The Best 3-Song Run on 58 Classic Rap Albums

So with a lot of these albums, you might be tempted just to say “all the songs are incredible.” Which is true for most of them, that’s why they’re classic rap albums.

But the goal here is to pick the very best three consecutive songs out of an album that has 10 to 15 of them.

So let’s get into it, here are the best 3-song runs on 58 classic rap albums; from Run-D.M.C. to Mobb Deep, OutKast to Kanye.

Run-D.M.C. – Raising Hell

Released: May 27, 1986

1. “It’s Tricky”
2. “My Adidas”
3. “Walk This Way”

Boogie Down Productions – Criminal Minded

Released: March 3, 1987

1. “Poetry”
2. “South Bronx”
3. “9mm Goes Bang”

Eric B. & Rakim – Paid in Full

Released: July 7, 1987

1. “My Melody”
2. “I Know You Got Soul”
3. “Move the Crowd”

EPMD – Strictly Business

Released: June 7, 1988

1. “You Gots to Chill”
2. “It’s My Thing”
3. “You’re a Customer”

Big Daddy Kane – Long Live the Kane

Released: June 28, 1988

1. “Ain’t No Half-Steppin'”
2. “I’ll Take You There”
3. “Just Rhymin’ with Biz”

N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton

Released: August 8, 1988

1. “Straight Outta Compton”
2. “Fuck tha Police”
3. “Gangsta Gangsta”

Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

Released:

1. “Rebel Without a Pause”
2. “Prophets of Rage”
3. “Party for Your Right to Fight”

Slick Rick – The Great Adventures of Slick Rick

Released:

1. “The Ruler’s Back”
2. “Children’s Story”
3. “The Moment I Feared”

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

Released: April 10, 1990

1. “Pubic Enemy”
2. “Bonita Applebum”
3. “Can I Kick It?”

Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

Released: May 16, 1990

1. “The Nigga Ya Love to Hate”
2. “AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted”
3. “What They Hittin’ Foe?”

Cypress Hill – Cypress Hill

Released: August 13, 1991

• “Pigs”
• “How I Could Just Kill a Man”
• “Hand on the Pump”

Naughty by Nature – Naughty by Nature

Released: September 3, 1991

1. “Wickedest Man Alive”
2. “O.P.P.”
3. “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright”

Ice Cube – Death Certificate

Released: October 29, 1991

1. “The Wrong Nigga to Fuck Wit”
2. “My Summer Vacation”
3. “Steady Mobbin'”

A Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders

Released: November 9, 1993

1. “Steve Biko (Stir It Up)”
2. “Award Tour”
3. “8 Million Stories”

Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Released: November 9, 1993

1. “Da Mystery of Chessboxin'”
2. “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing ta F’ Wit”
3. “C.R.E.A.M.”

Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggystyle

Released: November 23, 1993

1. “Murder Was the Case”
2. “Serial Killa”
3. “Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)”

Nas – Illmatic

Released: April 19, 1994

1. “N.Y. State of Mind”
2. “Life’s a Bitch”
3. “The World Is Yours”

OutKast – Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik

Released: April 26, 1994

1. “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik”
2. “Call of da Wild”
3. “Player’s Ball”

The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die

Released: September 13, 1994

1. “The What” (featuring Method Man)
2. “Juicy”
3. “Everyday Struggle”

Pete Rock & CL Smooth – The Main Ingredient

Released: October 8, 1994

1. “I Get Physical”
2. “Sun Won’t Come Out”
3. “I Got a Love”

2Pac – Me Against the World

Released: March 14, 1995

1. “If I Die 2Nite”
2. “Me Against the World”
3. “So Many Tears”

Mobb Deep – The Infamous

Released: April 25, 1995

1. “Drink Away the Pain (Situations)”
2. “Shook Ones (Part II)”
3. “Party Over”

Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…

Released: August 1, 1995

1. “Criminology”
2. “Incarcerated Scarfaces”
3. “Rainy Dayz”

GZA – Liquid Swords

Released: November 7, 1995

6. “Labels” 2:54
7. “4th Chamber” (featuring Ghostface Killah, Killah Priest & RZA) 4:37
8. “Shadowboxin'” (featuring Method Man)

2Pac – All Eyez on Me

Released: February 13, 1996

1. “Got My Mind Made Up”
2. “How Do U Want It”
3. “2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted”

Fugees – The Score

Released: February 13, 1996

1. “Fu-Gee-La”
2. “Family Business”
3. “Killing Me Softly”

Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt

Released: June 25, 1996

1. “Dead Presidents II”
2. “Feelin’ It”
3. “D’Evils”

OutKast – ATLiens

Released: August 27, 1996

1. “Wheelz of Steel”
2. “Jazzy Belle”
3. “Elevators (Me & You)”

2Pac – The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory

Released: November 5, 1996

1. “Hail Mary”
2. “Toss It Up”
3. “To Live & Die in L.A.”

The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death

Released: March 25, 1997

2. “Somebody’s Gotta Die”
3. “Hypnotize”
4. “Kick in the Door”

OutKast – Aquemini

Released: September 29, 1998

1. Return of the G
2. Rosa Parks
3. Skew It On the Bar-B

Dr. Dre – 2001

Released: November 16, 1999

1. “The Watcher”
2. “Fuck You”
3. “Still D.R.E.”

OutKast – Stankonia

Released: October 31, 2000

1. “So Fresh, So Clean”
2. “Ms. Jackson”
3. “Snappin’ & Trappin'”

Jay-Z – The Blueprint

Released: September 11, 2001

1. “Takeover”
2. “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)”
3. “Girls, Girls, Girls”

Clipse – Lord Willin’

Released: August 20, 2002

1. “Young Boy”
2. “Virginia”
3. “Grindin'”

The Roots – Phrenology

Released: November 26, 2002

1. “Thought @ Work”
2. “The Seed (2.0)”
3. “Break You Off”

50 Cent – Get Rich or Die Tryin’

Released: February 6, 2003

1. “What Up Gangsta”
2. “Patiently Waiting”
3. “Many Men (Wish Death)”

Jay-Z – The Black Album

Released: November 14, 2003

1. “Moment of Clarity”
2. “99 Problems”
3. “Public Service Announcement (Interlude)”

Kanye West – The College Dropout

Released: February 10, 2004

1. “Spaceship”
2. “Jesus Walks”
3. “Never Let Me Down”

The Game – The Documentary

Released: January 18, 2005

1. “Hate It or Love It”
2. “Higher”
3. “How We Do”

Kanye West – Late Registration

Released: August 30, 2005

1. “Heard ‘Em Say”
2. “Touch the Sky”
3. “Gold Digger”

Common – Be

Released: May 24, 2005

1. “Be (Intro)”
2. “The Corner”
3. “Go!”

Young Jeezy – Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101

Released: July 26, 2005

1. “Thug Motivation 101”
2. “Standing Ovation”
3. “Standing Ovation”

T.I. – King

Released: March 28, 2006

1. “Front Back”
2. “What You Know”
3. “I’m Talkin’ to You”

Ghostface Killah – Fishscale

Released: March 28, 2006

1. “Shakey Dog”
2. “Kilo”
3. “The Champ”

Clipse – Hell Hath No Fury

Released: 28 November 2006

1. “We Got It for Cheap (Intro)”
2. “Momma I’m So Sorry”
3. “Mr. Me Too”

Blu & Exile – Below the Heavens

Released: July 17, 2007

1. “Blu Colla Workers”
2. “Dancing in the Rain”
3. “First Things First”

Lupe Fiasco – The Cool

Released: December 18, 2007

1. “Go Go Gadget Flow”
2. “The Coolest”
3. “Superstar”

Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III

Released: June 10, 2008

• “Mr. Carter”
• “A Milli”
• “Got Money”

Rick Ross – Teflon Don

Released: July 20, 2010

1. “MC Hammer”
2. “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast)”
3. “Aston Martin Music”

Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Released: November 22, 2010

1. “Monster”
2. “So Appalled”
3. “Devil in a New Dress”

Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne

Released: August 8, 2011

1. “Ni**as in Paris”
2. “Otis”
3. “Gotta Have It”

Drake – Take Care

Released: November 15, 2011

1. “Crew Love”
2. “Take Care”
3. “Marvins Room”

Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city

Released: October 22, 2012

1. “M.A.A.D City”
2. “Swimming Pools (Drank)”
3. “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst”

ASAP Rocky – LONG.LIVE.A$AP

Released: January 15, 2013

1. “Long Live ASAP”
2. “Goldie”
3. “PMW (All I Really Need)”

Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels

Released: June 26, 2013

1. “Run the Jewels”
2. “Banana Clipper”
3. “36” Chain”

Future – DS2

Released: July 17, 2015

1. “Thought It Was a Drought”
2. “I Serve the Base”
3. “Where Ya At”