This is my list. All these albums are relatively 98-100 rated. I do have some personal bias here. If you don't see an album you think should have made the list just comment.
Honorable Mentions
Nas-Stillmatic
Jay Z- Reasonable Doubt
The Notorious B.I.G.- Life After Death
Raekwon-Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
Ice Cube- Amerikka’s Most Wanted
Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp A Butterfly
Eminem- The Marshall Mathers LP 2
10) Outkast-Stankonia- This was the album really propelled Outkast to superstardom. Sure it’s a little weird at points but it really is an impressive album from Big Boi and Andre 3000. The production is really solid. I love the first song “Gasoline Dreams”. “Ms. Jackson” is one of those all-time great rap songs. You also have “So Fresh, So Clean” and the super hype “B.O.B.” There some other good songs too like “We Luv Deez Hoez” and “I’ll Call Before I Come”. It feels good to have a dirty south album on this list. Underrated Track Pick: Gasoline Dreams.
9) 2Pac- Me Against the World: The most influential rapper of all time had to make this list. This is his best work…which was ironically before he joined Death Row. The album is so personal and introspective. You’ve got songs like the title track and “Dear Mama” which might be a top ten rap song of all time. (A list like that might be coming one day). The first half is the better half…but with songs like “Temptations” and “Can U Get Away” Tupac was delivering a variety of great songs. Underrated Track Pick: So Many Tears.
8) Ice Cube- Death Certificate: This truly is an album that epitomized how great Ice Cube was in the early 1990s. You already know the legendary diss “No Vaseline” is up here, but there’s so much more. Ice Cube is a terrific storyteller like on songs like “My Summer Vacation” and “Doing Dumb Shit”. His previous album is really great too but this one gets the nod. He touches on so many topics effortlessly. UTP: Givin Up the Nappy Dugout
7) Kendrick Lamar-Good Kid Maad City: My favorite Kendrick album and imo his best. Sure TPAB is just as lyrical but this one is easier to digest. I’m including the deluxe songs in this placement. Kendrick tells a story through this tracklist…. Lyrically he puts on quite a show. The production is really great too. “Money Trees” and “Backseat Freestyle” are infectious as hell. “Poetic Justice” with future archrival Drake is really smooth. “Sing About Me, Dying of Thirst” is brilliant but not my favorite song here. UTP: m.A.A.d. City
6) Kanye West- The College Dropout.: Kanye’s first album is basically universally praised and it’s easy to see why. The production is fantastic, and he was spitting like the rent was due next week (I guess it was lol). “All Falls Down” is so great. Then there’s “Slow Jamz[Extended edition]”. I’ve always been a fan of “The New Work Out Plan”. Sure, it’s silly but it fits the vibe of the album. You really feel him on songs like “Through the Wire” and “Family Business”. Underrated Track Pick: Get Em High
5) Eminem-The Marshall Mathers LP: To me this is still Eminem’s magnum opus, even if I prefer The Eminem Show. This is horrorcore brilliance. 3 of some of Em’s best songs are here: “Stan”, “The Real Slimshady”, and “The Way I Am”. I do like most every song …but I really can’t stand “Kim”. It’s a little too much. The production is awesome. Lyrically Em spits really well even if you could argue he’d simply outdo himself on later albums .UTP: Criminal.
4) Nas-Illmatic : Nasty Nas has yet to eclipse this album. This is regarded as the hip hop bible. I remember first listening to this for the tenth anniversary back in 2004. It blew me away. The way Nas flows and paints pictures on songs like “N.Y. State of Mind” is amazing. There’s plenty to like here on the 10 track album. I love AZ’s verse on “Life’s a Bitch”. “The World is Yours” is so good too. You can’t forget about “Halftime” and “One Love” either. I don’t have a lot to say but no I don’t think it’s the best rap album of all time but it’s very close. UTP: It Ain’t Hard to Tell.
3) Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy- I have praised this album an awful lot on this blog and well…it deserves all the praise it’s gotten. It’s shining trait is that production. These beats ain’t nothing to f*** with! Sure, the first half is the better half, but it doesn’t lose much steam. “Power” is truly amazing. “Devil in a New Dress” might be the best song….but then there’s the much lauded “Runaway”. Can we appreciate what a feat “All of the Lights” is? I don’t feel “Monster” has aged poorly…. but it was never a top 3 song on the album. Underrated Track pick: Hell of a Life.
2) The Notorious B.I.G.-Ready to Die: Yes I think this was the best rap album of the 90s. Biggie is just relentless on the mic. “Gimme the Loot” is a great concept as he plays an alter ego. Then there’s storytelling cuts like “Warning” . You already know “Juicy” is another top ten rap song of all time…..and then there’s the smooth “Big Poppa”. “Everyday Struggle” is heartfelt…and I love “Resepct”. Short guest list too. UTP: Machine Gun Funk
1) Jay Z – The Blueprint: Coming in at #1 is Jay’s best album. There’s top tier production from Just Blaze, Timbaland, and Kanye West here. I’ve heard a lot of people say Reasonable Doubt is better…or maybe even The Black Album but nope. There are no weak songs on this album except “Jigga That N***a”, and that songs insn’t bad either. “U Don’t Know” is f***in flames. Who forget the storm he started with “Takeover”. I love “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” a lot . “Girls Girls Girls” is a really clever song. Then there’s all time great songs like “Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)” and “Renegade”. The latter featuring a crazy good feature from Eminem. Jay Z was in his prime here. Underrated Track Pick: Hola Hovito