Top 5 Hip-hop/Rap Albums of all Time

I'm not into hip-hop by trade, as I'm more of a Viking Metal guy. Nevertheless, I'll give this a go. I'll try and vary it up a bit so that you have some choices.

5. Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP: This remains my favorite Eminem record, to date.
4. Endtroducing ... - DJ Shadow: It's probably my favorite turntable record of all time.
3. Late Registration - Kanye West: Really, you could pick any Kanye album and throw it in here. This one happens to be my favorite, though his new one is pretty awesome if you're an 80s fan (which I am).
2. The Grey Album - Jay-Z (Remixed by DJ Danger Mouse): It takes Jay-Z's Black Album and the Beatles White album and mashes 'em up. Ballsy to be sure, but the album itself is phenomenal.
1. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030: Far and away my favorite rap record of all time. Del really hits it out of the park here.

EDIT: If you're looking for something hip-hop but really out there, try listening to The Streets. UK rap. It's about as weird as it sounds.

personally or hip hop wise? i have weird tastes.

hip hop wise from what ive heard its hard to argue against

All Eyez On Me - Tupac
The Chronic - Dre
Ready to Die - Big
Illmatic - Nas
Reasonable Doubt - Jay-Z

personally my 5 favorite albums are....

All Eyez On Me - Tupac
Don Killuminati(wrong spelling): 7 Day Theory - Tupac
Ready to Die - BIG
Thug Motivation 101: Lets Get it - Jeezy*
Illmatic - Nas

*i know jeezy lyrically doesnt compare, but ive never been blown away from a cd from the first second i put it in, till the last song, and listend from track 1 to 19 till this day still. no matter what CD it is, classics, pac, big, every CD has a skipable track in there somewhere, that i always skip because its not that great. might not be bad, but not great. That Jeezy CD does not have it for me. if i play that CD, i could careless what song its started off from, but you better not change any of them. and im not sure there has ever been a harder intro, from the flow, to the way jeezy comes in on the song, to the beat, to even the money counter in the background. incredible album.

illmaticc for suree

Very difficult to do, but at first thought:

Jay-Z : Reasonable Doubt, Probably could put at least 3 of his albums on here.

BIG: Life After Death

50: GRODT

Kanye: College Dropout

Outkast: Southernplayalisticcadillacmuzik

There's prob 2 or 3 I completely missed and will remember later.

Here is my list. No Pac, Jay-Z, B.I.G., Eminem or Nas.

1. Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein

An critically acclaimed album from underground rappers Vordul Mega and Vast Aire. Yeah, you never heard of them. But, if you listen to this album, I guarantee you will not be able to stop listening. It's a classic in the underground and never really got the mainstream attention it deserves.

2. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030

Del the Funky Homosapien + Dan the Automator + Kid Koala = Masterpiece. An album that takes place in the future, the year 3030, Del just absolutely kills this album. And, the production is some of the best I've ever heard and definitely way before it's time.

3. Aesop Rock - Labor Days

Possibly one of the best lyricists of all time, Aesop Rock's concept album about the 9-5 struggle received critical acclaim. Listen to this album and have fun trying to decipher what the hell he is saying because when you do, you'll be amazed.

4. Cage - Hell's Winter

Cage is an underground rapper who first surfaced in the mid 90's with underground classic "Agent Orange". He then found himself trading shots at rapper Eminem who many say stole Cage's style and then fell off into a life of drugs. He came back and release one of the most realest albums I have ever listened to.

5. Madvillain - Madvillainy

MF Doom + Madlib = CLASSIC. An album consisting of short songs with powerful punch. No choruses, just a sick beat and sick verse or two.

ready to die -- big
murder was the case -- compilation west coast album
long hot summer -- masta ace
Power to the People and the Beats: Public Enemy's Greatest Hit or It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back -- public enemy
soul in the hole soundtrack -- various

runner ups:
slim shady lp -- eminem <------- his best album, yeah i said it.
endangered species -- big pun
anything by the geto boys or scarface.
onyx all we got iz us.

Serious question, what's the difference between rap and hip-hop?

Hip hop is the culture.

Rap is the spoken part of the culture.

CCM I thought you didn't like aesop rock?

"anlgp wrote:

CCM I thought you didn't like aesop rock?

What? Aesop Rock is one of my favorites and introduced me to underground rap.

*He's actually in the back of my avatar.

Wu Tang Clan: 36 Chambers ----> The W

Any solo albums from each member(except U-God and Inspectah Deck)

Nas's first four albums are great

Immortal Technique is great for social/political rap

Cunninlynguists are good underground artists, check out anything from them

Q-Tip's new album is pretty bangin, I like it

I dunno, theres a lot of good stuff out there, if you look.

"Cool Calm Mike wrote:

What? Aesop Rock is one of my favorites and introduced me to underground rap.

*He's actually in the back of my avatar.

must be someone else I'm thinking of on here, whoops.

"nappy roots wrote:

personally or hip hop wise? i have weird tastes.

hip hop wise from what ive heard its hard to argue against

All Eyez On Me - Tupac
The Chronic - Dre
Ready to Die - Big
Illmatic - Nas
Reasonable Doubt - Jay-Z

personally my 5 favorite albums are....

All Eyez On Me - Tupac
Don Killuminati(wrong spelling): 7 Day Theory - Tupac
Ready to Die - BIG
Thug Motivation 101: Lets Get it - Jeezy*
Illmatic - Nas

*i know jeezy lyrically doesnt compare, but ive never been blown away from a cd from the first second i put it in, till the last song, and listend from track 1 to 19 till this day still. no matter what CD it is, classics, pac, big, every CD has a skipable track in there somewhere, that i always skip because its not that great. might not be bad, but not great. That Jeezy CD does not have it for me. if i play that CD, i could careless what song its started off from, but you better not change any of them. and im not sure there has ever been a harder intro, from the flow, to the way jeezy comes in on the song, to the beat, to even the money counter in the background. incredible album.

im an idiot, i forgot possibily my favorite CD of all time.

All Eyez On Me - Tupac
Ready To Die - BIG
Thug Motivation 101 - Jeezy
Illmatic - Nas
Its Dark and Hell is Hot - DMX

thats my real top 5.

Jay-Z the Blueprint- Honestly IMO his best work ever.
Biggie- Ready to Die - Hard to argue with the greatness of the CD
Tribe Called Quest - The Anthology. All the hits from 99 under, great CD.
Tupac- No More Tears _ The best CD he made, IMO was the one he made locked up. The emotion and passion are deep in this one.
Snoop Doggy Dog_Doggystyle

Honorable mentions:
Chronic, and Chronic 2001
All Eyez on me
Outkast-Aquemini
Pete Rock and CL Smooth-Mecca and the soul brother
Eminem-Slim Shady LP
DMX-its dark as hell and hell is hot.