Ranking The GREATEST Hip Hop Albums of the 1990s

Are the 90's the Golden Era of hip-hop for you? Tap in on Discord 🔗 / discord 🔗
Watch as we dive into the top 10 hip-hop albums from the 90's! No EPs or mixtapes, full length LP's only!
A Tribe Called Quest Hip-Hop MASTERCLASS
• A Tribe Called Quest’s...
Join this channel to get access to perks:
✨ / @culturalisttheory
👕 CT Merch Shop shop.culturali...
Follow us on IG
😎 / culturalisttheory
🐻 / animal_brown
🍑 / janeqpubliq
📧 Sign up for our email list too. We’re not going to blow up your inbox but when we do have news, you’ll be the first to know. 🙅🏽‍♀️ #nospam 🙅🏽‍♂️ 🔗 eepurl.com/iEofvo 🔗
Patreon gets it early / culturalisttheory
⏰ TIMESTAMPS ⏰
Want to send us something?
[e-mail]
Culturalist Theory
3675 Marketplace Blvd #1089
East Point, GA 30344
United States

[@godssonnj7856]

Mobb Deep “The Infamous” should have been on there…

[@darryldennis3487]

Bone Thugs n Harmony E.1999 Eternal, should definitely be here….it defined so much of how hip hop sounds nowadays, let alone the originality and it being ahead of its time

[@6foot8aquarius]

The list threw me off when ‘Ready to Die’ got left off.

[@SeraphimEnt]

Exactly what I was thinking

[@Historicutuber]

its a top 10 rap album all time. a shame

[@LAKERSFANINJAPAN]

Yep, waaaay better than that Pop album Life After Death.

[@gothicreggae]

Life After Death is bettee

[@TNyce-tk6ed]

Didn’t age that well, life after death better

[@stloushug9830]

2Pac's All Eyes On Me deserves to be here

[@SeraphimEnt]

💯

[@alfredjones9548]

Facts

[@jaykaynum5569]

Disc1 maybe. Disc2 no

[@KxNG_RxME]

The fact that people could dispute this on a disc alone is why it's not. Me Against The World has a song in the registry. Do you realize how big that is? It immortalises the man automatically.

[@GollumFromMordor]

Yep! Best selling rap album of the 90s and outlived every rap album from the 90s

[@cloficc7234]

The Infamous should be in the Top 3

[@duduking]

Raekwon- Only Built For Cuban Linx

[@Papadoc1981]

Come on. You like the album so much you didn’t even get the title right.😂

[@abizzle100]

That album is top three of 90’s

[@nicolesherman8974]

Y’all should do underrated hip hop albums of the 1990s 🤔🔥

[@psychobenji2345]

This list is not credible because no East 1999

[@Blockburna254]

i just said this

[@kevinrobinson4848]

They east coast bias.

[@jaykaynum5569]

​@@kevinrobinson4848you're mid West bias if that weak album made the list

[@jaykaynum5569]

That album is mid. That and the Score are overrated 90s album. Mid West classics are the Final Tic album n the Slim Shady LP

[@psychobenji2345]

@@jaykaynum5569 you can play that whole East 1999 album without skipping. I like the Final Tic and I grew up around Crucial Conflict but they are not on Bone level

[@marquelllattimore8112]

No E.1999 Eternal????

[@6foot8aquarius]

Neither of DMX’s first two releases made the list?

[@gothicreggae]

The second one isn’t THAT good

[@BestBroGamerShow]

​@@gothicreggaeIt is. Both albums are inseparable.

[@gothicreggae]

@@BestBroGamerShow I don't think so, I think the first one was a lot better

[@BestBroGamerShow]

@@gothicreggae Both had the street joints. You're lying to yourself. Like saying peanut butter is better than jelly.

[@seanjjpaul]

Nearly impossible list to do and satisfy everybody lol best decade for hip hop by farrrrr

[@DBecks_UP]

I'll put ATLiens before any OUTKAST albums

[@abizzle100]

Without a doubt ATLiens is their best album

[@iBEEnHEREtoo]

I would have to choose Aquemini

[@deviant4life25]

It’s Dark And Hell is Hot? No?

[@TWOTALL4UFOOL]

That's a great one left off.

[@FlymoufDiction]

No MOBB DEEEEP!!

[@aaronberry4125]

Tough list to narrow down for sure mine would look a little different…fun watch none the less

[@jtr5336]

Top 10: 1. Nas - Illmatic 2. Dr Dre - The Chronic 3. 2Pac - AEOM 4. Notorious BIG - Ready to Die 5. Mobb Deep - Infamous 6. Wu Tang - 36 Chambers 7. ATCQ - Midnight Marauders 8. Jay Z - Reasonable Doubt 9. Gang Starr - Moment of Truth 10. DMX - It’s Dark & Hell is Hot

[@iBEEnHEREtoo]

🧢

[@guyincognegro99]

If i don't see e.1999 eternal by bone thugs then throw the whole list out...about to watch now

[@407to618]

Skew it on the bar-b man slapped as a kid in middle school loved this song and still do to this day

[@Historicutuber]

Yeah I think as years have gone on ive preferred Life After Death to Ready to Die.

[@mindandthemuscle]

Jay-Z’s Rap Game/Crack & Fab’s Gone For The Winter both borrowed from Nas’ Represent.

[@mrwolf7321]

No Bone Thugs?!?

[@loutzzzz]

Black On Both Sides & Liquid Swords should be in the top 3

[@jamesrage1717]

No scarface the diary????

[@enochw3012]

During the 90s I had every one of these albums. Some of them I bought multiple times. My only real problems is Ice Cube’ Amerikkka’s Most Wanted or Death Certificate and Mobb Deep Infamous wasn’t here. You can’t convince me Life After Death was better than these 3. Life After Death don’t belong on this list. One of the albums I mentioned above should be in its place.

[@kevinrobinson4848]

"Let's list mostly east coast albums." "That'll surprise them!" Very safe and expected list. The 90s (and the 00's & beyond) are too deep to try to cover in a single top 10. You should do a top ten by regions (east, west, south, and midwest). That would be more accurate and more classics can be covered. If needed, the midwest could be combined with the west or the south.

[@Cappadonna72]

I think this list is way off, but West got 2 of the top 3. No reason to complain about that.

[@duduking]

Westside Connection- Bow Down Ice Cube- Death Certificate Mobb Deep- The Infamous

[@maybachmusicddv]

my 10 best hip hop albums of 90’s of all time 10.) Notorious B.I.G.-Life After Death 9.) Lauryn Hill-The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 8.) Fugees-The Score 7.) OutKast-Aquemini 6.) Snoop Dogg-Doggystyle 5.) Wu-Tang Clan-Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) 4.) Nas-Illmatic 3.) Notorious B.I.G.-Ready to Die 2.) 2Pac-All Eyez on Me 1.) Jay-Z-Vol.2 Hard Knock Life

[@dinogoldie9716]

"We can't be stopped" "Edutainment" "Cloud 9" "The sun rises in the East" "Soul on ice" "Liquid swords" "Ironman" "Vertex" "Tha hall of game" "First come first served"

[@VinnieDangerous]

This list is pretty solid! Every album I wanted to see is here

[@nicolesherman8974]

Yayyy! I’m ready for the video 🔥

[@Historicutuber]

I feel like Ice Cube Death Certificate should be up here

[@Fleezy81]

Phife's best sneak bar is "Bust a nut inside your eye, to show you where I come from" on Scenario. I'll Debate You!!

[@terrancesanders5213]

Broooooo I never figured out what he was REALLY saying until many years later 😂😂😂

[@Fleezy81]

@@terrancesanders5213 Same here, thought he meant punching someone in the face

[@arthure.andrews8978]

I'm all pumped for it order to watch this video

[@kareemlyons3761]

Outkast and Goodie Mob both drops classics tripping😢

[@Brian00007]

Take out Outkast and/or Jay Z and add The Infamous from Mobb Deep

[@jaykaynum5569]

No, I'm good. Mobb should replace the Roots. Are you from Philly?

[@Brian00007]

@@jaykaynum5569 no I'm not

[@lamnestor4399]

No Cuban 😳

[@abizzle100]

Insane that album ain’t on here. Honestly thought that would be number two or three

[@dinogoldie9716]

"Death certificate" "OG Original Gangster" "Mama Said knock you out" Step in the arena" "Steal this album" "Dr Octagonecologist" "Black Sunday" "Innercity Griots" "Sleeping with the enemy" "Equinox"

[@psychoof78]

The Chronic is my #1

[@FlymoufDiction]

How DARE you not have The Roots Illadelph Halflife and have Things Fall Apart smh. I hope you have Camp Lo, Busta, Nas, Tupac 2x, Biggie arguably 2x, Jay Z Reasonable Doubt Raekwon, Ghost, Fugues 👀 I know it's tight being a top 10 but some are just no exception. Should have did 15 or 20

[@FlymoufDiction]

CNN the War Report... Missy MISDEMEANOR Elliott...AZ DOE OR DIE!!

[@FlymoufDiction]

No DMX!!!???

[@Mark-r6v9s]

I really need to know what’s the criteria for this channel rankings. Having LAD over RTD is CRAZY. No Infamous, Cuban Linx. These two albums are better than at least five albums on this list. Reasonable doubt is a classic but not top 10 worthy. Atliens should be over Aquemini but that’s close. For me my ten would be In Order Midnight Marauders Illmatic Purple Tape Blackstar The Chronic Doggystyle Atliens Ready to Die Infamous The Low End Theory No doubt the 90s was the greatest decade in hip hop so making a 10 is tough.

[@jaykaynum5569]

Aquemini is way better than ATL album

[@Raiders-wm5kb]

far superior

[@TNyce-tk6ed]

Great list again! Would’ve love to see X take that reasonable doubt spot I’ll explain on IG or discord if yall would like to discuss further 😂😂 Peace!

[@dinogoldie9716]

Their list: 10) "aquemeni" "Things fall apart" "Enter the wu tang 36 chambers" "Reasonable doubt" "Life after death" "Me against the world" "Midnight marauders" "Doggystyle" "The Chronic" 1) "To the extreme"

[@Ribirthent]

Too short was the one saying Biach before snoop

[@Skwaktopus133]

My top 10 90s albums: 1.) Me Against The World - 2Pac (1995) 2.) Illmatic - Nas (1994) 3.) Enter The 36 Chambers - Wu-Tang Clan (1993) 4.) All Eyez On Me - 2Pac (1996) 5.) Ready To Die - The Notorious B.I.G. (1994) 6.) The Chronic - Dr. Dre (1992) 7.) Life After Death - The Notorious B.I.G. (1997) 8.) Doggystyle - Snoop Dogg (1993) 9.) The Infamous - Mobb Deep (1995) 10.) Capital Punishment - Big Pun (1998)

[@ragecage205]

TO ME, Chronic and Reasonable Doubt are top heavy albums that severely lose steam as you make your way through the second half of the albums.

[@TWOTALL4UFOOL]

Solid list. Not great but solid. You nailed it with Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Dr. Dre & Snoop. Biggest misses were Outkast and Biggie as I feel they had better albums that should've made the list. In terms of albums missed definitely Ice Cube's Death Certificate, DMX's It's Dark and Hell Is Hot, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's E. 1999 Eternal. Just a few albums I felt should've made it. BTW Snoop's little cousin is Daz not Warren G.

[@virgolife8832]

Best soundtracks of the 90’s

[@dinogoldie9716]

Streetfighter Judgment night Bulworth He got game Highschool high Slam.

[@koleon06]

Missed: East 1999 Eternal flesh of my flesh/it’s Dark Ready to Die Doe or Die

[@miked.336]

Would remove Me Against The World and would replace with All Eyez On Me or Makaveli.

[@jaykaynum5569]

Makaveli 💯

[@andersonarcher3620]

You can’t limit this to ten albums honestly because there are multiple artist who can have more then one album on there lol

[@stayready4017]

Outkast at 10? I'm really curious where is the Narrator from? No East 1999 or The Diary? Lmfao. Yeah Ok!

[@arthure.andrews8978]

I betcha u that nas is gonna be at no.1

[@amour_nyla]

ESCOOOO ILLMATIC

[@offthecouchwithjordan8128]

Solid list. I’d like to see DMX and Lauryn Hill

[@JEStheUniversual]

There is no way, even though I love Reasonable Doubt, that’s it’s higher then 36 Chambers or Aquemini. No way. Both 36 and Aquemini are top 5 records EVER!

[@willsalter8113]

This list is absolutely ridiculous. It seems that in order to make this list you had to have a significant album and sale a certain amount. Ready To Die spoke to an entire generation because of it’s complete honesty and complexity. Life After Death Till Death Do Us Part is phenomenal but let’s not forget it’s predecessor.

[@LAKERSFANINJAPAN]

Of course all about taste but Ready To Die>Life After Death ATLiens>Aquemini Low End Theory>Midnight Marauders Illadelphalflife>Things Fall Apart Reasonable Doubt is great but not ahead of Enter the Wu Tang Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Dah Shinin, On Top of The World and Chronic 2001 would be high up there for me.

[@MrWelchsTV]

A peez tha skeez haha Yup that old haha

[@SD-vf1er]

Things Fall Apart being better than Aquemini is wild. And here’s a secret… you don’t have to include a Jay, Big, and Pac album just because it’s Jay, Big, and Pac. Infamous and Cuban Linx are better than all of their albums and always have been.

[@jaykaynum5569]

Purple tape is only 2nd to Nas first

[@SD-vf1er]

@@jaykaynum5569 No argument here but I tend to favor Liquid Swords as the best Wu album.

[@jaykaynum5569]

@@SD-vf1er stop it 😂. It's 2nd💪🏾. Only Built was perfect. Ice Cream is on that album. I still shed a tear listening to Rainy Dayz or Glacier of Ice or Heaven or Hell. I low key got a little tired of Incarcerated Scarface because they played that video everyday growing up

[@arthure.andrews8978]

This is pretty good...

[@mackvelly8899]

Do Devin The Dude’s albums next !!

[@MONKMONEY-hu1gw]

36 should definitely be hire.

[@bencromwell707]

Snoop Dogg Doggystyle should be 1. #Yup

[@tyrellwestbrook9879]

Got damn. I can live with some exemptions. No Death Certificate, Amerikkas most wanted, All eyes on me, Mr. Smith, Dark in here and hell is hot, Only built 4 cuban linx.............but to leave off Ready to Die! Thats just unacceptable 😂.

[@kdnladner93]

My top 10 rap albums of the 90s: 1. Ready To Die 2. The Chronic 3. Illmatic 4. All Eyez On Me 5. Enter The Wu-Tang(36 Chambers) 6. Death Certificate 7. Reasonable Doubt 8. Doggystyle 9. ATLiens 10. The Slim Shady LP

[@deviant4life25]

No dmx? Wow

[@franklin8618]

Swap out Slim Shady and put in DMX's first album. Then I agree!

[@BeautifulCaesar]

What about the Purple Tape?

[@mikevilla8230]

Ready to Die > Life after death Low End Theory > MM

[@Blockburna254]

bruh exactly why i dont watch these videos no more No All Eyez on Me No Bone Thugs

[@bennisford1712]

Hell naw Illmatic is NOT #1.... geez

[@ragecage205]

Yall tripping lol I actually prefer Disc 2 of LAD. Another, my downfall, & Playa Hater is 🔥

[@robertbruce4054]

Rap game crack game jay z , and sneaker head by reakwon

[@FlymoufDiction]

Sneaker head is 🔥

[@manniemorales6362]

Bone Thugs N Harmony East 1999 Eternal Album Top 2

[@Mannyboy985]

HIT THAT LIKE BUTTON

[@bigzizzo]

OutKast, Biggie, Tribe and The Roots all have better albums than the one that made the list in my opinion. The Low End Theory was the best Rap album of the 90’s How OB4CL doesn’t make this list as well as The Infamous and Ready To Die?

[@deangelodavis846]

Where is All Eyes On Mr by Pac. That should of been #1

[@cwrichardson3]

The Lox were on Main Source Set it off before anything else

[@bigzizzo]

Also no Amerikkka’s Most Wanted?

[@jamesrage1717]

93 til infinity! Where is it?

[@iBEEnHEREtoo]

Life After Death> Ready To Die

[@aaronconner6562]

I would have swapped out even tho the album is good the roots things fall apart and put ready to die in there

[@norfside9173]

If you going to have Pac have to be Makaveli

[@kingme863]

I love Illmatic but I think it Was Written is a better album

[@raboniwillis9470]

Ice Cube Death Certificate? ATLiens is better than Aquemini Ready to Die is Better Than Life After Death Y'all still dope though

[@Rolando-tb4zy]

No Redman Muddy Waters ????

[@MEEZLEMONSTER]

"My Downfall" is still fugging awesome, cringe-worthy Diddy shyt talking notwithstanding...

[@illnamethispagelater]

Big pun capital punishment Slim shady LP 😢😢😢

[@BigUnk85]

No UGK RIDIN DIRTY? 🤔

[@miked.336]

Let me get ready to argue about who's going to get left off....cause I know some bulljive is coming lol.

[@abizzle100]

No Cuban linx, liquid swords or no infamous, list loses credibility

[@allanteetheridge4689]

Bone E 1999

[@dinogoldie9716]

MC Solaar "Qui Seme Le Vent Recolte Le Tempo" Roots Manuva "Brand new second hand" Da lench mob "Guerillas in the mist" Gang Starr "Moment of truth" Funky DL "Classic was the day" X-Clan "To the East Blackwards" Poor Righteous Teachers "New world order" Fugees "The score" Da Odd Squad "Fadanuf Fa Erybody" Lewis Parker "Masquerades & Silhouettes"

[@gun7network]

I thought about 400° maybe top²⁰

[@wilsonmatt781]

I normally like this list, but this one ain't it. No DMX no Bone and realistically Pac could have 3 spots

[@dianev3067]

You know a 90s hip hop list is bs when it doesnt contain anything by Ice Cube, Scaface, Redman, Bone Thugs N Harmony, NWA, Mobb Deep, Too $hort (who created the biyaaatch word), Cypress Hill, Lil Kim, Eightball & MJG, Gangstarr, 36 Mafia, Public Enemy, etc. Yall always put that bs Nas album at the top. I can name 20 albums off the top of my head that are miles better than bs overrated af Illmatic: The Chronic (which should be #1 with a bullet) Death Certificate The Predator Amerikkka's Most Wanted Lethal Injection 19NaughtyIII Black Mafia Life Uncle Sam's Curse No Need for Alarm Ready to Die Cypress Hill III Temple of Boom On Top of The World Hell on Earth The Diary The World Is Yours Dare Iz A Darkside Whut Thee Album Muddy Waters The Infamous Hard to Earn Efil4zaggin $hort Dogs In The House Doe or Die Music to Driveby It Was Written Fear of a Black Planet 4,5,6, Business Never personal The Low End Theory To The East Blackwards In God We Trust Spice 1 187 he Wrote Enta Da Stage All Eyez on Me Iron Man Adrenaline Rush Word....Life Lifestyles of The Poor & Dangerous Capital Punishment My bad. I got carried away. But I can keep going motherf*&&&&. The point is I get sick of seeing Illmatic at #1. Only songs I liked are It Aint Hard to tell, NY State, Represent, and Life's A B&&&& where AZ washed tf out of Nas. The rst of that bs album are filler. Nas never made a cohesive album until It Was Written. After that, he went back to being s**&

[@kevinrobinson4848]

I don't agree with your views on Nas but you are dead on with most the rest you sd! The 90s is too deep to only list these safe azz albums in the video.

[@jaykaynum5569]

Illmatic is #1. Word Life Whut Thee Doe or Die AEOM Disc 2 have nothing on Nas worse album

[@dianev3067]

@@jaykaynum5569 You must be a delusional Nas stan. Times Up is better than Nas's best song. AZ washed Nas on every single duet and collaboration they ever did. Not one song on Illmatic can f*** with one verse on Rather Unique. How tf can it f&&& with Doe or Die???? Nas was so scary, the motherf*&& removed his bs verse on Desperadoes. Because he was frightened of that Canibus verse. Bottomline, Illmatic is really a pieced together compilation that took old songs from soundtracks and demos to make a 9 song EP look like a fake album. Bahahahahaha. Nas didnt make a cohesive album until It Was Written. Which I later heard that Jungle and Cormega had a lot to do with the writing on that album. Which explains why I Am, Nastradamus, and all that other Nas bs went down hill. Try again

[@MichaelMorales-ll3hv]

Why u mad illmatic is the best album of the 90s and possibly of all time definitely better than anything Marshall ever put out but u named some pretty good ones I'll give u that

[@christophermoore5328]

You missed MC Eiht We Come Strapped and Redman Muddy Waters. Do better.

[@junestevens5123]

Okay no mobb deep that's all I need to see I know this list is full of s***

[@crusadergamer4995]

No bone thugs and Harmony that's a disappointment

[@lamontWatson]

RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS I SEE COME YALL NEED TO DO BETTER

[@TheEdub1]

Definitely don't agree with this list!

[@kennymack6492]

No Bone thugs.. exit left list garbage