Over the last 30 years, hip-hop music has gone from operating on the fringes of the music
industry to producing some of the biggest global stars of their era. We will dip into the catalogue
of legendary artists that made the East Coast and West Coast scenes so famous.
In a battle that spans thirty years, you could write a book about each being superior, depending
on your taste.
The lifestyle that the hip-hop scene projects have been a topic of discussion for years. Some
critics have claimed that the music glorifies some of the darker elements of society. However,
artists that operate at the top of this genre are bonafide businesspeople who are serious about
their profession.
Rappers such as P Diddy, Nelly and Jay-Z are reportedly gamble at some of the biggest
casinos in the world. With their combined net worth reaching billions of dollars, they certainly fit
the criteria for high-rollers. If you’d like to jump on the casino bandwagon, you can play onlinepoker from the comfort of your own home – all while streaming music from your favorite hip hop
artists in the background.
With that said, the hip hop genre is brimming with classic albums, and today we will look at the
highest-rated hip-hop albums of all time .
#5 – Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die
It was all a dream. Widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, Ready To
Die is a multi-platinum, highly acclaimed, Grammy-winning album. Sadly murdered at 24, his
legacy continues to inspire artists to this day, decades later.
The generational talent of Christopher Wallace was apparent from very early on, and you can
find videos online that show him freestyling on the streets of New York as early as 1989 to
crowds of astounded bystanders. This talent quickly rose to the top of the game and resulted in
one of the most significant hip-hop records ever.
The iconic sample for Juicy changed the landscape of mainstream hip-hop forever. Fusing rap
with a mellow R&B beat, the song transcended the genre and defined its generation. As a
result, many musical historians have stated that it is the most recognisable hip-hop song.
With other bombastic anthems like Gimme The Loot and tackling taboo topics for many artists at
the time, his tenacious boom-bap style lives on today and will likely live on for many years to
come.
# 4 – Madvillainy – Madvillainy
Released in 2004, the late M.F. Doom made up half of this legendary duo with Madlib. This
record set a new bar for alternative hip-hop. Other releases, such as Stankonia by Outkast,
paved the way for a new subgenre to emerge.
However, Madvillainy retains a cult following nearly 20 years after its release, and for many, it is
considered one of the greatest albums ever made.
The smooth jazz-filled beats containing obscure instrumentation and slick production, laid the
foundation for M.F. Doom to spread his lyrical gospel to the world. In addition, it has inspired a
new wave of hip-hop artists such as Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler The Creator and Danny Brown.
#3 – Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
This isn’t the only Kendrick album that could have found itself on this list, but it is by far his most
acclaimed album. Many publications have cited this record as the greatest hip-hop album of its
generation.
Many of the tracks on the album take on an ethereal yet ferocious style, with highly insightful
social commentary and layered unique production. As a result, the album received moreGrammy nominations at the end of the year than any other hip-hop album ever.
Given that it was only released in 2015, this record seems to be getting more relevant as the
years pass. In a decade from now, this might be considered the most outstanding record of
them all.
#2 – Nas – Illmatic
Released a few months before Ready To Die, 1994 was a massive year for East Coast Hip-
Hop. Illmatic is widely regarded as Nas’s magnum opus, and it is astonishing to think he
released this record when he was just 19 years old.
With wisdom, lyricism and a maturity transcending its time, it transports the listener to early
1990s New York. Bordering on poetry, Illmatic escalated lyricism in hip-hop to a level that many
rappers haven’t got anywhere near.
#1 – Wu-Tang Clan – 36 Chambers
Alongside Illmatic, 36 Chambers ushered in a new era of dominance for the East Coast scene.
The Wu-Tang Clan were like a supergroup of rappers. R.Z.A.’s production, Method Man’s flow,
and the composed and insightful lyricism of G.Z.A., the impact of this album was akin to a hip-
hop big bang.
36 Chambers inspired every other album that is featured on this list today. Some might say that
the sound may not sound as revolutionary, given how much has come after it.
However, in 1993, this wide-ranging, unpredictable, and precociously gifted collection of artists
changed the landscape of the genre forever. Protect Ya Neck!