These albums are albums that you must listen to in order for you to have a conversation with me. Honorable mention to T.I.’s Urban Legend and Hov’s Blueprint, Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle and Wu-Tang’s 36 Chambers and Wu-Tang Forever. I know some of yall are going to be mad about N.O.R.E. being on here, but these are albums that I personally grew up with, and that meant something to me. Ahhh how can you hate on that? Okay you can hate, but only in the comment section.

10. Noreaga –N.O.R.E.

This was just a fun album that had some of the best production of the new era ever. It also helped propel The Neptunes into the cool nerds they are today.

9. 50 Cent – Get Rich Or Die Tryin

An album that culminates everything before it with the simple phrase “GO GO GO SHAWTY..”

8. Capone-N-Noreaga – The War Report

This is the last classic album from New York from the Golden Era, CNN was on some IRAQ shit back then. I doubt they would be as pro-Islamic as they once were today.

7. Outkast – ATLiens

This is before Outkast went too left field for my taste.

6. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx

The most colorful album ever. Remember the purple tape? The production on here coupled the sampling age with a more cinematic experience. Not to mention everyone became Italian mobsters after this. I know it sounds corny, it was the mid-90s. Nas’s guest appearance here is insane.

5. Method Man – Tical

This is when Meth wasn’t Hollywood and his flow was in another world, plus he made no damn sense, which was great.

4. Tupac – All Eyez on Me

This album is pretty much the blueprint for all the good artist from the South. This album marked the beginning of Pac’s end as he had just come out of jail and was signed to Death Row and the rest, well you know the rest.

3. Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt
The album that pretty much changed the world, but no one cared until Volume 2 came out.

2. Nas – It Was Written

The intro on this album is enough to call this classic as this album introduced the new age of hip hop away from the “break beats” and “dusty samples” of Illmatic. Don’t get me wrong Illmatic was great but I was way too young when that album came out for it to effect me.

1. Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die: The Remaster

Greatest rap album of all time. This album is the blueprint of everything. This was also the prologue to the “shiny suit” era.