1990
Ice Cube-Amerikkka's most wanted Album of the year
My thoughts: Cube had just split from N.W.A and had the hunger and fire to confirm he could do it alone. he shows just how you could be ghetto hard, smart and funny at the same time. On “get off my dick and tell your bitch to come here“ Cube spits what appears to be a freestyle first directing his rant at those that doubt his skill and then calling them male groupies after he tears the verse up. This record was produced by Public Enemy’s production team the bomb squad. A good mix of the west coast force of gangster lyricism with the sampled dysfunctional meshed sound of New York.
Favourite song: the nigga you love to hate
Honourable mention: Public Enemy-fear of a black
planet
1991
Ice Cube-Death certificate Album of the year (a classic)
My thoughts: Reappearing with no Jheri curl and a strong conscious message Cube dropped his sophomore which proved to be even better than his first. Essentially a concept album that had two sides to it (for the old school tape format) listen kids when people speak of hip hop as the ghetto CNN, this album is what they meant. It was all about Cube for me in 1992. This would be about the same time that white kids in American suburbs caught on and when the media started calling it gangster rap, you should check for how different N.W.A’s first album sounded from their second. Where they used to diss the police and life in the hood in the second album they were dissing women and celebrating life in the hood.
Favourite songs: steady mobbin, look who’s burnin’ and I wanna kill Sam
Honourable mention: A Tribe called Quest-low end theory
1992
Dr.Dre-the chronic Album of the year (a classic)
My thoughts: The Doc had also just left the illustrious group N.W.A to ‘chart’ out his own solo career. Although not as gifted a rapper as Ice Cube it was the production that set Dre apart from most. Even with a vibrant creative hip hop scene in the west it was Dre’s sound encompassing P-funk samples became what people would ultimately identify as the west coast sound. Who can forget Snoop‘s album debut and the first time you heard Beatch!
Favourite songs: lil’ ghetto boy, the chronic and let me ride
Honourable mention: Digable Planets-'Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space)
1993
A Tribe Called Quest-Midnight Marauders Album of the year (a classic)
My thoughts: Midnight Marauders is the first Tribe album I really got into, I traded a Queen Latifah album for it. Oh my god how my world changed. Smart articulate, not so hard, brothers making songs that sparkled with shinny insights. The music was soulful and so involved, you could listen over and over and still hear new things. I remember it took me years to discover that Q-tip repeated a verse on “sucka nigga” and even when I did, I marvelled at his gall to do it.
Favourite songs: electric relaxation, sucka nigga, Steve Biko and lyrics to go.
Honourable mentions: Snoop Doggy Dogg-Doggy style (a classic)
Wu Tang Clan-Enter the 36 chambers
KRS ONE-return of the boom bap
De La Soul-Buhloone mind state
2pac-strictly for my niggers
1994 *Golden Year*
Nas-Illmatic Album of the year (best hip hop album of all time)

My thoughts: this is the perfect album for me. Nas changed everything with this one. The production was flawless, the mcing was godly, the rhythm of the album was audial velvet. This teenager outrapped everyone without trying to, you got the sense that all Nas was trying to do here was tell his peoples stories. I know rap fans that forgave Nas’s mid90s antics purely because of his debut offering. The most amazing thing about Illmatic is how easily it was the best album in a year that hip hop artistry was at its best.
Favourite song: Memory Lane (sittin’ in the park) verse 2 is his dopest verse ever. Yes even better than the verbal intercourse one.
honourable mentions; the Roots-do you want more
Outkast-Southernplayalisticadillacfunkymusic
Gangstarr-hard to earn
Redman-dare is a darkside
Pharcyde-Labcabincalifornia
Common-ressurection
O.C-word…life
Organised Konfusion-extinction agenda
Pete Rock CL smooth-main ingredient
Scarface-the diary
Jeru the Damaja-sun rises in the east
Artifacts-between a rock & a hard place
Black Moon-enta da stage
1995
The Notorious B.I.G-ready to die Album of the year (a classic)

My thoughts: by the time ready to die hit I was in a new york state of mind and had been everywhere searching for something better than illmatic. This was not better but it was bloody good. From the intro to the interludes you could visualize everything this dude was rapping about. Whereas Nas’s tales where rich in poetic imagery, this guy was completely visual with his. Ready to die was New York city‘s first gangster album. Masterly produced this ushered in the age of the east coast gangster rapper in a way that G. rap and Nas had not.
Honourable mentions: Raekwon-only build for Cuban linx
2pac-me against the world
Mobb Deep-the infamous
Goodie Mob-Soul food
1996
Fugees-the score Album of the year (a classic)
My thoughts: eish, what can be said here. This one is history. The guy on the left made sure to do cover versions that caught the worlds attention. The one in the middle rapped her ass off on this album and the guy on the right made really good music and sought of rapped.
Favourite songs: how many mics, the mask, cowboys and family business
Honourable mentions: Redman-muddy waters
Jay-Z-reasonable doubt
Nas-it was written
Ghostface killah-Ironman
The Roots-Illadelph Halflife
De La Soul-Stakes is High
1997
Company flow-funcrusher plus Album of the year
My thoughts: the Rawkus Records years brought about a mini-revival in hip hop music that had many people believing in the value of mcing in the way that “the bling era” really wasn’t. the insane musicality of this album, its niche sound and the skilled lyricism spawned nuff clones. This period was what made me trust the power of treading your own lane. I only listened to two albums in ‘97 this one and the carnival by Wyclef. So much so that the two biggest releases of that year found me a year later.
Favourite songs: the fire in which you burn, lune TNS and 8
steps to perfection
Honourable mentions; The Notorious B.I.G-life after death (a classic)
Wu Tang Clan-forever
Wyclef jean-the carnival
1998
Outkast-Aquemini Album of the year (a classic only second to Illmatic)

My thoughts: Organized noise crafted this one to perfection, a magnum opus of note. Still no awards, no real acclaim and no crunk in sight these southerners were steadfast in their commitment to their craft. Big boi struggled to keep up with his partner who had a hip hop quotable every time he opened his mouth. This album shows just how progressive hip hop could be. The spotlight was on Lauryn hill in 1998 but the Kast was used to bearing their own light and continued to shine bright.
Favourite songs: return of the ‘G’, Aquemini, the art of story telling’(part 1), spottiottiedopalicious, liberation and rosa parks
Honourable mention; Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black star
Lauryn Hill-The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
1999
The Roots-things fall apart Album of the year*

My thoughts: This has been their most successful album so far. Aided by two big singles and a grammy award for “you got me” the world had finally caught on to hip hop’s best band. They should have a category just for the Roots really. An all round great album, amazing production (their best) thought and Malik B in good form (though Thoughts best verses came from “Illadelf Half life” and Malik B was very strong on this album) this is timeless hip hop music.
Singles: the next movement and you got me ft Erykah Badu
Favourite songs: step into a realm, act 2(love of my life) Adrenalin and aint saying nothing’ new
Honourable mention; Mos Def-black on both sides
Eminem-the slim shady LP
Jay-Z-vol.3 life and times of S. Carter
Dr. Dre-2001
