What is the best debut rap album of all time?

First impressions matter — these debut rap albums set a sky-high bar from day one. Which debut do you think is the greatest of all time?

1. 1
   Nas – Illmatic

   Nas's 1994 debut, a ten-track album recorded when he was 20 years old, universally considered one of the greatest rap albums ever.
2. 2
   The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die

   Biggie's sprawling 1994 debut that took him from Brooklyn block parties to international superstardom in one album.
3. 3
   Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt

   Jay-Z's 1996 debut album crafted in collaboration with DJ Premier and Clark Kent, establishing him as a top-tier MC.
4. 4
   Kanye West – The College Dropout

   Kanye's 2004 debut that defied expectations of what a rapper should talk about, becoming a generational statement.
5. 5
   50 Cent – Get Rich or Die Tryin'

   50 Cent's 2003 debut produced largely by Dr. Dre and Eminem, one of the biggest-selling rap debuts ever.
6. 6
   Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

   Ice Cube's 1990 solo debut after leaving NWA, a Bomb Squad-produced political firestorm.
7. 7
   Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

   Wu-Tang Clan's 1993 debut that changed hip-hop with nine MCs, RZA's raw production, and cinematic mythology.
8. 8
   Beastie Boys – Licensed to Ill

   Beastie Boys' 1986 debut, the first rap album to reach number one on the Billboard 200.
9. 9
   Run-DMC – Run-DMC

   Run-DMC's self-titled 1984 debut, the first rap album to be certified gold and platinum.
10. 10
    LL Cool J – Radio

    LL Cool J's 1985 debut on Def Jam, the first hip-hop album to blend hard beats with street credibility at scale.
11. 11
    A Tribe Called Quest – People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

    ATCQ's eclectic 1990 debut that introduced their jazz-infused, freewheeling approach to hip-hop.
12. 12
    De La Soul – 3 Feet High and Rising

    De La Soul's 1989 debut, a playful and innovative record that challenged hip-hop's emerging toughness.
13. 13
    Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy

    Cardi B's 2018 debut that became the first rap debut album by a woman to go Diamond, sweeping the Grammys.
14. 14
    Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

    Lauryn Hill's 1998 debut solo album that won five Grammys and fused hip-hop, R&B, and soul masterfully.
15. 15
    Kendrick Lamar – Section.80

    Kendrick Lamar's 2011 indie breakthrough debut that introduced his generation-defining voice and ambition.
16. 16
    Eminem – The Slim Shady LP

    Eminem's 1999 major-label debut that introduced the world to Slim Shady and sold over 18 million copies worldwide.