Rap's 25 Greatest Albums, according to Chris Rock

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This list has blurbs. Therefore, I like.

― Mr. Snrub, Sunday, 18 December 2005 15:19 (eighteen years ago) link

I enjoyed reading this.

― deej.. (deej..), Sunday, 18 December 2005 21:04 (eighteen years ago) link

Partly predictable and occasionally slightly unexpected, comes across as honest and uncontrived.

― deej.. (deej..), Sunday, 18 December 2005 21:32 (eighteen years ago) link

he had me at the Way 2 Fonky love! Awesome blurbs and all these albums belong on someone's list somewhere(though I haven't heard the 2pac mixtape or the whole Wyclef joint to my knowledge, and I treasure Lauryn Hill's album but more as a soul record but whatever) so I can't find too much fault.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Sunday, 18 December 2005 22:16 (eighteen years ago) link

"Partly predictable and occasionally slightly unexpected, comes across as honest and uncontrived."

OTM, I thought this too,

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Sunday, 18 December 2005 23:00 (eighteen years ago) link

I really like a lot of his commentary, too! I mean, a lot of it is that usual "I'm not a critic" / "I can't say anything about this that hasn't already been said" thing, but in loads of places he has good stuff to say. My favorite = "If you make some ignorant beats, you can say all the smart shit you want."

― nabiscothingy, Sunday, 18 December 2005 23:13 (eighteen years ago) link

It's also got that great line "Fuck being heard, Posdnuos is complicated."

that's a typo, right?

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 19 December 2005 00:17 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah it's "Fuck being hard"

― deej.. (deej..), Monday, 19 December 2005 00:20 (eighteen years ago) link

this list made me love Chris Rock more. he speaks truth to power.

― Lukas (lukas), Monday, 19 December 2005 01:06 (eighteen years ago) link

No Eminem????????

― musically (musically), Monday, 19 December 2005 01:11 (eighteen years ago) link

Great list! Yay for Scarface.

― Tape Store (Tape Store), Monday, 19 December 2005 01:15 (eighteen years ago) link

Wow, Chris Rock is a pretty great music critic. I'm not surprised so much as very pleased.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Monday, 19 December 2005 01:16 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm surprised that Nation of Millions rates so low. How old is Chris? This seems pretty weigheed toward recent stuff.

― Mitya (mitya), Monday, 19 December 2005 03:34 (eighteen years ago) link

and how do we know that chris rock wrote this?

― cutty (mcutt), Monday, 19 December 2005 03:44 (eighteen years ago) link

well, he's a writer, why wouldn't he have written it?

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 19 December 2005 03:46 (eighteen years ago) link

Fuckin OTM on picking the Dirty Harry 2Pac tape - better than any of Pac's actual albums, that one.

― Jacob (Jacob), Monday, 19 December 2005 04:11 (eighteen years ago) link

i don't know, scott, i'm trying to find his voice in most of the commentary and it's just not working for me.

― cutty (mcutt), Monday, 19 December 2005 04:19 (eighteen years ago) link

Waited toward new stuff? Outside of the mixtape (which uses verses from the mid-90s), nothing in the top 10 is under 11 years old.

― Erick Dampier is better than Shaq (miloaukerman), Monday, 19 December 2005 04:34 (eighteen years ago) link

"This is such a mindless gangsta-rap record, but some of it is actually very smart."

huh?

― mucho, Monday, 19 December 2005 05:32 (eighteen years ago) link

I expected some Digital Underground and Gang Starr on Rock's list. Paul's Boutique is a surprise choice.

― brettino's bounce (Da ve Segal), Monday, 19 December 2005 07:46 (eighteen years ago) link

good list -- though i'm kinda surprised that chris rock didn't pick any busta rhymes.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 19 December 2005 11:19 (eighteen years ago) link

Great list, better than what most music critics would come up with. Obviously compiled by a true hip-hop fan, and I definitely think he wrote it.

Although my fave album isn't on there (BDP's Criminal Minded) he hits a lot of classics and defends the overlooked (OTM re: Scarface). Plus, no Mobb Deep, who I think are way overrated.

― Edward III (edward iii), Monday, 19 December 2005 16:33 (eighteen years ago) link

i don't know, scott, i'm trying to find his voice in most of the commentary and it's just not working for me.

he wrote a blurb about The Predator for the SNL-edited issue of spin back in what, 92? it always stuck with me and its pretty similar.

― 'Twan (miccio), Monday, 19 December 2005 16:35 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm sure these are his words, probably spoken over the phone or something and transcribed by someone at the mag.. he's way too hardcore a fan (from everything I've heard) to have someone ghostwrite it.

I posted a little quote from Prince Paul on the topic:
http://www.hiphopmusic.com/archives/001288.html

― Jay Smooth (jsmooth995), Monday, 19 December 2005 20:16 (eighteen years ago) link

the 'make this my last one' in the dizzee blurb would seem to reaffirm the transcription theory.

― 'Twan (miccio), Monday, 19 December 2005 20:21 (eighteen years ago) link

As much as I like the Wu solo stuff, it's difficult to rate it above "36 Chambers".

― Nick H (Nick H), Monday, 19 December 2005 21:09 (eighteen years ago) link

two months pass...

This was originally in Rolling Stone. I can't believe that the list doesn't have Biggie on it, yet Dizzee Rascal makes it. Other than that, it's a pretty good list.

― J.R., Sunday, 26 February 2006 19:36 (eighteen years ago) link

To the guy who said he's never gotten into De La Soul, I hadden't really either until recently, and holy SHIT, their first 3 albums are fantastic.

So is the first Gravediggaz actually. And the second one is better than you'd expect. Also been getting into that first Tribe record as well. Phenomenal.

Cool to see "Stillmatic" is on there but not "Illmatic". Finally someone else who doesn't think "Illmatic" was the be all and end all of Nas' career. It's likely that he still has his best album in him.

― Eroc LAzron, Sunday, 26 February 2006 20:32 (eighteen years ago) link

Good to see some props for the D.O.C, still love his stuff. And to see 'AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted' getting bigged up over the others is good for a change, that's a fucking brilliant album. Insanely good. And, yeah, NWA still holds up.

― beaux knee (boney), Sunday, 26 February 2006 21:29 (eighteen years ago) link

I actually think that this is probably the most OTM list from a celeb I've ever read. Not just cos he knows this stuff, but also because he knows exactly why he likes it. And, to be honmest, I never would've picked him as a Dizzee fan. Fantastic. Of course I would've liked Atliens, Dah' Shinin' etc, but fuck, this is close enough!

― paulhw (paulhw), Sunday, 26 February 2006 22:53 (eighteen years ago) link

I agree with paul, but I think this is one of the best lists I've read in general in a long time. Regardless of whether he got it "right" or not he has very specific, personal, interesting reasons for liking what he does, and makes some rather accurate remarks about hip-hop in general in the process. Maybe more music critics should be not-really-a-music-critic music critics. or something..

― sovietpanda (sovietpanda), Sunday, 26 February 2006 23:31 (eighteen years ago) link

odd how he calls tracks "records" i.e. "there's a record on there..." ??? there's a record on the record?

― lil' flipper (eman), Monday, 27 February 2006 01:59 (eighteen years ago) link

eh, some people just talk that way, maybe just older folks. Jay-Z does it a lot too ("I decided to put only 12 records on this album" etc)

― Alex in Baltimore (Alex in Baltimore), Monday, 27 February 2006 02:34 (eighteen years ago) link

'Mama Said Knock You Out' is way too high though.

― beaux knee (boney), Monday, 27 February 2006 03:11 (eighteen years ago) link

Hardly.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 27 February 2006 03:13 (eighteen years ago) link

I don't really like Illmatic so I'm glad it's not on there -- just don't get that album.

Reasonable Doubt is definitely the best Jay-Z album but, like, even David Duke agrees with that.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Monday, 27 February 2006 04:24 (eighteen years ago) link

"most otm celeb list" seconded. even though there's some i wouldn't have in my list, i can't fault *him* for having them in *his* list. there's no "OMGWTFLOL what a moran" selections.

― oops (Oops), Monday, 27 February 2006 04:42 (eighteen years ago) link

i like his scarface, geto boys, and EPMD picks.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Monday, 27 February 2006 07:15 (eighteen years ago) link

Solid list.

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Monday, 27 February 2006 14:05 (eighteen years ago) link

"Record" implies an individual track, going back to the 7"/12" heyday.

"Album" implies the full-length product with multiple records on it.

I think you might have to be over 30 to remember when that was common parlance.

Maybe more music critics should be not-really-a-music-critic music critics. or something..

This is a massive understatement.

― Dan (Go 'Head, Chris) Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 February 2006 14:32 (eighteen years ago) link

It's a sweet list. I've got reservations about Straight Outta Compton as an album, a good half of it's filler, but he seems spot on about its importance. I wish Supreme Clientele was higher. It's a classic-centrist list: no Dirty South stuff at all? And Unfinished Business is a cute choice, but EPMD sound soooooo old now. Fuck it, I just wanted to say I Like This List Lots. Oh, and Illmatic is great, amongst other sings, cos it's the most blam blam blam all killer no filler Hip Hop album I can think of.

― Raw, Uncompromising, and Noodly (noodle vague), Monday, 27 February 2006 14:43 (eighteen years ago) link

EPMD sound soooooo old now

u get the bozack

― ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Monday, 27 February 2006 15:27 (eighteen years ago) link

lol @ mp3 newjacks giving self-dap 4 hating illmatic

― ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Monday, 27 February 2006 15:28 (eighteen years ago) link

It was kind of like the British Invasion for black people.

That's pretty funny and OTM.

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Monday, 27 February 2006 15:45 (eighteen years ago) link

two weeks pass...

he is OTM about that tupac mixtape. one of the best things ive heard in a long time.

― cheshire, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 01:00 (eighteen years ago) link

I completely agree with De La Soul's "Buhloone Mind State" being on that list. It's always been overshadowed by the others, but has been my favourite from the first time I heard it.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 01:56 (eighteen years ago) link

J-Rock: Buhloone Mind State is where I came in, and I never really managed to get into any other DLS albums because of it.
This is a fun list though.

― js (honestengine), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 04:39 (eighteen years ago) link

I remember when Ice Cube played at the Apollo on this tour.

I do too. I was 20% of the white people in the crowd. Had a blast.

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 08:31 (eighteen years ago) link

Great list. At least 15 of those albums would easily be in my top 50 rap albums, so it's hard to complain about it too much. Some shit is missing but so what.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 08:44 (eighteen years ago) link

two months pass...

dj shadow's entroducing would be nice, but theres no rapping on it

― Rob Cooper, Thursday, 25 May 2006 16:50 (seventeen years ago) link

Skipping 58 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

and the rapier wit

― Noodle Vague, Sunday, 27 January 2008 19:17 (sixteen years ago) link

I think I detected a tiny zing from Chris Rock towards the David Cross generation of hipster comics with "It happens to comedians, too. They want to be cool, but just being funny is cool." I also read Chris Rock say something in another interview about how he didn't like comedians complaining about zoo crew radio DJs --on of Cross's bits-- because even if they're annoying they help comedians promote their shows.

― filthy dylan, Sunday, 27 January 2008 21:52 (sixteen years ago) link

"deej, you are a fucking retarded orangutan"

OTM

― titchyschneiderMk2, Sunday, 27 January 2008 21:57 (sixteen years ago) link

People like you deserve to be fed to the wolves.

-- Bo Jackson Overdrive, Sunday, January 27, 2008 11:35 AM (5 hours ago) Bookmark Link

― deej, Sunday, 27 January 2008 23:26 (sixteen years ago) link

ten months pass...

deej, you are a fucking retarded orangutan.

― deej, Monday, 8 December 2008 17:07 (fifteen years ago) link

Just wanted to remind yourself.

― Alex in SF, Monday, 8 December 2008 17:08 (fifteen years ago) link

so deej, do you consider yourself the Godfather of Rap?

― Millennium Ducats (Roberto Spiralli), Monday, 8 December 2008 17:12 (fifteen years ago) link

feed me to the wolves???
http://www.msnicon.com/Msnupload/Msnpics/nixon%20sock%20it2me.jpg

― deej, Monday, 8 December 2008 17:15 (fifteen years ago) link

deej and reverend are otm, ban Jordan S.

Suggest Ban Permalink
― Dom Passantino, Sunday, January 27, 2008 10:21 AM Bookmark

― Animal Collector (The Reverend), Monday, 8 December 2008 17:23 (fifteen years ago) link

still lolling at the Lauryn Hill comment

― Ca-hoot na na na oh oh (HI DERE), Monday, 8 December 2008 17:25 (fifteen years ago) link

"Stroke Of Death" is so gangster it makes you wanna stab your baby sitter.

― deej, Monday, 8 December 2008 17:54 (fifteen years ago) link

deej is a spoonie gee sockpuppet i knew all along!

― M@tt He1ges0n, Monday, 8 December 2008 18:35 (fifteen years ago) link

mods, can someone delink the pic above with the exploded head? kthx.

― Gino-Vanellyville (Mackro Mackro), Monday, 8 December 2008 20:00 (fifteen years ago) link

eight months pass...

lolling xtra hard at this thread rite now

― butthurt (deej), Wednesday, 19 August 2009 10:25 (fourteen years ago) link

one year passes...

― Some Guy, Wednesday, May 31, 2006 1:25 AM (4 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

now i feel like i must've been subliminally biting however this was when i picked this display name a couple years later

― some dude, Thursday, 24 March 2011 16:43 (thirteen years ago) link

however=whoever

― some dude, Thursday, 24 March 2011 16:44 (thirteen years ago) link

lol @ deej not recognizing that murder photo considering some of his arguments this week

― Whiney G. Weingarten, Thursday, 24 March 2011 16:59 (thirteen years ago) link

"a disgusting picture"

― Whiney G. Weingarten, Thursday, 24 March 2011 16:59 (thirteen years ago) link

what is it / it is disgusting?

― so fly zone (D-40), Thursday, 24 March 2011 17:01 (thirteen years ago) link

dude from Mayhem's suicide photo iirc

― Whiney G. Weingarten, Thursday, 24 March 2011 17:33 (thirteen years ago) link

ok. dont get why thats hilarious tho

― so fly zone (D-40), Thursday, 24 March 2011 17:58 (thirteen years ago) link

because you were on some "metal is just metal imo" talkin from the mountains and you can't even recognize one of it's most iconic images

― Whiney G. Weingarten, Thursday, 24 March 2011 18:03 (thirteen years ago) link

yeah i don't see how that's lol. i'm way more into metal than deej (although still not exactly a metalhead) and have no idea what pic we're talking about.

― some dude, Thursday, 24 March 2011 18:04 (thirteen years ago) link

me neither...? I mean, I guess I am aware that the Mayhem guy committed suicide but I don't really seek out photos of that kind of shit. Because I am not a morbidly obsessed teenager.

― Hyper Rescue Troop (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 24 March 2011 18:06 (thirteen years ago) link

you don't have to "seek it out" it was on the cover of an album iirc tbh otm afaik

― Whiney G. Weingarten, Thursday, 24 March 2011 18:24 (thirteen years ago) link

a bootleg live album iirc tbh otm wtf dude

― Hyper Rescue Troop (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 24 March 2011 18:28 (thirteen years ago) link

eleven months pass...

9. Mia X - Unlady Like

― deeej, Tuesday, May 30, 2006 11:59 PM (5 years ago) Bookmark

finally snagged a used copy of this. totally love it. fuck Allmusic saying she's No Limit's Lil Kim/Foxy Brown. she drops some topics that rarely ever make it in hardcore rap...domestic abuse from the point of view of the lady? Being a single mom? the last 4 tracks are really heavy but awesome. she had lyrics. def high point of No Limit, sad I waited so long to hear this.

― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Saturday, 3 March 2012 01:54 (twelve years ago) link

That record is classic

― what's a goon to garbus (Whiney G. Weingarten), Saturday, 3 March 2012 02:57 (twelve years ago) link

I think it may be v well the best thing No Limit ever put out

― what's a goon to garbus (Whiney G. Weingarten), Saturday, 3 March 2012 02:57 (twelve years ago) link

totally. not surprised why ethan listed her as his top female MC.

― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Saturday, 3 March 2012 16:17 (twelve years ago) link

deej and reverend are otm, ban Jordan S.

Suggest Ban Permalink
― Dom Passantino, Sunday, January 27, 2008 10:21 AM Bookmark

― marissa explains it all (The Reverend), Sunday, 4 March 2012 12:23 (twelve years ago) link

I was a huge fan of the Wyclef album, and it's a shame he's so maligned by the hipsterati. The Carnival is an eclectic and fascinating record.
So is anyone inclined to post their OWN top 25 hip-hop albums?

― Whiney G. Weingarten (whineyg), Sunday, December 18, 2005 12:03 AM (6 years ago) Bookmark

so quaint to see him using terms as tame as 'hipsterati' back then

― some dude, Sunday, 4 March 2012 13:47 (twelve years ago) link

four years pass...

dj shadow's entroducing would be nice, but theres no rapping on it
― Rob Cooper, Thursday, May 25, 2006 12:50 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT A RAP ALBUM.
― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, May 25, 2006 1:17 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

― Neanderthal, Friday, 6 January 2017 01:22 (seven years ago) link

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