5 mic albums

[Black Lushus 0]

stupid double post

[EricMM 0]

But I nominate that none of those mentioned albums made anything less.

 

So it's less a test of quality than it is a test of exposure.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

So essentially an album has to be popular and at least gold multiple times to be 5 mic?

 

No, not at all. Selling a ton of albums does not make an album great, nor does being overlooked by the popular majority preclude it from being great. If you scan down that list, a lot of those albums didn't sell that much and are sort of unknown to the general public (EPMD, Jungle Brothers, Main Source, the D.O.C.). It's more about the impact they had on the genre as a whole and on those who followed them. These are albums that can be pointed to as genre changing or as a defining a point in a stellar career. Whether that lead to mainstream success at all is irrelevant.

[Giuseppe Zangara 0]

So essentially an album has to be popular and at least gold multiple times to be 5 mic?

You sort of have to look at the list and see that those albums were influential and had an impact on hip hop. Either that or it's THE very best and peak of a particular time in hip hop.

Not always on the first part—good as Straight... by the Jungle Brothers is, what influence it has had on the underground scene has been completely overshadowed by the Ultramagnetic MCs' Critical Beatdown (also on the list). The former's inclusion is probably more a statement of "hey, we got underground cred" than the heralding of a lost classic.

 

As for your other statement, I happen to prefer De La Soul is Dead to the debut, but the debut is a more widely acknowledged classic and would've been a better inclusion here. I doubt the Source—which, by the way, is an awful magazine and I feel stupid for discussing at length anything related to it (especially something as arbitrary as this list)—is going to spark critical revisionism over ...is Dead—which, bear in mind, was and is a well-regarded album; however, it's just as equally dismissed for "not being 3 Feet High and Rising" as it is praised—but hey, that would be nice.

 

fake edit: If you wanna play the I-can't-believe-chose-this-particular-act's-album-over-that-one game, how about the idiocy in acting like the Geto Boys' Grip It! wasn't greatly improved after Rick Rubin got his hands on it, with the so wonderfully awesome s/t being the end result.

[Dangerous A 0]

Excellent point about De La Soul. I found it weird looking at the list that DLS is Dead was 5 as opposed to 3 Feet High...

 

As far as discussing the list, I just wanted a starting point for talking about hip hop albums. I'm not a huge fan of The Source either and I get your contempt for it.

 

Geto Boys Grip It isn't one I'd call 5 mics myself. I should probrably revisit sometime.

[NoCalMike 0]

Jesse Jaymes - College Girls are Easy

 

*runs from thread in a hail of bullet fire*

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Excellent point about De La Soul. I found it weird looking at the list that DLS is Dead was 5 as opposed to 3 Feet High...

 

You have to remember that some of the 5 mic scores were given initially when the album was reviewed, but the majority were given an honorary 5 mics in some anniversary issue a few years back. DLS is Dead was given 5 when it first came out. It wasn't being compared to 3 Feet High in the sense that one had to get the rating and one didn't. For whatever reason, the mag doesn't see 3 Feet High as a definitive 5 mic classic.

 

As for Grip It... I'm sort of perplexed. The s/t album, as someone else mentioned, is just a better version of Grip It. Seems like one of those picks to establish some sort of street or undergrond credibility. Either way, one of the versions probably deserves inclusion as it is the Straight Outta Compton or Raising Hell of southern rap.

 

As for the Source, I don't read it anymore. At one time it was a decent and credible mag for hip hop long before it became Benzino's personal vehicle for getting himself over. I still maintain that their crebibility is impeccable when it comes to reviews though.

[Ripper 0]

Eminem - Eminem Show, Little Brother - The Minstrel Show, are the two latest ones I would name.

 

And since it really is a album more than a mixtape, Joe Buddens - Mood Muzik part 2. That shit is amazing honestly.

 

Royce Da' 5'9 - Death is Certain comes dangerously close. Like 4 and 4/5th mics.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Royce Da' 5'9 - Death is Certain comes dangerously close. Like 4 and 4/5th mics.

 

Rock City was better IMO. I gave that CD 5 mic's.

 

400 Degreez could be arguable 5 mic CD, simple because of Mannie Fresh's amazing production. Mannie Fresh is by far the most underrated producer of all time IMO.

[AboveAverage484 0]

I'd give "Reasonable Doubt" and "The Blueprint" 5 mics. I'd give "Ghetto D" 4.5 mics and "It's Dark and Hell Is Hot" gets 4 mics. Just IMHO.

[Special K 0]

Deltron 3030

 

I'm really glad Strictly Business is on there.

 

I think Paul's Boutique should be on there over Ill Communication, for sure.

 

and 3' high and should be on there, bar none.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

I'm a pretty big DMX fan, but besides his first album, I wouldn't give any of his other efforts even 4 mics.

Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood was a great album IMO. Not 5 Mic's, but 4 mic's IMO.

[Carnival 0]

kinda off topic..but here is how I rate DMX albums...i'll give them all mic ratings..what the hell

 

1. It's Dark and Hell is Hot - 5 mics

2. ...And Then There Was X - 3.5 mics

3. The Great Depression - 3 mics

4. Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood - 2.5 mics

5. Grand Champ - 1.5 mics

 

FOMF,BOMB - to me nothing really stood out...it had some real good songs such as Slippin and The Omen and my favorite Ready To Meet Him, but the rest was just kinda plain, I didn't like the hooks on most of them.

[Da Maintenance Man 0]

And since it really is a album more than a mixtape, Joe Buddens - Mood Muzik part 2. That shit is amazing honestly.

 

Agreed completely.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

FOMF,BOMB - to me nothing really stood out...it had some real good songs such as Slippin and The Omen and my favorite Ready To Meet Him, but the rest was just kinda plain, I didn't like the hooks on most of them.

 

"My Niggas", "Blackout", "No Love For Me", "Bring Your Whole Crew", "Ain't No Way" were all really good songs also IMO.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Albums that don't belong on there at all:

 

Chronic 2001 - Fantastic singles. "The Watcher" is very good too. And that's it. There is nothing special about the entire second half of the album. 3 at best.

 

Licensed to Ill - Fair enough if it was given at the time of release. Otherwise, Paul's Boutique is way better. The Beasties' debut is fun, but just silly, really, and not doing much different technically than Run DMC was. I think Check Your Head is their best album, but I bet it's not hip-hop enough for the Source. (I echo comments to the effect of "the Source is retarded," by the by. Dumbass magazine.)

 

People's Instinctive Travels... - Good album, but not perfect enough to warrant this. Midnight Marauders would have been a better choice.

 

I agree that Slim Shady deserves a spot, and probably Liquid Swords as well. Eminem Show, though? I know we've talked about Eminem's albums a lot on here, but I'll say it again: that album is boring, contrived, and the culmination of everything lame about Marshall Mathers' shtick. Slim Shady still sounds fresh; The Eminem Show sounds terrible.

[Black Lushus 0]

It may not be 5 mics, but if you haven't by now, I suggest listening to Sticky Fingaz (from Onyx) solo album "Black Trash: The Autubiography of Kirk Jones"...I just recently discovered it (read: heard about it and stole it off the net) and have listened to it numerous times now.

[Ripper 0]

Royce Da' 5'9 - Death is Certain comes dangerously close. Like 4 and 4/5th mics.

 

Rock City was better IMO. I gave that CD 5 mic's.

 

400 Degreez could be arguable 5 mic CD, simple because of Mannie Fresh's amazing production. Mannie Fresh is by far the most underrated producer of all time IMO.

 

 

Personally I hated Rock City. HATED it. I like everything else he has done since and before honestly, but that album just wasn't very good to me.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Royce Da' 5'9 - Death is Certain comes dangerously close. Like 4 and 4/5th mics.

 

Rock City was better IMO. I gave that CD 5 mic's.

 

400 Degreez could be arguable 5 mic CD, simple because of Mannie Fresh's amazing production. Mannie Fresh is by far the most underrated producer of all time IMO.

 

 

Personally I hated Rock City. HATED it. I like everything else he has done since and before honestly, but that album just wasn't very good to me.

 

That's weird, I thought Rock City was his best work. Boom and My Friends(both tracks produced by the great DJ Premier), were classic songs.

 

Black Lushes is right, Black Trash is fucking awesome. There was not 1 bad song on that album. I give it 5 mic's. Sticky Fingaz, I think is the most overlooked rapper of all time.

 

The concept of the album, is problay the most interesting concept ever.

[Jorge Gorgeous 0]

Albums that don't belong on there at all:

 

Chronic 2001 - Fantastic singles. "The Watcher" is very good too. And that's it. There is nothing special about the entire second half of the album. 3 at best.

 

"Some L.A. Niggaz" and "Murder Ink" are really good tracks on the second half. Three fucking mics? You can say Obie Trice had fantastic singles, but the rest of the album was a three. I can accept that. But 2001 had like... 6 singles on it. All of them great.

 

Personally, I would give 2001 a 5, The Source initially gave it a 4.5 because they weren't sure it deserved a 5 because of all the guest MCs that Dre had. They went back and gave it a 5.

 

I'll probably catch flack, but I also really liked 'Late Registration.' Not a five, I loved it.

[Dangerous A 0]

Interesting you brought up Kanye West. Both of his albums are critically acclaimed and I think they'll hold up over time very well.

 

Does anyone think Kanye has/or will produce 5 mic album material?

[Jorge Gorgeous 0]

Interesting you brought up Kanye West. Both of his albums are critically acclaimed and I think they'll hold up over time very well.

 

Does anyone think Kanye has/or will produce 5 mic album material?

 

The guy is an innovative producer who really seems to care about the music hes making. The problem is, hes not a great rapper. However, he uses guest artists extremely well and isn't afraid to reach outside of his genre for talent. He used Adam Levine and recorded new pieces of music with an orchestra. He is also invigorating the Chicago rap scene, I think "Be" was mostly produced by Kanye. He started with that whole GZA "speed-up soul music" thing, but is really breaking new ground with his other stuff. I think a 5 mic is inevitable.

[Special K 0]

How would you all rank Dr. Octagon?

[Gary Floyd 0]

Pharcyde-Bizarre Ride 2 the Pharcyde

Anti-Pop Consortium-Arrhythmia

DJ Shadow-Endtroducing (Yes, I consider this Hip Hop)

Prefuse 73-Vocal Studies and Uprock Narratives and One Word Extinguisher

 

Oh, and Special K: I'd rate Dr. Octagon a 5

[Special K 0]

Oh, and Special K: I'd rate Dr. Octagon a 5

 

It's definitely in my top 5. What can I say? I love pretty much everything Dan the Automator touches. Not to mention Kool Keith is a hell of a rapper. (Del's still my fave)

 

Of course the Gray Album probably ranks in my top 10, so I'm weird.

 

 

EDIT: I really wish the era of free sampling had continued a bit longer. I so love Strictly Business and Paul's Boutique.

[CBright7831 0]

No love for Jay Z?

 

Well.

 

I've never listened to his entire album(s) but he has always seemed impressive to me.

 

Moreso than DMX...

 

 

Jay-Z has 2 albums rated 5 mics.

 

I personally find the Black Album to be on the same level as Blueprint and Reasonable Doubt, but I seem to be in the minority on this one.

I'll second this.

 

I also listen to The Eminem Show more than I listen to The Marshall Mathers LP.

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

Does Stillmatic really belong? Also All Eyez on Me?

[Special K 0]

I sure hope there's a sequel to Octagon or Deltron. Well, Apparently, Keith and Automator had a falling out. Damn fucking shame. Dan the Automator's the shit, but he needs to be paired with a clever rapper. Handsome boy modelling club is sorta mediocre, IMO.

 

The first Body Count album should have some consideration. I don't think it's quite 'classic', but it still fucking cuts like a knife.

 

EDIT: I just looked up the Automator on wikipedia, I had no idea he did Stereotype A. Another album I love of his.

[Carnival 0]

I'm no expert on Nas but I'd say no to Stillmatic, I only liked a couple songs off it. All Eyez on Me...I'd give it a yes.

 

Didn't Blueprint and Stillmatic come out within months of each other? I just remember thinking "Damn, The Source is just giving these things(5 mic ratings) away."

 

Speaking of The Source, Eminem murdered Benzino and that whole magazine on his song "The Sauce". That's when I realized he was the G.O.A.T. Oh my god did he slay their asses.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Albums that don't belong on there at all:

 

Chronic 2001 - Fantastic singles. "The Watcher" is very good too. And that's it. There is nothing special about the entire second half of the album. 3 at best.

 

"Some L.A. Niggaz" and "Murder Ink" are really good tracks on the second half. Three fucking mics? You can say Obie Trice had fantastic singles, but the rest of the album was a three. I can accept that. But 2001 had like... 6 singles on it. All of them great.

 

Personally, I would give 2001 a 5, The Source initially gave it a 4.5 because they weren't sure it deserved a 5 because of all the guest MCs that Dre had. They went back and gave it a 5.

Why is one album with great singles and a so-so to decent remainder different from another album with the same qualifications? I don't care one way or another about Obie Trice, but I don't think Dre gets a pass just cause he's Dre. Hitman and Knockturnal take up way too much space; the singles are great, but the rest of the album doesn't measure up, and those awful guest spots kill it. I don't really consider a 3 out of 5 a bad rating for the album when you consider all that, and I freely admit that I still listen to about half of that album all the damn time.

 

I'm with you on Kanye West, I think. His first two albums I loved for a month or two, and I still like both quite a bit, even when the beats weren't surprising me any more. They hold up pretty well, they're varied and fun, and you're right about his career arc; if he can filter out a little more of the "I'm the best" posturing, which really doesn't suit him, and stop doing pretentious crap like the "Diamonds" video, he's going to build a bona fide classic sooner rather than later.