Of these five which is the best rap album?

[Eja117]

I love the Chronic and Snoop's use of women rappers. They're awesome

[jr_3421]

Marshall Mathers LP to me is still one of the best albums I've ever listened to. When you really just look at Eminem's rhyme scheme compared to everything else out at the time, it's scary how much more advanced he was. Plus the fact you could put it up against any commercially success album and critically successful album is very rare.

And I love the Chronic (although not as much as some in this thread do) but he had a lot of ghost writers.

Marshall Mathers LP
Doggystyle
Chronic

[Eja117]

LOL..!!

wow.. i wouldnt let my dog listen to that stuff.

dig deeper...

I'm not saying these are the best rap albums. And I'm all about digging deep. I'm sure there's a bunch of garage bands out there better than the Beatles, but it's tough making a thread about Bodyclock or Nodd Morris.  I love em, but I have to admit they aren't famous. Not saying your guys aren't.  I'm just making a point about threads.

I do like the idea behind this thread.  There's a lot of "name the best ever" or "top 5 all time" etc. threads that never really get resolved because everybody has such different tastes and opinions, and you end up with 30 different suggestions for the top spot including several really obscure choices.  I like this though, here's a few albums, let's discuss which one is best out of these select few.  Also I like the common theme of Dr. Dre, because if you love one of these albums, chances are you probably like all of them.  Whereas if you put RUN DMC's Raising Hell vs a Snoop or Dre album vs. a Wu Tang or Biggie album vs a Kanye West or Jay-Z album you get more of the vote based on bias of the voters Old School or New School or East Coast or West Coast taste.  TP for the thread.

Thank you. One of the things I'm loving about this thread is the large amounts of votes and the closeness of the voting

[Eja117]

I'm ranking Doggystle a notch lower at this moment because "It ain't no fuuuuunnn...." has been in my head all day and it's really getting annoying

[OsirusCeltics]

I'm ranking Doggystle a notch lower at this moment because "It ain't no fuuuuunnn...." has been in my head all day and it's really getting annoying

I LOOOVE that song lol.. That track is so funny

[JSD]

Little Brother and 9th Wonder are where it's at: Minstal Show should be on this list

[dark_lord]

I'm with my man Dark Lord though (Wu Tang Clan ain't nuthin to mess with!), but out of these I choose The Chronic, like my homie DOC, no one can do it better.

part of the reason for the chronic being the best on this list, imo, is how much impact it had at that time.  for years east coast rap dominated rap, and this album completely changed the game. it put west coast on the map, and eventually dominated for a long time. not to mention it was dre's first "solo" album (i say "solo" because of the callabs) after parting ways with nwa/eazy e.  this was a very influential album on so many levels and it also introduced snoop (technically the deep cover soundtrack did, but this gave him a large platform).  the chronic is one of those albums in rap that will be timeless.

[vasilli34]

I, honestly, wouldn't vote for any of these if the Slim Shady LP was on that list. That was by far Em's best album. But lyrically, I'd choose Em's Infinite (If you haven't heard it, it's his first album ever made, no commercial success whatsoever). But Out of all these, I'd probably go with Marshall Mathers LP, Chronic, or Doggystyle. Those are all instant classics. But for all you old school hip-hop junkies like myself, Nas' Illmatic is the way to go! For all you new hip hop kind of guys, Tyler, The Creator's albums Edited for profanity.  Please do not do it again. and Goblin are just amazing, especially considering how he's only 18-20 when he made these. AND if you liked Tyler's stuff, check out his "little brother's" album Earl by Earl Sweatshirt. He's gonna be the King of Rap soon before he even hits his 20's! His wordplay is just too deadly and he was noly 16 when he dropped his Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.. check em out, yo.
R.I.P Proof, Eazy-E, Bugz, Biggie, and Pac!

[JSD]

I, honestly, wouldn't vote for any of these if the Slim Shady LP was on that list. That was by far Em's best album. But lyrically, I'd choose Em's Infinite (If you haven't heard it, it's his first album ever made, no commercial success whatsoever). But Out of all these, I'd probably go with Marshall Mathers LP, Chronic, or Doggystyle. Those are all instant classics. But for all you old school hip-hop junkies like myself, Nas' Illmatic is the way to go! For all you new hip hop kind of guys, Tyler, The Creator's albums **** and Goblin are just amazing, especially considering how he's only 18-20 when he made these. AND if you liked Tyler's stuff, check out his "little brother's" album Earl by Earl Sweatshirt. He's gonna be the King of Rap soon before he even hits his 20's! His wordplay is just too deadly and he was noly 16 when he dropped his ****. check em out, yo.
R.I.P Proof, Eazy-E, Bugz, Biggie, and Pac!

The beats on infinite were sooooo bad though. The track infinite itself is by far the best track on the album. Marshall Mathers was the best album by em is my opinion. He was still raw and had a great and interesting story

[kgiessler]

LOL..!!

wow.. i wouldnt let my dog listen to that stuff.

dig deeper...

I'm not saying these are the best rap albums. And I'm all about digging deep. I'm sure there's a bunch of garage bands out there better than the Beatles, but it's tough making a thread about Bodyclock or Nodd Morris.  I love em, but I have to admit they aren't famous. Not saying your guys aren't.  I'm just making a point about threads.

I was on a 9th Wonder kick for a while, and the stuff he has been involved in is great.  Out of the class of rap "stuff most people haven't heard" I think he prevails.  I'd imagine its a short time before he is a first rate name, but of course, I felt that way in 2005 too.

Dream Merchant, vol 1 and 2 are great. Murs' "Murray's Revenge" is an another amazing album he produced.

9th Wonder as part of Little Brother and/or Justus League is definitely worth listening to if your are willing to dial it back a few years and dig deeper.  I'll second that.

EDIT:  Yes, and as Jsaad said the Minstrel show.  Forgot that one.

[KGs Knee]

I see the thread has evolved.  More poll choices, and others weighing in with their opinions on what should "really" be the best.

I voted Doggystyle, but had it been included, Biggie's "Ready to Die", to me was far and away the best rap album ever.

I would also take most of Tupac's albums ahead of any on the list, as well as Biggie's "Life After Death".

Also, most all (but not necessarily all) of the albums from any of Jay-Z, Nas, Ice Cube, Wu-Tang, NWA, West Side Connection, Mack 10, Method Man's solo albums (as well as the ones with Redman), Outkast, Busta Rhymes, and I'm sure I'm forgetting others, would be ahead of all of Eminem's stuff except for maybe Eminem's 2nd album.  Don't get me wrong, I love Eminem's early stuff, but, many of the 90's rappers were just so much better.

[chambers]

2001 and doggy style.

[xmuscularghandix]

Doggystyle > Chronic

but i think they should be played together anyways, like a part 1, part 2

[PosImpos]

I'm gonna give a big MEHHHHHHH to all 5.

Not a huge fan of Snoop or Eminem.

[perks-a-beast]

Labor Days is the greatest hip hop album of all time in my opinion, it's the only album that i can say genuinely changed my life, although, The Eminem Show is also up there.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0VQEfbMwb4

Just pure art.