I'm interested in increasing my rap album collection. I'm looking for opinions on the best rap albums (doesn't have to be recent). Thanks.

what do you have now? gangsta, old-school/new school??

Not much. I have all of Eminem's CDs, The Chronic, and the new Outkast. That's it.

Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride 2 The Pharcyde
Nas - Illmatic
The DOC - No One Can Do It Better

You will want all of the old Outkast records.

Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik (1994)
ATLiens (1996)
Aquemini (1998)
Stankonia (2000)

or the greatest hits Andre 3000 and Big Boi present...Outkast

Nas is truly one of the great lyricists.

You can't go wrong with anything of his.

The classic is "Illmatic" 1994

hope this helps.

The Buleprint 1 (Jay-Z's finest)
The Black Album (Jay-Z's latest)

NWA - Straight Outta' Compton
Eazy-E - Eazy duz it
Fat Boys - Crushin'

A Tribe Called Quest, Midnight Marauders
Little Brother, The Listening
and a very recent one that has been *doing it* for me -
Non Prophets, Hope

People Under the Stair - Next Step
The Roots - Things Fall Apart
Jurassic 5 - Quality Control
The Streets - Original Pirate Material

Too $hort - Get In Where You Fit In

Best. Album. Ever.

This is kinda like asking what rock albums to get, there's a lot out there...

You need Midnight Marauders and Paul's Boutique, all of Outkast's albums are amazing.

I'm more into East Coast, turntabalism and alternative rap, so here are my other essentials:

Ice Cube: Death Certificate
Tribe Called Quest- Low End Theory
De La Soul: ...is Dead and 3 Feet High and Rising
Public Enemy: Takes a Nation of Millions and Fear of a Black Planet
Mos Def: Black on Both Sides
Dr. Octagon (Kool Keith) : Dr. Octagon
Roots: Things Fall Apart
Eric B. and Rakim: Follow the Leader
Boogie Down Productions: By Any Means Necessary
Afrika Bambaataa: Looking for the Perfect Beat
Gang Starr: Daily Operation
Cypress Hill: Cypress Hill
Wu Tang Clan: Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers)
Gza: Liquid Swords
Jurassic 5: Power in Numbers
Prince Paul: a Prince Amoung Thieves
Pete Rock and CL Smooth: Mecca and the Soul Brother
DJ Shadow: Endtroducing...
Mix Master Mike: Anti-Theft Device

...etc...

Mos Def, GZA, Gang Starr and Dr Octagon definitely!

Also

Talib Kweli, Quality
The Roots, Things Fall Apart + Illadelph Halflife
Mos Def & Talib Kweli, Black Star THIS IS ESSENTIAL
Sage Francis, Personal Journals
Aesop Rock, Labor Days

Check out:

Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...
GZA - Liquid Swords
Dr. Dre - The Chronic 2001
Notorious B.I.G. - Ready To Die
Nas - Illmatic
Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle

Those are all I can think of right now.

Jurassic 5 - Power in Numbers
Jurassic 5 - Quality Control
Wu-Tang Clan - 36 Chambers
Snoop - Doggystyle
Mos Def - Black on Both Sides

so many more

Jay-Z
50 cent
d-12
bdp or krs-one
fugees
ice cube
public enemy
method man
run-dmc
pharcyde

I would definitely get:

Jurassic 5 - Quality control and Power in Numbers
Atmosphere - Godlovesugly and Seven's Travels

To this outstanding list I'd like to add Me Against the World and All Eyez On Me by 2Pac. Oh, and Straight Outta Compton by NWA...

Alrighty,

Atmosphere - Lucy Ford

Brother Ali - Shadows on the Sun

Aesop Rock - Labor Days

Tech N9ne - Absolute Power

Jurassic 5 - Quality Control

Deltron 3030

Dr Octagon - Dr Octagoncolygist

Oddjobs - Drums

Souls of Mischief - '93 Til Infinity

Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein

Vast Aire - Dirty Magazine Mixtape

RJD2 - Deadringer

Blueprint - The Weight Room

Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die

MF Doom - Operation! Doomsday

MF Doom is Viktor Vaughn : Vaudeville Villian

Jedi Mind Tricks - The Psycho Social LP

A Tribe Called Quest - Anthology

Eyedea and Abilities - First Born

Binary Star - Masters of the Universe

Just to name a few

Oh yeah, I just remembered one more :

Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep

You definitely MUST get the following:

The Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (Simply amazing!!)

A Tribe Called Quest - get all of their records, they're incredible

Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions, Fear of a Black Planet


Trust me, you MUST have these in your rap collection.

oldskool
Eric B Rakim - Paid In Full
Run DMC - Raising Hell

newskool
Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow
Gorillaz - Gorillaz

I'm more into the West Coast scene than most of the previous posters, but my picks are...

Westside Connection - Bow Down (the new Terrorist Threats came out on Tuesday, I have it but haven't had a chance to absorb it yet).

Dr. Dre - The Chronic, The Chronic 2001

WC - Anything, especially The Shadiest One

E-40 - Anything from the Sick Wid It label is good, from E-40 to B-Legit

Too Short - The earlier albums are the best, such as Life Is...Too $hort

Eazy E - Can't go wrong there

2 Pac - All Eyez on Me is one of the greatest albums of all time


At all costs, avoid anything Cash Money, Master P (No Limit), and anything from the new Death Row...it's the worst rap ever.

UGK - Ridin' Dirty

Here are my essentials:

50 Cent - Power of the Dollar (anything after this 2000 release is crap IMO "How to Rob" is a classic and showed such promise back then)

Capone -n- Noreaga - The Reunion

M.O.P. - Warriorz

Method Man and Redman - Black Out!

Wu Tang - Enter the Wu (36 Chambers)
- Iron Flag

Ol' Dirty Bastard - Return to the 36 Chambers
- ***** Please

Black Sheep - A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Tribe Called Quest - Anthology