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

Nas – Illmatic

Nas's 1994 debut, the most critically acclaimed rap album ever made, a 39-minute Queensbridge masterwork.

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

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

Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly

Kendrick's 2015 Pulitzer-level jazz-funk opus, the most celebrated rap album of the 21st century.

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

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

Kanye West – The College Dropout

Kanye's 2004 debut, a paradigm-shifting album that challenged what a rapper was expected to talk about.

8

2Pac – All Eyez on Me

2Pac's 1996 double album, the most commercially successful West Coast rap record ever made.

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

Jay-Z – The Blueprint

Jay-Z's 2001 soulful triumph featuring Just Blaze and Kanye West beats, universally regarded as a classic.

11

Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III

Lil Wayne's 2008 commercial and critical peak, selling over one million copies in its first week.

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

Snoop Dogg – Doggystyle

Snoop Dogg's 1993 debut album, a massive commercial success that defined West Coast rap for millions.

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

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

Drake – Take Care

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

17

Common – Be

Common's 2005 Kanye-produced Chicago album, a thoughtful and soulful meditation on love and identity.

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

Scarface – The World Is Yours

Scarface's 1993 Houston album, a dark and cinematic showcase of Southern rap's finest storyteller.

20

Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

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