Category: Top Albums Series

Best Albums: 1995 Hip-Hop

12/30/2018

By Sammy Lowdermilk

Next up in our Best Album series is 1995 Hip-Hop! This was the hardest list to make yet. I expanded the list to 20 and added several honorable mentions! Let us know what we might have left off the list or who should have been higher or lower!

20. Dayton Family - What's On My Mind?

Highlights:
"What's On My Mind?"

19. Master P- 99 Ways to Die

Highlights:
"99 Ways to Die"
"Hoe Games"

18. Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill III: Temples of Boom

Highlights:
"Boom Biddy Bye Bye"
"Illusions"
"Throw Your Set in the Air"

17. Three-6 Mafia - Mystic Stylez

Highlights:
"Break Da Law (95)"
"Tear Da Club Up (Da Real)"
"Live By Yo Rep"

16. Smif N Wessun - Dah Shinin

Highlights:
"Let's Get It On"
"Bucktown"
"Wrekonize"

15. Big L - Lifestyles Ov Da Poor & Dangerous

14. The Roots - Do You Want More?

Highlights:
"Distortion to Static"
"Mellow My Man"
"Proceed"

13. Eazy E - Eternal E (Greatest Hits)

Highlights:
"Boyz-n-the-Hood"
"We Want Eazy"

12. Mystikal - Mind of Mystikal

Highlights:
"Out That Boot Camp Clicc"
"Not That Ni**a"
"Here I Go"

11. The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia

Highlights:
"Runnin"
"She Said"

10. Bone Thugs in Harmony - E. 1999 Eternal

Highlights:
"1st of tha Month"
"East 1999"

9. LL Cool J - Mr. Smith

Highlights:
"Hey Lover"
"Doin It"
"I Shot Ya"

8. ODB - Return to the 36 Chambers

Highlights:
"Shimmy Shimmy Ya"
"Brooklyn Zoo"

7. Mobb Deep - The Infamous

Highlights:
"Give Up The Goods"
"Survival of the Fittest"
"Temperature's Rising"

6. GZA - Liquid Swords

Highlights:
"Liquid Swords"
"Cold World"
"Shadowboxin"

5. 8Ball & MJG - On Top of the World

Highlights:
"Space Age Pimpin"
"Pimp In My Own Rhyme"
"Friend or Foe"

4. Goodie Mob - Soul Food (I'd like to denote that this is my favorite on this list)

Highlights:
"Soul Food"
"Thought Process"
"Cell Therapy"

3. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Lix

Highlights:
"Criminology"
"Heaven & Hell"
"Ice Cream"
"Can It All Be So Simple (Remix)"

2. 2Pac - Me Against The World

Highlights:
"Dear Mama"
"Me Against the World"
"So Many Tears"
"Temptations"

1. Friday Soundtrack

*Note: I'm gonna get a lot of hate for this one, but paired with the movie, this was historically significant for the hip-hop culture.
Highlights:
"Keep Their Heads Ringin"
"Mary Jane"
"I Wanna Get Next To You"
"Roll It Up, Light It Up, Smoke It Up"

Honorable Mentions (in no order):

Spice 1 - 1990-Sick
Too Short - Cocktails
WC and the Maad Circle - Curb Servin
Tha Dogg Pound - Dogg Food
Junior Mafia - Conspiracy
Mack 10 - Mack 10
KRS One - KRS One
E-40 - In a Major Way
DJ Quik - Safe + Sound
Group Home - Livin Proof
Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise
Luniz - Operation Stackola
Tha Alkoholiks - Coast II Coast
Kool G Rap - 4, 5, 6.
Fat Joe - Jealous One's Envy
Show & AG - Goodfellas
AZ - Do or Die
Aceyalone - All Balls Don't Bounce

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Top 15 R&B Albums of 1993

12/18/2018

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By Sammy Lowdermilk

Next up in our Best Album series is R&B in 1993. This list was a lot easier to make since there weren't a lot of quality R&B albums released that year. Let me know if I left anything out!

15. Bell Biv Devoe - Hootie Mack

Highlights:
"Hootie Mack"
"Above the Rim"

14. Mint Condition - From the Mint Factory

Highlights:
"U Send Me Swingin"
"Nobody Does It Better"

13. H-Town - Fever For Da Flavor

Highlights:
"Knockin' Da Boots"
"Lick U Up"

12. Johnny Gill - Provocative

Highlights:
"The Floor"
"I Got You"

11. XScape - Hummin Cummin at Cha

Highlights:
"Just Kickin' It"
"Understanding"
"Love Is On My Mind"

10. Jodeci - Diary of a Mad Band

Highlights:
"Feenin"
"Cry For You"

9. R. Kelly - 12 Play

Highlights:
"Your Body's Calling"
"Sex Me"
"Bump N' Grind"

8. Mary J. Blige - What's the 411? Remix

Highlights:
"My Love"
"Real Love (Remix)"

7. Tevin Campbell - I'm Ready

Highlights:
"Can We Talk"
"I'm Ready"
"Always in My Heart"

6. Meshell Ndegeocello - Plantation Lullabies

Highlights:
"If That's Your Boyfriend, He Wasn't Last Night"
"I'm Digging You"
"Sweet Love"

5. Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton

Highlights:
"Another Sad Love Song"
"Breathe Again"
"Seven Whole Days"

4. Tony! Toni! Tone! - Sons of Soul

"Anniversary"
"(Lay Your Head On My) Pillow"
"Slow Wine"

3. Mariah Carey - Music Box

Highlights:
"Dream Lover"
"Hero"
"Without You"

2. Janet Jackson - Janet

Highlights:
"That's The Way Love Goes"
"If"
"Again"

1. Babyface - For The Cool In You

Highlights:
"For The Cool In You"
"Never Keeping Secrets"
"When Can I See You"

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Top 15 Hip-Hop Albums of 1993

12/16/2018

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By Sammy Lowdermilk

We started with 1992 a few weeks ago, highlighting both the best hip-hop and R&B albums of 1992. Let's continue the journey here with 1993! This list was SO HARD to narrow down. I had forgotten how many great albums were released that year. There are several that I wanted to include that just couldn't make the list. Check out the list and give us your feedback!

15. Onyx - Bacdafucup

Highlights:
"Slam"
"Shifftee"
"Throw Ya Gunz"

14. Black Moon- Enta Da Stage

Highlights:
"Buck Em Down"
"Who Got Tha Props?"
"How Many MC's?"

13. Geto Boys - Till Death Do Us Part

Highlights:
"Crooked Officer"
"Six Feet Deep"

12. Spice 1 - 187 He Wrote

Highlights:
"Trigga Gots No Heart"
"The Murda Show"

11. Naughty By Nature - 19 Naughty III

Highlights:
The hip-hop anthem - "Hip-Hop Hooray"
"It's On"
"Written on Ya Kitten"

10. Salt N Pepa - Very Necessary

Highlights:
"Whatta Man"
"Shoop"
"None of Your Business"

9. Cypress Hill - Black Sunday

Highlights:
"Insane in the Brain"
"I Wanna Get High"
"When the Ship Goes Down"
"I Ain't Going Out Like That"
"Hits from the Bong"

8. Lords Of The Underground - Here Come The Lords

Highlights:
"Chief Rocka"
"Here Come The Lords"
"Psycho/Check It"
"Funky Child"

7. Digable Planets - Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)

Highlights:
"Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)"
(You don't need any other highlights. It stands on this song alone even though the rest of the album was dope)

6. Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders

Highlights:
"Electric Relaxation"
"Oh My God"

5. 8Ball & MJG - Coming Out Hard

Highlights: (Um, all of it?!)
"9 Little Millimeta Boys"
"Comin' Out Hard"
"Mr. Big"

4. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle

Highlights:
"Doggystyle"
"Gin and Juice"
"Murda Was The Case"
"Who Am I (What's My Name)?"
"Ain't No Fun"

3. Ice Cube - Lethal Injection

Highlights:
"You Know How We Do It"
"Really Doe"
"Bop Gun (One Nation)"

2. 2Pac - Strictly 4 My N.I...A.Z.

Highlights:
"Keep Ya Head Up"
"Papa'z Song"
"I Get Around"
"Holler If Ya Hear Me"

1. Wu-Tang - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Highlights:
"C.R.E.A.M."
"Method Man"
"Can It All Be So Simple"

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Top 15 R&B Albums of 1992

11/26/2018

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By Sammy Lowdermilk

This is the 2nd installment in our Top Albums series - R&B albums of 1992. Be sure to also check out the first one, "Top 15 Hip-Hop Albums of 1992." This list was harder than I imagined, and honestly, just ignore the numbers as about half of them could be considered one of the best of 1992. It's also a list HEAVY with soundtracks, two making the top of the list. It also contains an 'unplugged' album as well as a 'best of' compilation. Just take it all in, reminisce, and enjoy some good music!

15. En Vogue - Funky Divas

Highlights:
"My Lovin'"
"Free Your Mind"
"Giving Him Something He Can Feel"

14. Lionel Richie - Back to Front (Compilation Album)

Highlights:
Every song on the album

13. Bobby Brown - Bobby

Highlights:
"Humpin' Around"

12. Mo Money Soundtrack

Highlights:
"Money Can't Buy You Love"
"Forever Love"

11. SWV - It's About Time

Highlights:
"Right Here"
"Weak"
"I'm So Into You"

10. Mary J. Blige - What's the 411?

Highlights:
"You Remind Me"
"Real Love"

9. Shai - If I Ever Fall In Love

Highlights:
"If I Ever Fall In Love"
"Comforter"
"Baby I'm Yours"

8. R Kelly & Public Announcement - Born Into the 90's

Highlights:
"She's Got That Vibe"
"Slow Dance"
"Honey Love"

7. Prince - Love Symbol Album

Highlights:
"Sexy M.F."
"My Name is Prince"

6. Silk - Lose Control

Highlights:
"Freak Me"
"Lose Control/Girl U for Me"
"Baby It's You"

5. Sade - Love Deluxe

Highlights:
"No Ordinary Love"
"Cherish the Day"

4. Mariah Carey - MTV Unplugged

Highlights:
"I'll Be There"
"Vision of Love"
"Someday"

3. TLC- Ooooooohhh.... On the TLC Tip

Highlights:
"Baby-Baby-Baby"
"Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg"
"What About Your Friends"
"Hat 2 Da Back"

2. Bodyguard Soundtrack

Highlights:
"I Will Always Love You"
"I Have Nothing"
"Im Every Woman"
"Run to You"

1. Boomerang Soundtrack

Highlights:
"I'd Die Without You"
"Give U My Heart"
"Hot Sex"
"End of the Road"

Others worth mentioning:

Hi-Five - Keep It Goin' On
Jade - Jade to the Max

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Top 15 Hip-Hop Albums of 1992

11/13/2018

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By Sammy Lowdermilk

Why 1992? I turned 14 that year and was able to start buying albums with money from my first job. It was a year of musical independence and helped me fully embrace the hip-hop genre. Let's get to it! Add yours in the comments below!

15. House of Pain - House of Pain

Highlights: "Jump Around"

14. EPMD - Business Never Personal

Highlights: "Crossover," "Head Banger"

13. Kriss Kross - Totally Krossed Out

Highlights: "Jump," "I Missed The Bus," "Warm It Up"

12. Gang Starr - Daily Operation

Highlights: "Take It Personal," "Ex-Girl To Next Girl"

11. UGK - Too Hard To Swallow

Highlights: "Pocket Full Of Stones," " Something Good"

10. Redman - Whut? Thee Album

Highlights: "Blow Your Mind," "Time For Some Aksion," "Tonight's Da Night"

9. Eric B. & Rakim - Don't Sweat The Technique

Highlights: "Don't Sweat The Technique," "Know The Ledge"

8. Das EFX - Dead Serious

Highlights: "Mic Checka," "They Want EFX"

7. Spice 1 - Spice 1

Highlights: "187 Proof," "Welcome To The Ghetto"

6. Beastie Boys - Check Your Head

Highlights: "Pass The Mic," "So What'cha Want," "Jimmy James"

5. Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Mecca And The Soul Brother

Highlights: "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)," "Straighten It Out"

4. The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde

Highlights: "Passin Me By," "Ya Mama," "Otha Fish"

3. Arrested Development - 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of...

Highlights: "People Everyday," "Tennessee," "Mr. Wendal"

2. Ice Cube - The Predator

Highlights: "It Was A Good Day," "Check Yo Self," "Wicked"

1. Dr. Dre - The Chronic

Highlights: "Nuthin' But A 'G' Thang," "Let Me Ride"

Honorable Mentions (In no particular order)

Showbiz and A.G. - Runaway Slave
Highlights: "Party Groove," "Soul Clap," "Catchin Wreck"

Eazy-E - 5150: Home For Tha Sick
Highlights: "Merry Muthaphuckkin' Xmas," "Only If You Want It"

SirMixALot - Mack Daddy
Highlights: "Baby Got Back"

MC Ren - Kizz My Black Azz
Highlights: "Final Frontier"

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Best Albums: 1995 Hip-Hop

20. Dayton Family - What's On My Mind?

19. Master P- 99 Ways to Die

18. Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill III: Temples of Boom

17. Three-6 Mafia - Mystic Stylez

16. Smif N Wessun - Dah Shinin

15. Big L - Lifestyles Ov Da Poor & Dangerous

14. The Roots - Do You Want More?

13. Eazy E - Eternal E (Greatest Hits)

12. Mystikal - Mind of Mystikal

11. The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia

10. Bone Thugs in Harmony - E. 1999 Eternal

9. LL Cool J - Mr. Smith

8. ODB - Return to the 36 Chambers

7. Mobb Deep - The Infamous

6. GZA - Liquid Swords

5. 8Ball & MJG - On Top of the World

4. Goodie Mob - Soul Food (I'd like to denote that this is my favorite on this list)

3. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Lix

2. 2Pac - Me Against The World

1. Friday Soundtrack

Honorable Mentions (in no order):

Top 15 R&B Albums of 1993

15. Bell Biv Devoe - Hootie Mack

14. Mint Condition - From the Mint Factory

13. H-Town - Fever For Da Flavor

12. Johnny Gill - Provocative

11. XScape - Hummin Cummin at Cha

10. Jodeci - Diary of a Mad Band

9. R. Kelly - 12 Play

8. Mary J. Blige - What's the 411? Remix

7. Tevin Campbell - I'm Ready

6. Meshell Ndegeocello - Plantation Lullabies

5. Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton

4. Tony! Toni! Tone! - Sons of Soul

3. Mariah Carey - Music Box

2. Janet Jackson - Janet

1. Babyface - For The Cool In You

Top 15 Hip-Hop Albums of 1993

15. Onyx - Bacdafucup

14. Black Moon- Enta Da Stage

13. Geto Boys - Till Death Do Us Part

12. Spice 1 - 187 He Wrote

11. Naughty By Nature - 19 Naughty III

10. Salt N Pepa - Very Necessary

9. Cypress Hill - Black Sunday

8. Lords Of The Underground - Here Come The Lords

7. Digable Planets - Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)

6. Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders

5. 8Ball & MJG - Coming Out Hard

4. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle

3. Ice Cube - Lethal Injection

2. 2Pac - Strictly 4 My N.I.*.*.A.Z.

1. Wu-Tang - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Top 15 R&B Albums of 1992

15. En Vogue - Funky Divas

14. Lionel Richie - Back to Front (Compilation Album)

13. Bobby Brown - Bobby

12. Mo Money Soundtrack

11. SWV - It's About Time

10. Mary J. Blige - What's the 411?

9. Shai - If I Ever Fall In Love

8. R Kelly & Public Announcement - Born Into the 90's

7. Prince - Love Symbol Album

6. Silk - Lose Control

5. Sade - Love Deluxe

4. Mariah Carey - MTV Unplugged

3. TLC- Ooooooohhh.... On the TLC Tip

2. Bodyguard Soundtrack

1. Boomerang Soundtrack

Others worth mentioning:

Top 15 Hip-Hop Albums of 1992

15. House of Pain - House of Pain

14. EPMD - Business Never Personal

13. Kriss Kross - Totally Krossed Out

12. Gang Starr - Daily Operation

11. UGK - Too Hard To Swallow

10. Redman - Whut? Thee Album

9. Eric B. & Rakim - Don't Sweat The Technique

8. Das EFX - Dead Serious

2. 2Pac - Strictly 4 My N.I...A.Z.

4. The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde