Albums Turning 30 (1996/2026)

[The Predator]

The Class of 1996: Celebrating 30 Years of Hip-Hop's Most Pivotal Era

If you want to measure the passage of time for a golden-era hip-hop purist, just point to the calendar: The Class of 1996 is officially 30 years old.

As 2026 unfolds, the culture is bracing for a relentless wave of retrospectives honoring a 12-month span widely considered the genre's zenith. The sheer volume of watershed albums released in 1996 remains a staggering anomaly, their sonic architecture still firmly woven into the fabric of contemporary music.

The anniversary marathon commenced with a massive milestone in February. On Feb. 13, 1996, record store shelves absorbed two culture-shifting releases simultaneously: The Fugees' inescapable global juggernaut "The Score" and 2Pac's sprawling, diamond-certified double album "All Eyez on Me." Both projects pulverized the commercial ceiling for rap, proving the art form could dominate pop radio and command global attention without compromising its street-level authenticity.



As the summer approaches, the historical gravity only intensifies. June marks three decades of Jay-Z's mafioso-rap blueprint "Reasonable Doubt," followed swiftly by Nas' cinematic sophomore effort, "It Was Written," in July. That summer proved existential for New York hip-hop, reaffirming the East Coast's lyrical supremacy and commercial viability amid heavily publicized regional rivalries.

Down South, the celebratory wave will crash over Atlanta in August when OutKast's atmospheric masterwork "ATLiens" turns 30. Fulfilling Andre 3000's prophetic 1995 Source Awards declaration that the South had something to say, the album offered undeniable proof. It anchored the region's place in the hip-hop pantheon, submerging listeners in the futuristic, funk-laden soundscapes of Organized Noize.



Concurrently, R&B experienced a permanent metamorphosis. The genre's topography shifted unequivocally with the August release of Aaliyah's "One in a Million." Galvanized by the erratic, syncopated production of Timbaland and the sharp penmanship of Missy Elliott, the album decisively closed the curtain on the new jack swing era, laying a futuristic foundation for the new millennium. Months prior, Maxwell's April debut, "Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite," executed a similar pivot, helping to birth the neo-soul movement.



Three decades removed, the Class of 1996 defies categorization as mere nostalgic trivia. Contemporary vocalists continue to borrow these cadences, producers still scavenge for the analog warmth of these drum breaks, and ascending MCs perpetually dissect these flows. Nineteen ninety-six wasn't just a prolific calendar year; it was the seismic event that permanently realigned the tectonic plates of Black music, pouring the concrete foundation upon which the entire modern industry is built.

Upcoming 1996 30th Anniversaries to Watch
Busta Rhymes, "The Coming"
March
Maxwell, "Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite"
April
Jay-Z, "Reasonable Doubt"
June
Nas, "It Was Written"
July
Aaliyah, "One in a Million"
August
OutKast, "ATLiens"
August
Ghostface Killah, "Ironman"
October
Lil' Kim, "Hard Core"
November

Honorable Mentions: The Underground & Cult Classics of '96

De La Soul, "Stakes Is High"
July

A crucial, boom-bap rejection of the era's growing commercialism.

The Roots, "Illadelph Halflife"
September

The live-band pioneers establishing their heavier, uncompromised sound.

Makaveli, "The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory"
November

2Pac's posthumous, darkly prophetic masterpiece.

Mobb Deep, "Hell on Earth"
November

The grimy, cinematic follow-up that cemented Queensbridge royalty.

Redman, "Muddy Waters"
December

A masterclass in funk-sampled, blunt-fueled lyricism.

[Young Old Head]

Crazy how many classics were released in '96! Makes me think: Maybe the strongest year in Hip-Hop history. Wasn't easy to pick only 5...

[The Predator]

7 No-Skip Hip-Hop and R&B Albums That Are Turning 30 Years Old This Year



(Vice)

In the lauded golden age of hip-hop, 1996 is arguably the greatest year for the genre and culture. There were so many classic, foundational albums for artists that would define their careers. Whether it was artists hitting their pinnacle or laying the groundwork for the rest of their careers with a strong body of work, the year was the cream of the crop for rap. Mix this in with a premier year for R&B in one of its greatest decades, and 1996 was an incredible year for Black artists.

Now, 30 years later, we still look back at that era with awe. As a result, Noisey has selected seven legendary efforts across hip-hop and R&B that you should check out today.

7 Classic Hip-Hop and R&B Albums Turning 30 Years Old

‘All Eyez On Me' by Tupac

Arguably the greatest double album in music history, All Eyez On Me is Tupac at his most audacious. He was out on bail looking to take over the world on Death Row Records. Records like the funky "Can't C Me" and "Picture Me Rollin" saw him taunting his enemies and his parole officer alike. Across 27 songs and a hefty 2+ hours, Tupac's bragging and paranoia were irresistible, every song feeling urgent as a result.

‘Ridin' Dirty' by UGK

UGK had quietly been building Houston's infrastructure within hip-hop for years up to 1996. But it's Ridin' Dirty that was too good for non-Southern rap fans to deny. "One Day" is deeply somber in its existential musing about the frailty of life. Then, "Diamonds & Wood" is an extremely cinematic record that depicts how pivotal car culture is to Houston. Through Bun B's grizzled rhyming and Pimp C's soulful production, Ridin' Dirty became a pivotal blueprint for how Southern artists would make records in the future.

‘Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite' by Maxwell

Maxwell's debut album was so undeniably sexy and sensual, it made him an R&B superstar seemingly overnight. Alongside soul royalty Leon Ware, songs like "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" were satin-smooth and deeply intimate in their yearning.
‘Reasonable Doubt' by Jay-Z

Not many artists can say they have a debut album as great as Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt. Hov seamlessly blended lavish opulence with a hardened hustler's edge. Take "Feelin' It" and how he sips champagne while staring out at the empire he's building. Meanwhile, "Dead Presidents II" plays like a streetview report of the hard-knock life Jay-Z would eventually use Annie to depict years later.

‘It Was Written' by Nas

While Illmatic receives a bit more of the acclaim from hip-hop fans, It Was Written was arguably just as good. Nas's sharp lyricism was on display with records like "I Gave You Power" rapping from the point of view of a gun. Propped up by Trackmasters production, it's some of his freshest-sounding music with some of his best writing to date.

‘One in A Million' by Aaliyah

One in a Million radically altered how people perceived Aaliyah and made her a full-blown superstar. Her debut was a mostly inappropriate album anchored by R. Kelly and put a foul taste in audiences' mouths. But alongside Missy Elliott's cool demeanor and Timbaland's dynamic, innovative production, the late R&B star found her voice. "I wanted to maintain my smooth street musical image but wanted to be funky and hot yet sophisticated," she told Billboard in 1996. Safe to say she accomplished her goal with the saccharine sweet "4 Page Letter" and the unbelievably catchy thump on "One in a Million".

‘ATLiens' by Outkast

While Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik put Outkast on the map with staunchly southern anthems, ATLiens challenged their listeners to get a little weirder. Records like "Wheelz Of Steel" still propped up hip-hop traditions like DJ scratching but mixed with an alien green sheen. The mellow synths on "Elevators (Me & You)" feel like watching a UFO hover in your neighborhood. Eventually, Outkast would grow even wilder with their sound. ATLiens proved they could go left-field without alienating their fans.

[The Predator]

26 Essential Rap/Hip-Hop Music Albums Turning 30 In 2026



Let's celebrate the legendary rap and hip-hop music album releases of 1996.


1996 wasn't just a year — it was a declaration. Hip-hop had already proven it could move units and shift culture, but that year? That's when the genre grabbed the whole industry by the collar and refused to let go. From coast to coast, from basement to penthouse, the sound was everywhere, undeniable. Artists weren't just making records; they were staking claims, building empires, and redefining what rap could be when ambition met opportunity.

The albums that dropped in '96 represented a perfect storm of talent, timing, and technological evolution. You had street narratives getting sharper, production getting lusher, and artists finding ways to be both deeply local and universally resonant. 2Pac went double-disc and gave us a sprawling epic. Jay-Z introduced himself with the confidence of someone who already knew where the story was headed. Outkast reminded everybody that the South had something to say, and they said it with ATLiens. Fugees blended hip-hop with everything else and went diamond doing it. The Roots showed that live instrumentation could coexist with boom-bap without compromise. Each release felt like a conversation with the ones that came before it, building on legacy while creating new blueprints.

I was twenty years old that year, catching these albums in real time — some on release day, others a few weeks later when the buzz became unavoidable. My friends and I would debate which coast was winning, which MC had the best wordplay, and which producer was pushing boundaries. The adults around us were paying attention too, because hip-hop wasn't just youth music anymore. It was the soundtrack to ambition, struggle, celebration, and survival. Looking back now, with the benefit of distance and perspective, I hear things I missed the first time — double entendres that flew over my head. These production choices were more innovative than I realized, cultural commentary that hits different after living through what came next. The nostalgia is real, but so is the renewed appreciation for just how special that moment was.

Here are 26 Essential Rap/Hip-Hop Music Albums Turning 30 In 2026 — the records that defined a year when hip-hop became unavoidable, unforgettable, and undeniable.

All Eyez on Me by 2Pac (February 13)
Pac came out of prison with something to prove and a Death Row machine behind him, delivering hip-hop's first mainstream double album that actually justified its length. The singles — "California Love," "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted," "How Do U Want It" — dominated radio and MTV for months, pushing the album to number one on the Billboard 200 and eventually moving over five million copies in its first year. Dr. Dre and Daz Dillinger crafted beats that felt cinematic and immediate at once, giving Pac room to oscillate between partying and paranoia, hedonism and introspection. The album captured him at his most charismatic and contradictory, someone fully aware the spotlight might be temporary but determined to burn bright while it lasted. Three decades later, it still sounds like the work of an artist who knew he was running out of time.

The Score by Fugees (February 13)
The Fugees took the blueprint for commercially successful hip-hop and rewrote it entirely, blending rap with reggae, R&B, and soul in ways that felt effortless rather than calculated. "Killing Me Softly" became an inescapable cultural moment, while "Fu-Gee-La" and "Ready or Not" kept them in rotation across formats. The album peaked at number one and went on to sell 6 million copies within a year, proving that hip-hop could crossover without dumbing down. Wyclef's production was inventive and warm, Lauryn's singing and rapping felt revelatory, and Pras held down the foundation with understated skill. The Score didn't just break records; it expanded the conversation about what hip-hop could sound like and who it could reach.

The Coming by Busta Rhymes (March 26)
Busta's solo debut announced him as more than just the wildest voice in Leaders of the New School — he was a force unto himself. "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check" hit like a freight train, with that unmistakable energy and a music video that felt like controlled chaos. The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200, establishing Busta as a commercial draw with an underground sensibility. His rapid-fire delivery and willingness to experiment with cadence made every track feel unpredictable, while the production — handled largely by Easy Moe Bee, Rashad Smith, and DJ Scratch — gave him the perfect playgrounds for his verbal acrobatics. The Coming set the standard for what a Busta Rhymes project should sound like: bold, brash, and utterly impossible to ignore.

Until the Day by Nonchalant (March 26)
Nonchalant's debut was a masterclass in understated cool, led by "5 O'Clock," a smooth, effortless single that became a quiet summer anthem. The album blended jazz-inflected production with conversational flows, giving her room to explore relationships, self-worth, and daily life without melodrama or posturing. It didn't dominate the charts, but it carved out space for a different kind of female MC — one who didn't need to be the loudest in the room to command attention. The production felt laid-back but intentional, creating an atmosphere that invited you to sit with the music rather than rush through it. Until the Day remains an overlooked gem from a year crowded with heavy hitters.

The Resurrection by Geto Boys (April 2)
The Geto Boys came back leaner and meaner after some lineup changes, with Scarface, Willie D, and Big Mike delivering one of the group's most focused projects. The album climbed to number six on the Billboard 200, proving that Southern street rap had a hungry audience beyond regional borders. Tracks like "The World Is a Ghetto" showcased the group's ability to paint vivid pictures of life in Houston's underbelly without flinching or moralizing. The production was gritty and sparse, letting the narratives breathe and the voices cut through without unnecessary flash. The Resurrection reminded everyone that the Geto Boys still had plenty to say and the skill to say it with authority.

Ice Cream Man by Master P (April 16)
Master P's fifth studio album was the one that started turning No Limit from an independent hustle into a Southern empire. "Mr. Ice Cream Man" became a regional hit that introduced P's businessman-rapper persona to a wider audience, while the album's scrappy, DIY production aesthetic became a signature sound. It didn't chart like his later releases, but it laid the groundwork for what was coming — a blueprint for independence that would inspire countless artists to chase ownership over deals. The beats were raw, the hooks were simple, and the ambition was limitless. Ice Cream Man was proof that you didn't need major label polish to build something real.

Killa Kali by Celly Cel (April 30)
Celly Cel's third album solidified his place in the Bay Area pantheon, delivering street narratives over production that sounded distinctly Northern California. "It's Goin' Down" became a regional staple, with a beat that knocked and a hook that stuck. The album showcased Cel's knack for storytelling and his ability to ride beats with a conversational flow that never felt forced. While it didn't break through nationally, Killa Kali was beloved in the Bay and remains a testament to the region's depth during the mid-'90s. The production had that signature Bay bounce, and Cel's presence felt authentic rather than manufactured.

Gettin' It (Album Number Ten) by Too Short (May 21)
By album number ten, Too $hort had perfected his formula: bass-heavy beats, talk-box funk, and narratives that leaned into his pimp persona without apology. "Gettin' It" and "Cocktales" kept him in rotation on the West Coast and beyond, while the album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200. Short's longevity was no accident — he understood his lane and never tried to be anything other than what worked. The production felt familiar but never stale, a continuation of the sound he'd been refining since the '80s. Gettin' It was proof that consistency and authenticity could sustain a decades-long career.

Takin' Mine by Heather B. (June 11)
Heather B. stepped out of MTV's The Real World spotlight and into the booth with an album that showcased her skills as an MC, not just a reality TV personality. "My Kinda N — -a" was the standout, produced by DJ Kenny Parker, with Heather's voice cutting through with confidence and clarity. The album didn't make major commercial waves, but it proved she belonged in the conversation as a serious rapper. The production across the project leaned into the rugged East Coast sound of the era, giving Heather room to establish her voice and perspective. Takin' Mine was a statement of intent that didn't get the shine it deserved.

Reasonable Doubt by Jay-Z (June 25)
Jay-Z's debut is the rare album that sounded like a classic from the moment it dropped, even if the numbers took time to catch up. "Dead Presidents II," "Ain't No N — -a," and "Can't Knock the Hustle" became instant staples, with production from Ski, DJ Premier, and Clark Kent that felt both timeless and precisely of-the-moment. The album initially peaked at number 23 on the Billboard 200, but its influence far outweighed its chart position. Jay's wordplay was sharp, his delivery unhurried, and his confidence absolute — this was the sound of someone who knew exactly what they were building. Reasonable Doubt set the blueprint for everything that came after, a foundational text for anyone studying the intersection of street rap and commercial ambition.

The Final Tic by Crucial Conflict (July 2)
Crucial Conflict brought a distinctly Chicago energy to the national stage with The Final Tic, led by the infectious "Hay" and its signature Wildstyle production. The album peaked at number twelve on the Billboard 200, proving that Midwest hip-hop could compete commercially without sounding like anyone else. The production — handled largely by Wildstyle — had a melodic, almost sing-song quality that separated Crucial Conflict from their peers. Their rapid-fire, overlapping flows created a sense of controlled chaos that felt uniquely theirs. The Final Tic was a moment when Chicago stepped into the spotlight and reminded everyone that the Midwest had its own sound worth paying attention to.

Stakes Is High by De La Soul (July 2)
De La Soul returned with an album that felt like a course correction, stripping away some of the playfulness of earlier work in favor of sharper social commentary and more introspective production. "Stakes Is High" and "Itzsoweezee (HOT)" showed a group willing to evolve while staying true to their core identity. The album peaked at number thirteen on the Billboard 200, a respectable showing for a group that never chased commercial trends. The production — largely handled by the group themselves alongside J Dilla — felt organic and layered, rewarding repeated listens. Stakes Is High was proof that De La Soul could mature without losing what made them essential.

It Was Written by Nas (July 2)
Nas followed up Illmatic with an album that expanded his sonic palette and commercial ambitions, bringing in Trackmasters and Puff Daddy to help craft a more radio-friendly sound. "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" featuring Lauryn Hill became a massive hit, while "Street Dreams" and "The Message" kept the album in heavy rotation. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and sold over 270,000 copies in its first week, proving Nas could reach a wider audience without compromising his core skills. The production was lusher and more polished than Illmatic, a choice that divided some fans but expanded his reach. It Was Written showed Nas navigating the tension between artistic integrity and commercial success with more grace than most.

Beats, Rhymes and Life by A Tribe Called Quest (July 30)
A Tribe Called Quest's fourth album marked a tonal shift, with darker, more subdued production courtesy of The Ummah and a lyrical focus that felt more introspective and sometimes weary. "1nce Again" and "Stressed Out" became the standout tracks, showcasing the group's ability to evolve while maintaining their signature chemistry. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, proving that Tribe's fanbase was still hungry for new material even as the sound evolved. The production felt more stripped-down than previous efforts, reflecting the internal tensions beginning to surface within the group. Beats, Rhymes and Life wasn't as immediately accessible as their earlier work, but time has revealed its depth.

Ridin' Dirty by UGK (July 30)
UGK's third album was the one that elevated them from regional favorites to nationally recognized voices, with Pimp C's production reaching new heights and Bun B's lyricism sharpening to a razor's edge. "One Day" became an underground anthem, while the title track showcased the duo's chemistry and ability to craft narratives that felt cinematic. The album peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard 200, their highest chart position to date, signaling that the South was demanding attention on its own terms. The production had that syrupy, soulful Texas sound that became a signature, with Pimp C flipping samples in ways that felt both innovative and deeply rooted in the tradition. Ridin' Dirty cemented UGK as legends and proved Southern hip-hop wasn't a novelty — it was the future.

Bad As I Wanna B by MC Lyte (August 27)
MC Lyte's fifth album found her refining her sound and exploring more mainstream production while maintaining the lyrical sharpness that made her a pioneer. "Keep On, Keepin' On" featuring Xscape became a crossover hit, blending hip-hop and R&B in a way that felt natural rather than forced. The album peaked at number eleven on the Billboard 200, showing that Lyte still had commercial appeal nearly a decade into her career. The production was sleeker and more radio-friendly than her earlier work, a deliberate choice that expanded her audience without erasing her identity. Bad As I Wanna B was proof that female MCs could evolve, experiment, and still command respect.

ATLiens by Outkast (August 27)
Outkast's second album was the moment they stepped fully into their own vision, trading some of the Southern-fried funk of their debut for something more cosmic and introspective. "Elevators (Me & You)" became the breakout single, with a music video that felt like a short film and a hook that's still unforgettable. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and eventually went double platinum, proving that Outkast could grow their audience while deepening their artistry. Organized Noize's production remained innovative, but André and Big Boi pushed themselves as writers and performers, exploring themes of alienation, ambition, and identity with nuance. ATLiens was the bridge between where Outkast started and where they were headed, and it's still stunning.

Picture This by Do or Die (September 3)
Do or Die's debut introduced the world to Chicago's melodic, harmony-driven take on street rap, with "Po Pimp" featuring Twista and Johnny P becoming an instant classic. The album peaked at number twenty-five on the Billboard 200, establishing Do or Die as one of the Midwest's most promising new acts. The Legendary Traxster's production created a sonic landscape that was distinctly Chicago — smooth, soulful, and unapologetically street. The group's ability to blend singing and rapping felt ahead of its time, influencing countless artists who came after. Picture This was a defining statement from a city that was still carving out its lane in hip-hop.

Illadelph Halflife by The Roots (September 24)
The Roots' third album pushed their sound into darker, more experimental territory, with live instrumentation that felt urgent and unpredictable. "What They Do" and "Concerto of the Desperado" showcased the group's range, from radio-ready singles to sprawling, ambitious compositions. The album peaked at number twenty-one on the Billboard 200, their highest chart position yet, proving that a live band could compete in an increasingly sample-driven landscape. The production was dense and layered, rewarding close listening and revealing new details on every spin. Illadelph Halflife was proof that The Roots weren't interested in repeating themselves — they were committed to evolution.

Bow Down by Westside Connection (October 22)
Ice Cube, WC, and Mack 10 formed Westside Connection and delivered an album that felt like a West Coast state of the union address, full of bravado, regional pride, and sharp social commentary. "Bow Down" and "Gangstas Make the World Go Round" became anthems, with production that knocked hard and hooks that stuck. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and went platinum, proving that West Coast gangsta rap still had commercial muscle. The chemistry between the three MCs felt natural, with each bringing their own perspective while maintaining a unified front. Bow Down was a reminder that the West Coast wasn't backing down from anyone.

Ironman by Ghostface Killah (October 29)
Ghostface's solo debut was a masterpiece of vivid storytelling, emotional depth, and RZA's grimy, soul-sampling production. "All That I Got Is You," featuring Mary J. Blig,e became a heartbreaking single, while "Daytona 500" and "Motherless Child" showcased Ghost's narrative gifts. The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, proving that Wu-Tang solo projects could stand on their own commercially and artistically. Ghost's voice — raspy, urgent, full of personality — cut through every track, making the personal universal and the street poetic. Ironman remains one of the finest solo efforts from the Wu-Tang camp and a high point in '90s hip-hop storytelling.

Hard Core by Lil' Kim (November 12)
Lil' Kim's debut was a seismic event, a woman claiming her sexual agency and lyrical dominance in a genre that often tried to diminish both. "No Time" featuring Puff Daddy and "Crush on You" became massive hits, pushing the album to number eleven on the Billboard 200 and eventually to platinum status. The production — handled by The Notorious B.I.G., Diddy, Stevie J, Jermaine Dupri, and others — was polished and radio-ready, but Kim's voice and perspective were unapologetic and undeniable. She rapped with the same bravado as her male peers, refusing to play by anyone else's rules. Hard Core wasn't just a great debut; it was a declaration of independence that changed what was possible for women in hip-hop.

Ill Na Na by Foxy Brown (November 19)
Foxy Brown arrived with a debut that matched ambition with execution, delivering street narratives and radio singles with equal conviction. "Get Me Home" featuring Blackstreet and "I'll Be" featuring Jay-Z became instant hits, helping the album debut at number seven on the Billboard 200. The production — anchored by Trackmasters — was sleek and commercial, giving Foxy the perfect backdrop for her confident delivery and sharp wordplay. At 18, she rapped with the authority of a veteran, holding her own against anyone willing to step into the booth with her. Ill Na Na was proof that Foxy wasn't just part of a moment — she was helping to define it.

Hell on Earth by Mobb Deep (November 19)
Mobb Deep followed up The Infamous with an album that felt even colder, darker, and more unforgiving. "G.O.D. Pt. III" and "Hell on Earth (Front Lines)" captured the bleakness of mid-'90s New York street life with unflinching detail. The album debuted at number six on the Billboard 200, cementing Mobb Deep as one of the most important groups in East Coast hip-hop. Havoc and Prodigy's chemistry was undeniable, their voices playing off each other like two sides of the same coin. The production was minimalist and menacing, creating an atmosphere that felt claustrophobic and hypnotic. Hell on Earth wasn't easy listening, but it was essential.

Enigma by Keith Murray (November 26)
Keith Murray's second album found him refining the playful complexity that defined his debut, delivering wordplay that felt like verbal gymnastics. "The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World" had already introduced his style, but Enigma solidified his place in the Def Squad lineup. The album peaked at number thirty-nine on the Billboard 200, a respectable showing for an MC who prioritized style over commercial accessibility. Erick Sermon's production gave Murray room to experiment with flows and concepts, creating tracks that rewarded close attention. Enigma was proof that Murray's debut wasn't a fluke — he had the skills and creativity to sustain a career.

Muddy Waters by Redman (December 10)
Redman closed out 1996 with an album that showcased his growth as an MC and his willingness to push his sound into new territory. "It's Like That (My Big Brother)" and "Whateva Man," featuring Erick Sermon, became standouts, blending humor, technical skill, and production that felt adventurous. The album debuted at number twelve on the Billboard 200, proving that Redman's fanbase was loyal and growing. The production — handled largely by Erick Sermon and Redman himself — felt more experimental than his previous work, incorporating live instruments and unexpected samples. Muddy Waters was Redman at his most confident, an MC comfortable enough in his own skin to take risks.

26 Essential Rap/Hip-Hop Music Albums Turning 30 In 2026 represents a year when the genre was firing on all cylinders, from every region, in every style. These albums weren't just commercial releases — they were cultural statements, artistic achievements, and the soundtrack to a moment when hip-hop truly became America's music. Revisiting them now, three decades later, the quality holds up, the innovation still resonates, and the influence remains undeniable.

The albums on this list didn't just define 1996 — they shaped everything that came after. They proved that hip-hop could be commercially dominant and artistically uncompromising, that regional diversity made the genre stronger, and that great albums could come from anywhere if the talent and vision aligned. These records are the reason we're still having conversations about '96 as one of hip-hop's greatest years.

What do you think about this list? Did your favorites make the cut? Drop your thoughts in the comments and share this with anyone who lived through this era or wishes they had.

[The Predator]

A recap of some hip-hop events in 96...

West vs East Vs East -

Why 1996 Had The Perfect Storm To Split Hip-Hop In Two

On the most recent episode of Drink Champs, co-host N.O.R.E. told guests Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey, and Dave Chappelle about the moment he felt Hip-Hop became divided. The co-founder of Capone-N-Noreaga opined to Black Star that he feels The Roots' 1996 "What They Do" music video was a dividing line for the culture. That visual, belonging to Illadelph Halflife, portrayed many of the emerging cliches in Rap music. It showed mansions, bikini-clad models at pool parties, champagne drinking, and sequences of well-heeled entertainers posted up in the projects. N.O.R.E., who was still preparing his debut album at the time, recalls conversations with Nas taking offense to the commentary. In a 2011 interview with Pitchfork, The Roots' Questlove said that he learned Biggie Smalls—a Roots fan—felt dissed by the treatment. The conversation stemmed off of N.O.R.E. mentioning the term "backpacker," and the show's guests expounding on the origin of the term and its place in Hip-Hop fashion.



In 2017, 9th Wonder made a similar point to N.O.R.E.'s. The Grammy Award-winning producer looked at July 2, 1996. On that day, Nas released his sophomore album, It Was Written, and De La Soul dropped their fifth LP, Stakes Is High. For two highly-respected New York acts, the two albums represented a crossroads. While Nas was following up a 5-mic debut Illmatic (deemed the greatest Hip-Hop album of all-time by AFH‘s readers), he rebranded himself two years later. By July 1996, Nas—immersed in beef with Tupac Shakur, had embraced his "Escobar" persona. The MC was forming a super-ground with AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega, now being managed by Steve Stoute (who reportedly guided Nas to his new plateau), and went from videos directed by Fab 5 Freddie to big-budget visuals from Hype Williams. De La Soul was in their own transition, having broken from mentor/producer Prince Paul after three lauded LPs. After gold and platinum success, the Long Island trio identified new personnel—including producer Jay Dee (nka J Dilla) and Mos Def, to work with. Although Stakes As High reached #13 on the charts, marking a new best for Posdnuos, Dave, and Maseo—It Was Written was atop the same rankings. Nas had leveled up from Illmatic‘s #12 position two years earlier. Two acts who had freestyled together in 1996 and—would again later—suddenly seemed worlds apart. "At a time where some of us felt in the mid-'90s that Hip-Hop taking another direction.......after ‘The Big-Bang' in the summer of 1996 that made you choose a side between Stakes is High and [Nas'] It Was Written," wrote 9th in late 2017.

Justin "The Company Man" Hunte did a 2017 video essay for his TBD series titled, "Nas, De La Soul & How Underground Hip Hop Started." That piece, arguing July 2, 1996 was Hip-Hop's big bang moment, included the 1996 Telecommunications Act and its lift on radio station regulations. Hunte contends that the legislature "lifted the national cap on radio station ownership. Which allowed fewer companies to own more stations and forced a number of local acts off the airwaves nationwide in most markets." The move made radio station conglomerates, thus making playlists more uniform. Labels could lobby for airplay, presumably pushing independent and Underground Hip-Hop off the air.

In episode #89 of What's The Headline, the AFH team grabs from these points. It also looks at larger trends in the Hip-Hop space in 1996. While Nas went to #1, he was not alone. Other artists were evolving from places in the underground to new heights. The Fugees, JAY-Z, Busta Rhymes, Mobb Deep, Snoop Dogg, and others were in transition. Meanwhile, artists made pointed comments about the state of the culture—and who was at fault. Like The Roots' video getting reactions from Nas and Biggie, A Tribe Called Quest had "Phony Rappers," Jeru The Damaja jabbed at Puff Daddy and Biggie with "Ya Playin' Yaself,"



and Common made "B*tch In Yoo" about Ice Cube and Mack 10. The industry was at a tug of war that would fracture Hip-Hop. One year after O.G. Q-Tip had co-produced Mobb Deep's The Infamous, those worlds seemed suddenly separated in the eyes of many Hip-Hop fans, consumers, and the industry.


(This is the Havoc (of Mobb Deep) remixed version of Common's incredible diss of Ice Cube and Westside Connection. Havoc on the hook as well..)

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Consequence Details A 1996 Brawl Between Ghostface Killah & Wish Bone (Video)



As Heads know, back in 1996, it was not all good between the East Coast and West Coast in Hip-Hop. Due in part to an ongoing feud between Bad Boy Entertainment and Death Row Records, and the media's part in escalating the drama, tensions were high. In September of that year, Tupac Shakur's life was claimed, and despite competing theories, many believed his death was related to the East Coast/West Coast Beef. Because of the tensions, territories were marked and, in large part, East Coast artists were not welcomed on the West and vice versa. In fact, during his trip to Los Angeles in March of 1997, The Notorious B.I.G. was killed in a murder that also remains unsolved.

Needless to say, the atmosphere was highly combustible in December of 1996. It was during that time that Def Jam held its annual holiday party and, as Consequence recalls, it was the setting for an all-out brawl between members of two of Hip-Hop's biggest cliques, literally and figuratively. According to Cons, as Ghostface Killah, who was signed to the label at the time, was walking across the room, he spotted Wish Bone from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Since Wish Bone was signed to Eazy-E's Ruthless Records, Ghostface perceived him to be a West Coast artist and did not take too kindly to his presence at the NYC party. Along with some choice words, Consequence says Ghost greeted Wish Bone with a flying champagne bottle. Wish responded by hurling some bubbly bottles of his own, and a melee ensued.

Before it was over, Consequence says Ghostface had donned a ninja suit, confirming that GFK "really is about that Wu-Tang life."

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Ghost in 96 when he was not bottling members of Bone Thugs -

This Ghostface, Cappadonna & Jeru Freestyle From 1996 Still Does Damage  | Published By Parfit



In the mid-90s, there were few more dominant crews in Hip-Hop than Wu-Tang Clan and Gang Starr Foundation. Unlike today, however, where it's more common than not to have guest artists on tracks, in that era crews stayed more self-contained and collaborations outside of the collectives were more rare. As such, there were not many records featuring members of the two outfits together. In 1996, however, Wu's Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna and Gang Starr Foundation's Jeru The Damaja were in the studio together on Tim Westwood's show in London, and they ripped an 18-minute freestyle. While a portion of this cypher has been on the web for years, Westwood has made the entire version available on this Throwback Thursday.

For the first 3 minutes and change, each MC takes turns blazing the mic over the track Ghost used for his classic "Daytona 500," with Cap and Raekwon. Cappadonna kicks things off with a verse that would resurface 2 years later on his song "Slang Editorial." Jeru is up next, followed by Ghost who re-purposes a verse from "Real Live Shit (Remix)."

At around three and a half minutes in, things change up. With Westwood flipping the beat to Jeru's "Ya Playin' Yaself," Jeru decides to go off the top over the DJ Premier production. From there on, the session eases into a cypher with the MCs trading freestyle bars over various tracks, including an extended session over Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg's "Deep Cover."

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This what Ghosts's no-pals Bone was up to in 96 -

In 1996, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Made An Anthem About Love & Survival



Bone Thugs-N-Harmony dominated the mid-1990s with a unique style of Rap music. Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Wish Bone, Bizzy Bone, and Flesh-N-Bone put Ohio on the global Rap map with a harmonic sound that pulled from the church and the street alike. While 1994's Creepin' On Ah Come Up achieved gold-certification just a few months after its release, the quintet burst to the top of the charts just months after their mentor and employer, Eazy-E died (24 years ago this week). That ascent led to Grammy Awards, world tours, and more.

Creepin'..., 1995's E. 1999 Eternal, and 1997's The Art Of War all achieved quadruple-platinum status during the 1990s. Even with solo efforts, label woes, and Flesh's incarceration, the group seemingly could not be stopped. During the crew's meteoric rise, they started tightening the reigns on what music released where. The crew participated in an incredible collaboration with Biggie on the eventually-diamond-certified Life After Death. However, apart from quick-strikes on The Show and Great White Hype soundtracks, the collective unleashed one of the biggest and most enduring songs on the musical companion to Set It Off.

"Days Of Our Livez" embodies the most polished side of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. It has the Gospel feel, but carries a powerful and timeless message. This song is about using love and compassion to get through the hardest that life has to offer. This soulful creation displays a spectrum of what life has to offer. With some evocative sampling to emphasize the message.

Layzie opens the track with a quick-fire verse: "Eternally thugs, here I come tellin' them soldier stories, Been daily collectin' my lessons, without any questions / Without any questions, stressin' no restin', we journey this blessin' / Shiftin' the game rearranging thangs, 'cause once the world was bringin' me down / Mesmerized controlled by the other side, but the devil was in my town." Wish catches the verse to deliver a few bars of his own: "But he won't get me in time, f*cking with Bone, and he liking these rhymes / We rhyme better believe it all the time, ni**a, we live / We straight up soldiers, Bet a ni**a done told ya, told ya / We rob before we go broke, ni**a we robbin' y'all, all of y'all, all y'all." Krayzie ends the song's first set of verses, closing out with a statement on brotherhood: "Y'all my dogs, if you call or you fall / You can bet on that, ni**a, whenever that I will be there, lean on me / But let us get rid of the enemies." After Eazy-E's passing, the group's respective heartfelt pain is still heard and felt in "Days Of Our Livez."



The track reached the Top 10 of the Rap charts, as well as the overall Top 20. Thoughtfully, the Grammy Award-winner DJ U-Neek samples two mid-1980s sings. This includes "Tender Love" by Force MDs (embedded below), produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. It also pulls from "Making Love In The Rain" by Herb Alpert, Janet Jackson and Lisa Keith, which Jam and Lewis also produced.

Although the soundtrack (also involving En Vogue, Organized Konfusion, Queen Latifah, and Goodie Mob) arrived on Sylvia Rhone's EastWest Records, Ruthless also got involved. The song landed on the first installment of Bone's The Collection two years later.

[The Predator]

Top 5 from the votes so far -

5. It Was Written
4. Atliens
3. Bow Down
2. Don Killumanati
1. All Eyez

[Invincible]

Voted Muddy Waters, Wrath of the Math, It Was Written, At The Speed Of Life and Hell on Earth.

[The Predator]

^ Mostly east and all spitters, Xzibit was one too back then.

[The Predator]

AEOM
The Don Killuminati
It Was Written
Hell On Earth
Muddy Waters

honorable mention - Bow Down

Some regard that as Red's best, but it's got competition, especially the two before which could be considered it's equals -

Fans and critics generally consider Redman's 1996 release, Muddy Waters, to be his best album, representing the pinnacle of his gritty lyricism and self-produced funk beats. However, his 1992 debut Whut? Thee Album and his dark, experimental 1994 sophomore record Dare Iz a Darkside are frequently argued by fans as being equally strong masterpieces.

Muddy Waters (1996): Widely cited as his finest work from start to finish, featuring classic cuts like "Whateva Man" and showcasing his peak production and flow.

Whut? Thee Album (1992): His raw, explosive debut that introduced breakout hits like "Tonight's da Night" and "Time 4 Sum Aksion".

Dare Iz a Darkside (1994): A moody, chaotic, and heavily funk-inspired classic that remains a cult favorite despite Redman's own mixed personal memories recording it.

Doc's da Name 2000 (1998): His commercial peak that solidified his mainstream status with high-energy delivery and huge guest features.

[The Predator]

Someone voted Fugees, own up and confess!

Well, they did have number 1 radio singles of the year, Lauryn Hill was the best female singer in the game and 'KMS' is one of the greatest cover songs ever.

Talking of Hill...i remember there was an all star RnB show, at the end all the female star singers sang one after the other.
Hill was last and her commanding voice and singing was on another level, incredible performance blew away everyone and made the others look like amateurs.
Too bad she lost her marbles and career.

This was hittin big time -



Nas was wise to get the hottest singer of the time on his single -



Nas also reached out and had her sing on one of the recent Hit-Boy produced albums, she still sounded good.

Far-east-asia kids were proud of this skit -



Also Fugees was on this, it was from the Cypress E.P. of 96 (the last material classic by the latter) -

[hitsaw]

No Tha Doggfather and Tha aftermath, no love for Snoop Doggy Dogg and Dr Dre?  (Snoop 1996 voice)

[The Predator]

Doggfather i forgot to add to the poll, it will do as other.

I remember Vapors came on the radio and kids were like yo Snoop's back, turn it up!...to me he sounded like a lost puppy without Dre.
His real comeback was on 2001 and Last Meal.

As for Aftermath, at the time 
Felt like Dre had gone through our pockets and robbed us.

[HighEyeCue]

Doggfather i forgot to add to the poll, it will do as other.

I remember Vapors came on the radio and kids were like yo Snoop's back, turn it up!...to me he sounded like a lost puppy without Dre.
His real comeback was on 2001 and Last Meal.

As for Aftermath, at the time 
Felt like Dre had gone through our pockets and robbed us.

Vapors got zero play here in NYC...Snoops Upside Ya Head did get some but it was very light

I was one of the many that was disappointed with the album at the time but it has grown on me so much that I think its Snoops 2nd best overall

what's crazy is that it even couldve been better with all the tracks that were left off for various reasons

[The Predator]

DF was the album that broke the guaranteed Death Row back to back chain of high quality classics up to that point.

[The Predator]

In 95, Martin Scorcese put out a great sequel to his classic mob based movie 'Goodfellas', Casino.
Some felt it was just as good, some superior but mostly inferior.

Same thing happened with Nas in 96 with the follow up to what some consider the GOAT rap album, Illmatic.
Those movies also inspired the mob/mafioso theme of IWW, shit Nas even got one of the Italian mob actors from the movie to appear in the Casino/Vegas infuenced 'Street Dreams' single video! Boss moves!
You know the mouthy guy with white hair who's always gettin beat up or beating someone up in Mob movies and shows, the one that got stomped by Pesci/De Niro then thrown in the trunk and then did the baseball-bat throw in the ditch beating of Pesci and his brother in Casino.



The critics didnt like this more commercial appealing sound and thug/mafia themes album from the messiah, but the streets lapped it up.
Also it's the album that Pac studied meticulously during his final act.

Looking for the Message in Nas's ‘It Was Written'



Twenty-five years after it was widely panned at the time of its release, the Queensbridge MC's second album is hailed as a classic. But what did the discourse at the time get right—and what did it miss?

Richard A Chance

No year in hip-hop history sticks out quite like 1996: It marked the height of the East Coast-West Coast feud, the debut of several artists who would rule the next few decades, and the last moment before battle lines between "mainstream" and "underground" were fully drawn. The 1996 Rap Yearbook, a recurring series from The Ringer, will explore the landmark releases and moments from a quarter-century ago that redefined how we think of the genre.

There is a generous reading of "Street Dreams." It goes like this: The third verse—the adolescent vantage point on the 10-foot hustlers in gold ropes who dole out pocket money and advice, the Jordans and gold chains discarded as childish distractions, the years "wasted" on idle talk and dice games in project stairwells—qualifies the rote crime tales from the first two, excuses the unfathomably corny hook, and sets the whole thing up as a fugue state to be punctured by the violent skit at the song's end. It becomes a cautionary tale, a naive fantasy set against grim reality.

To take this view is to believe that Nas's second album, It Was Written, is not unlike his first, the cockily brilliant, instantly canonized Illmatic. You're invited to picture a prodigy leaning on a windowsill—maybe cuffed to a radiator—observing every skirmish and robbery beneath him, rendering them in lurid detail and obsessing over their consequences. Yet that's not how the album was received at the time, at least by its harsher critics. They argued that the record was grotesque evidence of Nas selling out, aesthetically but also morally. A true-school genre savior cashing in with cynical radio plays, trading Illmatic's beyond-his-years wisdom for an affected mafioso shtick. (It could be noted with some amusement that The Source's four-mic review describes it as a "more mature" persona.)

Rolling Stone gave the album two stars, criticizing Nas for trafficking in rap that prizes "authenticity, not articulation" and calling the lead single a "crossover con job." However cynically you choose to read the rollout, it worked. While Illmatic hit no. 12 on the Billboard 200 and took nearly two years to be certified gold, It Was Written spent four weeks at no. 1 and was double platinum just a couple of months after its release.

Since that release 25 years ago this month, It Was Written's reputation has been rehabilitated, though these original complaints frame the discussion, even in its most impassioned defenses. This is unavoidable: Its poppiest songs are without exception its worst, and—especially on the A side, when they appear as tracks 3, 5, and 7—they creep in like intrusive thoughts, refusing the record any of the rhythm that its better moments deserve. What scans differently today is that pulp-crime undercurrent. It can be overused (such as in the first two-thirds of "Street Dreams"), but with some remove, whatever credibility-straining maneuvers Nas pulls just make It Was Written's songs more desperate, more claustrophobic, more immediate. It brings to mind a question Nas asks on one of the album's best—and most undeniably menacing—songs: "Why shoot the breeze about it / When you could be about it?"

In his autobiography, Rakim tells the story of his first session at Marley Marl's home recording studio. This would have been 1985. Though he was considered a prodigy of sorts on Long Island, Ra was still in high school. Marley was already a legend, and this apartment, on the second floor of the Queensbridge Houses, is where the Juice Crew members would eventually cut many of their records. But instead of standing at the mic that was set up for him, the young rapper was lazing on a sofa while he laid vocals.

"That was dope," Ra recalls Marley saying of his first take. "Let's do it again with a little more energy." But he did it the same way. This, he insisted, was simply how he rapped. Another take, then another. They came to an impasse. MC Shan showed up—MC Shan!—and, after a quiet commiseration with Marley in his kitchen, took over the session. Shan tried to reason with the teenager: "Marley knows what he's talking about. A little more energy won't hurt you." Rakim held firm. History would vindicate him—the song they made that day became Paid in Full's "My Melody"—and Rakim tells this story as a parable about trusting your instincts, your vision, yourself.

Nas, who grew up in Queensbridge, idolized Rakim. You hear this in the way his Illmatic style makes Ra's latticework internal rhymes denser, more riddled with knots, and more multidirectional; you hear it acutely in tiny threads of It Was Written, like when he raps that "a provocative plan could bring a knot to my hand." (In 2004, Nas would even make a song about Ra, though the older rapper was uncomfortable with the gesture.) But he also looked up to Marley, the local hero. With Illmatic's compounding pressures—its rapturous acclaim and its commercial stagnancy—weighing heavily on him, Nas sought out the latter, hoping to make "a street album" with him, as he told Complex in 2012. By this point, though, Marley had relocated from Queensbridge to Chestnut Ridge, an hour away, and there were days Nas couldn't be bothered to make the trip. Songs sat half-finished; some ended up on radio shows or on mixtapes with grafted-on verses by rappers Nas didn't know. Deterred, he decided he couldn't work like this, abandoned the plan, and prepared to start over.

At this time, Nas had just agreed to be managed by Steve Stoute, the ball of kinetic energy and business aphorisms who would one day have Puff break a bottle of champagne over his head. (The story—a story—goes that Stoute, dogged as always, showed up to Queensbridge looking to sign Nas, only to have a gun pulled on him by Nas's brother, Jungle. But Stoute persisted, and soon inked the deal. "He wanted it more than anybody else," Nas would later say.) Stoute also managed the Trackmasters, the production duo of Tone and Poke who had a tangential Juice Crew connection through their work on Kool G Rap's Live and Let Die and the second Roxanne Shanté album, but were better known for beats that were glossy, clean, and diametrically opposed to Nas's image. But with no other obvious routes to follow, the gnawing fear of a sophomore jinx in his gut, and lacking the resolve to follow through on his original vision for the LP, Nas dove into the Trackmasters sessions headfirst. 

The duo ended up producing seven of It Was Written's 14 tracks, but oversaw the entire process. They coaxed Nas into their comfort zone, offering him first their grimier beats, like the acid-dipped "Shootouts," before pitching him the radio singles, "Street Dreams" among them. This unlikely trio crafted an album that de-emphasizes its grittier elements in an apparent effort to be more legible to the widest possible audience, and to avoid Nas seeming out of step with a New York that was bending toward Wu-Tang and the Notorious B.I.G.

There were doubters. When Stoute took the mixes of It Was Written to the studio to be mastered, Q-Tip—the Queens native and A Tribe Called Quest frontman who produced "One Love" on Illmatic and had just overseen Mobb Deep's masterpiece The Infamous—said that Stoute was "killing [Nas's] career." What is interesting to consider, though, is that whatever identity Nas claimed on Illmatic was itself the product of careful calibration. After his 1991 breakthrough on Main Source's "Live at the Barbeque," he reveled in a reputation as a bit of a shock rapper—the natural by-product of a debut verse in which he bragged about "snuffing Jesus." If you've ever wondered about the slight tonal disagreement between Nas's raps on "Represent" and DJ Premier's apocalyptic beat, it comes because the verses are relics from the more playful demo, a song whose beat is more suited to lines about wearing "nothing less than Guess" and pissing in your elevator. And when Nas's skeptics read his immediate post-Illmatic output as unnecessarily reactive to those other emerging New York acts, they forget that one of the signature mafioso albums, Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., includes a showstopping Nas verse that is repurposed from another early demo.

There are points on It Was Written that are as dazzlingly written and delivered as anything in Nas's catalog. The shootout skit that ends "Street Dreams" gives way to "I Gave You Power," the Premier-helmed track on which Nas personifies a gun. It is a serviceable concept that could easily become overwrought, but by the beginning of its madcap third verse, the song has earned a wrenching pathos: You hold your breath when Nas raps about the gun owner's hand reaching into the hiding place where it lives; you feel that owner's palm trembling as he grips it. On the opening song, "The Message," Nas is as dense and virtuosic as ever: see the way Nas sets up, from the first line of the second verse, the rhyme scheme that he'll eventually drill down on, briefly abandon, and eventually pay off with the word "Datsun," all while telling a breathless story about brief hospital stays and unsolvable shootings.

And not all of the album's polish is bad. It is notable that, on virtually all of the solo songs (and on its superb posse cut), the best verse comes last—evidence of a careful approach to the songwriting, and a reliable way to maintain some forward motion even when the dregs fuck up the flow. The exception is "Take It in Blood," but this does not mean that song loses steam toward its end. Instead, like "The Message," it's a maze of staggering detail and pinpoint rhymes, impossible to find your way into or out of. It invites the kind of rewinds that wear grooves into your brain. Combine this subtle elegance with the album's B-side that, one song aside, is hollowed-out and venomous—Mobb Deep's Havoc helms "The Set Up" and "Live Nigga Rap"; "Suspect" is a dead-eyed threat—and It Was Written seems like a monster, a deeper dive into the horrors of Nas's youth formatted for the big screen. 

But you cannot simply write off that one song on the B-side: "Black Girl Lost," which features Jodeci's JoJo, is adult-contemporary radio's version of '90s R&B-rap hybrids, silky smooth but mawkish in the worst way. The track nearly derails the album just as it seems to be recovering from that stop-start sputter of an opening (and some would later openly mock Nas for having made it at all).

Those earlier pop forays are not as disastrous as "Black Girl Lost," but they come close. Writing for the short-lived but massively influential magazine Ego Trip, Elliott Wilson described the Trackmasters' beat for "Watch Dem Niggas" as having an "N.O. Joe-like synthesized laziness." At first read, this scans as a mid-'90s New Yorker's flat rejection of what was happening in the South, but to listen to "Watch Dem" is to hear, unmistakably, a photocopy of a photocopy of the style Joe turned out so reliably. And then there's the almost comically cheesy, Dr. Dre-produced "Nas Is Coming," a heralded union of the West and East Coasts that evokes the very worst music made on each.

What tantalizes on It Was Written are the moments of near-perfect coalescence that hint at what a consistently focused Nas over the Trackmasters' best sheen might have unlocked in each other. All that labyrinthine writing on "The Message," for example, is laid over that Sting sample; "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)" marries Whodini to The Score in a crystal-clear mix for radio. The most curious example of this, though, comes in the second verse of "Watch Dem," when Nas's animated delivery embodies the merger while his lyrics literalize it. The song is otherwise pedestrian, but here he raps about doing 90 on the freeway, drunk, with 10 grand in cash and a gun beside him. A "death wish," he says. But when he checks his watch—a Movado, he notes—he sees that it's 7 o'clock, "the God hour," the Five Percenter ideology bleeding through the way it would for a native New Yorker in this era. The implicit argument is that "Street Dreams" and "Suspect" do not come from different neighborhoods, but the same one—one that Nas had been documenting from his teenage years on. End of article

Paul Thompson is a writer based in Los Angeles. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, New York magazine, and GQ.

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It was felt our boy Dre let Nas down with his song, i thought it was dope but belonged more on the Aftermath comp.
First time Dre had the weakest song on an album and not the best which was standard for him.
Would ya'll call that a G-Funk production? If so that's Nas only one he ever he rappin on, i think.

Why Nas's ‘It Was Written' Is The Most Underrated AIbum In Hip Hop



Nas's roller-coaster career in hip hop has been markedly atypical; emerging as a promising star who's debut album is hailed as one of the genre's best, the Queens native went on to release a string of disappointing mainstream attempts, lose a highly public beef with Jay-Z (despite what some would argue), and then become an antagonist of the genre that made him famous claiming ‘Hip Hop Is Dead'. Call it bad luck, poor artistic choices, or a narrow outlook, Nas, who is comfortably one of the top 4 rappers in history, has received unfairly tough scrutiny from critics and listeners throughout his two-decade career.

The album cover is a play on Illmatic's which features Nas as a baby with the same background

Take It Was Written, Nas's sophomore project (released in 1996) which sought to bridge the dark, realistic tones of his outstanding debut, Illmatic, with popular mafioso-style rap ruling the airwaves at the time. The result was Nas's most commercially successful album (heavily from the buzz of Illmatic), climbing all the way to number #1 on the Billboard charts. However, the album was drably reviewed by critics, and unlike some of its contemporary Mafioso efforts like Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt (1996) and Raekwon's Only Built For Cuban Linx (1995), It Was Written did not stick to hip hop culture as a classic.

_

Here are some of the initial mixed reviews of the project:

    "The latest blatant example of trashy tough-guy talk" - Mark Coleman, Rolling Stone

    "Late-stage gangsta rap, starting to buckle under its own contradictions. [It Was Written] continually shifts perspective." - Jon Pareles, New York Times

    "The lyrics in It Was Written could be sharper, but the music, energetic and engaging on many tracks, helps drive his message home." - Christopher Farley, TIME

    "[It Was Written] demonstrates a continuing lyrical maturity that makes his already potent beats and rhymes all the more compelling." - Cheo Coker, Los Angeles Times

    Wonder what they would have said about this..

 Ok, so It Was Written wasn't universally despised by critics, but consider the label of "underrated" as relative. Less-recognized works such as Binary Star's Masters of the Universe, or Brother Ali's Shadows on the Sun certainly deserve a lot more credit than they receive, but Nas's sophomore work is a forgotten gem lying directly in plain sight. It's easily accessible by any casual hip hop fan, yet the excellent work has become muddled by, among other factors, colossal expectations, a ton of competition, and Nas's aforementioned bafflingly atypical career.

Following-up the best hip hop album of all-time is not an enviable task. It is ironic that such a great work canhurt a career, but the brilliance of Illmatic has seemingly weighed down Nas's work down since its release in 1994. This weight is most apparent in It Was Written, when the fantastically realistic and clever lyrics from tracks like ‘Halftime' and ‘It Ain't Hard to Tell' from two years before were still echoing in listener's heads. And while Nas occasionally diverted from his typically introspective content on his sophomore effort, his lyrical potency remained strong. In ‘Affirmative Action', a Mafioso styled song featuring Cormega, Foxy Brown, and AZ (altogether forming the supergroup The Firm), Nas flows:

    ‘Life's a Bitch,' but God-forbid the bitch divorce me
    I'll be flooded with ice so hellfire can't scorch me

Dirty. Yet compare this ice-sporting to Nas's "conscious" appeal, and you can start to see where critics reprimand Nas's inconsistency. However, in agreement with Cheo Coker (above), I believe Nas's lyrics in this track, as well as the whole album, are actually more skilled and perfected than in Illmatic. For example (from ‘The Message'):

    Yo, overnight thugs, bug cause they ain't promised shit
    Hungry-ass hooligans stay on that piranha shit

The only problem is since expectations were already so high, It Was Written does not hold the same shock value of his debut, allowing the easy criticisms to shine through.

Hip Hop was flooded with excellent rappers in 1996, perhaps more so than at any other time in history. Stalwarts such as the Notorious B.I.G., Outkast, Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop Dogg, and Gangstarr were met by newcomers like Jay-Z, Big L, and Bone Thugs N Harmony to form a deep and talented field which brewed high standards for each artist. Nas's own Illmatic had brought realism to hip hop which was now the standard, and Biggie, Jay-Z, and Raekwon had derived the sub-genre of Mafioso, coke-dealing rap which exploded with popularity.

By the time Nas released the Mafioso-influenced It Was Written, the sub-genre was already teeming with arguably more authentic alternatives. In fact, Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt (perhaps the pinnacle of Mafioso rap), was released just one week before Nas's It Was Written. Jay-Z would be more than just a nuisance for album sales, and the two stars' highly publicized beef would grow to define Nas's career. Split between raw realism and kingpin rap, Nas didn't capture either audience fully, largely because there were so many other comparable artists to love instead.

However, much like Outkast's Aquemini (which straddled the southern duo's gangster beginnings with their mainstream aspirations), the true strength of It Was Written was in its diverse compilation. Unlike the cohesiveness in Illmatic, we are able to hear Nas attempt unique and challenging tracks in his sophomore album, most of which he conquers surprisingly well. One instance is a collaboration track with Dr. Dre (who also served as the executive producer for The Firm), ‘Nas Is Coming', which molds a West coast beat with the East coast flow to create a holistically different (and awesome) sound.

Nas's subsequent work after It Was Written were mostly forgettable, giving critics and fans alike who called the album "too mainstream" more reason to stop listening. His next two solo albums, I Am... and Nastradamus featured more concentrated pushes towards mainstream, including boastful singles like ‘Hate Me Now' (Nas is depicted as Jesus in the music video), and sold/sexed-out tracks like ‘Oochie Wallie' (its soo bad). Add the failed attempt at the Mafioso supergroup The Firm, and Nas's place in hip hop was truly in jeopardy by 2000. Fortunately, Nasty Nas came back strong with ‘Stillmatic' in 2001 (which like its predecessor received 5 mics from XXL) and followed with several more credible releases to salvage his name, but It Was Written had long been forgotten and bundled with his less-than-par work instead of classics.