What is the best New York rap album of all time?

New York City is the birthplace of hip-hop, and its artists have produced some of the genre's most celebrated albums. Which NYC rap album is the best ever?

1

Nas – Illmatic

Nas's 1994 Queensbridge portrait, the most celebrated New York rap album of all time.

2

The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die

Biggie's 1994 debut that immortalized Brooklyn street life and elevated New York rap to global dominance.

3

Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt

Jay-Z's 1996 debut, a sophisticated meditation on hustling in New York, now a cornerstone of the city's rap canon.

4

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

Wu-Tang Clan's 1993 Staten Island-born debut that united nine MCs into hip-hop's most iconic collective.

5

Mobb Deep – The Infamous

Mobb Deep's 1995 Queensbridge classic, the sound of New York in its darkest, most uncompromising form.

6

Eric B. & Rakim – Paid in Full

Eric B. and Rakim's 1987 Long Island debut that redefined what an MC could be through lyrical complexity and flow.

7

Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...

Raekwon's 1995 Staten Island crime epic, an immersive Mafioso-rap world built alongside Ghostface Killah.

8

GZA – Liquid Swords

GZA's 1995 Wu-Tang solo album, a cold and intricate album of chess metaphors and cinematic lyricism.

9

Slick Rick – The Great Adventures of Slick Rick

Slick Rick's 1988 debut, full of vivid storytelling and British-inflected delivery from the Bronx's finest narrator.

10

Big Daddy Kane – Long Live the Kane

Big Daddy Kane's 1988 Brooklyn debut, a showcase of elite MC skill that influenced countless rappers.

11

Big Pun – Capital Punishment

Big Pun's 1998 debut from the Bronx, the first Latin rap album to go platinum, with jaw-dropping lyrical ability.

12

Big L – Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous

Big L's 1995 Harlem debut showcasing one of hip-hop's most gifted punchline artists in his element.

13

A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory

ATCQ's 1991 Queens album, one of the most critically beloved New York rap records ever made.

14

Jay-Z – The Blueprint

Jay-Z's 2001 New York opus featuring soulful Kanye West beats and a career-defining statement of artistry.

15

Boogie Down Productions – Criminal Minded

BDP's 1987 Bronx debut that pioneered hardcore hip-hop with KRS-One's philosophical street verses.

16

Joey Bada$$ – B4.DA.$$

Joey Bada$$'s 2015 debut album channeling 1990s New York boom-bap for a new generation.