I'm trying get into rap again but not sure where to start. What are some essential hip hop albums?

>Floral shoppe

Maybe once upon a time, but even back then that album wasn't seen as a masterpiece.

Floral Shoppe is literally a one song album

>Cred Forums essentials are masterpieces
shit chart btw

Just don't. The genre is not creative, it's extremely lazy, no hip hop album can be considered essential to the wider pantheon of music, and listening to it regularly has been proven to lower your IQ. It is in your best interest to stay out of rap.

This is objectively not true

Throw it all in the trash.

Hip-Hop is anti-intellectual garbage with almost zero spiritual value. Invest your time in the great works of art and music instead of urban counter culture trash.

>urban counter culture
You have to be joking, hip hop IS urban culture

[citation needed]

hip-hop is arguably the most spiritual mainstream genre rn. it's a euphemism for a new religion, the soul music of the slaves that the youth is missin.

I'm a white guy, like everyone else here, so I'll share how I got really into some hip hop years ago when I was still angsty.

I got recommended Cage's "Hell's Winter" by a linguist I knew and I was into it. I went from Cage to El-P and from El-P to Aesop Rock. Then I found Busdriver. Hip hop is handy in that guys feature all over the place so you can hear someone new while listening to something you know.

I'd say pick up an Aesop Rock album, maybe Labor Days, as well as the two most recent Danny Brown ones and Busdriver's most recent album, if you're white. Das Racist are also a pretty fun listen if you have a sense of humour and Run the Jewels have gotten really popular with the mainstream audience so give them a look.

Then there's the older stuff. Organised Konfusion, De La Soul, Egyptian Lover and GZA's 'Liquid Swords' would be my personal recommendations, but I don't listen to all that much Hip Hop. MF Doom is pretty popular, I don't like him personally - I love Madvillainy though and I'd consider it an essential listen.

I hope that helps.

i was with you, until i got to 'the two most recent danny brown ones' and 'busdriver's most recent album, if you're white'.

first of all, as good as it is, you can definitely skip 'old' by danny because 'xxx' is way better; no complaints with your suggestion of 'atrocity exhibition', though, because even though i've only listened to it maybe ten times, it's fucking incredible.

second of all, what the hell does being white have to do with enjoying an artist? that's some shit right there and you need to reign in that stupid.

i'm with you on das racist and rtj, though, even if i wouldn't say that rtj has gotten 'really popular with the mainstream audience' - i'd say they're really popular with underground fans, definitely one of the biggest in that demo, but not with the typical 'mainstream.'

agree with 'liquid swords,' but you forgot about 'the mouse and the mask' if you're making doom recommendations. 'tmatm' is probably the most accessible doom album and is still *probably* my favorite hip hop album ever - after a decade i still keep coming back to it.

so i mostly agree with you, even if you put way too much weight into the whole 'race' thing.

This right here.

...

I said "white" loads of times to piss you off, honestly.

RTJ have certainly broken into the ""normie"" market - they played the normiest festival in Dublin that takes place in a public park in the middle of a middle-class suburb. They're not Kendrick Lamar, but they've hit high enough to be on the average music listener's radar.

I'm sure I covered a lot of the more influential while accessible guys as regards current music - not even exclusively Hip Hop. So no matter what OP usually listens to, he should be able to get in to atleast one of those acts.

I still don't rate Doom, though I am a big Madlib supporter.

Nas - Illmatic
Nujabes - Metaphorical Music
this here.

Only if you're a memer

inb4 memes

desu MBDTF and Graduation

Cocaine Piñata - Freddie Gibbs and Madlib

white people love madlib

This

damn dude did you just come uip with that yourself?

yeah no shit its a meme lol

this album is great but really wouldn't be a good starting off point. come back to that when you're already a big rap fan to fully appreciate it.

>it has been proven to lower your IQ
nigga what

Depends if you like old school hip hop or rap.
Regardless here's a starting list:
Enter The Wu-Tang 36 Chambers
The Low End Theory
Midnight Marauders
Illmatic
Stillmatic
The College Dropout
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
3 Feet High and Rising
The Eminem Show
Slim Shady LP
Stankonia
Aquemini
ATLiens
Ready to Die

The Chronic

By the throat

Dont know why it replied to you. Meant for OP

cool album as far as more mellow hip hop goes