After collecting the results from both the comment section and Twitter, I can now provide you with solid numbers on the most popular rap tapes that you all said you would take to your graves. I’m not happy about Outkast placing twice though – clearly the Conservative Rap Coalition needs to double it’s efforts to prevent a repeat of this shocking result. On a lighter note, it’s clear that my attempt to troll Illmatic backfired pretty badly, didn’t it?
1. Illmatic = 31
2. Low End Theory = 20
3. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx = 17
4. Midnight Marauders = 16
5. It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back = 15
6. Madvillainy = 13
6. Liquid Swords = 13
7. Critical Beatdown = 11
8. ATLiens = 9
8. Breaking Atoms = 9
8. The Chronic = 9
8. Reloaded = 9
9. Ready To Die = 8
9. Aquemini = 8
9. Paid In Full = 8
9. Supreme Clientele = 8
9. Death Certificate = 8
10. Marcberg = 7
10. Donuts = 7
Illmatic is 10 tracks, one intro, leaves 9 tracks, three of which are the alright and ok Represent, Memory Lane & One time for ya mind, leaves 6 extremely dope tracks – but still, awful close to more of an ep than an album…
@PAS: Plus two songs that we’d already heard when it dropped (‘Halftime’ and ‘It Ain’t Hard To Tell’) made it a little underwhelming in terms of content.
Tribe with 2 albums in the top #5 — solid body of work! R.I.P. Phife
Absurd that LICENSED TO ILL didn’t make the cut. Some solid choices here but if you’re not taking LICENSED TO ILL to the grave/ island/ space I don’t want to know u.
I would expect Monkey Barz at this list.
Madvillany above Doomsday?
OutKast?? Where my D.I.T.C. crew at? Robbie u need to clean out the clientele…
That’s how I feel about Eric B & Rakim’s “Paid In Full”.
The list works for me, thanks for taking the time Robbie…
@petah I could have easily substituted stunts, blunts, and hip hop for atliens in my list. but I grew up in the 80s/90s south and it’s my list, not yours so fuck off :)
If there was gonna be any Southern representation, I would have preferred Scarface but I’m not mad at Outkast. Better them than Gucci Mane or some shit…
Yeah, me too.
Exactly. I was kinda miffed at the time that Halftime was included, like “this joint was on the Zebrahead soundtrack dammit”.
I would be really interested in knowing everyone’s top 10 non-Hip Hop LPs that they would take to a desert island
@Trevor
I don’t think I like 10 non hip hop LPs.
I too object to Outkast’s inclusion. But I wouldn’t pick Death Certificate or Donuts for my desert island stash either.
3 decades of classic albums. That’s crazy to see. From Eric and Ra to Roc Marciano. I’m surprised the Infamous didn’t make the list but this is fly regardless.
@Trevor. My top 10 non HipHop albums would be:
1: Tori Amos “Little Earthquakes”
2: Parliament “Funkentelechy Vs the placebo syndrome”
3: Curtis Mayfield “Superfly OST”
4: Thelonious Monk “Genius of modern music 1”
5: Janis Joplin “Box of pearls” (boxset)
6: Ben Folds 5 “Whatever and ever amen”
7: Frank Zappa “Hot Rats”
8: Joanna Newsom “The milk-eyed mender”
9: Kronos Quartet “Monk suite”
10: Regina Spektor “Mary Ann meets the gravediggers & other stories”
wow, amazing that KRS has no presence on this list
Thanks Dino! Your list is more interesting to me than the same old classic Hip Hop LPs that any self-respecting fan has. Going to be checking out the LPs you listed that I don’t know. I love that Parliament LP. Check out Greg Foat “Dark is the sun” LP on Jazzman if you haven’t already. I think you will like it. Cheers!
NO BDP MAKES THIS SUSPECT.
there isn’t any gang starr on there either but who fucking cares. why not just look at it in terms of the age and region of unkut reader demographics instead of a best of all time hip hop list. because that’s not what it is.
be thankful almost nobody mentioned pac or jay
Interesting that KRS-One was voted as the greatest MC ever on here way back when, yet neither he nor Rakim or G Rap had an album place. ‘Paid In Full’ was just outside the top ten though.
No Mobb Deep yet Donuts in this piece…so it goes
why can’t we all agree that we were blessed with music & albums to vast to mention? i find it rather interesting to see so many different points of view. why argue when you can listen to so much dope music damn son lol!
Who is arguing? There is a big difference between stating a fact & arguing? 😀 Peace bro! ✌️
@dughjoe: geto boys, Scarface then? Im from Denmark that doesnt meen I would include any Danish shit. I too grew up in the 80s n 90s but I know good shit when I hear it. Dont be a cry baby about it my friend. I was just amazed that two OutKast albums made the list. Peace n love dude
@Robbie: when will u ever learn? That Nas “album” (your absolutely right, this is more like an EP) always hit u back like a boomerang (no pun, really). I am pretty much in line w ur list. Made me go back and listen to the first Beatnuts LP again. Sooo sweet. Good to see my man Marci was included 2 times even though I dont understand that Marcberg got the lowest score of the two. Bugs me out that none of Crate diggers ended on the list. Whats wrong, hip hop??
@Trevor: top 10 Non Hip Hop albums. No specific order:
Charles Mingus: Mingus,Mingus, Mingus.
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the key of Life.
War: The World is a Ghetto.
Curtis Mayfield: Superfly Ost.
John Coltrane: A love supreme
Miles Davis: Miles ahead
Ornette Coleman: Free jazz
Talking Heads: 77
Otis Redding: Otis Resding sings soul
Burning Spear: Marcus Garvey.
Never 2 late :
PE : It Takes A Nation
BDP : Criminal Minded
Eric.B & Rakim : Paid In Full
NWA : EFIL4ZAGGIN
Showbiz & AG : Runaway Slave
CNN : The War Report
GZA : Liquid Swords
Mobb Deep : The Infamous
Big L : Lifestylez Of Da Poor And Dangerous
Biggie : Ready 2 Die
@petah thanks mate! I like your style! Especially “Miles ahead” (can’t wait for the film! Surprised you didn’t choose “Kind of blue” which would be on my list) & “Love Supreme”. Check out Mary Lou Williams “Black Christ from the Andes” if you havnt already. I think you will like it. Peace bro.
Non Hip-Hop? Not that I’m the most eclectic cat in the world but here’s my two pennies…
Marvin Gaye-What’s Goin’ On?
Curtis Mayfield-Superfly
Earth Wind and Fire-All ‘N’ All
Rare Earth-Ecology
George Benson-Breezin’
Bob James and Earl Klugh-Two Of A Kind
Funkadelic-Funkadelic
Isaac Hayes-Hot Buttered Soul
Sly and the Family Stone-Stand
Justin Timberlake-Justified (with my chest out!!)
Now y’all sayin non hip hop albums cmon man dig in the crates of my mind. As for Gang Starr I showed love for Step in the Arena in the first post. As for southern hip hop Mr. Scarface deserves a look, but since I know him personally I still stand by Young Bleed debut.
@petah sorry you dont like outkast. have a nice day. peace and love.
Shouldn’t it be the 10 TAPES you owned that you’d take.
cuban linx was my first CD so I can’t take that.
I wouldn’t take ol dirty’s tape coz one side was shorter and you could hear the other side in reverse real quiet during the long gap.
So its top 10? Doggystyle, Supreme Clientele , Infamous, The Realness, Stillmatic, Gangster and a Gentleman ,WU-Tang Forever , We Are The Streets, Chronic 2001 and Thug Motivation 101
Hip – Hop
Rakim -Follow the leader
Ghostface -Supreme Clientele (Can edition)
Aesop Rock -Bazooka Tooth
O.C -Jewelz
King Ghredora – Take me to your leader
Scarface -The fix
Pete Rock -Petestrumentals / (Tie) Dilla -Doughnuts
BPD – Sex and Violence
MOP-Firing Squad
Cannibal ox -The cold vein
Non Hip Hop
Deftones – Diamond Eyes
The Cure -Disintegration
Led Zeppelin – Presence
Thelonious Monk – Brilliant Corners
Rage against the machine – Evil Empire
Mad Season -Above
The smiths – Louder than bombs
Stevie Wonder – Music Aquarium
Converge -You fail me
Circa Survive Juturna / Glassjaw worship and tribute (tie)
Where’s Straight Outta Compton? Surely a definite!!