* CROOKLYN'S TOP 15 *

This right here is a list of my Top 15 personal favorite albums. ....All headz reailize & recognize real hip hop!!!

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1.) Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back
Perhaps the greatest rap/hip-hop album ever made, and one of the great albums of any genre. PE rock harder than any of today's gangstas with solid beats and magnificent sound collages that front eloquent raps not about violence, sexism, and nihilism, but empowerment, self-respect, and self-determination. Just as fresh today as it was in 1988. Five times five stars.

2.) Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers
The year is 1993 alot of great hip hop was dropping rapidly and steadily and all that dropped had well deserved praised but this particular group called the wu-tang clan dropped their respective and critically acclaimed debut in november and the hip hop went crazy. In 1992 and even before they were dropping singles and unreleased tracks before they blow up on the hip hop scene most notably "protect ya neck". this group consists of 9 emcees who all in there own right created styles that only rappers can imitate.

3.) Gang Starr - Daily Operation
"Daily Operation" is an album I would recommend for the collection for Gang Starr fans, and those who enjoy quality oldschool Rap. Another thing I enjoy about listening to there music is watching there development, listening to Guru's substantial lyrics, and Premo's trademark beats its nice to see that they are one of those rare groups who evolved there styles and never got played out over what has been an excellent fifteen plus year career. And it is not over yet.

4.) Mobb Deep - The Infamous...
This is a classic album. The beats are true East Coast, mid-90s style at its best and the rhymes are timeless. From beginning to end, this album hits all points and does not disappoint. It remains solid throughout.

5.) Nas - Illmatic
Nasir Jones made this debut album at the age of 20, already armed with the calm perceptiveness and been-there-done-that attitude of a much older ghetto vet, though sometimes his inner callow youth shows itself. Illmatic is a look back at a life spent in the culture of the projects, acknowledging joy as much as pain and taking note of violence as a fact of his environment rather than a focus of his life. It's enlivened by Nas's kicky, deep-threaded multiple rhymes--you can tell he grew up listening to Mr. Magic's rap show and internalizing the secrets of everybody's flow--and by tracks from a bunch of all-stars, including the Large Professor, DJ Premier, and, most memorably, Q-Tip ("One Love")

6.) Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
By 1995 Wu-Tang Clan had established in the hip-hop elite. It was hard to live up to the expectations after their classic debut, and the first two solo's (Method Man and Ol' Dirty Bastard) wasn't flawless. That wasn't the case for Raekwon though. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx are one totally genius concept-record. It's so uncompromising and consistent you still get blown away today.

7.)Pete Rock and CL Smooth - Mecca and the Soul Brother
"Mecca and the Soul Brother" is one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever made. Screw hip-hop; one of the best, period. One could hardly believe that their sprawling 80-minute debut could hold as much promise and cohesiveness as these other reviewers state. Not a single cut or interlude seems wasted in it's entirety. If there were any album worthy of it's time, it's "Mecca and the Soul Brother".

8.) A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory (Password: MucH)
History books on hip hop will get written. Tribe will have their own chapter.Q Tip and Phife were on the top of their game on this album.Midnight Marauders was a super close second to this.This is that NY hip hop that I can play around my nephews and not worry about the content.Its all good people.

9.) Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die (Password: 212)
Never before had a rapper burst onto the scene quite like Notorious B.I.G. did in 1994. With Ready to Die, Biggie struck a cord nation wide. His amazing delivery, mixed with blunt reality, created an album so solid it put him into the rap stratosphere.

10.) 2 Pac - Me Against the World
Most hail All Eyez On Me to be Pac's best album, but I disagree. Production-wise, it's the tops. But Me Against The World has some of the best and most intelligent rap lyrics you'll ever hear. Pac just seems so much more focused on this CD than on any of his other ones.

11.) Smif n Wessun - Dah Shinin
The impact of this very album in the hip hop world, can only be described as EARTH-SHATTERING! Back in 1995, 2 years after their predecessors Black Moon's outstanding debut; "Enta Da Stage", Tek N Steele stepped up & confirmed the Boot Camp Click's/ Duck Down, already established position, on the map.

12.) Jeru the Damaja - The Sun Rises In the East
Jeru the Damaja's 1994 release "The Sun Rises in the East" is one of hip hop's most underrated albums and one of the most complete overall that I've ever heard. The team of Jeru and DJ Premier was a match made in heaven, both complementing each other beautifully and matching each other with similar hard styles. Jeru really emerges as an amazing lyricist, displaying a simple flow but always having a purpose with his verses.

13.) Black Moon - Enta Da Stage
Remember a long time ago where you listened to an album that made it seemed like if you walk into the wrong places in New York, you'd fear for your life. This is exactly what Black Moon of the Boot Camp Clik's 1993 debut album "Enta Da Stage" makes you feel like. Consisted of Buckshot, 5 Ft. Excellerator, and DJ Evil Dee played no games when it came to either the streets or behind the mic on this classic.

14.) Brand Nubian - All For One
One of the few albums that received 5 mics in The Source when it was credible. Brand Nubian speaks out about their black pride and their life styles (mainly women) with a positive message. Production curtosey of DJ Alamo and the SD 50's.

15.) Eric B. & Rakim - Let The Rythem Hit'em
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em is the best Eric B. & Rakim album and one of the best hip-hop albums ever recorded. While Paid In Full & Follow The Leader feature more popular tracks, neither album is great all the way through like this album. Rakim raps in a lower, more menacing register on this album making the consistently strong material even better.