Most UNDERRATED rap albums ever recorded

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

1. Jay-Z - Blueprint 2

I don't even like Jay-Z, but I love nearly every song on this album. I think the initial fanbase was disappointed that it didn't sound like Blueprint pt. 1 and then everyone jumped on the bandwagon.

2. Kanye West - Late Registration

After hating his first album, I heard this and fell in love with it. 10 years from now, this will be considered a rap classic.

3. Organized Konfusion - Stress

Maybe not so much underrated as little heard, this one should be up there with 36 Chambers and Ready to Die as the best of the genre.

4. N.W.A. - Niggaz4Life

I honestly pull this one out a hell of a lot more than Straight Outta Compton. Yeah, the lyrics are ridiculous but it's extremely consistent and the beats are way ahead of their time.

5. Nas - It Was Written

Much like Jay-Z, I think fans wanted another Illmatic and were disappointed when he took on a different sound. The songs still stand up, though.

Comment on my list, and post your own. I'm always looking for more great albums to get my hands on.

― Harry Pembleton, Thursday, 24 November 2005 19:12 (twenty years ago)

GZA's Beneath the Surface is due for some respect... So is Arsonist's As the World Burns... and one of the early Sole albums is decent..

why doesn't anyone talk about Root's Organix? I think "Anti-Circle" might be their best song.

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Thursday, 24 November 2005 19:24 (twenty years ago)

Blueprint's usually v. highly rated, although maybe not around here. I absolutely loved it when it dropped, and now that the return-of-soul thing has totally taken over its less exciting to me but I still like it.

I dont know how Late Registration could be considered underrated at all.

A few underrated (unrated?) releases i've been listening to lately: Big Noyd's Episodes of a Hustler, an EP that came out around the time Infamous dropped that is basically a Mobb Deep release + Big Noyd, Havoc production etc.
and
Smoothe da Hustla - Once Upon a Time in America which I don't see people talk about all that much.

Leaving NYC for a minute, the Memphis Drama compilations Al Kapone released are great and post-Hustle&Flow I think they deserve some attention.

― deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 24 November 2005 19:31 (twenty years ago)

Love that Organized Konfusion album btw.

― deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 24 November 2005 19:32 (twenty years ago)

Stress is a huge cult classic.

See also the Son of Bazerk album, only more cult.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Thursday, 24 November 2005 19:39 (twenty years ago)

Sensational, Loaded With Power.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Thursday, 24 November 2005 19:41 (twenty years ago)

Also, is there really anything you need to hear by Smoothe the Hustler besides "Broken Language"?

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Thursday, 24 November 2005 19:54 (twenty years ago)

black nasty - AIDS can't stop me

― Palpatean Mists, Thursday, 24 November 2005 19:57 (twenty years ago)

Well, I like the album, so yes. xpost

― deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 24 November 2005 19:57 (twenty years ago)

What I was really asking was does he keep that style up forever and ever, the way Das Efx did? I mean, I like "Dead Serious" but about all you ever need to hear from them is "They Want Efx." "Broken Language" is such a gimmick record (in a good way) that I can scarcely imagine what else he can do.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Thursday, 24 November 2005 20:00 (twenty years ago)

Oh yeah he's got more depth than that, but I think Das EFX have a gang of good tracks that i like for reasons other than the gimmick (and they gave up on the gimmick for their later albums ... that Pete Rock remix of "Real Hip-Hop" is still hot I think)

― deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 24 November 2005 20:08 (twenty years ago)

I'll post more about it later but i'm making apple pie, gotta keep the stove in check.

― deej.. (deej..), Thursday, 24 November 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

I would hardly call Jay Z's the Blueprint underratred.

― Lee, Thursday, 24 November 2005 22:51 (twenty years ago)

Killah Priest's Heavy Mental is right behind Liquid Swords and Only Built etc for the best Wu solo effort

― Rizz (Rizz), Thursday, 24 November 2005 23:01 (twenty years ago)

Tuff Crew - Back to wreck shop

― dumdum, Friday, 25 November 2005 00:09 (twenty years ago)

de la soul -
bionix. at least 70% of it is absoultely fantastic.

― piscesboy, Friday, 25 November 2005 00:23 (twenty years ago)

Son of Bazerk's only album seconded.

Also:
Dream Warriors' And Now the Legacy Begins
Digable Planets' Blowout Comb
New Kingdom's Heavy Load

― Dave Segal (Da ve Segal), Friday, 25 November 2005 05:38 (twenty years ago)

Digable Planets' "Blowout Comb"

most definitely.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Friday, 25 November 2005 06:18 (twenty years ago)

New Kingdom's "Heavy Load"

most definitely.

― g. (discos), Friday, 25 November 2005 07:01 (twenty years ago)

Young MC -- Stone Cold Rhymin'

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Friday, 25 November 2005 07:05 (twenty years ago)

Don't see many people talking about The Original Concept or their Straight From The Basement Of Kooley High, the cassette of which I wish I hadn't left behind on a bus, never to be seen again.

― Myonga Von Bombast (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 25 November 2005 07:06 (twenty years ago)

big l's lifestyles of the poor and dangerous is quality throughout,i often see it referred to in terms of "what he could have gone on to achieve",etc
i think he already achieved a lot,he's one of the best punchline rappers ever on the strenght of that one album

― robin (robin), Friday, 25 November 2005 07:12 (twenty years ago)

The five albums mentioned in the question got at least as much fawning press as pans, didn't they?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 25 November 2005 07:16 (twenty years ago)

The MOST underrated would have to be records that didn't even get rated at all (by anyone -- even their friends).

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Friday, 25 November 2005 08:51 (twenty years ago)

de la soul -
bionix. at least 70% of it is absoultely fantastic.

Agreed, I like almost every song on that LP, except for "Porn Star", which has an awful beat. Haven't read too many negative comments on it though, I'm not sure if it's really underrated rather than under-the-radar.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 25 November 2005 09:03 (twenty years ago)

capone n noreaga - the war report: ive said it before here: its at the end of a era , almost; 96 but before timbaland, just a harder point on the specturm of the RZA-havoc production style (the latter contributing standouts "parole violators" and "illegal life"), capone lyrically sticking to wordy NYC gangster vignettes, noreaga more interesting rhythmically and personality-wise, one the verge of greater things ... i just love this album

― frenetic newtonian, Friday, 25 November 2005 09:07 (twenty years ago)

epmd - business never personal

― gear (gear), Friday, 25 November 2005 09:13 (twenty years ago)

Geto Boys - s/t one Rick Rubin produced
Schoolly D - Smoke Some Kill
Raekwon - Immobilarity

― Edward III (edward iii), Friday, 25 November 2005 13:47 (twenty years ago)

Absolutely agree with Immobilarity. The lack of love, sometimes outright hate, that album gets from Cuban linx fans baffles me.

― Flyboy (Flyboy), Friday, 25 November 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

Digable Planets' "Blowout Comb" I totally agree with, and also Big Pun's "Capital Punishment", whilst reasonably well known, still has yet to find its place amoung the greatest gangsta rap albums of all time in a lot of those list thingies.

― Don Rowlando (Sam Rowlands), Friday, 25 November 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

"Immobilarity" was horrible. Truely horrible. Raekwon was still spittin' fine but the production was awful.

Some of these albums are hardly underrated. Most mentioned sold well and/or were acclaimed upon release and are by well known artists. Shit, people are mentioning Platimum albums which received 5 mics here like the Geto Boys jawn. And Jay Z or "late registration" underrated? Oh, ok.

"Niggaz4life" used to be underrated, i guess, but since the reissue 5 or so years ago people have realized just how good it is and that produce wise it's on a par with "the chronic". Whatever the case it's far better than "straight outta compton" ("100 miles and runnin" ep rules too)

"It was written" got a lot of hate upon it's release but i think a lot of people went back to it a couple of years later and realized it's as good (or near enough) as "illmatic", just different. I always liked it as i always dug that Kool G. Rap/OB4CL style mafioso rap. "Take it in blood", "the set-up", "live nigga rap", "street dreams", "nas is coming", "shootouts"..lots of great cuts.

"War report" is pretty fucking amazing but there's no way it's underrated. It went gold and got 4 and a half mics. Anyone who was listening to or knows anything about late 90s NYC rap knows and recognizes how great it is.

"Stress.." ..yeah, maybe that's a little more like an underrated album. Still very much in th mid 90s rap canon, though.

Underrated would be something like "the turnaround" by Real Live or "vagina diner" by Akinyele or "cop n go" ep by Money Boss Players, i suppose.

― ELLI$, Friday, 25 November 2005 14:11 (twenty years ago)

Or other releases of that type which didnt really sell well at time of release and are now pretty much forgotten but are still great albums (like others mentioned in the thread like "smoke some kill" and "once upon a time in America".

― ELLI$, Friday, 25 November 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

The first thing I thought of when seeing the title is Bulletproof Wallets. For some reason it's always been in the shadow of Supreme Clientele, but I think it's actually the better of the two. It has better beats, more varied songs, plus one of the most ridiculous Ghostface songs ("The Forest") and probably the best Wu feel-good song ever ("Flowers").

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 25 November 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

"Bulletproof wallets" with the tracks that got cut due to sample clearance - "the watch", "the sun", "good times" - might be as good as "supreme clientele" but the retail version..nah.

Still a good album, though. It's all about "maxine".

― ELLI$, Friday, 25 November 2005 14:29 (twenty years ago)

Also, everyone should check out Brace 4 Impak by Da Beatminerz, it's really really good. A great set of featured rappers (Royce da 5'9", Apani B Fly, Naughty by Nature, Talib Kweli, Busta, etc.), good performances from relative unknowns, plus maybe the best set of beats they've ever produced. It's definitely the best rap producer LP I've heard.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 25 November 2005 14:32 (twenty years ago)

Godfather Don - Diabolique

Total lost classic. 1999 - Too jiggy for the underground, too raw for the mainstream. Really noone's ever had crazy syncopated cadences like these.

― jhoshea (scoopsnoodle), Friday, 25 November 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

what sort of underrated rap album list can have kanye and fucking jay-z on it?!!?

― okokk, Friday, 25 November 2005 15:04 (twenty years ago)

as a matter of fact

http://www.badongo.com/file.php?file=Godfather+Don+-+Big+Katz__2005-11-25_big+katz+f+sir+menel.mp3

http://www.badongo.com/file.php?file=Godfather+Don+Dip+Dip+Die__2005-11-25_Dip+Dip+Die!!!.mp3

― jhoshea (scoopsnoodle), Friday, 25 November 2005 15:19 (twenty years ago)

"The Original Concept - Straight From The Basement Of Kooley High"

wow. i once had this on cd (!!) and i traded it in when hiphop was no longer on my playlist,, much to my regret a few years later.
i dont wanna know how good this is now, thanks.

my tip : ruthless rap assassins - the killer album. wonderfully dense productiion with lots of PWEI styled references amongst the hooks.

― mark e (mark e), Friday, 25 November 2005 15:38 (twenty years ago)

That Godfather Don album was pretty good (although a disappointment at the time) but the only track on there that was as good as the 12"s cuts like "piece of the action", "the bomb, baby" and the awesome "seeds of hate" was "no competition".

But the Scaramanga "7 eyes 7 horns" album Godfather Don guested and produced a few tracks on..now that was an album. The same sorta style (street + underground + jiggy) just with far better production and some insane flows ("mine ic mine", in particular).

― ELLI$, Friday, 25 November 2005 15:39 (twenty years ago)

so ELLI$ - you wouldn't happen to have those godafter don 12"s in the mp3 format would you?

― jhoshea (scoopsnoodle), Friday, 25 November 2005 16:04 (twenty years ago)

Oh yeah! Downtown Science's self titled album (their only release) is pretty great. They were homeboys of 3rd Bass and had the same kinda feel.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Friday, 25 November 2005 16:09 (twenty years ago)

The Isolationist- s/t (Jazz Fudge, 1999)

DJ Vadim productions w/ Anti-Pop Consortium raps--very much slept on from day one.

― Dave Segal (Da ve Segal), Friday, 25 November 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)

"Seeds of hate" to follow (when i can find where i've put it).

Godfather Don-piece of the action

http://s57.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0PJ6E9QBYDZIL0N3Z83Q6EU4H8

Godfather Don-the bomb, baby

http://s57.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3VX683XB27N151WCFSQO5VGL1R

― ELLI$, Friday, 25 November 2005 16:56 (twenty years ago)

I'm sorry to seem ungrateful, but MAN do I hate wma files.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Friday, 25 November 2005 18:15 (twenty years ago)

thanks ellis - I missed piece of the action terribly

― jhoshea (scoopsnoodle), Friday, 25 November 2005 18:24 (twenty years ago)

dmx - the great depression (although not around these parts, i admit - ilx is the one place where it gets the love it deserves).

any dmx album is suitable for this thread - not to say that he is universally disliked or anything, just that he isn't worshipped in the way he should be.

also, bushwick bill - little big man.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 25 November 2005 18:49 (twenty years ago)

Boom Bip/Doseone- Circle (Mush)

Just as amorphously fascinating as cLOUDDEAD's s/t album, but rarely recognized as such.

― original plagiarist, Friday, 25 November 2005 19:29 (twenty years ago)

Soulja Slim, Years Later...A Few Months After. Everybody talks about Slim but not about his records, really. This is the only full-length I have and it's mostly great.

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 25 November 2005 19:37 (twenty years ago)

Edo G feat. Pete Rock - My Own Worst Enemy
Pete Rock - Soul Survivor

― Palpatean Mists, Friday, 25 November 2005 21:51 (twenty years ago)

Luv Vagina Diner, Large Pro at his best.

― deej.. (deej..), Saturday, 26 November 2005 00:49 (twenty years ago)

Slim - Years Later even tho w/o cheezeataz, A FEW monrhs adrer was weak cuz trhatr mystikal remix and it ws all out of order, bt whateve.r i revill; the following cd to yall sleeperzx:
Turk - Penetentiary Chances

― SPL, Saturday, 26 November 2005 01:07 (twenty years ago)

Don't see many people talking about The Original Concept or their Straight From The Basement Of Kooley High

The number of times I have big-upped this album on ILM is up in the thousands by now!

― T.O. Sourpuss, Saturday, 26 November 2005 01:30 (twenty years ago)

the most underrated rap album ever.. dr octagon.. the octagynecologist

― Captain R, Saturday, 26 November 2005 02:37 (twenty years ago)

Are you kidding?

― deej.. (deej..), Saturday, 26 November 2005 02:40 (twenty years ago)

Seriously. You may as well say Eric B and Rakim's "Paid in Full" is underrated.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Saturday, 26 November 2005 13:46 (twenty years ago)

Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Not as well know as their classic - the he got game soundtrack - but a minor masterpiece in its own right.

― jhoshea (scoopsnoodle), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:37 (twenty years ago)

Ya know, hiphop is so full of great obscurities, especially from the explosion in the mid and late eighties that somebody with the knowledge and money really needs to "Nuggets" that shit.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Saturday, 26 November 2005 14:51 (twenty years ago)

How about the Ultramagnetic MC's Critical Beatdown? It's never mentioned on the histories of late 80s hip hop which all dominated by PE, NWA, the Beasties and Eric B & Rakim but it's a cracker.

― Nick H (Nick H), Saturday, 26 November 2005 18:18 (twenty years ago)

Downtown Science

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 26 November 2005 18:23 (twenty years ago)

Divine Styler- Spiral Walls Containing Autumns of Light
MC 900 Foot Jesus- Welcome to My Dream

― Dave Segal (Da ve Segal), Saturday, 26 November 2005 20:07 (twenty years ago)

Good call, gabbneb, I completely agree.

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Saturday, 26 November 2005 20:45 (twenty years ago)

haha jhoshea

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 26 November 2005 20:46 (twenty years ago)

Jeru the Damaja - Wrath of the Math
Boogie Monsters - Riders of the Storm

― Super Cub (Debito), Sunday, 27 November 2005 02:12 (twenty years ago)

To people expressing disbelief that he called Blueprint underrated, keep in mind that he was referring to Blueprint 2, not the first one.

― Ross G. (scatter), Sunday, 27 November 2005 03:42 (twenty years ago)

Oh I missed that, I agree actually that The Blueprint 2 is pretty great

― deej.. (deej..), Sunday, 27 November 2005 05:30 (twenty years ago)

To The East, Blackwards

― Candicissima (candicissima), Sunday, 27 November 2005 07:12 (twenty years ago)

Domino - Domino!!!
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000024KV.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

― deej.. (deej..), Monday, 28 November 2005 02:15 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.