# What is the best hip-hop album of the 1980s?

> From the birth of Def Jam to N.W.A changing the game, the 1980s gave birth to hip-hop as a genre. Vote for your favorite album from this foundational decade.

*By YPB Team · Published April 17, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-hip-hop-album-of-the-1980s*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Run-DMC – Raising Hell**
   Run-DMC's 1986 landmark that brought hip-hop to mainstream rock audiences, featuring the iconic Aerosmith collab 'Walk This Way'.
2. **Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back**
   Public Enemy's 1988 sonic assault and political manifesto, widely regarded as one of the most influential albums in rap history.
3. **N.W.A – Straight Outta Compton**
   N.W.A's explosive 1988 debut that launched gangsta rap and put West Coast hip-hop on the map.
4. **Eric B. & Rakim – Paid in Full**
   Eric B. & Rakim's 1987 debut that set a new standard for lyricism and MC technique.
5. **LL Cool J – Radio**
   LL Cool J's 1985 debut, the first album released on Def Jam Records and a cornerstone of New York hip-hop.
6. **Beastie Boys – Licensed to Ill**
   Beastie Boys' 1986 debut, the first rap album to top the Billboard 200 and a genre-blending classic.
7. **De La Soul – 3 Feet High and Rising**
   De La Soul's 1989 debut that redefined hip-hop with its playful sampling, humor, and alternative aesthetic.
8. **Slick Rick – The Great Adventures of Slick Rick**
   Slick Rick's 1988 solo debut showcasing his storytelling genius with cinematic narratives and vivid characters.
9. **Big Daddy Kane – Long Live the Kane**
   Big Daddy Kane's 1988 debut, celebrated for its razor-sharp lyricism, style, and smooth charisma.
10. **Boogie Down Productions – Criminal Minded**
   KRS-One and DJ Scott La Rock's 1987 debut that pioneered hardcore hip-hop with raw street narratives.
11. **EPMD – Strictly Business**
   EPMD's 1988 debut featuring heavy funk samples and laid-back flows that defined East Coast hip-hop.
12. **Ice-T – Power**
   Ice-T's 1988 album that helped codify West Coast gangsta rap with explicit street narratives.
13. **Kool Moe Dee – How Ya Like Me Now**
   Kool Moe Dee's 1987 breakout album that established him as one of the era's most technically skilled MCs.
14. **Schoolly D – Schoolly D**
   Schoolly D's 1985 self-titled debut, an early progenitor of gangsta rap from Philadelphia.

Tags: hip-hop, music, 80s, rap