The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time (Pitchfork List)

The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time

Discuss

 

Lol, have not read this yet, will look it over at lunch.

 

There are a handful on here that I have never heard, so I'm happy for that

 

I popped into another teacher's class as he was going down the list with his students. It is crazy how quickly Rich Gang fell out of the public consciousness. Real "unc" giveaway if you care about them, apparently.

 

1. Mobb Deep: The Infamous (1995)
2. 2Pac: All Eyez on Me (1996)
3. Juvenile: 400 Degreez (1998)
4. Ghostface Killah: Supreme Clientele (2000)
5. Nas: Illmatic (1994)
6. Rich Gang: Rich Gang: Tha Tour Pt. 1 (2014)
7. Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
8. Clipse: Hell Hath No Fury (2006)
9. Outkast: Aquemini (1998)
10. Madvillain: Madvillainy (2004)
11. The Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death (1997)
12. Kendrick Lamar: good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012)
13. A Tribe Called Quest: The Low End Theory (1991)
14. Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
15. Raekwon: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995)
16. Future: DS2 (2015)
17. MF DOOM: Operation: Doomsday (1999)
18. Eric B. & Rakim: Paid in Full (1987)
19. Wu-Tang Clan: Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)
20. De La Soul: Buhloone Mindstate (1993)
21. The Notorious B.I.G.: Ready to Die (1994)
22. Goodie Mob: Soul Food (1995)
23. Slick Rick: The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988)
24. N.W.A.: Straight Outta Compton (1988)
25. Earl Sweatshirt: Some Rap Songs (2018)
26. Mos Def: Black on Both Sides (1999)
27. Kanye West: Yeezus (2013)
28. Jay-Z: The Blueprint (2001).
29. Project Pat: Mista Don’t Play: Everythangs Workin (2001)
30. UGK: Ridin’ Dirty (1996)
31. Ka: Descendants of Cain (2020)
32. Capone-N-Noreaga: The War Report (1997)
33. EPMD: Strictly Business (1988)
34. DJ Quik: Rhythm-al-ism (1998)
35. DMX: It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998)
36. E-40: In a Major Way (1995)
37. GZA: Liquid Swords (1995)
38. Beastie Boys: Paul’s Boutique (1989)
39. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony: E. 1999 Eternal (1995)
40. Lil Wayne: Da Drought 3 (2007)
41. Run-D.M.C.: Run-D.M.C. (1984)
42. Missy Elliott: Da Real World (1999)
43. Playboi Carti: Die Lit (2018)
44. Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)
45. Danny Brown: XXX (2012)
46. 50 Cent & G-Unit: 50 Cent Is the Future (2002)
47. Drake: Take Care (2011)
48. Azealia Banks: Broke With Expensive Taste (2014)
49. J Dilla: Donuts (2006)
50. Chief Keef: Almighty So (2013)
51. Boogie Down Productions: Criminal Minded (1987)
52. Lil’ Kim: Hard Core (1996)
53. Three 6 Mafia: Underground Vol. 1: 1991-1994 (1999)
54. Pop Smoke: Meet the Woo (2019)
55. B.G.: Chopper City in the Ghetto (1999)
56. Gucci Mane: Chicken Talk (2006)
57. Public Enemy: Fear of a Black Planet (1990)
58. Aesop Rock: Labor Days (2001)
59. DJ Screw: 3 ‘n the Mornin’ (Part Two) (1995)
60. Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
61. Drakeo the Ruler: Cold Devil (2017)
62. Dr. Dre: The Chronic (1992)
63. 8Ball & MJG: On Top of the World (1995)
64. Roc Marciano: Marcberg (2010)
65. Scarface: The Diary (1994)
66. Whodini: Escape (1984)
67. Bad Bunny: YHLQMDLG (2020)
68. Kool G Rap: 4, 5, 6 (1995)
69. Devin the Dude: Just Tryin’ ta Live (2002)
70. Jeezy: Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101 (2005)
71. Jungle Brothers: Straight Out the Jungle (1988)
72. Mac Mall: Illegal Business? (1993)
73. Armand Hammer: Rome (2017)
74. Geto Boys: We Can’t Be Stopped (1991)
75. J. J. Fad: Supersonic (1988)
76. Shabazz Palaces: Black Up (2011)
77. The Pharcyde: Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde (1992)
78. Redman: Dare Iz a Darkside (1994)
79. The Diplomats: Diplomatic Immunity (2003)
80. Prince Paul: Prince Among Thieves (1999)
81. Too $hort: Life Is…Too $hort (1988)
82. Main Attrakionz: 808s & Dark Grapes II (2011)
83. Veeze: Ganger (2023)
84. Suga Free: Street Gospel (1997)
85. Mac: Shell Shocked (1998)
86. Mantronix: The Album (1985)
87. Nicki Minaj: Beam Me Up Scotty (2009)
88. The Jacka: The Jack Artist (2005)
89. Lil B: 6 Kiss (2009)
90. Boosie: Bad Azz (2006)
91. Cannibal Ox: The Cold Vein (2001)
92. Waka Flocka Flame: Flockaveli (2010)
93. Gang Starr: Moment of Truth (1998)
94. Tyler, the Creator: Bastard (2009)
95. Sexyy Red: Hood Hottest Princess (2023)
96. Lupe Fiasco: Fahrenheit 1/15 Part II: Revenge of the Nerds (2006)
97. Keith LeBlanc: Major Malfunction (1986)
98. Foxy Brown: Broken Silence (2001)
99. Duwap Kaine: Underdog (2018)
100. Snoop Dogg: Doggystyle (1993)

 

^^^ that’s the list if anybody else struggles with the Pitchfork list on mobile.

 

No Get Rich or Die Tryin' = Erroneous List.

 

I don't think the list is that crazy. A lot of choices that are to be expected, just shuffled around so there's a take to be had.

 

Some stray thoughts, because music lists online are Very Important. Lots here I generally don't know, which is obviously a reflection on me.

• I thought the list was deliberately one album per artist, which makes sense as a choice. But Public Enemy and Kendrick are here twice (and possibly others), which makes some exclusions a little weird.
• The Infamous is a solid enough number 1 choice.
• I think All Eyez on Me is a bit overrated, that album is packed with filler - it's 2+ hours long. Deserves a place here somewhere, but it's not the second best rap album of all time.
• Surprised that's the De La Soul album picked.
• I've never heard that Juvenile album, didn't realise it was that highly regarded.
• I've never even heard of Rich Gang, which says more about me for sure.
• UK stuff getting completely ignored here. No Stormzy, Skepta, Kano, Wiley or Dizzee Rascal.
• No "alternative" UK stuff like Tricky (Maxinquaye is a must!), MIA or Young Fathers which could have slipped in here.
• Including one Kanye album is a cop out. Either don't include him because of who he is (reasonable), or include him honestly. There's not 100 hip hop records better than The College Dropout.
• No Black Star or Common!
• Would have been cool to see Saul Williams or Shad sneak a place in here.

 

Quite a lot on their I haven’t heard, so can’t properly comment on those. Not sure I can be bothered to seek them out either. Another publication will no doubt release a much more controversial list before I have time to listen to them all.

That a Drake album got on there is probably the biggest travesty. You shouldn’t allow someone cosplaying a rapper to be anywhere near that list.

 

Whoa! What???

 

If they were going to include a Drake album, they should have at least gone with Nothing Was the Same. I think the criteria is a little strange. They say "Best Rap Albums" but seem to opt for the most influential from an artist instead. Those two things aren't always the same.

 

list feels super random

 

100 is not a lot which makes 4 of the 5 picks I saw insane

 

Legit had no idea Juvenile album was held in such high regard haha

 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen it on a “Best Of” list and if i had it wasn’t anywhere near the top but it is pretty good and it was *wildly* popular and also arguably the launch to Lil Wayne’s stardom (for better or worse) and was quite influential in mainstreaming southern hip-hop (arguably).

 

I like Rich Gang but in no way shape or form is it the 6th best rap record of all time

 

lollll

 

How is big l not on here lol. I enjoy most of these records but rich gang shouldn't be ahead of cannibal ox and countless others on here. Typical p4k list

 

You know none of them ever listened to Big L

 

put the big l freestyle up there it deserves to be a album by itself lol

 

I’m probably going to go through it 10 at a time

but my first thought is Tyler the creators bastard and sexy redd seem like weird inclusions.

I feel like if you go Tyler for best album you go flower boy just for the change that happened after that album on his whole persona.

 

It's also his best record