Get Away Clean
Artist: Master P
Community Score: 7.00
Tical
Artist: Method Man
Community Score: 8.05

The first Wu-Tang Clan solo album to follow the seismic impact of Enter the Wu-Tang, Method Man's Tical similarly delivers an otherworldly wallop, one that instantly sets the madcap MC apart from his clansmen as the collective's shining star. Not only is Meth madcap, both in terms of mentality and delivery, he's also incredibly witty and wordy.... Read More

Illmatic
Artist: Nas
Community Score: 8.76

Often cited as one of the best hip-hop albums of the '90s, Illmatic is the undisputed classic upon which Nas' reputation rests. It helped spearhead the artistic renaissance of New York hip-hop in the post-Chronic era, leading a return to street aesthetics. Yet even if Illmatic marks the beginning of a shift away from Native Tongues-inspired... Read More

Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
Artist: OutKast
Community Score: 7.66

It is on OutKast's debut album that the fledgling production team Organized Noize began forging one of the most distinctive production sounds in popular music in the '90s: part hip-hop; part live, Southern-fried guitar licks and booty-thick bass runs; and part lazy, early-'70s soul. The album was not only artistically successful but also thrived... Read More

187 He Wrote
Artist: Spice 1
Community Score: 7.60

Spice 1 continues his bleak, stripped-down version of gangsta rap with 187 He Wrote, an album that can be harrowing and appalling. Throughout the record, the spare, funky production keeps the music engaging, making the disturbing lyrics cut even deeper. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Read More

19 Naughty III
Artist: Naughty By Nature
Community Score: 8.63

Despite an excellent debut album, Naughty by Nature was pegged as a one-hit wonder by some observers -- after all, they'd never duplicate the inescapably catchy "O.P.P.," would they? 19 Naughty III's lead single, "Hip Hop Hooray," proved that they could, and the album confirmed that Naughty by Nature were indeed highly underrated in terms of... Read More

Bacdafucup
Artist: Onyx
Community Score: 8.23

At the time that Bacdafucup hit the record racks and airwaves, Onyx seemed to be inventing a genre all their own: heavy metal rap. Of course, on closer inspection, it is not at all surprising stylistically, given their link to Def Jam and Run DMC, the record company and crew that introduced heavy guitar riffs into hip-hop. Onyx, though, seemed... Read More

Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.
Artist: 2Pac
Community Score: 7.11

Fulfilling much of the promise showcased on 2Pac's debut album a year earlier, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. offers a wealth of thoughtful moments such as "Keep Ya Head Up" yet still makes plenty of room for good-time celebrations such as "I Get Around." These two hits in particular make Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. a noteworthy, if sometimes... Read More