Complex ranked the 90 best Rap albums of the 1990s in a recent list. The publication ranks Nas’ Illmatic the greatest of the decade.
“Lists such as the one you’re reading inevitably lead to disagreements, if not full-on arguments,” Complex says when discussing Nas’ Illmatic placement. “Fair-minded fans can disagree about whether the ’90s was indeed rap’s greatest decade. As Jigga once put it, folks will ‘argue all day about who’s the best MC, Biggie, Jay Z, or Nas.’ One thing they don’t argue much about: who made the best album. Because it would be extremely difficult to make the case that Nas’s Illmatic isn’t the greatest rap album of the decade, if not all time.”
Nas’ Illmatic saw a boost in sales this week. The Queensbridge, New York emcee’s debut album, released April 19, 1994, sold 14,987 copies this week. It experienced an 844 percent increase in sales from the previous week. Overall, the project has sold 1,686,232 copies in its 20 years.
Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, which was released in 1992, A Tribe Called Quest’s 1991 album, The Low End Theory, Raekwon’s 1995 effort, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… and The Notorious B.I.G.’s 1994 release, Ready to Die, make up the list’s remaining efforts in the Top 5, mentioned here in order from the list’s highest to lowest.
“Nas and Big remain two of the greatest MCs in history, and their debuts stand as pillars of New York Hip Hop,” Complex says when discussing Ready to Die. “Where Nas followed his debut with a 20-year career and a rich and varied body of work, Biggie’s debut album ended with a song depicting his own suicide. The fact that he did not live to see the release of his masterpiece, Life After Death, says more about Hip Hop in the 1990s than 10,000 thinkpieces, and underscores the realness that oozes from every pore of this remarkable album.”
The full list, which features Mos Def’s 1999 album, Black On Both Sides, at #90, is available via Complex.
so you talk about the shit, but don’t provide a link?
fuck are yall on bro
its in the second paragraph, the word Complex in orange is a link but I agree a nice clear link at the bottom would be easier.
It means you leave their site. Why would they want you to do that
they are affiliated with complex
Rick Ross catalog is better than most of these albums but he was actually selling cocaine in the streets when these old niggas were rapping about doing it.
You should try having sex with an actual woman.. It’s actually a pretty good feeling
go do something useful like stick your head in a food blender ffs
Ross was working as a C.O. in the 90s.
lil kim higher than cmw? list is fugazi
no showbiz and ag …Runaway Slave =Classic
no Nine …Nine Lives = classic
no Heather B …Takin mine = Classic
no BIG L ….lifestyles of the poor and dangerous = ABSOLUTE CLASSIC
bullshit list
yes NINE good lookin
Oh get the fuck out of here with this trash. Complex doesn’t know what it’s talking about. Why, I bet if Port of Miami had came out a decade earlier, you motherfuckers would still be praising it to this day.
You don’t know what you’re talking. Port of Miami would never make it in the 90s.
Illmatic over rated. Not even NAS best album. To me 36 chambers, Its dark and Hell is hot, Death Certificate, Are better albums
Nobody was making albums with more than one producer before illmatic. Jay z’s first album would’ve been a Das efx knockoff if it wasn’t for illmatic. So while it may not be his best it was the most influencial.
an album is not better or weaker because there’s one producer. This has nothin to do with it.
soul on ice>
Miami Life was the only good song off that otherwise horrible album.
The 90’s had some of the best artist ever. It’s sad that it changed so much, only a few artist are really into the culture. New guys like Rick Ross, French, Drake, and etc. are all a weaker watered down artist.
Don’t be mad cause Drake could employ the entire back catalog of washed up has been’s from the 90’s and make them do menial tasks for the rest of their pathetic lives.
Mos def at #90? that album should at least be top 15. i wonder where they ranked We are Black Star?
No Complex list can ever be taken seriously.
1 – In God We Trust (Brand Nubian)
2 – Death Certificate (Ice Cube)
3 – Apache Ain’t Shit (Apache)
4 – Neva Again (Kam)
5 – Da Hood (Menace Clan)
6 – Holy Intellect (Poor Righteous Teachers)
7 – Fear Of A Black Planet (Public Enemy)
8 – Intelligent Hoodlum (Tragedy Khadafi)
9 – Mecca And The Soul Brother (Pete Rock & CL Smooth)
10 – To The East, Blackwards (X Clan)
Knowledge is power but it frightens most! PEACE
Who made this list? Louis Farrakhan?
That Kam album only had 2 good songs.
Sorry, but funcrusher plus is the best album of the 90s, for it to not even be in the top 5 is insane.
No its not but its dope.
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2pac? really he is so overrated.
nah he’s not, u just haven’t heard enough.
Yeah but u know they gotta throw all his catalog on the list or else his bitch made stans are gonna cry about it for the rest of their pitiful lives
2pac’s first album was terrible.
It seems to me like the top 5 is very east coast friendly. And for all u 2PAC haters out there that say his music is terrible…please…u can’t mention 90’s rap (or even rap for that matter) without mentioning tupac as one of the greatest mc’s. Biggie and nas were great artists but neither of them had the global and social impact that Makaveli did. A lot of the terminology (aka “slang”) that is used today originated on the west coast…so let drop some game on u…as the Luniz so eloquently put it…”y u wanna, playa hate on [us]…!!!!
hgsdighf