What is the best hip-hop album of the 1990s?

The golden age of hip-hop delivered classic after classic in the 1990s — from Biggie and Tupac to Jay-Z and Eminem. Which album stands tallest?

1. 1
   Nas – Illmatic

   Nas's flawless 1994 debut, a 10-track masterpiece of New York street poetry widely considered one of the greatest rap albums ever made.
2. 2
   The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die

   Biggie's 1994 debut, a cinematic journey through Brooklyn life that defined East Coast rap.
3. 3
   Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt

   Jay-Z's 1996 debut album, a sophisticated portrait of street life and hustle that launched one of rap's greatest careers.
4. 4
   Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

   Wu-Tang Clan's 1993 debut that revolutionized hip-hop with its grimy production, kung-fu mythology, and nine MCs.
5. 5
   Dr. Dre – The Chronic

   Dr. Dre's 1992 solo debut that introduced G-funk to the world and launched Death Row Records.
6. 6
   Snoop Dogg – Doggystyle

   Snoop Dogg's 1993 debut, a smash record that cemented G-funk as the defining sound of West Coast hip-hop.
7. 7
   2Pac – All Eyez on Me

   2Pac's sprawling 1996 double album, the first double album in hip-hop history and a West Coast landmark.
8. 8
   A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory

   ATCQ's 1991 jazz-infused masterpiece that refined alternative hip-hop with bass-heavy beats and philosophical rhymes.
9. 9
   Mobb Deep – The Infamous

   Mobb Deep's 1995 cold and gritty portrait of Queensbridge life, a pinnacle of hardcore East Coast rap.
10. 10
    Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...

    Raekwon's 1995 cinematic crime epic, widely regarded as one of the greatest albums in Wu-Tang's extended universe.
11. 11
    Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

    Lauryn Hill's 1998 Grammy-sweeping debut solo album blending hip-hop, R&B, and soul with deeply personal songwriting.
12. 12
    GZA – Liquid Swords

    GZA's 1995 Wu-Tang solo debut, a chess-and-kung-fu themed lyrical tour de force with RZA's atmospheric production.
13. 13
    Outkast – ATLiens

    Outkast's 1996 sophomore album where the Atlanta duo began their journey into alien-themed, otherworldly hip-hop.
14. 14
    Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

    Ice Cube's 1990 post-NWA debut, a furious and politically charged classic produced by the Bomb Squad.
15. 15
    Eminem – The Slim Shady LP

    Eminem's major-label debut in 1999 that introduced his chaotic alter ego with razor wit and shock-value storytelling.
16. 16
    Outkast – Aquemini

    Outkast's 1998 double-platinum album that pushed their sound into experimental territory with sprawling compositions.
17. 17
    Big Pun – Capital Punishment

    Big Pun's 1998 debut, the first Latin rap album to go platinum, showcasing his breathtaking technical skill.
18. 18
    Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – E. 1999 Eternal

    Bone Thugs' 1995 breakthrough double EP that blended rapid-fire rhymes with melodic hooks to mass commercial success.
19. 19
    DMX – It's Dark and Hell Is Hot

    DMX's ferocious 1998 debut that debuted at number one, introducing his barking delivery and dark street anthems.
20. 20
    Missy Elliott – Supa Dupa Fly

    Missy Elliott's 1997 debut, a wildly inventive record produced by Timbaland that redefined hip-hop and R&B.