The reason artists can't top their first work

[Big BpG]

People say Snoop will never be like Doggystyle

DPG will never do another Dogg Food

Nas will never do another Illmatic

etc etc....

but it's not that they can't, they can, and sometimes they do, but it's that first time feeling you get when you hear an artist for the first time. That feeling from hearing his first single, his first album, his first award... thats the greatness in it all ... that's what makes people think ... and when they want to feel that way for the second album they can't because you can only have a first once ... the second time is usually for growth ... we saw what you did on the first album ... now give us some more ... you can't always spit the same stuff over again , you gotta be differen't ...

My opinion on why 2001 is considered a classic is this ... it was the major reunion between Snoop and Dre, and Eminem was all over it too. Notice how all the song's that really went well either had Snoop and Dre or Eminem and Dre .... in the west however, other songs made it, but mainstream wise, they never touched the airwaves.

Its that first time that makes it so great, you can never re-create a first ... in my opinion

-bpg

[Tanjential]

That may not be true, because i heard 2001 before i heard the chronic and i put the chronic above 2001 still.I heard Top Dogg before i heard Doggystyle. i still recognize doggystyle above top dogg. keep in mind i started getting into rap early 99. ]=) and i'ms till up there with you OG's hehe, peace-Tanjint

[RAPQUAKE]

dIZamn!!! early 99! shiet u know a whole lot bout producing n shit fo dat tanjint, lol,...

also what makes the first album the best iz that they put a lot more work into it, they are younger and more energetic, and after their succes wid tha 1st album, they get lazy wit money n shit.

[Murrow]

Ice Cube with "Amerikkkaz Most Wanted".  He can't top that unless he can do it with NWA.

Snoop Dogg with Doggystyle...maybe, he's getting there.

[Top-Dogg2001]

Yea I gotta agree with Tajint2001. I heard It was written and I am before Illmatic and I like Illmatic so much more. I can barely listen to Nastradamus and some songs off I am after hearing Illmatic.

[Sikotic™]

But think about it from the artists perspective:

Why should they try to top their debut album. They worked their ass off and probably spent extra months trying to get their shit perfect. After they get all that recognition from the first album they don't need to try as hard. They can spend less time on another album and sell twice as much.

And their are alot of rappers that can top their first album. I might list a bunch of them later.

[Murrow]

You gotta look @ the facts, most artist's best albums are there first ones, because that's when they are hungry for that shit.  Then you have shit like "the sophmore slump", were an artist may think he/she is invinsible and not put in work thinkin it's alright.  

[Hambone (Guest)]

yeah its all about being hungry for it.......


when you are the new jack on the block..you wanna prove that you are the best........

when u start to sell millions..and that money starts to come in.......they sit back...and are like i got money.....i just want a snack on my next cd......lol.........
maybe Snoop will prove us wrong on his next CD, after his obligations are done with priority and no limit and bitch knight..

[Trauma-san]

I'll Tell Ya EXACTLY Why Their First Album Is USUALLY The Best....


"Doggystyle" - 19 Years In The Making

"Doggfather" - 2 Years In The Making

"Da Game" - 1 Year In The Making

"Topp Dogg" - 1 Year In The Making

"The Last Meal" - 1 Year In The Making...


Snoop Put ALL The Dopest Stuff He'd Ever Thought About On The First Album.  It Covered All His Experiences, Etc. The Next Albums Were Just A Review Of Stuff He'd Already Said, And Stuff That Had Happened In The 2 Years In Between.

Then, There's Some Trendsetters, Who Break This Law.  For Instance, Dre Did A TON Of Dope Stuff With N.W.A., Lyrically, Flow, Idea Wise, And Sonically.  Then When He Left For Deathrow, He Put Out His Dopest Stuff Ever, Even Though He Had Already Been Dope, He Got Even Better When He Left Ruthless. That's Rare, Tupac Did The Same Thing, Eminem MAYBE Has Done The Same Thing, Snoop MAY End Up Doing The Same Thing, But Not Yet.

[DPGC2001]

It also has to do with how much time they spend in making each album.  Doggystyle was in the works for like a year with Dre perfecting and fine tuning it,while Da Game was recorded in a few weeks and it showed.  I have a feeling Nas's next album will be a pretty close to a classic, he's taking his time with it and has spit fire in all his recent guest spots.

[TheSheriff]

One person who's topped their CLASSIC debut album...On THREE occasions...

OutKast. I know they not West Coast and all, but just to point out it can be done.

'Pac did his best after his first album. Em's done better than his first album(which I love, personally...). The two named LP's and the EP ride over it, knawhaImsayin?

Dre's a complete enigma-All his work has been different from the work before it.

If you're a G-Funk head, you'll like one, maybe two songs(Bitch Niggaz and Housewife)on 2001, but you'll love all the Chronic; If you're a new head to the game, you'll find the Chronic dated and wack in places.

I love 'em both, though perhaps 2001 wins, cos that shit rocks to my mind. At Ruthless, Dre dropped hardcore gangsta beats...Death Row, FUNK gangsta beats...Aftermath is perhaps a mixture of the two and more.

All are good, but I prefer the Aftermath period(even the "Presents..." album!), perhaps cos I'm interested in electro sounds. It prolly shows in my production.

[Top-Dogg2001]

Yeah Outkast did match there first album. They continually innovate on every album which is something many artist never do. However artist like Dre, michael jackson (so what if he's not a rapper), and 2pac continually innovate and bring something new to the game everytime they put out some material.  

[DJ Stew]

if there is one artist that i can think of the DID top their first album  with their second one it would have to be Kurupt. Tha Streetz... was much better then Kuruption

[lee]

Nearly everyone thinks that eminems "mmlp" was better than "sslp"
And it is ...
Dre seemed to put more energy in Ems second album 2 ..

[Murrow]

Dre even said he wants to put more energy in Slim's 3rd LP.  He's says the two haven't done anything to make the Doctor "cringe".