The 10 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time
Pop Smoke, ‘Meet the Woo’ (2019): When he was tragically killed during a home invasion at just 20 years old.
A$AP Rocky, ‘Live. Love. A$AP’ (2011): Exuding an almost statuesque coolness and detachment.
Lyrics Born, ‘Later That Day’ (2003): Tokyo-born, Berkeley-raised Tom Shimura (a.k.a. Lyrics Born) made excellent alt-rap with the duo Latyrx.
Travis Scott, ‘Astroworld’ (2018): After the horrific tragedy at his Astroworld Festival, it’s hard to listen to this album with much objectivity.
Juice WRLD, ‘Goodbye & Good Riddance’ (2018): Working a primal whine of been-done-wrong romantic angst.
KMD, ‘Mr. Hood’ (1991): Mr. Hood is a marvel of youthful imagination, and a reflection of hip-hop’s short-lived Native Tongues era.
Cupcakke, ‘Ephorize’ (2018): The Chicago sex-rap savant’s rhymes are devilishly clever and comically.
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, ‘Bandana’ (2019): A meeting of a relentlessly down-to-earth rapper and an elusive production genius.
The Jacka, ‘Tear Gas’ (2009): Before he was murdered in 2015, The Jacka embodied Bay Area rap at its most compelling and contradictory.
K’Naan, ‘The Dusty Foot Philosopher’ (2005): “I come from the most dangerous city in this universe — you’re likely to get shot at birth.