What is the best solo rap album by a male MC of all time?

From Nas to Eminem to Kendrick Lamar, these solo male rap albums represent the pinnacle of individual artistic achievement in hip-hop. Which is the best?

1. 1
   Nas – Illmatic

   Nas's 1994 debut, the most critically acclaimed rap album ever made, a 39-minute Queensbridge masterwork.
2. 2
   Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt

   Jay-Z's 1996 debut album, a sharp and sophisticated portrait of hustling in Brooklyn at the top of his game.
3. 3
   The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die

   Biggie's 1994 debut, a sweeping cinematic narrative from Brooklyn that remains one of rap's defining statements.
4. 4
   Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly

   Kendrick's 2015 Pulitzer-level jazz-funk opus, the most celebrated rap album of the 21st century.
5. 5
   Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city

   Kendrick's 2012 Compton concept album, a coming-of-age narrative that broke through to mainstream acclaim.
6. 6
   Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP

   Eminem's 2000 record-breaking album, the fastest-selling rap album in history and a confessional tour de force.
7. 7
   Kanye West – The College Dropout

   Kanye's 2004 debut, a paradigm-shifting album that challenged what a rapper was expected to talk about.
8. 8
   2Pac – All Eyez on Me

   2Pac's 1996 double album, the most commercially successful West Coast rap record ever made.
9. 9
   Dr. Dre – The Chronic

   Dr. Dre's 1992 debut solo album, the birth of G-funk and one of the most influential productions in rap history.
10. 10
    Jay-Z – The Blueprint

    Jay-Z's 2001 soulful triumph featuring Just Blaze and Kanye West beats, universally regarded as a classic.
11. 11
    Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III

    Lil Wayne's 2008 commercial and critical peak, selling over one million copies in its first week.
12. 12
    Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...

    Raekwon's 1995 crime-rap opus from Staten Island, one of the most immersive solo albums in Wu-Tang's catalogue.
13. 13
    Snoop Dogg – Doggystyle

    Snoop Dogg's 1993 debut album, a massive commercial success that defined West Coast rap for millions.
14. 14
    Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

    Ice Cube's 1990 solo debut, a Bomb Squad-produced political firebomb recorded after his NWA departure.
15. 15
    J. Cole – 2014 Forest Hills Drive

    J. Cole's 2014 no-features album, a deeply personal record about roots, fame, and the nature of success.
16. 16
    Drake – Take Care

    Drake's 2011 breakout second album that defined moody, emotional hip-hop for a generation.
17. 17
    Common – Be

    Common's 2005 Kanye-produced Chicago album, a thoughtful and soulful meditation on love and identity.
18. 18
    Mos Def – Black on Both Sides

    Yasiin Bey's 1999 debut, a wide-ranging intellectual solo statement from one of hip-hop's most literate voices.
19. 19
    Scarface – The World Is Yours

    Scarface's 1993 Houston album, a dark and cinematic showcase of Southern rap's finest storyteller.
20. 20
    Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

    Kendrick's 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning album, the first rap record awarded the prize and a pop-trap masterpiece.