The greatest hip-hop albums of all time (Rolling Stone)
The top 3 according to 74 votes from people: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back — Public Enemy · The Blueprint — Jay-Z · The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill — Lauryn Hill. (Updated Feb 14, 2024.)
The top of Rolling Stone's 2022 ranking of the 200 greatest hip-hop albums, the one that put Ready to Die first and stirred debate by placing Drake and Cardi B above Illmatic.
Top 19
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1
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back — Public Enemy
1988. Noise, politics and Chuck D.
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2
The Blueprint — Jay-Z
2001. Soul samples and Jay at his peak.
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3
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill — Lauryn Hill
1998. Hip-hop soul that won Album of the Year at the Grammys.
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4
Supreme Clientele — Ghostface Killah
2000. Wu-Tang's wildest storyteller.
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5
To Pimp a Butterfly — Kendrick Lamar
2015. Jazz, funk and Black America.
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6
2001 — Dr. Dre
1999. West Coast polish and "Still D.R.E.".
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7
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy — Kanye West
2010. Maximalist and huge.
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8
Yeezus — Kanye West
2013. Abrasive and industrial.
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9
Take Care — Drake
2011. The pick that sparked the most arguments.
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10
Lord Willin' — Clipse
2002. Pusha T and Malice over Neptunes beats.
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11
Ready to Die — The Notorious B.I.G.
1994. Number one: Biggie's debut.
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12
The Low End Theory — A Tribe Called Quest
1991. Jazz bass lines and smooth rhymes.
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13
Invasion of Privacy — Cardi B
2018. The debut that won the Grammy for best rap album.
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14
Hard Core — Lil' Kim
1996. Blunt and influential.
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15
Illmatic — Nas
1994. For many the perfect rap album; here in the 20s.
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16
The Marshall Mathers LP — Eminem
2000. Fame, rage and dark humour.
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17
Miss E… So Addictive — Missy Elliott
2001. Futuristic beats with Timbaland.
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18
Stankonia — Outkast
2000. Atlanta goes psychedelic, with "B.O.B." and "Ms. Jackson".
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19
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) — Wu-Tang Clan
1993. Kung fu, grit and nine MCs.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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