10 of My Favourite Hip Hop Albums

OK, let's admit this - this is not a list of stone-cold classics. Some are, for sure. But some, even I will admit that they are not the best. This is a list that may, if push came to shove, be my 10 Hip Hop Desert Island Disks. But as you'll see from the runner-up list at the end, I wouldn't be happy restricting myself so...

In no particular order....

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

Let's get this out of the way up front. So far as I am concerned Kanye is one of the greatest musical artists of the contemporary period full. stop. And I'll argue it all day and night if needs be. You can be troubled by him if you like - I am - but his first five solo albums (up to this one) are all great. While I would say that the records that have followed it have not maintained quite the same standard, I'd still say that they're good.

So anyway, this record is the culmination of Kanye's career thus far - it has the sweet soul samples, pop hooks, an expansive musical palette and a willingness to experiment and try new things. It is a record that never (or virtually never) gets boring. People often complain about Kanye's rapping, but honestly, I think he does fine here - he's often more interesting that his features. His mastery of tone is exceptional - especially in the field of hip hop. The recent news of his bipolar disorder is no surprise if you've spent time with this record - we have exultant joy and self-belief, melancholia and self-doubt - and musically, everything fits without feeling artificial or contrived. In short, I think that this record is phenomenal.

In short, if you still think that Kanye brings nothing to the party, the problem is yours; not Kanye's.

The Sindecut - Changing the Scenery (1990)

Let's do this one next - the one that NO-ONE has heard of. The music business is full of tragedies, and to me, this is a clear example. They were a London Hip Hop collective who were signed in the very late 80s in a wave of UK dance and Hip Hop artists, but with a sudden lurch back to popular guitar bands and a restructuring at Virgin, they were dropped just after having released this, their only LP.

In truth, they were awesome. Like the best of UK Hip Hop, it has its roots in the sound systems. Compared to the other stand-outs of the era - London's Soul II Soul and Bristol's Wild Bunch (Massive Attack), The Sindecut is far more high-energy and rough around the edges. Whether it is the RnB of Louise on Having and Slow Down, or the ultra-fast rapping of Living the Life or Braincell; or the Dancehall call-outs, Wisdom; the album bristles with energy. Listen closely, and you'll spot the rough edges but it sounds like a party. A really good party. I recommend cranking this up REAL LOUD and imagining that it's 1989 in a sweaty basement club in Camden or somewhere. (If this album ever sounds weak, it's when played quietly)

Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the 36 Chambers (1993)

OK, this is a stone-cold classic. I am sad to say that I came to Wu-Tang a little late (with Wu-Tang Forever), so I was already too late to hear this as the total game-changer that it was. By the time, I registered them, the world had already changed and the tricks developed by RZA were already commonplace. Part of the excitement of Wu-Tang is the murky sonic world they inhabit; the kung-fu clips, indecipherable lyrics, the sheer clannishness of them. RZA's production is mesmerising. It has these sparse samples that feel incomplete and yet the propel the music forward relentlessly. I am listening to Da Mystery of Chessboxing right now, and I am reminded of Space Invaders (the video game) - how the simple sounds create a sense of approaching menace.

In truth, I am struggling to say why I like this so much - I just do. Either way, there's no-one alive who hasn't listened to this a million times, yes? I'll shut up now...

Ghostface Killah - Fishscale (2006)

Wu-Tang Clan basically formed a cottage hip hop industry. Every member went off and released their own albums (of course, featuring Wu-Tang alumni). What marks them out, though, is that an awful lot of those albums are great. Sure, there are some dodgy Wu-Tang affiliate LPs, but there are also some monsters. For my money, the member with the best hit:miss ratio is Ghostface Killah. He has released several albums commonly regarded as very good or better and very few less than good. In addition, he is a master story teller, is perhaps the funniest clan member and has the best flow. Musically he tilts heavily into the soul-funk territory which suits me perfectly. (Hip Hop without a bit of soul music is an uphill slog for me.) Fishscale is just relentlessly good to me - almost every track is compelling, every beat great, and every guest appearance brings something to the party.

Scarface - Mr. Scarface is Back (1991)

Straight up gangsta shit.

In truth, I really don't care about violent lyrics. I watch violent movies, play violent video games (when I get the chance); it would be inconsistent of me to start getting cranky here. I love The Geto Boys, the group Scarface was in, and their high-points are awesome. (The Geto Boys' My Mind is Playing Tricks on Me is probably my favourite hip hop track ever). However, The Geto Boys have some serious low-points. Their misogyny is off the scale. Scarface, however, keeps the ridiculous ultra-violence and holds the excessive pimp-raps to a minimum. (One track - track 2 - easily skippable - also easily the weakest track on the album).

Once we hit track three, it's like all your favourite shitty action movies have come at once. Wall to wall heists, drug deals, double-crosses, revenge, insanity. So long as you don't take this seriously, it's mostly hilarious and weirdly invigorating. Musically, it sticks to the classic gangsta template; funk and soul samples a-go-go - what's not to love? And while there's no big name producers here, it's put together really nicely. And Scarface, there's a reason other rappers love him - he's good. He's rarely fancy, and a little like Guru, tends towards the monotone; but here are 12 tracks, no guest spots, all just Scarface, and it never gets dull.

Gang Starr - Step in the Arena (1991)

Gang Starr are probably the purest outfit here, in terms of classic hip hop tradition - one rapper, one dude with a turntable. The eighties produced a load of classic outfits with that make-up. Boogie Down Productions, Eric B & Rakim, Pete Rock and CL Smooth for starters. All of those mentioned are well respected, but none of them had careers that stretched as long as Gang Starr. Of course, there are plenty of reasons for why that might have been (the tragic death of Scott La Rock, for one). However, I suspect that one reason might be that, with Gang Starr, you have two of the very very very best at what they do. DJ Premier is rightly regarded as one of the finest on the turntable. His beats are pristine - super-economical, nothing extraneous or distracting. In addition, he draws from nothing but the finest soul-funk-jazz samples. Guru is basically a great old school rapper. He is a little monotone, but his rhymes and flow are impeccable. Again, a great listening experience that never gets tired.

It is possible that someone might prefer the next few albums to this one. This, their second album, marks where they found their sound. It is also the first album that I heard of theirs. They had a run of classic albums throughout the 90s - all are worth listening to.

Tribe Called Quest - People's Instinctive Travels and Paths of Rhythm (1990)

A more genuine hip hop fan would have picked either of the two follow-up albums to this, The Low End Theory or Midnight Marauders, which are both excellent. But for me, I plumped for this one - most likely exactly because it is the least purist of the three. I do not think that this album has any pretension for being a great example of hip hop; instead I think that it only has one aspiration - I think that it is Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts. It is as much about being young, finding yourself, misadventure, love and loss, good food and having a good time. I think that it is a party album, a club album. It is easiest the most danceable album on this list. It also stands up as one of the best nearly 30 years later. It won't have escaped your notice that six of these ten were released between 1988-1993. As much as I love them all, some of them do sound like they've been around over a generation. They sound old school. Of course, there are elements that date this album, but I don't believe that there is anything detrimental here. I think it still sounds fresh and as much fun as it did in 1990.

MF Doom/Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain (2003)

If the Wu-Tang Clan are indecipherable, what does that make MF Doom? I love the sound of his rhymes; they are fun and inventive, complex where they need to be, and direct otherwise. But as to what he is rapping about - I haven't a clue. I believe that some people know, but I am not those people. He is as inventive with his beats as he is with his lyrics. Again, I am not sure how much I understand them, but they are very enjoyable to listen to. I haven't heard an MF Doom album (Doom operates under a number of aliases - Viktor Vaughn is one, King Geedorah is another) I haven't enjoyed a great deal. But this one makes me smile the most. Whether he is rapping about Star Trek (at least some of the lyrics in A Dead Mouse), failed relationships (Let Me Watch - a tragic and depressing mini-play) or simply pretending to be terrible in an open-mic night, it's just a fun listen.

Mr. Lif - I, Phantom (2002)

Mr. Lif, on the DefJux label, is unquestionably a conscious rapper (as opposed to what exactly...?) , by which I mean that his records are intent on saying something (ultimately positive). That said, me being me, I have very little idea what that something is. I know that some of it is about the empty drudge of the working life because it has an amusing track about fantasising about killing your boss. Otherwise, you know, stuff. All I can say is that it's a lot of fun to listen to. A lot of the beats are provided by El-P and Edan - both of whom I really like. Do have to care about the 'stuff' to enjoy a CD? No, I didn't think so - it's 47 minutes well spent.

Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions (1988)

I said at the outset that there were not that many stone-cold classics in this list. That is true, but this is definitely one such case. I'm really not that sure what I can say that hasn't already been said a million times. It's exhilarating, fun, enlightening, marks a maturation of hip hop (both musically and lyrically), a one record revival of James Brown's house band - The JBs. It's good from start to end. What else to say? It's so good that even Flava Flav can't fuck it up.

Others: Jay-Z's American Gangster is a favourite as is the Black Album. Any of Kanye's other records prior to MDBTF could have made a list. Mos Def's Black on Both Sides is amazing as is his album with Talib Kweli, Black Star. Of course, pretty much anything by Kendrick Lamar would deserve a place here. There are several other Wu-Tang related records I love. I really like Eden's Beauty and the Beats as well as El-P's I'll Sleep When I'm Dead. Speaking of El-P, Run the Jewels are awesome as is Killer Mike's R.A.P. Music. That Fugees album is pretty awesome too... Oh, I quite like Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor and The Cool too....