Not too long before the internet virtually killed the music game, there was a time when people purchased albums, artists went platinum, and there was much more excitement and anticipation when Tuesdays rolled around. In addition, the competition and orginality was at an all-time high. Upon further examination of my friends and I trying to decide what the best year in hip-hop was, we discovered that it was a pretty much a toss up between the years 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000. Yeah, pretty much the even numbered years were the truly balanced years of musical releases.
1994. This year might have released the most classics, and is arugably the greatest year of hip-hop. This is the run-down: Ready to Die-Notorious B.I.G. , Illmatic-Nas, Southerplayalistic-Outkast, Creepin on Ah Come Up-Bone, Da Brat-Funkdafied, The Diary-Scarface, Regulate G-Funk Era-Warren G, Tical-Method Man, Most Beautifullest Thing in the World-Keith Murray, Resurrection-Common. There were a few more, but as you can see this was an exceptional year for hip-hop.
1996: I don't know which is my favorite year, but it might be 1996. When I look back on this year it's hard to believe all these albums came out in the same year. And on top of that, so many went platinum. There's a lot to name, bear with me: ATLiens-OutKast, 7 Day Theory-2pac, The Score-The Fugees, All Eyez on ME-2Pac, Reasonable Doubt-Jay-Z, Illadelph Halflife-The Roots, Ridin Dirty-UGK, Ironman-Ghostface Killah, It Was Written-Nas, The Coming-Busta Rhymes, Beats Rhymes and Life-Tribe Called Quest, Hell on Earth-Mobb Deep.
1998: This year by far is considered to be the best year by most: OutKast-Aquemini, Jay-Z-Hard Knock Life, DMX-It's Dark and Hell is Hot & Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of my Blood, Juvenile-400 Degreez, Busta Rhymes-E.L.E., Miseducation of Lauryn Hill-Lauryn Hill, Trick Daddy-www.thug.com, Doc's Da Name-Redman, Ghetto Fabulous-Mystikal, Shell Shocked-Mac, Bobby Digital-RZA, My Homies-Scarface, Big Pun-Capital Punishment. If you haven't noticed, most of these artists dropped the same years, and sold very well.
2000: This year wasn't neccessarily the last year of good music, but in the abundance of releases in the same year that exhibited such talent or classics the finale is 2000: Eminem-Marshall Mathers LP, Stankonia-OutKast, Jay-Z-Dyansty, Talib Kweli-Reflection Eternal, Ghostface Killah-Supreme Clientele, Wu-Tang Clan-W, Big L-Big Picture, Ludacris-Back for the First Time, Common-Like Water for Chocolate, Big Tymers-I Got That Work, Scarface-Last of A Dying Breed, Ruff Ryders-Vol.2, Beanie Sigel-The Truth, DJ Clue-Backstage, Mystikal-Let's Get Ready, Snoop Dogg-Tha LaST Meal, LOX-We are the Streets, Ja Rule-3:36, Busta Rhymes-Anarchy, 3-6 Mafia-When the Smoke Clears.
If only music could get back to this. Either way comment and let me know what you think the best year was.
Observer, I have to agree with you. The albums you have listed for 1996 are indeed classics. Those are hip hop albums that can be played today with the same love as in 1996.
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