Not sure how much traction this will get and there appears to be some overlap with older / lamer threads, but whatever. It’s been a rough 2021 for the genre (DMX and Shock G come to mind) so we’re going for some of the all-time superlatives in rap / hip hop but limiting it to these three:
My own picks:
I honestly can’t decide between A Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr. Obviously, Wu Tang is the most iconic.
Illmatic would have been my first choice. Ready to Die is the cliche pick, and …And Then There Was X after that.
Forgot about Dre, but really any of the Em and Dre collabs were really some of the best. Or California Love, because Tupac and Dre. Shit, just anything with Dre, haha.
These are just some of my favorites, by the way - not necessarily “the best”.
All solid picks. True re: Em / Dre - I feel the same way about anything Red / Meth did. And yes, I should have used “favorites” in place of “best” as that’s more what I was going for.
Honorable mention for #3
Snoop Dogg - “Drop It Like It’s Hot” feat. Pharrell / A Tribe Called Quest featuring Leaders of the New School – Scenario
Given any amount of time this would not have crossed my mind . . . but I like it. In my mind this will forever be playing in the background at my college gym.
Wu Tang fans gotta listen to this
Logic has some pretty good stuff but I don’t know how much current stuff you all listen to.
Current for me is RTJ. I bought tix to see RATM / RTJ early in 2020 only to have it postponed to July 2021 - only to have it postponed to July 2022 a couple of months ago. 2+ years may be the longest I’ve ever waited for something.
Ooh, la la.
Also, I guess I took “group” as “group of rappers”, otherwise RATM would have been a contender. Outside of rap, Tom Morello’s solo stuff is pretty great too.
By the time I actually get there I’ll be wishing I’d bought a ticket for my daughter . . .
Drake
TPAB
The Imperial (Action Bronson , Royce da 5’9, Black Thought) or Birds Eye View (Raekwon, Joey BadAss, BlackThought.
Best hip hop group: Drake?
It was a joke. Can not deny he has great albums/singles but, dudes got multiple ghost writers even poets writing for him.
It’s a tough call. I’d feel weird about calling it pure rap / hip hop, but it’s damn close. Agree 100% though - they’ve been my go-to since I was 12.
Okay, let me put my backpack on then…
People Under the Stairs
Atmosphere’s Lucy Ford
I have a hard time getting into collaborations and features, so probably anything CZARFACE and MF DOOM did together.
Also, RIP Gift of Gab. Blackalicious is an honorable mention for #1 if we’re going with rapper/producer combos as well.
The show in Pittsburgh from the first RTJ tour is still one of the best I’ve been too.
I’m psyched - hoping they don’t change their mind about touring before I get there
1). Wu Tang or Geto boys, for more recent stuff, Griselda
2). Supreme Clientele
3). Need to agree with @throwawayfitness , intl players anthem
My favorite The Outlawz. NWA being second, but all around they each carried their own weight more than The Outlawz which was mostly about Tupac.
Best Album. All Eyez on me. Second being Straight Out of Compton.
Best collab is probably Dre and Em.
Still like to bang out some 80s/90s hip hop when I’m alone in the car
Best Group? Wu Tang purely for the slew of solo albums that came after 36 Chambers. They were on fire for a few years man.
Best album? Critical Beatdown by UltraMagnetic MC’s is hard to beat. That blew my mind when I first heard it.
Colab? Hard one man however Main Source Live at the BBQ is definitely up there