1. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...

The best Wu-Tang solo album? Everyone will agree it’s up there with of the best of them. It’s not even a ‘real’ solo album – every Wu-Tang Clan member appears on one or more tracks and production is in the more than capable hands of RZA. That makes this album even more of a group effort than most other Wu-Tang solo releases.

With artists like Kool G Rap, Raekwon can be seen as one of the pioneers of the mafioso sub-genre and this album is one of the best, if not the best of its sort. Only Built For Cuban Linx… was loosely composed to play like a film with Raekwon as the “star,” fellow Wu-Tang member Ghostface Killah as the “guest-star,” and producer RZA as the “director.” The cinematic feel of the album, along with the top-notch production and emceeing, make this one an all-time classic.

Top tracks: Incarcerated Scarfaces | Verbal Intercourse | Ice Cream | Wu Gambinos

2. GZA - Liquid Swords

Liquid Swords is another highlight in the Wu-Tang (solo) catalog. The album may have topped this list if GZA hadn’t overdone it a bit on the skits/intro’s, but the actual songs on this one are true bangers. Elite production by the RZA as usual in that era, and the trademark dope Wu-Tang lyricism.

Top tracks: Liquid Swords | Shadowboxin’ | 4th Chamber | Cold World

3. The Pharcyde - Lacabincalifornia

With their 1992 debut album Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde this 4-men crew dropped a left-field West Coast classic. This follow-up is more mature and possibly even better (J Dilla was involved on the production side, so there you go).

Top tracks: Runnin | Drop | Moment In Time | Hey You

4. Mobb Deep - The Infamous

An album that will always polarize opinions. Considered an absolute classic and an all-time top 10 album by many, there are also those who find it inaccessible because of the overly gritty and dark nature of the album. Wherever you stand, there can be no denying this is a landmark album, both production-wise and lyrically. Mobb Deep brought their A-game on their second album and The Infamous will always be seen as one of the most important mid-90s East Coast albums.

Top tracks: Shook Ones | Survival Of The Fittest | Drink Away The Pain | Eye For An Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)

5. 2Pac - Me Against The World

2Pac’s best album. Although the follow-up All Eyez On Me may be the more popular album, Me Against The World is much more cohesive, balanced, and tight. Me Against The World is 2Pac’s third album and the one on which he reaches real maturity. He is not the all-out thug persona he would become yet and the album is better for it. On this album, he is able to show us all aspects of his tormented being, better than on any of his other albums.

Top tracks: Dear Mama | So Many Tears | Me Against The World | Old School

6. Goodie Mob - Soul Food (1995)

This is Southern Hip Hop at its finest. Real and raw, Soul Food has that genre-bending musicality reminiscent of OutKast with true lyrical depth. This is one of those albums that age like fine wine and only get better as time goes by. Cee-Lo, T-Mo, Big Gipp, and Khujo dropped a timeless gem with this album.

Top tracks: Soul Food | Cell Therapy | Dirty South | Thought Process

7. Big L - Lifestyles Ov Da Poor & Dangerous

The classic debut of one of the most naturally gifted and best punch-line emcees ever. production could have been better in places, but lyrically Big L is untouchable. Big L, rest in peace.

Top tracks: Let Em Have It L | Put It On | I Don’t Understand It | Street Struck

8. Ol’ Dirty Bastard - Return To The 36 Chambers

One of the 4 classic Wu-Tang solo-albums following the crew’s monumental 1993 debut Enter The Wu-Tang. Ol’ Dirty Bastard: there’s no father to his style.

Top tracks: Shimmy Shimmy Ya | Brooklyn Zoo | Raw Hide | Goin’ Down

9. Bone Thugs N Harmony - E.1999 Eternal

The debut full-length album from this Cleveland crew under the name Bone Thugs N Harmony. This group of talented Eazy E protegees pioneered their own style of harmonized sing-song rapping, and with this album, they really delivered on the promise made by the BNTH’s EP of the year previous. Because of their unique style, their undeniable chemistry, and the eery vibe of the album, E.1999 Eternal has been universally recognized as a Hip Hop classic.

Top tracks: East 1999 | Tha Crossroads | First of the Month | Mo Murda

10. Smif N Wessun - Dah Shinin

Classic mid-90s NYC Hip Hop. This album was an important part of the mid-90s NYC hip hop renaissance, with albums Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage (1993) and Mobb Deep’s The Infamous.

Top tracks: Wrekonize | Stand Strong | Cession At Da Doghillee | Bucktown

11. KRS One - KRS One

KRS-One (originally meant to be titled Hip-Hop Vs. Rap) is a great album, and very underappreciated. It may lack the spark and fun-factor of its predecessor Return Of The Boom Bap, but it holds at least as many awesome tracks. The banging album opener “Rappaz R N Dainja”, the other DJ Premier-produced classic “MCs Act Like They Don’t Know”, the clever “Hold”, the controversial “The Truth” and tracks like “Represent The Real Hip Hop” and “Ah Yeah” – this album has plenty of treasures. In a year when mafioso rap was on the rise and the south was taking over, KRS-One was overlooked a bit – even if it was one of KRS One’s better-selling albums. KRS-One is one of the best albums in KRS One’s catalog – and that says a lot.

Top tracks: Rappaz R N Dainja | MCs Act Like They Don’t Know | Hold | Represent The Real Hip Hop

12. DJ Quik - Safe + Sound

West Coast legend DJ Quik drops another G-funk / P-funk gem with Safe + Sound, arguably his best album.

Top tracks: Safe + Sound | Dollarz + Sense | Keep Tha P in It | Somethin 4 the Mood

13. Aceyalone - All Balls Don't Bounce

Aceyalone had already made a name for himself as the lead emcee of the Freestyle Fellowship crew before the release of this ambitious jazz-rap solo debut. Even though from Los Angeles, Aceyalone is all about lyricism and not about gangster posturing. Like all of his albums, All Balls Don’t Bounce is supremely underrated, except by the real Hip Hop connoisseur. Aceyalone is a master of different styles, but consistent are his dope flow, intelligent lyrics, and supreme creativity. If you slept on Aceyalone, now’s the time to catch up.

Top tracks: All Balls Don’t Bounce | Mic Check | Mr. Outsider | Arhythmaticulas

14. AZ - Doe Or Die

Why AZ never made it bigger than he did will forever be one of Hip Hop’s biggest mysteries. Universally recognized as one of the best emcees (and somewhat paradoxically one of the most underrated emcees) in the game, AZ has released a series of good to excellent albums. Doe Or Die, his debut, is one of his best. Short and tight, it pioneers the mafioso subgenre, together with releases from Raekwon and Kool G Rap this year.

Top tracks: Uncut Raw | Gimme Your’s | Doe Or Die | Sugar Hill

15. Tha Dogg Pound - Dogg Food

The duo of Kurupt and Daz Dillinger dropped a G-funk gem with this dope album. Kurupt is a great rapper, who’s smooth style combined with Daz’s excellent production make this album a timeless classic. If there’s a problem with this album it’s its length. Like a lot of albums of this era, it would have been better if they had made it a little shorter and tighter. Nevertheless, Dogg Food is a West Coast classic and a fan favorite to this day.

Top tracks: Dogg Pound Gangstaz | Respect | New York New York | Smooth

16. The Roots - Do You Want More?!!!??!

The Roots’ second album showed their true promise. Their independently released debut Organix (1993) was enjoyable enough but still a little rough around the edges, Do You Want More?!!!??! turned out to be as smooth and assured as the rest of their catalog would be. Do You Want More?!!!??! signified the start of an incredibly consistent catalog – and of all their albums it’s the one most devoted to jazz, as evidenced by classic cuts like “Mellow My Man”.

Top tracks: Proceed | Distortion To Static | Mellow My Man | The Lesson, Pt. I

17. Show & AG - Goodfellas

After their critically acclaimed debut album Runaway Slave in 1992, DITC members Show & AG came back strong with this sophomore effort. Sorely slept on and underrated, Goodfellas offers boom bap Hip Hop of the highest quality. Markedly darker sounding than their almost perfect debut record, Goodfellas is an excellent album in its own right.

Top tracks: Next Level | Check It Out | Got The Flava | Medicine

16. E-40 - In A Major Way

Bay Area pioneer and legend E-40 released A LOT of albums in his 30-year career, this one may just be his very best. Smooth and funky, and with a load a star guest rappers – like 2Pac and Spice 1 – guarantee a great listening experience. Not everybody digs E-40 rapping style, but there’s no denying the ‘classicness’ of this particular album.

Top tracks: The Bumble | Dusted ‘n’ Disgusted | Sprinkle Me | Spittin’

19. Eightball & MJG - On Top Of The World

Another early Dirty South classic – with a distinct West Coast/Bay Area feel – from Memphis duo Eightball & MJG. Pimp and crime stories over smooth bass-heavy beats, that’s what you expect and that’s what you get. One of their best albums, if not their very best.

Top tracks: Top Of The World | Friend Or Foe | Pimp in My Own Rhyme | All In My Mind

20. WC & The MAAD Circle - Curb Servin

Everything WC did up to this point in his career was consistently dope. As part of Low Profile and now with his second album with The MAAD Circle, it’s all good. Curb Servin’ is not often mentioned when West Coast classics are lauded, but it should be. The production by Crazy Toons – who uses a lot of old school funk samples – is excellent, and WC is a powerful emcee who can easily carry the album. One of the best of the west.

Top tracks: West Up! | The Creator | Put On Tha Set | Curb Servin

21. Kool G Rap - 4,5,6

Kool G Rap‘s lyrical abilities are second to none. Some might say it’s a shame G Rap’s subject matter is too often violence and crime-related because his skills are so suited for battle rhymes. Whatever the subject matter though, Kool G Rap always displays his superior lyrical skills. The beats could have been better here and there, but nevertheless, 4,5,6 is a solid album by a legendary emcee.

Top tracks: Fast Life | Blowin’ Up In The World | 4,5,6 | Executioner Style

22. LL Cool J - Mr Smith

It is often said LL Cool J hasn’t made a decent album after his first four classics. That’s wrong. Although not perfect, Mr Smith – LL’s 6th album – is a more than solid effort. At times hardcore and at times crossover, LL always had something from everybody. It can make an album like this feel a little inconsistent, but this is a quality album nonetheless.

Top tracks: I Shot Ya | Mr. Smith | Doin’ It | Hip Hop

23. Cypress Hill - III

Cypress Hill’s best album? Maybe not as surprising and groundbreaking as their first, but Muggs’ production work has never been better – dark and psychedelic, but funky throughout. Cypress Hill has always been an act with one leg firmly in the crossover/alternative music camp and one for Hip Hop fans with an acquired taste, but there’s no denying their iconic status.

Top tracks: Spark Another Owl | Illusions | Boom Biddy Bye Bye | Killafornia

24. Tha Alkoholiks - Coast II Coast

Classic West Coast underground Hip Hop. No gangsta rap or G-funk, but fun, boom bap, party rap. Much like their equally excellent debut 21 & Over, Coast II Coast is an album to be remembered. Also notable for the early production work of Madlib (together with E-Swift and Diamond D).

Top tracks: Daaam! | All the Way Live | Flashback | The Next Level

25. Brotha Lynch Hung – Season Of Da Siccness

Sacramento’s Brotha Lynch Hung is an incredibly underrated emcee, who deserves props as one of the pioneers of the horrorcore subgenre. Season Of Da Siccness is his (full-length) debut album, and like all albums on this list definitely not for the faint of heart. “Locc To Da Brain,”, “Siccmade”, “Rest In Piss”, “Welcome 2 Your Own Death” are just a few of the standout tracks on this album. Lynch’s great flow goes together perfectly with the dark and sinister beats, entirely produced by Lynch himself.

The album is filled with shockingly graphic violent stories and images, but it is intelligent and even sometimes emotional at the same time. Season Of Da Siccness may be hard to digest, but ultimately it has to be considered an all-around classic. Season Of Da Siccness arguably is Brotha Lynch Hung’s best and definitely his most essential album – but most of the rest of his catalog is dope as hell (pun intended) as well, especially his concept album trilogy (Dinner and a Movie (2010), Coathanga Strangla (2011) and Mannibalector (2013)) is more than worth checking out.

26. Masta Ace - Sittin' On Chrome

On his third album, Masta Ace once again reinvents his style. On this one, he merges elements from the east and west coast sounds. Top production and excellent lyrics – the album is just a bit too long for a higher position on this list.

Top tracks: Sittin’ On Chrome | Born To Role | What’s Going On | Turn It Up

27. King Tee - IV Life

Underrated L.A. veteran King Tee once again comes correct with another dope album.

Top tracks: Dippin’ | Check The Flow | Way Out There | Free Style Ghetto

28. Three-6 Mafia - Mystic Stylez

Legendary Memphis crew Three 6 Mafia’s haunting debut Mystic Stylez is an underground classic. It is filled with dark and violent graphic imagery over menacing beats crafted by DJ Paul & Juicy J this unpolished debut is their most horrorcore-flavored album. Mystic Stylez would turn out to be an incredibly influential album – every dark trap album is directly influenced by this one.

29. K-Rino - Danger Zone

The second in a long string of albums from Houston legend K-Rino may not be as good as his debut but features the same lyrical prowess. K-Rino always was a way above average emcee, with extravagant wordplay and an extensive vocabulary. Punchlines and thought-provoking, intelligent lyrics as always, K-Rino deserves his props as a top emcee. He could have benefitted from better cover art for his albums though…

Top tracks: Danger Zone | Illusions | Raise Up | Verbal Execution

30. Group Home - Livin' Proof

If only this album had dope emcees and tight lyrics – then it probably would have landed in this year’s Top 10. As it is, DJ Premier’s superb work on the boards is somewhat undone by the subpar lyricism of the Group Home rappers. Still: an enjoyable album, but it could have been so much better…

Top tracks: Livin’ Proof | Suspended in Time | Supa Star | The Realness

31. Mic Geronimo - The Natural

A perfect example of a mid-90s New York Hip Hop album. Mic Geronimo is a great emcee from Queens, who dropped this excellent album before Puff Daddy got his hands on him and turned him into a shiny suit rapper. Mic Geronimo got the skills on the mic to carry an album and this brilliantly produced album is consistently dope, it just misses that special spark to rank it higher still.

Top tracks: The Natural | Time To Build | Men Vs. Many | It’s Real

32. Count Bass-D - Pre-Life Crisis

Different from the work Count Bass-D would do later on in his career, this is a straight-up feel-good, fun Hip Hop album, where Count uses real instruments and holds his own – rapping and singing – on the mic too. Slept on and forgotten, this experimental album definitely is worth checking out.

Top tracks: The Dozens | Carmex |  T-Boz Tried To Talk To Me! | Broke Thursday

33. Too $hort - Cocktails

“If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.” Never this was more true than in the case of Oakland legend Too Short. Another album, another banger. Smooth and funky beats and Short Dog’s pimp stories – with guest spots by 2Pac and Mc Breed among others – you know you get consistent quality with a Too Short joint.

Top tracks: Cocktales | Ain’t Nothin Like Pimping | Paystyle | Top Down

34. Fat Joe - Jealous One's Envy

One of Fat Joe‘s better albums, before he went ‘pop’. This is a dope album, and with guest spots from emcees like KRS One, Big Pun, and Raekwon, Fat Joe enlisted the best help out there. A few filler tracks do not undermine the fact that this album definitely holds its own.

Top tracks: Bronx Tale | Respect Mine | Watch Out | Bronx Keeps Creatin It

35. Erick Sermon - Double Or Nothing

Erick Sermon may not be the very best emcee out there, but he sure is one of the best producers. Competent enough on the mic though to carry an album, and smart enough to recruit class A help from friends like Redman and Keith Murray. A must-have for EPMD and Def Squad fans.

Top tracks: Open Fire | Welcome | Bomdigi | Freak Out

36. The Nonce - World Ultimate

This West Coast group (with a very unfortunate name – look up what ‘Nonce’ means in the U.K.) dropped an atypical album for West Coast standards with World Ultimate. Sounding like a kind of West Coast Native Tongues act, they dropped a criminally slept-on album with World Ultimate. 

Top tracks: World Ultimate | Mix Tapes | Keep It On | Eighty-Five

37. Onyx - All We Got Iz Us

An essential album for those who dig the grimy, ‘screaming’ style of rap that Onyx pioneered. On their second album they come just as hard as they did on their classic debut Bacdafucup. Consistent from beginning to end, just maybe missing that spark that made their debut their most recognizable album to date.

Top tracks: Last Dayz | Purse Snatchaz | All We Got Iz Us | Punkmotherf*kaz

38. Nine - Nine Livez

Dark and dirty beats, with Nine’s grimy delivery and dope flow, make this an album to take note of. Not perfect, but an entertaining record for those who dig gruff-voiced emcees like DMX.

Top tracks: Whut’cha Want | Redrum | Any Emcee | Tha Cypha

39. Channel Live - Station Identification

Best known for the classic single Mad Izm featuring KRS-One, this is a straight boom-bap album, no gimmicks. Hakim and Tuffy, considered proteges of KRS-One, come with dope rhymes over dark and heavy beats. You can’t go wrong with this album if you are a fan of that mid-nineties NYC roughneck Hip Hop.

Top tracks: Mad Izm | Who U Represent | Down Goes The Devil | Reprogram

40. Souls of Mischief - No Man's Land

Not on the same level as their debut 93 Til Infinity, but not as bad as some critics wanted us to believe. It may feel a little less inspired and energetic than the classic predecessor and it may contain a few misses, but there are still plenty of dope tracks with SOM’s lyrical brilliance and creativity on full display to make for an enjoyable album. Don’t front on the Souls Of Mischief / Hieroglyphics crew.

Top tracks: No Man’s Land | Freshdopedope | Time’s Ain’t Fair | Come Anew

Honorable Mentions

• Guru – Jazzmatazz Volume II: The New Reality
• Miilkbone – Da Miilkcrate
• Coolio – Gangsta’s Paradise
• Naughty by Nature – Poverty’s Paradise
• Grand Puba – 2000
• Das EFX – Hold It Down
• Special Ed – Revelations
• Doug E Fresh – Play
• Schoolly D – Reservoir Dog
• Mack 10 – Mack 10
• Luniz – Operation Stackola
• Junior M.A.F.I.A. – Conspiracy
• Kam – Made in America
• B.G. Knocc Out & Dresta – Real Brothas
• Spice 1 – 1990-Sick
• Tru – True
• The Grouch – Don’t Talk to Me
• Master P – 99 Ways to Die
• Bushwick Bill – Phantom of the Rapra
• Ray Luv – Forever Hustlin’
• Rappin’ Ron & Ant Diddley Dog – Bad N Fluenz
• 11/5 – Fiendin 4 Tha Funk
• Ant Banks – Do Or Die
• Young D Boyz – Straight Game
• Key-Kool & Rhettmatic – Kozmonautz
• Funkdoobiest – Brothas Doobie
• Main One – Birth Of The Ghetto Child
• Cold World Hustlers – Iceland
• Dre Dog – I Hate You With a Passion
• Double XX Posse – Ruff, Rugged & Raw
• Mystidious Misfitss – A Who Datt
• Questionmark – Asylum The Album
• Red Hot Lover Tone – #1 Player
• Sham & The Professor – Split Personalities
• Da Nayborhoodz – Afta Dark… Illa Than Expected
• The B.U.M.S (Brothas Unda Madness) – Lyfe ‘n’ Tym
• Various Artists – Return Of The DJ
• DJ Krush – Meiso
• Tales From The Hood – Soundtrack
• Friday – Soundtrack
• The Show – Soundtrack