Moment Of Truth - Gangstarr (Honorable Mention - Capital Punishment - Big Pun)
99 - The Slim Shady LP - Eminem (Honorable Mention - Blackout! - Method Man and Redman)

Two really good mentions for 98. Big Pun is the King of Flow. Gangstarr has some solid songs for sure. I used to like Eminem a lot that was before I really got into hip hop though. Now I think there were more talented rappers out there who had a similar style. Personally, Big L > Eminem on raw talent.

Also to you rap fans, is 36 Chambers really that solid? I haven't really gotten into Wu-Tang but I've heard that album is a classic.

[coolhandsteve]

1990- AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted- Ice Cube
1991- The Low End Theory- ATCQ
1992- The Chronic- Dr. Dre
1993- Midnight Marauders- ATCQ (Doggystyle a close #2, Snoop's best album IMO)
1994- 1A: Ready To Die- The Notorious B.I.G/1B- Illmatic- Nas
1995- The Infamous- Mobb Deep (can't go wrong with Me Against The World either)
1996- All Eyez On Me- Tupac
1997- Life After Death- The Notorious B.I.G
1998- Vol.2...Hard Knock Life- Jay-Z (HM: OutKast-Aquemini, DMX-ID&HIH & Busta Rhymes-Extinction Level Event)
1999- 2001- Dr. Dre

That's mine..