Image Via Up North Trips
Over at the LA Weekly, there is a list of the 20 Greatest L.A. Hip Hop Albums of All Time. I was one fourth of the selection committee, alongside Ian Cohen, Rebecca Haithcoat, and the music editor, healthiest man in Miracle Mile, Ben Westhoff. I drew Suga Free, Snoop, Freestyle Fellowship, Quik, and Madlib. Those are fun things to write about.
Predictably, the comment section has devolved into: “YO, 2PAC AIN’T EVEN FROM LA,” and “WHO MADE THIS LIST, TRANSPLANTS!” The selections and rankings are flawed because we are human beings, some of whom believe Goblin belongs on a Best LA Hip Hop Albums List. Who are we to say it doesn’t. Right now, there are 14 year old Fairfax skate rats who think it ought to be ranked higher. These lists reflect as much about the creators as the actual music itself. Inevitably, they will change tomorrow — as they should.
In the interest of self-disclosure and because I am of the 85% entertained by highly subjective art being objectively ordained, I wanted to publish my ballot. Apologies to MC Eiht, King T, Tha Alkaholiks, and Warren G. The latter would’ve made the cut had he had spelled “What’s Next” correctly. You are supposed to tell me what was missed and what was ridiculous. Say what you want, I will stand by Temples of Boom.
1. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle [Death Row, 1993]
2. Dr. Dre – The Chronic [Death Row, 1992]
3. The Pharcyde – Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde [Delicious Vinyl , 1992]
4. N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton [Ruthless, 1988]
5. Ice Cube – Amerikka’s Most Wanted [Priority, 1990]
6. 2Pac – All Eyez on Me [Death Row, 1996]
7. DJ Quik – Quik is the Name [Priority, 1991]
8. Freestyle Fellowship - Innercity Griots [4th & B'Way, 1993]
9. Cypress Hill – Temples of Boom [Ruffhouse/Columbia, 1995]
10. Madlib -Beat Konducta Vol. 5: Dil Cosby Suite [Stones Throw, 2009]
11. Suga Free - Street Gospel [Polygram, 1997]
12. Eazy E – Eazy Duz It [1988, Ruthless/Priority]
13. Dr. Dre – The Chronic 2001 [Aftermath/Interscope, 1999]
14. Ice – T – Original Gangster (OG) [Sire/Warner Bros, 1991]
15. Xzibit – At the Speed of Life [Loud/RCA, 1996]
16. Above the Law – Black Mafia Life [Ruthless, 1992]
17. The Game – Doctor’s Advocate [Geffen, 2006]
18. Low Profile - We’re in this Together [Priority, 1990]
19. Egyptian Lover – On the Nile [Egyptian Empire, 1983]
20. Earl Sweatshirt- Earl [Self-Released, 2010]
23 comments
driz says:
October 21, 2011 at 5:39 am (UTC -7)
thats not a bad list, and every list gets hated on, but the one critical thing missing-in my opinion- with any “best of” type list is that there should always be 5yr (at least) buffer between the present and the most recent record….you cant evaluate “best of-ness” with such recent works. i think as music fans or music snobs we could debate the merit or order of the classics…but something earl sweatshirt, thats just dumb – its in right now but theres no way to know if that will stand even a 5 year test of “timelessness”, let alone “all time” status. same with madlib…..id say he deserves to be on the list but not for a 2010 record. other than that, not s bad.
my $0.02
Eks says:
October 21, 2011 at 9:44 am (UTC -7)
Just curious, did any of you have a Murs album on your respective lists? He’s one of the few post-Millennium L.A.-based rappers to explicitly rep the Los Angeles area.
Passion of the Weiss says:
October 21, 2011 at 9:54 am (UTC -7)
Rebecca might have. I like End of the Beginning and the first two albums w/ 9th a lot, but I wouldn’t rate them in the 20. If I was going to go with a late 90s/early 00s underground album left out, I probably would’ve picked the J5 EP or maybe People Under the Stairs “O.S.T.”
alex says:
October 21, 2011 at 10:22 am (UTC -7)
good save, goblin ranking on the overall list is unconscionable
Jack says:
October 21, 2011 at 11:30 am (UTC -7)
no below the heavens?
Don Rodriguez says:
October 21, 2011 at 4:07 pm (UTC -7)
So glad you have We’re in this Together up there. As far as I’m concerned, that record is LA’s conceptual twin to Step in the Arena.
Derek Lipkin says:
October 21, 2011 at 4:09 pm (UTC -7)
Quite surprised not to see any People Under the Stairs.
Well, maybe not entirely surprised. But they rep LA harder than most cats today. I don’t know that I would have picked Madlib’s cut over “Stepfather,” or “O.S.T.”
Dylan says:
October 21, 2011 at 6:25 pm (UTC -7)
This is better thought out than the other one on LA Weekly. I like how you have EARL instead of Tyler (everyone knows he’s the most talented in OF). Although I think you left out Blu & Exile and also think Murs should get some love also.
Ivan says:
October 21, 2011 at 9:03 pm (UTC -7)
Wow. Now I feel inspired to come up with a list of my own… Sigh…
Jeff says:
October 22, 2011 at 1:34 am (UTC -7)
You’ve gotta be kidding me… Temples of Boom instead of the self titled? Instead of Black Sunday?
Quality Control Blog says:
October 22, 2011 at 5:50 am (UTC -7)
NO BELOW THE HEAVENS?? NIGGA WHAAAAAT!!!?????
big b says:
October 22, 2011 at 4:12 pm (UTC -7)
most def on below the heavens.
only good record between the decade of dre and madlib.
Passion of the Weiss says:
October 22, 2011 at 5:44 pm (UTC -7)
“Temples of Boom” is my favorite Cypress album. For overall impact, the self-titled is probably “the greatest” (helped trigger the Latin rap boom, Muggs’ style, “Kill a Man,” what Ian said). And I’d say that “Black Sunday” is the most likable, fun, and has the most hits.
But “Temples of Boom” is drugged out and moody and angry and eerie. It also has the song with Wu-Tang. I prefer it for the same reason why I prefer “Doctor’s Advocate” over “Documentary.” It’s unhinged. And sure, the singles aren’t there like on the first two. But as a complete statement of what Cypress were capable of, it’s the most powerful thing they’ve done.
But ultimately, it’s splitting hairs between the three of them. They’re all excellent.
pedro de pacas says:
October 23, 2011 at 5:43 am (UTC -7)
ice cube’s second album ‘death certificate’ should have definitely been on there and in the top 5, 40 dayz & 40 nights is by far xzibit’s best album, and earl sweatshirt and that random madlib release are out of place. and as much as i love him, i don’t see how a suga free album from 1997 could possibly be that good. but they gave correct props to the egyptian lover- and otherwise this list is pretty legit.
but where’s e-40 ???
Ivan says:
October 23, 2011 at 4:41 pm (UTC -7)
E-40 = the Yay Area not L.A. area.
pedro de pacas says:
October 23, 2011 at 5:45 am (UTC -7)
i agree with you on temples of the boom, by far their most sonically cohesive and musically successful album, and my favourite.
Victor says:
October 23, 2011 at 4:00 pm (UTC -7)
Good list but BTH and Death Certificate are the most glaring omissions. Fair enough though, we are all entitled to our own opinions. For me Death Certificate trumps Cube’s debut. As good as Earl’s joint is, like the first poster noted, I don’t think it’s really sunk into lore yet, whereas a BTH has.
ned says:
October 23, 2011 at 10:25 pm (UTC -7)
Great list. only personal (yes personal, so who cares) favorites left out would be below the heavens, OST, section 80 (too soon ?), Soundpieces: Da Antidote (maybe the ox doesn’t count). and also no kurupt or warren g?
still great though
jessicalorenzo says:
October 24, 2011 at 12:37 pm (UTC -7)
damn jeff,
regulate…G funk era! fuck a spell check!
how did goblin make the final weekly cut instead? smh!
Rory says:
October 24, 2011 at 5:10 pm (UTC -7)
you have doctors advocate and no documentary? aw
Justin says:
October 26, 2011 at 8:07 am (UTC -7)
I can remember not thinking much of Temples of Boom when it came out. This was before I was self-medicating on the regular. I listened to it front to back on a long drive this week and realized that you are absolutely right. It’s moody, dark, and with a strong undercurrent of violence and it holds up incredibly well.
C-Bo says:
November 5, 2012 at 1:36 am (UTC -7)
So where does Section.80 or GKMC or any of the TDE albums rate up here. Surely they’re better than Earl at least.
fmola mauro says:
January 22, 2013 at 2:19 am (UTC -7)
where is the documentary?