The 1970s were the decade in which Hip Hop was ‘born’, witnessed solely by the happy few who were there. The 1980s saw Hip Hop grow from a local phenomenon to a new musical genre and worldwide cultural movement, with Hip Hop albums steadily starting to be released from the mid-eighties on. The 1990s were the first full decade in which Hip Hop albums were being released, with dozens of dope records coming out every single year – a lot of which we now consider classics. For this list, we ranked which are in our opinion are the best 90s Hip Hop albums. Obviously, not everyone (or no one…) will agree 100% with the order on this list – but that’s exactly why these lists exist: to have a healthy discussion about the music we all love. So please do weigh in if you have a different opinion!
1. Nas - Illmatic (1994) One of the very best Hip Hop albums in history, period. A young and hungry, insanely talented emcee comes together with some of the finest producers in the game, who all bring their best work. No skits, no fillers – just nine 5-star tracks that combine into a seminal work that will forever be revered as one of the most important releases in Hip Hop. Illmatic is a monumental masterpiece. 2. A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory (1991) The Low End Theory is the definitive statement about what creativity, innovation, artistry, fun and raw talent can produce. Building on the quality wor