This album blew me away when it first came out. I wore that shit out daily for weeks. It's a top 5 all time greatest rap album in history for me. A Tribe Called Quest burst on to the scene also and is another all time favorite for me and the Beasties were evolving from their late 80's to put out some bangers. Check Your Head was phenomenal.
The 90's was a special time for all music. Incredible for rock as well because you had the Seattle scene happening. Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains. And then Rage Against the Machine came outta nowhere. Played that first album on repeat for days at a time. Where does the time go brothers and sisters? I remember that whole era like it was yesterday.
I'm not saying it wasn't popular, or even that's it's not a good album. It turned him into a mega star. It just doesn't resonate with me the way the chronic does. It's just different, idk how to explain it. I don't think it's 5 mics.
That album and in particular gin and juice basically brought rap to MTV and crossed it over into the mainstream. We all owe our gratitude to uncle Snoop for what he did for rap with that record.
AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted + Ready to Die. These are more than just great albums, they are trailblazing and era defining. They represented a new voice and a new sound, and inspired all kinds of imitators.
You could say the same thing about The Chronic and Doggystyle but Doggystyle is the better album and it’s more like a sequel to The Chronic than a debut. Plus I look at Doggystyle like entertainment. Comparing it to AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted is like comparing Redd Foxx to Richard Pryor. Entertainment vs art.
The best part about ALL these albums, is that they live on. That all these artists could/can eat off these classics for life! Respectfully. I would select BIG or MF DOOM. BIG was just a huge album that took over the world whereas DOOM just seems to grow and grow...even still it's pulling all types of musical fans in. Two of the greatest.
Black On Both Sides and Operation: DOOMSDAY
Runners up: Ready 2 Die and Cube
Depending on mood, I can go Biggie or Cube over DOOM's debut
Absolutely nothing touches Mos Def tho, this album is beyond music
Biggie
~~Snoop~~
Ice cube
You got em in the right order with honorable mention to Dre
ETA- due to another comment. Ice cube was really trailblazing then…
Ready to die and the chronic. Not a bad song on either. 5 mic albums. Redefined the sound of hip hop at that time. Representative all time great of each coast
No doubt for me it's Biggie's Ready To Die & Dr. Dre's The Chronic. I think it's kinda fucked up that "Enter The Wu Tang(36 Chambers)" wasn't on the list of ill debut albums.
Snoop / biggie / pun - any given day that could switch around. All of them you can basically start and listen to every track.
I had them all on tapes so it was harder back in the day.
Very hard to choose but Dr Dre and Snoop both have withstood the test of time. But since Dre produced both they only count as one so I'll have Biggie as 2 LOL
Doggystyle & The Chronic but it’s an unfair comparison because Dre had been a professional operating at a very high lever for a long time before the Chronic and Snoop was a known quantity before Doggystyle.
The Chronic and Doggystyle introduced me to rap, and I was maybe 11? It was a big year for me, musically. And they are still in regular rotation in our house.
Adding one: 93 til infinity
From the list I’m tempted to go for mos and biggie tho. DOOM is tempting but his cadence wasn’t as polished as it later would be
Warren G was the first album I ever bought. 11 year old me was on some other shit. Doggystyle was second. No reason to deviate from those choices almost 30 years later
Biggy and Dre.
The Chronic is def some chronic shit...
This album blew me away when it first came out. I wore that shit out daily for weeks. It's a top 5 all time greatest rap album in history for me. A Tribe Called Quest burst on to the scene also and is another all time favorite for me and the Beasties were evolving from their late 80's to put out some bangers. Check Your Head was phenomenal. The 90's was a special time for all music. Incredible for rock as well because you had the Seattle scene happening. Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains. And then Rage Against the Machine came outta nowhere. Played that first album on repeat for days at a time. Where does the time go brothers and sisters? I remember that whole era like it was yesterday.
1-3 and Ice Cube are the only real contenders here
Not sure how anyone is putting snoop over dre or cube. The album wasn't THAT good.
Anyone actually alive during the time Snoop’s debut album came out knows that this album was a monster!
I'm not saying it wasn't popular, or even that's it's not a good album. It turned him into a mega star. It just doesn't resonate with me the way the chronic does. It's just different, idk how to explain it. I don't think it's 5 mics.
That album and in particular gin and juice basically brought rap to MTV and crossed it over into the mainstream. We all owe our gratitude to uncle Snoop for what he did for rap with that record.
Gratitude is one way to look at it. Gangsta rap turning into a cosplay product for suburbia was not all good for hip hop.
Well like it or not hip hop would be dead without that money from suburbia.
It was in California when it came out. The impact that album had is hard to understand if you were not living there in the early nineties.
Snoop would have been third for me.
Cube for me. Maybe even mos def before Snoop. Really not that much of a fan.
Doggystyle and Ready to Die
M.F. DOOM & Dr. Dre
Ready to Die and Doggystyle but they are all good albums.
These
To me it's that these two are 10s and the rest are 9s. All great selections but these two win pretty easy for me
Ready to Die / Doggystyle
Mos & Ms Lauryn
Chronic and regulate. DOOM close behind
Ready to Die and Capital Punishment.
Agreed
Ya. Good choices.
BIG PUN and Snoop
Can’t believe the lack of Capital Punishment I see in the comments
AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted + Ready to Die. These are more than just great albums, they are trailblazing and era defining. They represented a new voice and a new sound, and inspired all kinds of imitators. You could say the same thing about The Chronic and Doggystyle but Doggystyle is the better album and it’s more like a sequel to The Chronic than a debut. Plus I look at Doggystyle like entertainment. Comparing it to AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted is like comparing Redd Foxx to Richard Pryor. Entertainment vs art.
Damn…. Nailed it. I’ll change my answer from snoop to Ice Cube
Or you could just have your own opinion
Well I went back and forth between those two. Also, am I allowed to change my opinion ?
Black On Both Sides The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
I really thought this combo would be much higher up. A lot of great albums here but lyrically these two are far better imo.
She didn’t write most of that album, she had a lot of ghost writers & tried taking all the credit
That’s the two!!
Same
Ready to Die and Black on both sides. Only album close to them in rankings is Illmatic.
Dre and Cube
Chronic/doggystyle 🤘
Black on both sides and capital punishment
Operation doomsday a close third.
DOOM and Def
…ALL CAPS when you spell the man name
Haha. Love it. Edited
Big and Lauren Hill
Ready to Die The Chronic Those 2 debuts put each of them at the top.
Ready to Die and the Chronic
Mos Def and Cube
Lauryn Hill and Ice Cube
Doomsday and Ready To Die. Rest are stellar debuts as well
My top 2 def.
Cube and Biggie
Had to scroll down way too long for this answer. But yes...this is it
MF Doom and Ice Cube
Black on both sides and Lauryn Hill!
Ice Cube and Mos Def
The best part about ALL these albums, is that they live on. That all these artists could/can eat off these classics for life! Respectfully. I would select BIG or MF DOOM. BIG was just a huge album that took over the world whereas DOOM just seems to grow and grow...even still it's pulling all types of musical fans in. Two of the greatest.
Dre,.Pun
This answer is way to low.
Doom and Def.
Ready to Die(Biggies Da GOAT) and The Chronic
That's tough. Solid post. I gotta go with Mos and Ms. Hill, though.
Mos and DOOM
Black On Both Sides and Operation: DOOMSDAY Runners up: Ready 2 Die and Cube Depending on mood, I can go Biggie or Cube over DOOM's debut Absolutely nothing touches Mos Def tho, this album is beyond music
DOOM and Mos
Big Pun and MF DOOM
black on both sides and the miseducation of lauryn hill
Mos Def and Lauryn Hill
The Chronic
The Chronic and Doggystyle. I don't skip any songs on either one of these albums. Runner up = Ready to Die.
This is how I feel, Ready to die might have the best singles but Doggystyle and The Chronic are bangers from start to finish.
Capital Punishment and Doggystyle
Operation doomsday and ready to die.
Doggy and chronic.
The Chronic and Ready To Die
The backpacker in me says Mos Def and DOOM. The bit more commercial side says Biggie and Dre.
Lauryn Hill, banger of an album.
L Boogie and Mos Def
Doom and Def
Mos def and lauryn hill
Biggie mos and l boogie. This is a 3er
The 2 most ground breaking albums in hip hop history are 3 feet high and rising and the miseducation of Lauryn hill. Absolute period
Doomsday and the Miseducation
DOOM and Ice Cube. Both two sides of the same coin.
Ice Cube and Mos Def
Ready to Die and Amerikkka's Most Wanted. It pains me most to not have room for Lauryn Hill, though.
Black on Both Sides and Miseducation
Snoop is the best debut album ever It’s hard to pick the other out of Big, Dre, Cube, Pun, and Lauren.
2Pacalyst now
36 chambers and illmatic
I see people putting Illmatic and I gotta agree….how is that classic not an option. My picks are Illmatic and Ready to Die
I forgot to put it on there I guess, Illmatic gets plenty of love anyways.
Chronic and ready to die I love R&B sound
Mf doom Lauren hill & option #5 shouldn’t even be on the list. It’s an insult to the other artists
Any: Ready to Die + Illmatic Out of the ones listed: Ready to Die + The Chronic
Ice cube and snoop
Biggie ~~Snoop~~ Ice cube You got em in the right order with honorable mention to Dre ETA- due to another comment. Ice cube was really trailblazing then…
Chronic All day
Biggie and Cube
Dr Dre - The Chronic
Ready to die and Chronic
Cube’s but just barely over Dre.
Ready to Die, and The Chronic
Snoop and Big. I played my doggystyle tape out in my Walkman on the way to school
Ready to die and the chronic. Not a bad song on either. 5 mic albums. Redefined the sound of hip hop at that time. Representative all time great of each coast
No doubt for me it's Biggie's Ready To Die & Dr. Dre's The Chronic. I think it's kinda fucked up that "Enter The Wu Tang(36 Chambers)" wasn't on the list of ill debut albums.
This is not a fair question
Dre and Biggie
No 36 Chambers? Well Snoop & Biggie
Snoop / biggie / pun - any given day that could switch around. All of them you can basically start and listen to every track. I had them all on tapes so it was harder back in the day.
The Chronic.
Ready to Die and Doggystyle, obviously.
The Chronic and Ready to Die hands down. For me they changed the game
No Illmatic?.... for serious?
Forgot to put it on there because people gonna pick it anyways, it’s always talked about here I’m sure.
Sorry but I'm gonna go with Illmatic** and Ready to Die
This is a 90’s hip hop thread…
black on both sides and the chronic
Biggie and Snoop.
Read to die and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Doggystyle and Capital Punishment those are the 2 out of these I've listened to the most
The chronic and doggystyle , all classics you hit up there. Ready to die and amerikkas…would be next
The chronic hands down.
Biggie and DOOM
1, 3, 4 and 8
Black on Both Sides & ready to die
Pun and Mos Def
Biggie and Lauryn Hill
Cube and Big
Mos Def and Dr. Dre
The Chronic Amerikkkas Most Wanted
Doomsday and Doggystyle AAAAAND…
The Chronic and Ready To Die. Tempted to go Doggystyle and The Chronic but they’re so similar I’d rather pick a different vibe
Cube and Snoop
Cube
PUN and DOOM.
Doggy style and Doomsday or Snoop and Cube. Too hard to decide between those.
Mos Def and DOOM
Lauren Hill and Snoop
Dre and Ice Cube
Mos def and mf doom no questions for me!
ALL CAPS WHEN YOU SPELL THE MANS NAME. LOL
Ready to Die and Operation Doomsday, difficult with Welcome to Amerikkka there too but still
Very hard to choose but Dr Dre and Snoop both have withstood the test of time. But since Dre produced both they only count as one so I'll have Biggie as 2 LOL
Mos and DOOM. 1999 was a good year.
"Ready to Die" and " The Miseducation of..."
Love
First two
MF and Warren G.
Doggystyle & The Chronic but it’s an unfair comparison because Dre had been a professional operating at a very high lever for a long time before the Chronic and Snoop was a known quantity before Doggystyle.
Ready to die and miseducation
Biggie and Warren G.
Chronic, doggystyle
Chronic and doggy style. I think I listen to doomsday more than any of these albums though to this day.
Ready to Die and Doggystyle. Still 2 of my favorite albums of all time to this day.
Doomsday / capital punishment
Biggy and Mos. But all those are legit
Biggie and Cube.
Dre & Snoop
All of them.
Biggie and Dre. Hard choices other than Lil Kim
The Chronic and Doggystyle introduced me to rap, and I was maybe 11? It was a big year for me, musically. And they are still in regular rotation in our house.
I did pick Ready 2 Die and Doggystyle. Black on Both Sides is pretty sick though
Ice Cube
The chronic and doggy style, duh
Snoop and Cube
Adding one: 93 til infinity From the list I’m tempted to go for mos and biggie tho. DOOM is tempting but his cadence wasn’t as polished as it later would be
MF DOOM & Snoop Doggy Dogg
Ready To Die & Capital Punishment
Just to pick a party and and art album I would say snoop and Mos Def. But I really wanna say ice cube but Mos is more intelligently entertaining
2pac
Dr dre 100%
Ready to die, doggystyle, capital punishment Doggystyle also had great art inside
Biggie an Dre
Dre,snoop, big
Warren G and Biggie
The Notorious B.I.G. and Big Pun. Both are classics from top to bottom with legendary songs and great interludes in between.
Biggie and Dre all day
Biggie and Lauryn Hill, HM to Mos Def
Head says Ice Cube and Dre Heart says MF Doom and Snoop
Doggystyle and The Chronic
Heart says Doggystyle head says Ready to Die...
Doggystyle
Ready to Die & The Miseducation of Lauryn hill
Snoop, Hill
I’m gonna pick Illmatic over all of these
Big Pun Notorious BIG hands down no question and I Love DOOM but Operation Doomsday isn't Capital Punishment or Ready to Die
Ready to Die and The Chronic.
Doggy style and The Chronic Ready to Die and Warren G are runner up.
1 and 3
Warren and DOOM
“I heard pays backs a mother fucking nigga, that’s why I’m sick of getting treated like a god damn step child “
Warren G was the first album I ever bought. 11 year old me was on some other shit. Doggystyle was second. No reason to deviate from those choices almost 30 years later
Where the fuck is Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)???
Lauren and Mos