Midnight Marauders
Artist: A Tribe Called Quest
Community Score: 8.33

Though the abstract rappers finally betrayed a few commercial ambitions for Midnight Marauders, the happy result was a smart, hooky record that may not have furthered the jazz-rap fusions of The Low End Theory, but did merge Tribe-style intelligence and reflection with some of the most inviting grooves heard on any early-'90s rap record. The... Read More

Greatest Hits
Artist: Lighter Shade of Brown

Lighter Shade of Brown released an album every other year in the '90s, so for fans trying to catch up with the innovative Latin duo, Thump's Greatest Hits is a godsend. It wisely focuses on their raw debut Brown & Proud and the follow-up Hip Hop Locos, but also gives weight to later material. As could be expected, there are many highlights but... Read More

So...How's Your Girl?
Artist: Handsome Boy Modeling School
Community Score: 8.16

The concept behind Handsome Boy Modeling School -- if you separate it from its origins in a Chris Elliott sitcom -- can be taken as a subtle parody of hip-hop's player affectations: two geeky producers masquerading as jet-set male models. Given that framework, and the fact that those two producers are eccentric geniuses Prince Paul and Dan the... Read More

The Roots Come Alive
Artist: The Roots
Community Score: 9.43

Releasing an album recorded live in concert makes more sense for the Roots than any other hip-hop artist, considering they've always concentrated on live prowess over their skills on the mic or in the production booth. The standard guitar/drums/bass/keyboards lineup of most rock bands is a reality for this group, and after years of requests from... Read More

Classic 220
Artist: 2nd II None
Community Score: 10.00

Thanks to the success of Arista's hip-hop reissue compilation Profilin' the Hits, the duo 2nd II None earned a contract with the label and recorded a second album, eight full years after their debut. Produced by long-time friend DJ Quik as well as 2nd II None themselves, Classic 220 keeps the vibe old-school. Even though the production and beats... Read More

A Prince Among Thieves
Artist: Prince Paul
Community Score: 8.32

The concept album has been something of a rare beast in hip-hop. There have been plenty of rap albums with a cinematic feel, but very few actually tie things together with a coherent narrative throughout. Leave it to Prince Paul, long one of hip-hop's most imaginative producers, to assemble the first successful rap opera in A Prince Among... Read More

2000 Fold
Artist: Styles of Beyond
Community Score: 9.00

Styles of Beyond keep one foot firmly planted in the hip-hop underground, while the other one jets forward into wholly uncharted territory on its debut album 2000 Fold. Despite their sometimes bizarre lyrical flights of fancy, Ryu and Takbir opt to maintain the menacing delivery of most hardcore and street MCs, but that does not render the... Read More

MDMA, Vol. 1
Artist: DJ Skribble
Community Score: 9.00

MDMA stands for "Music 4 Dance, Music 4 Attitude" and that credo perfectly sums up this continuous mix album by DJ Skribble and Anthony Acid. The two DJs/mixers link together 16 tracks, ranging from original pieces to songs by Marina, Ell is D, J. Cee, Kenlou 6, the Jungle Brothers, Razor & Go, Fire Island and Junior Vasquez. It's a continually... Read More

The Master - CLEAN
Artist: Rakim

When you've been named the best rapper ever in countless readers' and critics' polls, it must be easy to get a bit complacent. And as a veteran who's been on the mic since 1985 (yes, there are several rappers who weren't even on the earth back then), it also must be easy to make a few concessions to all the rappers and delivery styles that have... Read More