Best Albums to Gift a Hip-Hop Fan

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1. 1
   IllmaticNas

   Illmatic

   Nas · 1994 · Hip-Hop

   Ten tracks, no filler, widely held to be the greatest rap album ever made. Nas's vivid Queensbridge storytelling sits over production from Premier, Pete Rock, Q-Tip and Large Professor. The benchmark every lyricist measures against.

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2. 2
   Ready to DieThe Notorious B.I.G.

   Ready to Die

   The Notorious B.I.G. · 1994 · Hip-Hop

   Biggie's debut pairs cinematic street narratives with effortless flow and undeniable hooks, balancing menace and humour. The storytelling and presence are extraordinary for a first album. A New York cornerstone.

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3. 3
   Reasonable DoubtJay-Z

   Reasonable Doubt

   Jay-Z · 1996 · Hip-Hop

   A coolly confident debut of mafioso storytelling and effortless flow. Polished and assured. Many fans' favourite.

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4. 4
   To Pimp a ButterflyKendrick Lamar

   To Pimp a Butterfly

   Kendrick Lamar · 2015 · Hip-Hop

   An ambitious fusion of hip-hop, jazz, funk and spoken word, wrestling with race, fame and self-worth. Challenging on first listen and richer with every return. Widely considered a landmark of the 2010s.

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5. 5
   Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)Wu-Tang Clan

   Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

   Wu-Tang Clan · 1993 · Hip-Hop

   A gritty, kung-fu-soaked debut that introduced nine distinct voices over RZA's raw, dusty production. It rewrote the rules for group dynamics in hip-hop and launched a dynasty of solo careers. Essential East Coast canon.

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6. 6
   StankoniaOutKast

   Stankonia

   OutKast · 2000 · Hip-Hop

   A wildly inventive blend of funk, electro, gospel and rap that pushed Southern hip-hop into the future. 'B.O.B.' and 'Ms. Jackson' anchor it. Restless, joyful and ahead of its time.

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7. 7
   The Low End TheoryA Tribe Called Quest

   The Low End Theory

   A Tribe Called Quest · 1991 · Hip-Hop

   Jazz-rap perfected, marrying upright bass and crisp drums to relaxed, conscious rhymes. Hugely influential on alternative hip-hop. One of the genre's most beloved albums.

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8. 8
   It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us BackPublic Enemy

   It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

   Public Enemy · 1988 · Hip-Hop

   A dense, furious wall of sound from the Bomb Squad behind Chuck D's righteous fury and Flavor Flav's chaos. Politically explosive and sonically revolutionary. One of rap's most important records.

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9. 9
   MadvillainyMadvillain

   Madvillainy

   Madvillain · 2004 · Hip-Hop

   MF DOOM's dense, allusive rhymes over Madlib's dusty, short-loop beats, an underground touchstone with no choruses and no rules. Cryptic and endlessly rewinding. A cult masterpiece.

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10. 10
    good kid, m.A.A.d cityKendrick Lamar

    good kid, m.A.A.d city

    Kendrick Lamar · 2012 · Hip-Hop

    A self-described 'short film' about growing up in Compton, structured as a cohesive narrative with cinematic detail. Dense, melodic and replayable, it confirmed Kendrick as the leading rapper of his generation. A modern classic.

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