About this series: I’m ranking my personal favorite rap albums for each year. I stress: These are my favorites, i.e., the ones I most like to listen to–not the most important rap albums of each year (although there is definitely crossover) and not (necessarily) your favorite rap albums. I’ve even included the embarrassing ones that you know you like but would never admit it…
Ah, 1994. The year that some of my favorite albums of all time came out. And yet, it’s also a year where I couldn’t find ten truly great hip hop albums. It’s really a top 6, with four more here for filler because nobody cares about a list of just 6 albums.
10. Above the Rim (Soundtrack) and Murder Was the Case (Soundtrack). Like most soundtracks, these albums are uneven–but as I noted above, I couldn’t really find ten complete albums for this year that I’d rate as fantastic all the way through. If you cut out the filler and combine these two soundtracks into a single album, it would be a great record. From Above the Rim, I’d definitely include Warren G’s Regulate, of course–it’s is one of the best songs of the year, as well as Afro Puffs by Lady of Rage and Pour Out a Little Liquor by Tupac (with his band, “Thug Life”). From MWtC, I’d include Dr. Dre and Ice Cube’s “reunited” track, Natural Born Killers, as well as the titular remix of Snoop’s hit and all the extended Dogg-family cuts. Okay, maybe that’s not an entire album–but it’s more than an EP.
9. Home by Spearhead. I actually like this album a lot more than some of the albums above it, but it is much more reggae than rap so I’ve rated it lower as a hip hop album. But in terms of an overall album, it’s probably #5 or 6.
8. Genocide and Juice by The Coup. I love Boots’ movies but I miss his music! Key tracks: Santa Rita Weekend (featuring E-40, Spice 1, E-Roc), Fat Cats Bigga Fish.
7. Hard to Earn by Gang Starr. Maybe every single song on this doesn’t land, but nearly all of them do. And the best cuts here are some of the best of this band’s entire discography. Key tracks: Speak Yeah Clout, Dwyck, Code of the Streets, Mass Appeal.
Note: From here down, all the albums are classics….
6. Word…Life by The OC. God bless Apollo Brown for trying to help this largely unknown rapper get some new life (with the 2012 album Trophies). Check this album out. You won’t be disappointed. Key track: Time’s Up, because Eminem used it for beats in the 8 Mile film.
5. The Diary by Scarface. Now firmly a solo artist who has fully shed his Geto Boys past, with this album Scarface moves from being a really good rapper to the top tier–a legend, an O.G. (Actually, he’s not completely shed it–on this album, he updates their biggest hit.). He’s able to seamlessly move between boasts, political statements, raw street tales, and genuinely moving material. This is my second favorite solo album by one of the all-time greatest Southern rappers. Key tracks: The White Sheet, Hand of the Dead Body feat Ice Cube and Devin the Dude, I Seen a Man Die.
4. Ill Communication by Beastie Boys. The Boys continue to explore hip hop hybrids with instrumentals, punk, and jazz. This album has one of the most lasting hits of their collective career (Sabotage), other fantastic bangers (Sure Shot, Root Down, Get it Together featuring Q-Tip) and some very cool deep tracks (Sabrosa, Do It feat Biz Markie).
3. Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik by Outkast. Big Boi and Andre 3000’s debut album is a dense collection staking out their new territory of gritty, Southern funk. It was unlike anything else we’d heard before. Key cuts: The title track; Player’s Ball; Git Up, Git Out (feat. Goodie Mob); D.E.E.P.
2. Ready to Die by Notorious B.I.G.
1. Illmatic by Nas.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Albums with some really good songs, but not great through and through…
- Murder Was the Case (Soundtrack). Not a great album by any measure, but Dr. Dre and Ice Cube reunite for the first time since their NWA days, and that was cool.
- Black Bastards by KMD. Not a great album, but interesting early MF DOOM work.
- Regulate…G Funk Era by Warren G
- Don’t Fight the Feelin’ by Rappin’ 4-Tay
WORST RAP ALBUM OF THE YEAR…I’m going with Mind Blowin’ by Vanilla Ice. At least his first album had a hit.
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