*** OK . . . So Whats The #2 Greatest Hip Hop Album Of All Time?? ***

[putting in work]

I want to hear that D.O.C. album...I've heard a lot about him and how much potential he had.

 

[iceman617]

Ghostface - Ironman

 

[illphillip]

No way Illmatic is the greatest album of all time. That $**@ was damn near an EP, and it's not like every track was flawless.

Statements like these are exactly why these "#1", "#2", "Top 10" discussions are pointless and fruitless.

So I can't even entertain this "#2" album of all time talk when cats already done #$!%!+ up on #1.

 

[starvin harlem]

My man illPhill has a vendetta against list and rankings . . . I'm guessin you're not a college football fan . . .

So what hip hop ALBUM is better than Illmatic?? I mean how many tracks do you need?? Paid In Full has less actual rapping and music then Illmatic . . . Whytake 17 tracks to do what you can do in 9?? I mean can a movie not be great if its only an hour and 40 min?? Does it have to be as long as Titanic to beconsidered "great"??

I mean Jordan didn't play 48 minutes . . . Because he didn't need 48 minutes to prove to everyone on the floor that he was THE BEST man wearing ajersey in the arena . . .

Also what is the longest album without some so so tracks??

 

[premium911]

I was just bumping Illmatic on Saturday and I think its a slightly overated. Im from NY so Im not biased by no means... It's not #1 im sorry to bust thebubble... Its in the top 10 but not #1.

 

[starvin harlem]

Well if you say Illmatic ISN'T #1, you've gotta atleast allude to what is . . . Just for arguments sake, though its not inconceivable for one to thinkIllmatic isn't #1, its always good to see what is in their eyes . . .

Not that I'm willing to entertain the argument (as if I ever shy away from arguments

) I just wanna get an idea, and hopefully hear something Ihaven't before, or listen differently . . .

 

[iceman617]

Illmatic is #1 no question.

 

[airuphere23]

Suprising to see I'm the only person holdin It Was Written down.

Thought that album definitely held its own in 96 and although I still pick Illmaticas more classic, IWW conceptually was more of an album than Illmatic.

 

[yungmatt]

At Illmatic being #1

 

[deuce king]

I'm putting Reasonable Doubt as #2 just to answer the original question. I'll let you dudes continue these side comments that I see in here.

 

[starvin harlem]

I'm bout to watch Fade To Black . . . I'm still waiting on the problems with Illmatic.

 

[proshares]

Infamous, OB4CL, 36 Chambers, Liquid Swords or Ready to Die either one at #2 wouldn't upset me. I'm surprised Doggystyle hasn't been mentioned thatmuch.

 

[maxelite]

personally i like RD over Illmatic.

but OB4CL is def a SICK album.

what about ATLiens? i could listen to that album all day.

 

[blazinjkid]

@ not liking Sauce Money on Bring it On. he's outshined Jay on basically every track they've ever been on...

 

[getmoneyforever]

# RD but illmatic is in that top 5 spot

 

[north dade represent]

Originally Posted by Starvin Harlem

. .

With BIG he lost points on "Friend Of Mine", which is just a flast awful song, I'd take ANY track, and I mean ANY track off of IWW before I listen to that track . . . That screwed up his average, and having such a bad song in the finish wasn't a good look . . . I can HONESTLY say of all the years I've been listenin to Ready To Die, I have heard "Friend Of Mine" no more than 10 times . . . I HATE it. What was he thinkin??

I actually like that song. No, it's not on par with the rest of the album, but you're giving it "Too Legit To Quit" type status. It was afiller track, but I've heard a lot worse.

 

[mace40]

Illmatic is not number 1.

Gimme "Ready to Die", "Doggystyle," "Reasonable Doubt", "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted", Kast's 1st LP, all kinda @++$ - I could go on for a minute.

Illmatic is a classic, no doubt about it - but number 1?

 

[dfresh244]

The Infamous, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, 36 Chambers, Reasonable Doubt

 

[mossman75]

Originally Posted by Putting In Work

I want to hear that D.O.C. album...I've heard a lot about him and how much potential he had.

You gotta check that album out, he reminds me on a west coast Rakim

 

[crimsoncloudattire]

*** Puts flame-suit on ***

Life after Death is #1. Illmatic is #2.

Illmatic is great...but can it take a lil harsh constructive criticism, for once.
Not only does life after death have all the lyrical punch of illmatic, it also is wildly varied in its overall sound with out getting too far out. Not tomention, Nas's flow is so weak compared to BIG's that it's not even funny. (not lyrics: delivery). BIG's flow is fluid as water. He switchescadence, he adapts to a wide array of tempos and tones, he provides perfect inflection where necessary to add punch or comic element to a line. Plus, LAD isseriously timeless production, whereas illmatic will always distinctly smack of the '90s. LAD never sounds dated. I mean, what doesn't this album do.

hype songs,
chill songs,
chick songs,
club songs,
hard songs,
ill collabos,
great beats,
starts strong,
ends strong
good album flow
sick story tracks
Primo, RZA, Havoc, Clark Kent, Buckwild, The Hitmen (the Real Hitmen)
its everything on an emotional level...at times light-hearted and humurous, at other times boastful and bragadocious; it's wistful, it's optimistic,it's vengeful, it's reflective.

Seriously, LAD is hip hop's magnum opus.

ahem...

#3 is Reasonable Doubt.

 

[leftfieldgreen]

Originally Posted by Crank Lucas


OK HOW IS ILLMATIC BEST EVER NO ARGUEMENT???SON ITS NOT EVEN TOP 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
its a mere 9 tracks, lyrics are on point but represent is medicore, memory lane is iight, so you got 7 solid tracks ill give you that
but son, this album has 16 tracks, 2 mediocore, giving you 14 insanely hot tracks, period

best album ever, close thread and ban post starter

i would LOVE to hear 10 other albums better than illmatic please (insert stoneface) ridiculous talk illmatic is #1 but not by far reasonalbe doubt isright there as well as the infamous 36 chambers and atlines

 

[jfktv]

I really can't judge....not even for #1. I love Illmatic, I love Reasonable Doubt, I love Ironman, I love Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, I love Enter the 36Chambers, I love Supreme Clientele, I love Liquid Swords, I love Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, I love Be, I love Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Ilove The Score, ...there's too many for me to judge.

 

[illscan]

Illmatic not top 10??????? Yall dudes are a mess.
And why do people keep pointing out its length?? Do you want filler BS tracks??? And most of the best hip hop albums of all time are very short.

 

[ositodormilon]

Originally Posted by CrimsonCloudAttire

*** Puts flame-suit on ***

Life after Death is #1. Illmatic is #2.

Illmatic is great...but can it take a lil harsh constructive criticism, for once.
Not only does life after death have all the lyrical punch of illmatic, it also is wildly varied in its overall sound with out getting too far out. Not to mention, Nas's flow is so weak compared to BIG's that it's not even funny. (not lyrics: delivery). BIG's flow is fluid as water. He switches cadence, he adapts to a wide array of tempos and tones, he provides perfect inflection where necessary to add punch or comic element to a line. Plus, LAD is seriously timeless production, whereas illmatic will always distinctly smack of the '90s. LAD never sounds dated. I mean, what doesn't this album do.

hype songs,
chill songs,
chick songs,
club songs,
hard songs,
ill collabos,
great beats,
starts strong,
ends strong
good album flow
sick story tracks
Primo, RZA, Havoc, Clark Kent, Buckwild, The Hitmen (the Real Hitmen)
its everything on an emotional level...at times light-hearted and humurous, at other times boastful and bragadocious; it's wistful, it's optimistic, it's vengeful, it's reflective.

Seriously, LAD is hip hop's magnum opus.

ahem...

#3 is Reasonable Doubt.

WOW

you almost convinced me to switch...but thankfully i listened to illmatic today riding the train, headpphones onblast.....lord oh lord.....i agree illmatic is very 90s, but does that take away from its perfection?.....people today dont say oh Jordan was good but he istoo 80s/90s etc...greatness is everlasting.

besides LADs "Another B****" .....ummm riggghhhttt..

every single track on illmatic is perfection. the intro pumps you up and puts you into that 90s mind frame, and keeps you there.
its a BIT short but ONLY because you KNOW you want more....

 

[egamirror]

Cuban Linx is really that piff. you summed it up really well...there are few albums i can go ALL the way through ALL the time...

but The Roots - Illadelph Halflife is way up there to me