Best Hip Hop Albums of All Time

"Sometimes I just feel like, quittin I still might
Why do I put up this fight, why do I still write
Sometimes it's hard enough just dealin with real life
Sometimes I wanna jump on stage and just kill mics
And show these people what my level of skill's like..."
- 8 Mile (Eminem)

Hip Hop is a genre of music consisting of rap, hip hop dance and graffiti. It is said to be inspired from the African American culture. Hip hop music originated in the 1970s in New York City. Hip hop is an important and popular genre among the different types of music. In a span of more than 30 years, there have been some great hip hop albums. Here is a list of some of the greatest and the best hip hop albums of all time.

Best Hip Hop Albums Ever

The Marshall Mathers LP (Eminem)
This album won critical acclaim and was also one of the most popular hip hop albums in the world. With nearly 1.76 millions of albums sold, it is the fastest selling and also the best hip hop albums of all time. Although critics praised this album, some of the lyrics are censored. Read more on Eminem.

Reasonable Doubt (Jay Z)
Debut album of Jay Z, Reasonable Doubt was acclaimed all over the world for its lyrics. It ranked 23 on Billboard 200. It is ironic that nearly all other Jay Z's albums ranked higher than this album but Reasonable Doubt is considered his best and also one of the best hip hop albums of all times. Read more on Jay Z.

The Chronic (Dr. Dre)
Although a debut solo album, The Chronic is a remarkable and ground-breaking album of Dr. Dre. Some of the lyrics of the singles in the album were based on arguable topics which led to a controversy when the album was released. Famous rapper Snoop Dogg had an important role to play in this album and was indeed praised for his performance.

Illmatic (Nas)
Illmatic was Nas's debut album that created a new age in the hip hop music. It is always considered as the best hip hop albums of all time as it represents the perfect example of quality and class of hip hop music. It also ranked 12 on Billboard 200 and 2nd on U.S. Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums Chart.

It Takes A Nation Of Millions (Public Enemy)
It is one of the most popular albums among all the hip hop albums. It ranked 1st on U.S. Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums Chart and 42nd on Billboard 200. It is even considered as the group's one of the most influential albums.

Enter The Wu-Tang (Wu-Tang Clan)
This was rather a unique album as it included some clips of martial arts and soul music samples. The group and the album is said to have literally reinvented hip hop music. The album consists of hard core music pieces with brilliant lyrics.

Doggystyle (Snoop Dogg)
Once again a debut album is the best hip hop albums of all time. Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle was praised for its distinct vocal flow and originality. Although the lyrics are based on controversial topics, this album won acclaim even from the critics. Read more on Snoop Dogg.

The Infamous (Mobb Deep)
The second album of the duo Mobb Deep was marked by hard or rugged beats. Along with the distinct music, it also had visual lyrics with dark rhymes. This type of rap became popular after the success of this album.

Low End Theory (A Tribe Called Quest)
This second album of the group is considered as the perfect example of hip hop from the 1980s. One can find excellent combination of vocals and bass drum in this album. Along with Low End Theory, the group's Midnight Marauders is also considered as the best hip hop albums ever.

Paid in Full (Eric B. & Rakim)
The duo's debut album, Paid in Full created a different pattern of music and consequently creating a template for rappers in the future. Along with music and jazz, Rakim's voice played an important role in the success of the album.

Other Best Hip Hop Albums

• Freedom (Akon)
• In da Club (50 Cent)
• Chemical Warfare (The Alchemist)
• Confessions (Usher)
• The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (Frankee)
• Death Certificate (Ice Cube)
• The E.N.D (Black Eyed Peas)
• Dedication 3 (Lil' Wayne)
• Venom (Chamillionaire)
• Ready to Die (Notorious B.I.G)
• The Don Killuminati (Tupac)
• cLOUDDEAD (cLOUDDEAD)

The readers must have noticed that almost all the best hip hop albums were debut albums of the singers or groups. Although released many years back, even today some of these are best selling hip hop albums and millions of copies of these albums have been sold until now. Read more on history of hip hop.

There may be difference in the likes and choices of people in regard to music. But all the hip hop fans and devotees will unanimously agree that the above mentioned are the best hip hop albums of all time.