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list Sep 12 2015 Written by

Top 15 Hip Hop Albums 1986

 

Also read: Top 100 Hip Hop Albums Of The 1980s

1. Run DMC - Raising Hell

019-186-1

“Kings from Queens, from Queens come Kings / We’re raising hell like a class when the school bell rings…” (Raising Hell)

One of the first mega-sellers in Hip Hop and the album that would cement the status of Run DMC as most important Hip Hop act of the time. A brilliant album, with perfect interplay between Jam Master Jay – one of the first great all round DJ’s in the game – and the back-and-forth rhyming of DMC and Run.

This album, together with Beastie Boys‘ debut Licensed To Ill from this same year, was responsible for opening Hip Hop to all kinds of audiences all over the world.

Run DMC “took the beat from the street and put it on TV”.

Top tracks: Peter Piper | Raising Hell | My Adidas | It’s Tricky

2. Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill

032-1986-15

“Now here’s a little story I’ve got to tell / About three bad brothers you know so well / It started way back in history / With Ad-Rock, M.C.A. (and me) Mike D…” (Paul Revere)

A timeless classic. Licensed To Ill is pure energy and great fun. The Beastie Boys were the first white act in Hip Hop to make it big, and maintain credibility and respect in the Hip Hop world throughout their career.

This album is another one of the big, early successes of Def Jam – the dominating and most innovating record label at the time, extremely important for the exposure of Hip Hop to larger audiences worldwide.

Top tracks: Paul Revere | The New Style | Rhymin And Stealin | Hold It Now, Hit It

3. Stetsasonic - On Fire

022-1986-4

“When we’re coolin’ on the block we carry our big box / Playin L.L.’s ‘Rock the Bells’ or Run’s ‘Rock Box’ / Wearin some high-top Cons or some Fila socks / And the newest Benetton sweatshirt in stock…” (On Fire)

The first Hip Hop band: Stetsasonic came out with a bang with this album in 1986. Fine work from a young Prince Paul on the boards and great synergy between Stet’s emcees – this is an underrated but essential 80’s Hip Hop album.

Top tracks: On Fire | My Rhyme | 4 Ever My Beat | Just Say Stet

4. Schoolly D – Schoolly D

020-1986-2

 

5. Just Ice – Back To The Old School

028-1986-11

 

6. Salt N Pepa – Hot Cool & Vicious

029-1986-12

 

7. Doug E Fresh – Oh My God

021-1986-3

 

8. Skinny Boys – Weightless

023-1986-5

 

9. Afrika Bambaataa - Planet Rock The Album

planet_rock_the_album

 

 

10. 2 Live Crew – 2 Live Is What We Are

030-1986-13

11. Mantronix - Music Madness

031-1986-14

 

12. Steady B - Bring The Beat Back

026-1986-9

 

13. Kool Moe Dee - Kool Moe Dee

033-1986-16

 

14. Whodini - Back in Black

025-1986-8

 

15. Fat Boys - Big & Beautiful

Written by

HHGA founder. Hip Hop historian. Proud dad. Top 10 favorite MCs: Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, KRS One, Kool G Rap, Kool Keith, Pharoahe Monch, Percee P, R.A. The Rugged Man, Black Thought, Murs.…

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