Most quintessential Hip Hop Album

[dead prez]

Which album do you guys think encapsulates the genre the best, and represents everything that Hip Hop is. Not necessarily the best, but if you had to introduce someone to the genre and give them an example of prime Hip Hop which would you choose? My choices would be either Da Endtroducing or Illmatic (shocking I know), both ooze hip hop, whether you think that they're the best is another story, though you can make a case for them being two of the best the genre has to offer.

The former being compromised entirely of samples, even the vocals, truly innovating, and predates Mf doom and Madlib. And is one of the first instrumental albums out there. This is also a great album to show off to Rock purists that like to bash Hip Hop ignorantly, that don't know shit about the genre.

Well everyone knows illmatic, so I don't really have to explain that choice. It has every type of song, not to mention very few blemishes, it was so carefully crafted. I honestly think the best thing about this album is it's straightfowardness and how it has little to no filler in it. Just perfect emceeing.

[Master Chief]

Aside from the first 3 Eminem albums I'd choose:

Reasonable Doubt/Blueprint
Illmatic/Stillmatic
Death Is Certain
The Cool
The Rising Tied
Killuminati
Quality
Black Star

I know there are more but that's all I can think of.

[classthe_king]

It depends on what type of person they are

[dead prez]

That's a good point, I was also taking into account the history of the albums and what they did to raise the genre to a new level. (Da Endtroducing specifically), though obviously not everyone's going to enjoy the two albums in my op.

[classthe_king]

Because like...I knew a kid who was one of those really hardcore rocker kids who listens to Satan music and everyone was showing him kid cudi and tupac and lil wayne and stuff and he hated it but I showed him The Intertainer and he loved it.

Then I also knew a kid who was a really soft quiet kid who listen to old rock and shit like that and he didn't like any of that stuff either but I showed him The Balancing Act and he loved that.

[yoshi]

First one that came to my mind was JazzMatazz Vol. II by Guru. I think it's one of the best albums I've ever heard in my life. Guru's lyrics and flow are amazing, I think it's too obvious to discuss that, combined with his deep voice, they make this album something that you simply just can't leave out while talking about the essence of hip hop music.
But that's not the only amazing thing about this album - I love the fusion of jazz and hip hop, for me that's one of the things that define hip hop - the ability to blend different styles of music and combining them into something new with the drop of street style. The samples that are used, the instruments in the background, that's what makes this album so special. 'Lifesaver', 'Looking Through The Darkness', 'The Traveler' or that skit where he's talking about hip hop as a way of life - that's the very essence of hip hop, rising above the cultural and individual differences.

[Raids-God]

Death Is Certain

[yoshi]

If they want an album that says everything about Jazz & Blues influencing Hip Hip then i'll go with Ye's "The College Dropout"

Amazing Multi's "Eminem - Relapse"

Sorry, but is this a troll or you actually really believe that 'Relapse' is the album that COULD possibly represent quintessential hip hop? Any Kweli's track shits on every 'Relapse' track when it comes to multis.
And Kanye's an average rapper, quite good producer though. You didn't elaborate on that too much, so I guess you meants his beats, not his lyrics. I'm not saying he's crap though, I just don't see him representing hip hop, I think there are rappers way more talented when it comes to writing lyrics. The entire album is good though, I liked it, so don't get your panties twisted, know what I'm sayin?



@ dead prez: 'Da Endtroducing' - you mean DJ Shadow?

[Master Chief]

If they want an album that says everything about Jazz & Blues influencing Hip Hip then i'll go with Ye's "The College Dropout"

Amazing Multi's "Eminem - Relapse"

Sorry, but is this a troll or you actually really believe that 'Relapse' is the album that COULD possibly represent quintessential hip hop? Any Kweli's track shits on every 'Relapse' track when it comes to multis.

Half of the songs on Relapse are better then all of Talib Kweli's songs when it comes to multis. I'm sorry but that's something Relapse cannot be criticized for.

Stay Wide Awake, for example, is a song that demolishes a good portion of songs (multi-wise).

[dead prez]

Yeah, that what I meant, my bad.

[classthe_king]

If they want an album that says everything about Jazz & Blues influencing Hip Hip then i'll go with Ye's "The College Dropout"

Amazing Multi's "Eminem - Relapse"

Sorry, but is this a troll or you actually really believe that 'Relapse' is the album that COULD possibly represent quintessential hip hop? Any Kweli's track shits on every 'Relapse' track when it comes to multis.

Half of the songs on Relapse are better then all of Talib Kweli's songs when it comes to multis. I'm sorry but that's something Relapse cannot be criticized for.

Stay Wide Awake, for example, is a song that demolishes a good portion of songs (multi-wise).

In quantity, yes. In quality, no.

[Fa-Q]

Gritty, street Hip Hop is exposed on Illmatic

[Master Chief]

Sorry, but is this a troll or you actually really believe that 'Relapse' is the album that COULD possibly represent quintessential hip hop? Any Kweli's track shits on every 'Relapse' track when it comes to multis.

Half of the songs on Relapse are better then all of Talib Kweli's songs when it comes to multis. I'm sorry but that's something Relapse cannot be criticized for.

Stay Wide Awake, for example, is a song that demolishes a good portion of songs (multi-wise).

In quantity, yes. In quality, no.

Elaborate.

[yoshi]

Half of the songs on Relapse are better then all of Talib Kweli's songs when it comes to multis. I'm sorry but that's something Relapse cannot be criticized for.

Stay Wide Awake, for example, is a song that demolishes a good portion of songs (multi-wise).

Apart from nothing special, there is absolutely nothing special that I could've noticed about 'Relapse'. Ok, multis are good, but I've heard better from Eminem. Plus like you said, it's about quantity, not the quality, sadly. And all Kweli's albums > 'Relapse', at least for me. You should definitely check him out 'Quality' is A-fucking-MAZING.

edit: Yeah, when it comes to Kanye's beats, I like them. He produced one of my fave Kweli's tracks 'Get By', so can't hate on him



@ dead prez: I love 'Endtroducing' Amazing, I like to just play it and chill out. I've always considered Shadow as trip-hop more than the actual hip-hop, probably because he usually manages to give me that psychodelic feeling when I listen to him.

[dead prez]

@Yoshi

Yeah I love producer Hip Hop albums , especially Nujabes' music, specifically Metaphorical Music.