The Greatest 50 Hip-hop Albums Ever - #8...

[Twentytwofifty]

N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton (1988) 

 
    NWA, the world's most dangerous, and argueably the most infuencial, group were formed in 1986 by former drug dealer, Eric 'Eazy-E' Wright.  Eazy formed Ruthless Records as a way to get paid, nothing more, nothing less.  He brought in local rapper Lorenzo 'MC Ren' Paterson, a local rapper/writer from a crew called CIA - Ice Cube, born O'Shea Jackson, and the two producers/DJs of the World Class Wreckin' Cru, Dr. Dre (Andre Young) and Antoine 'DJ Yella' Carraby.  The group formed and adopted the name N.W.A (Niggaz With Attitude), with the plan of turning their back on the radio waves and to come out with records which pushed the limits of what society deemed acceptable.  The album which pushed every boundary imaginable sold over two million copies in just a few months without a radio friendly track.  If the streets ever had anything to say, N.W.A’s revolutionary debut, Straight Outta Compton, served as its definitive voice.
 
    Dr. Dre once famously quipped that the album had been comprised in just 6 weeks to sell out of the boot of the car at local swap meets.  Straight Outta Compton is the most influencial hardcore hip-hop album of all time.  17 years later, the album has become a legendary classic in hip-hop history and is also one of the most contraversial albums of all time.  The album was constantly slated in the national press and even the FBI wrote a letter regarding “Fuck The Police”.  Unapologetically frightening, N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton is one of the most seminal albums in the history of rap and greatly influenced countless gangsta rappers.  N.W.A didn't invent gangsta rap — others such as Ice-T and Schoolly D had already embraced first-person narratives focusing on the harsh realities of ghetto life — but the L.A. group made it even more violent and more importantly, they are the ones that really brought it to the masses.  Portraying gang members and other felons, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren and Eazy-E took listeners on an arresting journey through L.A.'s tough Compton ghetto.  While Public Enemy injected heavy doses of self-empowerment and social analysis into their musical attack on the establishment, N.W.A simply threatened to rob it and burn it down.  Seconds after the album’s violent, jarring, rampageous ”Straight Outta Compton” exploded, Compton instantaneously became a hip-hop landmark.  Dr. Dre’s production genius was undeniable and Ice Cube’s chilling Charles Mason-inspired prophecies frightened America.  Slick, funk-injected villainous anthems like “Dopeman” and “Gangsta, Gangsta” placed listeners in their criminal mindset, making it acceptable to root for the “bad guy”.  Critics of this highly controversial album contended that N.W.A was glamorizing Black-on-Black crime — the rappers countered that they weren't encouraging violence, but rather were presenting an audio documentary of life as they knew it growing up in Compton.  Subsequently, gangsta rap would be plagued by numerous soundalike MCs who lacked even a fraction of N.W.A's originality.  But in the innovative hands of N.W.A., it was bold, inspired and arresting.


50. Dr. Dre – 2001 (1999)
49. Outkast – Southernplayalisticaddicmuzik (1994)
48. Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt (1996)
47. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Wanted: Dead Or Alive (1990)
46. Redman – Whut? Thee Album (1992)
45. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead (1991)
44. Fugees – The Score (1996)
43. The D.O.C. – No One Can Do It Better (1989)
42. Common Sense - Resurrection (1994)
41. Makaveli - The Don Kiluminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996)
40. Public Enemy – Fear Of A Black Planet (1990)
39. Ice Cube – Death Certificate (1992)
38. Gza/Genius - Liquid Swords (1995)
37. N.W.A – Efil4zaggin (1991)
36. Main Source – Breaking Atoms (1991)
35. Geto Boys – Grip It! On That Other Level (1989)
34. Brand Nubian – One For All (1990)
33. Scarface – The Diary (1994)
32. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Road To The Riches (1989)
31. Beastie Boys – Licensed To Ill (1986)
30. Ultramagnetic MC's – Critical Beatdown (1988)
29. LL Cool J – Radio (1985)
28. 2Pac – All Eyez On Me (1996)
27. Mobb Deep – The Infamous… (1995)
26. Eric B. & Rakim – Follow The Leader (1988)
25. Big Daddy Kane – It’s A Big Daddy (1989)
24. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – Mecca And The Soul Brother (1992)
23. Black Moon – Enta Da Stage (1993)
22. Outkast – Aquemini (1998)
21. A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm (1990)
20. Run-D.M.C. – Run-D.M.C. (1984)
19. Boogie Down Productions – By All Means Necessary (1988)
18. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995)
17. De La Soul – 3 Feet High And Rising (1989)
16. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggystyle (1993)
15. Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted (1990)
14. The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die (1994)
13. Run-D.M.C. – Raising Hell (1986)
12. EPMD – Strictly Business (1988)
11. Big Daddy Kane – Long Live The Kane (1988)
10. A Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders (1993)
09. Boogie Down Productions – Criminal Minded (1987)
08. N.W.A – Straight Outta Compton (1988)

[Diabolical]

 

[Lincoln]

Good spot.

[eS El Duque]

Great fuckin album

[Don Jacob]

way too low, should be  ALOT higher, like KRS one said, this is probably the most influencial rap record inside of rap AND outside

[Twentytwofifty]

way too low, should be  ALOT higher, like KRS one said, this is probably the most influencial rap record inside of rap AND outside

I don't if you saw what number this is but it's number eight.  I can't see how it's way too low, there are only seven spots left.

[Don Jacob]

like KRS one said, this is probably the most influencial rap record inside of rap AND outside

[DAYUM]

im still surprised i havent seen a Bone Thugs album yet..

[eS El Duque]

im still surprised i havent seen a Bone Thugs album yet..

lmao..and you wont

[Don Jacob]

im still surprised i havent seen a Bone Thugs album yet..

lmao..and you wont

[makaveli11]

way too low, should be  ALOT higher, like KRS one said, this is probably the most influencial rap record inside of rap AND outside

I don't if you saw what number this is but it's number eight.  I can't see how it's way too low, there are only seven spots left.

I don't think he is saying that spot eight itself is low, but he probably expected to see the album in the top five for sure. I agree with him because soc is probably the most influential hardcore rap album of all time. We will just have to see the rest of the list first before we start complaining.

[Suffice]

im still surprised i havent seen a Bone Thugs album yet..

lmao..and you wont

yeah, i dunno though, i'd put E.1999 in the top 50 for sure. I dunno what CKnuckles was thinking

[icebergslimIII]

I fell out of my chair twice when I saw Knuckle's post. First, he actually rated a west coast album where it should be in top albums of all time. This doesn't stand up over time like the classic Eazy E Eazy-Duz-It album beat wise, but was monumental in rap history. Who can forget ice cubes opening line to Straight Out of Compton? I think this was Dre's worst work for this period of time beat wise, but was great lyrically. I fell out of my chair the second time when I saw Big Daddy Kane rated #11. I know that shit didnt go platinum! Having a Big Daddy kane album rated ahead of Dre's 2001 and EFILZAGGIN is a disgrace! A travesty! I'm appalled!  I'm expecting Chuckles the Clown to have Young MC or Special Ed as the top album in rap history! Yo, Knuckles, where is Special Ed? He was way tighter than Big Daddy Kane! 2pac All Eyez on Me at #28? Knuckles, quit smoking that rock!

[Bramsterdam (see ya)]

^Shut the fuck up

Props nuckles, good spot for this album, and for every other album too really.

[icebergslimIII]

Knuckles put in a lot of time and effort on this project, but I have a problem with the Eastside slant and having eastcoast albums ranked so high. Westside!!!