From Illmatic to Madvillainy , To Pimp a Butterfly to Aquemini , Tha Carter II to De La Soul Is Dead , we look at the best hip hop albums of all time , year by year.
1996 was one of the most tumultuous years in hip hop. With the East Coast vs. West Coast beef in full swing, by the end the year, we would lose one of our most important voices with the death of Tupac Shakur.
But before his death, Pac went on a recording rampage not seen until the likes of Lil Wayne a decade later. With the release of All Eyez on Me and The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory , the West Coast rapper would cement his position as the best rapper of the ’90s .
While this was happening, we also had Nas becoming a major commercial force as he went full mainstream with his sophomore album, It Was Written , Jay-Z making his debut after a decade of hustling to get put on, and releases from OutKast and Fugees that would impact generations of rappers to come.
From Mobb Deep’s Hell on Earth to OutKast’s ATLiens and UGK’s Ridin’ Dirty , here are the top 25 best hip hop albums of 1996.
25. Heltah Skeltah – Nocturnal
Released: June 18, 1996
Label: Duck Down, Priority
Singles: “Leflaur Leflah Eshkoshka”, “Operation Lock Down”, “Therapy”
Features: Originoo Gunn Clappaz, Illa Noyz, Representativz and Vinia Mojica.
24. Ras Kass – Soul on Ice
Released: October 1, 1996
Label: Patchwerk/Priority
Singles: “Miami Life”, “Anything Goes”, “Soul on Ice”
Features: Coolio
23. Jeru the Damaja – Wrath of the Math
Released: October 15, 1996
Label: Payday/FFRR/PolyGram Records
Singles: “Ya Playin’ Yaself”, “Me or the Papes”
Features: Afu-Ra
22. Xzibit – At the Speed of Life
Released: October 15, 1996
Label: Loud, RCA
Singles: “Paparazzi”, “Eyes May Shine”, “The Foundation”
Features: Hurricane G, J-Ro, King Tee, Tha Alkaholiks, Ras Kass, Saafir
21. Snoop Dogg – Tha Doggfather
Released: November 12, 1996
Label: Death Row, Interscope
Singles: “Snoop’s Upside Ya Head”, “Vapors”, “Doggfather”
Features: Charlie Wilson, Kurupt, Tray Dee and Warren G.
20. Busta Rhymes – The Coming
Released: March 26, 1996
Label: Elektra
Singles: “Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check”, “It’s a Party”
Features: Redman, Keith Murray, and Jamal, Q-Tip, Zhané, Leaders of the New School
19. M.O.P. – Firing Squad
Released: October 22, 1996
Label: Relativity
Singles: “Dead & Gone”, “World Famous”
Features: Kool G Rap, Teflon, Battle
18. Keith Murray – Enigma
Released: November 26, 1996
Label: Jive
Singles: “The Rhyme”
Features: 50 Grand, Kel-Vicious, Erick Sermon, Busta Rhymes, Dave Hollister, Jamal and Redman
17. A Tribe Called Quest – Beats, Rhymes and Life
Released: July 30, 1996
Label: Jive
Singles: “1nce Again”, “Stressed Out”
Features: Tammy Lucas, Faith Evans
16. Poor Righteous Teachers – The New World Order
Released: October 15, 1996
Label: Profile
Singles: “Conscious Style”, “Word Iz Life”
Features: Fugees, KRS-One, Nine, Brother J of X-Clan and Junior Reid
15. Dr. Octagon – Dr. Octagonecologyst
Released: May 7, 1996
Label: Bulk, Mo’ Wax
Singles: “Earth People”, “3000”, “Blue Flowers”
Features: Sir Menelik
14. DJ Shadow – Endtroducing…..
Released: September 16, 1996
Label: Mo’ Wax
Singles: “Midnight in a Perfect World”, “Stem”, “What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 1)”, “The Number Song” / “Painkiller”
Features: N/A
13. De La Soul – Stakes Is High
Released: July 2, 1996
Label: Tommy Boy, Warner Bros.
Singles: “Stakes Is High”, “Itzsoweezee (Hot)”, “4 More”
Features: Common, Mos Def, Truth Enola
12. Lil’ Kim – Hard Core
Released: November 12, 1996
Label: Undeas, Big Beat, Atlantic
Singles: “No Time”, “Crush on You (Remix)”, “Not Tonight (Ladies Night Remix)”
Features: Lil’ Cease, Jay-Z, Puff Daddy, Jermaine Dupri
11. The Roots – Illadelph Halflife
Released: September 24, 1996
Label: DGC, Geffen
Singles: “Clones”, “Concerto of the Desperado”, “What They Do”
Features: Dice Raw, Bahamadia, Raphael Saadiq, M.A.R.S., Common, D’Angelo, Q-TIp, Joshua Redman, Cassandra Wilson, Ursula Rucker
10. Redman – Muddy Waters
Released: December 10, 1996
Label: Def Jam
Singles: “It’s Like That (My Big Brother)”, “Whateva Man”, “Pick It Up”, “Smoke Buddah”
Features: Xross-Breed, Erick Sermon, Method Man, K-Solo, Keith Murray, Jamal
9. Ghostface Killah – Ironman
Released: October 29, 1996
Label: Epic, Razor Sharp
Singles: “All That I Got Is You”, “Daytona 500”, “Motherless Child”
Features: Raekwon, Cappadonna, Inspectah Deck, RZA, Masta Killa, U-God, Method Man, The Delfonics, Mary J. Blige, Force MDs
8. 2Pac – All Eyez on Me
Released: February 13, 1996
Label: Death Row, Interscope
Singles: “California Love”, “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted”, “How Do U Want It”, “I Ain’t Mad at Cha”
Features: Snoop Doggy Dogg, Nate Dogg, Dru Down, Dat Nigga Daz, Kurupt, Redman, Method Man, K-Ci & JoJo, Rappin’ 4-Tay, Dramacydal, C-Bo, Storm, Dr. Dre, Roger Troutman, Danny Boy, George Clinton, Outlaw Immortalz, Jewell, Richie Rich, Syke, E-40
7. Nas – It Was Written
Released: July 2, 1996
Label: Columbia
Singles: “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)”, “Street Dreams”
Features: AZ, Cormega, Foxy Brown, Dr. Dre, Havoc, Mobb Deep, JoJo, Lauryn Hill
6. Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt
Released: June 25, 1996
Label: Priority, Roc-A-Fella
Singles: “Dead Presidents”, “Ain’t No Nigga”, “Can’t Knock the Hustle”, “Feelin’ It”
Features: Memphis Bleek, Mary J. Blige, Jaz-O and The Notorious B.I.G.
5. UGK – Ridin’ Dirty
Released: July 30, 1996
Label: Jive
Singles: “One Day”
Features: Smoke D, 3-2, Ronnie Spencer, C-Note, Big Smokin’ Mitch, N.O. Joe
4. Fugees – The Score
Released: February 13, 1996
Label: Ruffhouse, Columbia
Singles: “Fu-Gee-La”, “Killing Me Softly”, “Ready or Not”, “No Woman, No Cry”
Features: Rah Digga, Young Zee, Pacewon, Omega, John Forté, and Diamond D
3. Mobb Deep – Hell on Earth
Released: November 19, 1996
Label: Loud, RCA
Singles: “Still Shinin'”, “Drop a Gem on ‘Em”, “Front Lines (Hell on Earth)”, “G.O.D. Pt. III”
Features: Nas, Raekwon, Method Man, Big Noyd, Twin Gambino, Ty Nitty, Illa Ghee
2. OutKast – ATLiens
Released: August 27, 1996
Label: Arista, LaFace
Singles: “Elevators (Me & You)”, “ATLiens”, “Jazzy Belle”
Features: Witchdoctor, T-Mo, Khujo, Big Gipp and Cool Breeze
1. 2Pac – The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
Released: November 5, 1996
Label: Death Row, Interscope
Singles: “Toss It Up”, “To Live & Die in L.A.”, “Hail Mary”
Features: Outlawz, Bad Azz, Aaron Hall, Danny Boy, K-Ci & JoJo, Val Young, Tyrone Wrice, Prince Ital Joe.
