Unlike The Source’s 1991 list, which I just re-ordered, this one is not something I can co-sign at all. Even if we allow for the weird November 1989 – October 1990 time frame they seem to use, the lack of Funky Technician and Fear of A Black Planet alone is mind-boggling.
Here’s my take:
1) Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Wanted: Dead Or Alive
2) EPMD – Business As Usual
3) Brand Nubian – One For All
4) Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth – Funky Technician
5) Master Ace – Take A Look Around
6) Ice Cube – Kill At Will
7) Public Enemy – Fear of A Black Planet
8) LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out
9) X-Clan – To The East, Blackwards
10) NWA – 100 Miles and Runnin’
Honorable mentions to CMW, Intelligent Hoodlum and Grand Daddy I.U. The first Tribe doesn’t make the cut because, although it has some great songs it’s not an album I ever enjoyed all the way through like their second and third LP’s. Kill At Will over AmeriKKKa’s Most… simply because of ‘The Product’ and no Yo-Yo. I also left off the third Eric B. and Rakim because it just isn’t as varied as the ten I’ve picked.
That was before the Source really dialed in. Had a lot of boring articles about Ms Melodie and the likes.
co-sign your top 3, I’d rank “funky technician” at no. 4 and “amerikkka’s most wanted” at no. 5 … honorable mention to p.e. and tragedy
@kool max power: Cheers, just realised I forgot to include Finesse!
Amerikkka’s Most Wanted would be in my top 3 deffo, the title track alone is incredible,one of the greatest tracks in Hip Hop history.
Mama Said…. probably #1,LL at the top of his game, one of the best to ever do it, plus To Da Break Of Dawn still makes me laugh. My fave diss track.
Loved Take A Look Around as well.
I was 14/15 that year, good times.
Once again, totally off the top and with not a lot of rhyme and reason, here’s my top 10 of 1990:
1) LL Cool J “Momma said knock you out”
2) Ice Cube “AmeriKKKa’s most wanted”
3) X-Clan “to the east blackwards”
4) PE “fear of a black planet”
5) London Posse “gangster Chronicle”
6) BDP “Edutainment”
7) Digital Underground “Sex packets”
8) Poor Righteous Teachers “Holy Intellect”
9) Kid Frost “Hispanic causing panic”
10) Outlaw Posse “My Afro’s on fire”
Outlaw Posse!
That Nice & Smooth album was bonkers….s/o awesome two…miss that radio show
No delaying was that song of the year quiet as kept
I’d have to put ’41fivin’ by the 415 there. A surprisingly super dope album from Oakland…
Can’t argue with that list at all!!!! There are some missing but still dope, so much quality SMH..good ole days!!!
Relatively mediocre year, compared to 1991!
NWA WERE SO FUCKING WACK! FAKE MOTHERFUCKERS FOR FAKE HEADS!!!!
Such an embarrassment to my coast.
The one I listen to the most now is The Devil Made Me Do It, at the time I would have listed P.E., Ice Cube and Tribe pretty high but Paris, PRT and Nice & Smooth are the ones that have held up best for me.
yo don’t forget about Barsha album , Explicit lyrics
Where is BDK’s Taste of Chocolate?
In the trash