I apologize again for existing

The only albums to receive a 5 mic rating the [FIRST] time they were reviewed (all the albums without the asterisk*:

A Tribe Called Quest
People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

Eric B. & Rakim
Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em

Ice Cube
AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

Brand Nubian
One For All

De La Soul
De La Soul Is Dead

A Tribe Called Quest
The Low End Theory

Nas
Illmatic

The Notorious B.I.G.
Life After [rip]

Outkast
Aquemini

Jay-Z
The Blueprint

Nas
Stillmatic

Scarface
The Fix

Lil’ Kim
The Naked Truth

Bun B.
Trill O.G.

It’s important to remember this isn’t like the NBA MVP, where players are rewarded for long-standing excellence even when their individual seasons aren’t distinguishable from other seasons - see Karl Malone and Dirk Nowizki. I’m basing it  off a single album - no career achievement award or posthumous credit - sorry UGK, Scarface and others.  ALSO: THIS IS SUBJECTIVE SO RELAX AND DON’T FREAK OUT INTERNET. If you disagree, which you probably will, just state why and move along with your weekend.

Here are the only albums from the above list I thought actually deserved the 5 Mic rating.

Ice Cube
AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

De La Soul
De La Soul Is Dead

A Tribe Called Quest
The Low End Theory

Nas
Illmatic

Outkast
Aquemini

Jay-Z
The Blueprint*

*I think Reasonable Doubt is better (but I can appreciate how good The Blueprint really is).  There are a host of albums that didn’t make this list, but I gotta leave the office and think about them for a while before putting them all out there.

I still think Illmatic is the single greatest hip hop album ever recorded. The reasons why will take too long to write out.  Maybe another time.