Top 10 90's Hip-Hop Albums

As the likes of Wu-Tang Clan and Mobb Deep get ready to drop new material on us in 2014, while Nas celebrates his rise to the throne two decades back with the reissue of Illmatic XX, there's no better time to look back and reflect upon the golden age of rap by counting down the greatest hip-hop albums of that decade, and therefore, some of the greatest of all time.

10. Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous- Big L (March 28, 1995)

You're nobody till somebody kills you; Harlem rapper Big L received average reviews when he dropped his debut album in 1995 but nowadays, following his murder in 1999, Lifestylez is heralded as a 90's hip-hop classic, its rightful status in my opinion. L is a lyrical maestro for sure and he flows with surprisingly accomplished vocabulary over sampled production and typical 90's beats, but the standout aspect of Big L's only lifetime release is the very real, visceral nature of the street tales that the New York native spits. A truly underrated classic.

9. Doggystyle- Snoop Doggy Dogg (November 23, 1993)

The irresistible funk and party grooves that oozed out of Snoop Dogg's debut album are what make it such a classic. Following on from Dr. Dre's 1992 classic The Chronic (which you may also find on this list), Snoop and his mentor produced a record that was a relief from the troubled vibes of gang wars and poverty that dominated rap's subject matter at the time; Snoop simply wanted to get high and flow his ryhmes over Dre's delighfully playful production, and he flowed quite majestically it must be said.

8. Me Against The World- Tupac (March 14, 1995)

It'll probably upset the Tupac faithful that All Eyez On Me didn't make it here, but for my money, Me Against The World was the late rap star's greatest work. Without the (forgive me) filler of Eyez daunting double album tracklist, Me Against The World was Pac at his most commercial and accessible, with classic rap ballads like ''So Many Tears'' and ''Dear Mama'' being remembered still among his greatest tracks, while Pac's fear and anger toward gangland troubles was dealt with in ''If I Die 2Nite'' and ''Death Around The Corner''. This was the moment when Tupac welcomed his demons in, confronted his darkest issues and told the world of his deepest feelings in an emotional magnum opus.

7. The Chronic- Dr. Dre (December 15, 1992)

Before Snoop's debut album in '93, he was introduced to the world by Dr. Dre on The Chronic, a landmark recording that went on to significantly shape the landscape of hip-hop throughout the decade. I've always thought it was strange not to credit Snoop alongside Dre as the album artist- he was featured on 13 of the album's 16 tracks, and made Dre look silly with his rhyming skills, but take nothing away from the former NWA man- this is one of the best produced albums in hip-hop history with its innovative, ground breaking ''G-Funk'' sound.

6. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... - Raekwon (Feat. Ghostface Killah) (August 1, 1995)

The defining product of Wu Tang Clan's solo output (alongside the next album down this list) came from Raekwon and Ghostface Killah with the majestic Cuban Linx, an album so rich in story and narrative that it may have been a novel or motion picture in another world. Under their own self appointed monikers, Rae and Ghost set out on a journey to fame and fortune in drug crime game, leading them to quick riches, shady characters, betrayal, revenge and ultimately redemption in the greatest rap story ever told. It's cinematic scope is complimented to perfection by RZA's best ever production, and Rae and Ghost's effortless yet almost impossible flow as they bounce of each other like no hip-hop pairing before.

5. Liquid Swords- GZA (November 7, 1995)

Some of the greatest sounds of 1990's hip-hop came from Wu Tang production genius RZA's basement, and just like Cuban Linx before it, Liquid Swords owes a huge debt to the majestic backing provided for GZA's accomplished raps. Here the Wu get more contemplative and deeper than ever before; Raekwon and Ghost were searching for fame and fortune, GZA was looking for deeper meaning, encorporating philosophical rhymes over a darkened, surreal backdrop that took you deep into the Kung Fu nightmare that Wu Tang's two original founders wanted you to lose yourself inside.

4. Ready To Die- The Notorious B.I.G (September 13, 1994)

When it came to the inevitable Biggy vs. Pac debate that hip-hop heads love to rage over, I was always a Christopher Wallace man, but then again, I don't believe for a second that they were the two greatest rapper of all time either. My reasons for picking BIG are similar to most- exceptional wordplay and delivery, rich storytelling and compelling lyrics, all of which dominate Ready To Die, the ultimate rag to riches hip-hop fairytale. Ready To Die was more accessible than most hip-hop of the decade- rather than the bleak, minimal production that featured in most classics at the time, Biggy was backed by cathcy, almost pop like beats on ''Juicy'', ''Big Poppa'' and ''One More Chance'', all of which led to this being one of the most successful rap albums ever and brought BIG the success he craved and the legacy he immediately deserved.

3. The Infamous- Mobb Deep (April 25, 1995)

The sheer intensity of the blistering, unforgiving 66 minutes of this Queensbridge duo's second album is what makes it such an unforgettable masterpiece; this is the very real sound of growing up in the New York projects and fighting for survival in the game, captured inside a bottle comprised of raw beats, haunting soundscapes, outstanding visual lyricism, hyper agressive flow and true grit atitude. Quite simply, one of the most perfect rap albums ever created.

2. Enter The Wu Tang: 36 Chambers- Wu Tang Clan (November 9, 1993)

How can rap be dead if Wu Tang is forever? 36 Chambers was the start of a movement that changed rap and introduced some of its most greatest, and certainly most memorable stars- from the seemingly possessed, eccentric spirit of Ol' Dirty Bastard to the laid back, stoner rap of Method Man, as well as Inspectah Deck's lyrical genius and the aforementioned skills of RZA, GZA, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, not to mention U-God, Masta Killa, Cappandonna and the Wu's countless other associates, Enter The Wu Tang brought you nothing but raw skill in buckets. The overload of talent on the mic throughout 36 Chambers is enough to overwhelm anyone with even a slight interest in hip-hop music, and it's no surprise that afterwards the Clan went on to craft some of the greatest rap albums of the decade and all time on their own, but there's just something about the spontaneous, instinctive genius on 36 Chambers, all caught inside a basement studio by 9 incredibly gifted individual performers, that makes this album so special and unique. 

1. Illmatic- Nas (April 19, 1994)

The greatest of them all, in my humble opinion. Nas shook the hip-hop world with Illmatic, the most vivid picture of the streets ever painted by a music artist. As the man himself said in 2012: ''It wasn't about being a rap star; it was about anything other than... [it] needed to be documented and my life needed to be told."

And so he told us stories about gang violence, drug crime, jail time, depression and savage poverty, through ridiculously complex, intricate rhymes and flawless lyricism delivered with unprecedented vocal skill. Nas was obsessed with integrity, which meant remaining loyal and true to his roots while creating a powerful, brutally honest picture of his upbringing and surroundings, and his strive for artistic perfection was a vital ingredient in making this the most complete, unabridged product in rap history.

Nas has spent the rest of his career trying with mixed results to follow Illmatic, but the truth is there's no way to replicate that kind of glory; it was a product of its time, and a moment of utter perfection.

Any major fans of the genre will probably want to murder me after reading this list because no two will ever be the same, so before I go I better drop in a list of honourable mentions that came close but didn't quite make the list. Peace!

2Pac- All Eyez On Me
2Pac- The Don Killuminati
A Tribe Called Quest- Midnight Maruaders
Eminem- The Slim Shady LP
Ice Cube- AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted
Public Enemy- Fear Of A Black Planet

Alex Turner Gives Heroic Acceptance Speech At The Otherwise Pointless BRIT Awards

Much like it's American counterpart the Grammys this past January, last night's BRIT Awards was no more than it's usual pointless celebration of musical mediocrity save for a brief moment of brilliance from Arctic Monkey's frontman Alex Turner, who took his acceptance speech for Best British Album as an opportunity to deliver a spiel of epic proportions.

The Sheffield local turned rock superstar has turned heads with his vintage style and retro rock look of late, and he was out in his usual attire as he adressed the celebrity audience with this drunken poetic ramble which reflected the band's classic rock style on their acclaimed, and now award-winning 5th effort, AM :

''That rock & roll, eh? That rock & roll, it just won’t go away.

It might hibernate from time to time and sink back into the swamp. I think the cyclical nature of the universe in which it exists demands it adheres to some of its rules. But it’s always waiting there, just around the corner, ready to make its way back through the sludge and smash through the glass ceiling, looking better than ever.

Yeah, that rock & roll, it seems like it’s fading away sometimes, but it will never die. And there’s nothing you can do about it.''

There was a considerable response to Turner's remarks with many praising his originality and passion, while others dismissed it as a rude or pretentious move. I suppose they were probably waiting with baited breath for a typical thanks to his family, friends, dog, cat and goldfish. If you're asking me though, that's pure class, the like of which we don't hear very often.

In any case, the rest of the evening was spent awarding prizes to a selection of the most boring acts in the UK, with the likes of Sam Smith, Bastille and Rudimental picking up the gold for who cares what, while in some good news, David Bowie surpisingly came away with Best Male following the release of his triumphant comeback record The Nexy Day, while Daft Punk were named Best International Group.

AM came close to the top of Heavy Metal Mouth's Top 25 Albums of 2013 countdown at the end of last year; you can check out my Top 10 Albums here or alternatively, take a look at the HMM 2013 Annual.

De La Soul Are Offering You Their Entire Catalogue For Free Until 12pm Tomorrow... Get On It

De La Soul have made their entire catalogue of music available for free download from their website in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their landmark debut album 3 Feet High And Rising.

The hip-hop masterpiece will be available alongside other classic De La Soul works such as De La Soul Is Dead (1991) and Bulhoone Mindstate (1993), but only until tomorrow noon, meaning you should act fast in order to procure these musical gems. The band announced this download party yesterday, scheduled to last for 25 hours having begun at 11am this morning.

The reasoning behind the band's unique offer is the trouble that fans have accessing De La Soul's music through iTunes and similar music players online due to the band's repeated problems with sampling clearances, an ironic problem considering the group's mastery of sample usage in their production is the very reason for their legacy and influence today.

Band memeber Posdnuos admits that there have been long delays in sorting out their discography, saying that the band is ''working very hard to get that solved'' and pointing to contractual issues to highlight the niggling issues that have thus far led to frustration for De La Soul fans.

Today you can get it all for free though, and Posdnuos wanted to explain why: "It's about allowing our fans who have been looking and trying to get a hold of our music to have access to it. It's been too long where our fans haven't had access to everything. This is our way of showing them how much we love them."

There you have it folks- sweet, free, legal music right at your doorstep. Go get some.

Listen: 5 Weird & Wonderful Covers Featuring Arctic Monkeys, Haim, Chvrches, London Grammar & MØ

It's usually a truly horrifying thing to see classic tunes pop back into the charts covered by X Factor's flavour of the month (yes, I am looking directly at you, Alexandra Burke, for your still unforgivable desecration of ''Hallelujah''). On the other hand, it can be a wonderful thing to hear a great song interpreted by one of your favourite bands, and these 5 recent musical adaptions were perhaps outlandish choices for their respective artists, but make for excellent listening times.

Chvrches- Do I Wanna Know? (Artcic Monkeys)

Chvrches take the infectious rip roaring opening of Arctic Monkeys magnificent AM and strip it back, delivering a synth pop beauty like only the Scottish trio can.

London Grammar- Pure Shores (All Saints)

Come on lads, let's drop the facade, we all know ''Pure Shores'' is an absolute classic. I don't know a single person who isn't madly in love with the original of this song, although I know many who wouldn't be willing to admit it. London Grammar have made it more acceptable to admit your All Saints tendencies here by inserting a cool electronic beat underneath the track.

MØ- Say You'll Be There (The Spice Girls)

Perhaps I'm embarrassing myself at this point, but I also have to admit I've long been harboring a soft spot for The Spice Girls too as well as the aforementioned All Saints. Their 1996 mega hit ''Say You'll Be There'' is given an electronic makeover here by Danish singer MO, who happens to be dropping her debut album this March 10. If this stunningly executed cover is anything to go by, it should be one to look out for next month.

Arctic Monkeys- Hold On, We're Going Home (Drake)

Witness this Live Lounge moment of wonder as Alex Turner provides stone cold evidence of his complete transformation from spotty teenager to sex God as the Monkeys deliver a delightfully funky cover of one of my favourite single from last year.

Haim- Wrecking Ball (Miley Cyrus)

I've been a somewhat rare advocate of Miley Cyrus' new musical direction in recent times, but for those of who are most definitely anti-twerk, here's something you may prefer, as Haim inject a blast of soul and blues into Miley's biggest hit.

Drake Disses Macklemore For Kendrick Apology Text; He's Dead Right Too

The normally placid Aubrey Graham/Drake has spoken out pretty bluntly about his feelings on Macklemore's apology text to Kendrick Lamar after his Grammy win, claiming ''that shit was wack as fuck''. In other words, the Toronto rapper doesn't approve of Macklemore's decision to share his private message to Lamar online via Instagram, and who can blame him- behold the cringe inducing brown nosing of what follows here:

''You got robbed. I wanted you to win. You should have. It's weird and it sucks that I robbed you. I was gonna say that during the speech. Then the music started playing and I froze.''

Oh dear, that's hard to take in without a shiver. Yes, this was the exact wording of Macklemore's message to Kendrick, whom he felt should have picked up the gong for Best Rap Album following his release of good kid, m.A.A.d city back in October 2012, rather than himself for his record The Heist with Ryan Lewis.

When asked how he felt about the text, Drake, speaking on behalf of anyone in the world who read that slobbering plea, stated: "I was like, 'You won. Why are you posting your text message? Just chill... if you feel you didn't deserve it, go get better – make better music. It felt cheap. It didn't feel genuine. Why do that? Why feel guilt? You think those guys would pay homage to you if they won?"

Drake was also vocal about Macklemore's decision just to shout out to Lamar, rather than the rest of the nominees in that category: "To name just Kendrick? That shit made me feel funny. No, in that case, you robbed everybody. We all need text messages."

He might be waiting a while for that one.

In any case, Drake plays The O2 this March as part of his live show ''Would You Like A Tour?'', in support of the Canadian's third album, Nothing Was The Same, while Macklemore and Ryan Lewis will be touring their quadruple Grammy Award winning (whether he likes it or not) album in 2014 also, dropping into Ireland at Marley Park this July.

Odd Future A ''threat to public order''; Banned From New Zealand

Controversial rap collective Odd Future have been denied entry to New Zealand having been ''deemed a threat to public order'' by Immigration officials, who yesterday revoked the group's earlier approved visa's. The hip-hop group were scheduled to perform at the Rapture festival while supporting Eminem, but officials denied 6 OF members entry to the country, claiming that the band has incited riots and violence against police officers in the past.

The incident in question took place in 2011 when Tyler The Creator, the group's leader, was alleged to have insulted police officials while they attempted to control possible overcrowding at an autograph signing by the band in a comic book store in Boston. The same year, the group were removed from the Big Day Out Festival in Auckland, with the City Council objecting to their offensive lyrical content, however this time around officials have denied that OF are being refused due to lyrics.

“If we banned people who used swear words, we wouldn’t have many people left in New Zealand,” said Border Operations manager Karen Irwin.

The full statement released by Immigration New Zealand to 3 News was as follows:

"The Immigration Act 2009 provides that entry permission may not be granted where there is reason to believe there is, or is likely to be, a threat or risk to public order or the public interest."

"Odd Future has been deemed to be a potential threat to public order and the public interest for several reasons, including incidents at past performances in which they have incited violence. In one instance, a police officer was hospitalised following a riot incited by Odd Future."

In response, OF manager Christian Clancy tweeted: "sorry new zealand apparently this group of kids that have inspired the shit out of me for the last few years are a threat to society. ... and thanks for the hour before flight heads up. after approving and issuing visas."

Also speaking on Twitter, Tyler was a little more blunt about his feelings: ''OF IS BANNED FROM NEW ZEALAND, AGAIN. THEY SAID WE WERE 'TERRORIST THREATS AND BAD FOR THE SOCIETY' OR WHATEVER. SICK. THEY ARE ANTI GOLF''

While it's true that the band have often provoked outrage with their misogynistic and homophobic lyrics, this seems a tad over the top for a group that possess major criminal records and perhaps hypocritical considering they guy they were scheduled to perform with has probably outdone them tenfold in the controversy department, what with threatening to murder his wife and carrying a chainsaw around on stage.

Interestingly, earlier this year on January 27th, OF member Earl Sweatshirt played the Laneway Festival in Auckland with no issue surrounding his entry.

Tyler and Earl, accompanied by several of their Odd Future cohorts, also supported Eminem last year at Slane.

Experimental Albums: The Good, The Bad & The Misunderstood

What with James Vincent McMorrow discovering a love of synth's on Post Tropical, Bombay Bicycle Club going all electro pop on us and Young Fathers creating one of the early standouts for album of the year with their blend of African tribal music and hip-hop, I'm taking a look back at the best and worst examples of album experiments. The following records either redefined their respective bands in outstanding fashion, ruined stellar reputations or maybe even provided their fans with a piece of work that nobody ever quite got the hang of.

In any case, you can be sure they were interesting. Here are the most daring, illogical and definitely surprising albums in modern music:

The Good

Radiohead- Kid A

Perhaps the ultimate example of a band redesigning and rediscovering themselves, Kid A is the most glorious and triumphant experiment of the 21st century, and one that has influenced countless artists and will continue to for an age. Coming off the back of OK Computer's astonishing critical and commercial success in 1997, band leader Thom Yorke found himself going haywire at the perceived expectation he felt to repeat such a landmark record.

His answer? To craft an album that comprised elements of countless underground, long forgotten and somewhat unthinkable genres of music, resulting in an electronic masterpiece that subsequently caused the music world to pause for deep thought.

The Velvet Underground- White Light, White Heat

The Velvet Underground pretty much created experimental rock music in the 1960's, and their 1968 magnum opus White Light/White Heat defined the experimental album while giving birth to new genres of music through its exploration, most notably punk rock. You can't talk about experimental albums without the first and greatest of them all.

''The Gift'' mashes together an instrumental hard rock jam and a short story about Waldo Jeffers, a young man who tragically mails himself to his long distance girlfriend, while at over 17 minutes long, ''Sister Ray'' deals with  ''a bunch of drag queens taking some sailors home with them, shooting up on smack and having this orgy when the police appear'', in the words of Lou Reed himself. ''I Heard Her Call My Name'' was declared to be the most conventional song on the record... If you've heard it, that statement speaks for itself.

Bob Dylan- Bringing It All Back Home

It may not sound it now, but Bringing It All Back Home was a hugely controversial move for Bob Dylan upon its release in 1965. Confirming Dylan's new found love of electric rock and roll as he was backed by a full band on the first half of the record, fans of the folk legend despaired and protested at this new found love of a heavier sound which would go on to produce some of the greatest albums of the iconic songwriters career. Bringing It All Back Home can comfortably count itself among Dylan's finest works, showcasing a rapid evolution that to this day stands among rock's greatest albums.

Nirvana- In Utero

Arguably this was not an experimental album at all, but the almost metal sound of In Utero was a very purposeful test set out by Kurt Cobain in 1994, designed to scare away fans of Nirvana's seminal pop punk album Nevermind. The breakneck recording of In Utero and its resulting raw production was controversial, and the album was very reluctantly released by Geffen Records following major disputes with the band, having deemed the sound of the album ''unlistenable''. In actual fact this was Nirvana at their most honest and expressive, and In Utero has since been declared one of the finest rock albums ever by several publications for it's definitive picture of Nirvana and their iconic presence, before it was tragically cut short in its prime.

The Bad

Oasis- Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants

Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants was, in many ways, the ugly sister to Kid A. Released in the same year, it saw Oasis attempt to explore new territory rather than bash out another Defintely Maybe or Morning Glory, but in spite of their commendable bravery to not bow to expectations, the band's fourth album simply proved that they most definitely should have stuck to their meat and potatoes guitar rock approach. Clumsily employing synths, drum loops and samples throughout its underwhelming 47 minutes, Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants could be seen as one of the first nails in Oasis' coffin, as they struggled to regain their early momentum after the lukewarm critical reception and poor sales of the unfortunate album.

Lou Reed- Metal Machine Music

There's a place for Lou Reed on both sides of this list as many would expect with the recently deceased New Yorker's penchant for experimentation and innovation, both great and terrible. In 1975, Reed dropped a serious case of the later in Metal Machine Music, an album consisting mainly of guitar feedback and other various unappealing noises. The record puzzled fans, who nowadays see the release as a possible joke or the result of a contract obligation that Reed wanted to end on poor terms. Recently, it has received some praise and been cited as a innovative noise album, but if you're asking me, this is simply an experiment gone horribly wrong; 64 minutes of what can barely be described as music.

Chris Cornell- Scream

Chris Cornell and Timbaland sounded like a woeful idea from the offing, but when considered in retrospect it is perhaps surprising that the duo mad such a dog's dinner of this project. Cornell's distinctive vocals are not unsuited to pop/r'n'b music and who better to go to for a producer in this industry than Timbaland with his proven track record of pop hits, but this big budget disaster was simply devoid of any meaning or real direction, instead proving a miscalculated, polished excrement.

Lil Wayne- Rebirth

Many would omit Lil Wayne from this list on the basis that he's always been terrible, but that would be an unfair judgement of a man who has managed to surpass Elvis Presley in terms of hit singles on the Billboard chart, all the while garnering acclaim for releases like Tha Carter III. But Lil Wayne and electric guitars, just like Cornell and hip-hop beats, sounded like a total mess from the beginning. The rapper's 7th album was an attempt to make rock music and featured Wayne on guitar while singing in auto tuned vocals that most certainly did not compliment the already questionable production.

The Misunderstood

Kanye West- 808's & Heartbreak

Kanye's 4th and most polarizing album came at a bad time for the egotistical rapper; he had just upset the entire world by interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the VMA's and been declared a ''jackass'' by Barack Obama himself, and the negative energy that accompanied the hip-hop superstar followed through with a mixed critical reception to the release of 808's & Heartbreak in 2008. Feeding on the crushing personal losses that had dominated his life during recording, 808's saw Ye embrace auto tuned vocals and take a break from the straight up rap style of his original three records, which alienated fans, but the album has proven to be a significant release in recent years, directly influencing major stars like Drake, Frank Ocean and The Weeknd, while West has gone on to drop his most acclaimed and definitive work since.

Intimacy- Bloc Party

The underwhelming response to Bloc party's venture in electronic territory in 2008 was unfair to the band in my mind, as Kele Okerere and company dropped their guitars in order to create a synth heavy concept album about relationships, that drew from the lead singer's personal life troubles. A worthy follow up to two of the decades most acclaimed indie albums, Intimacy was bold and daring in its drastic change of tone, while also lethal in its execution, providing some of the bands best work in songs like the majestic ''Ion Square'', ''Talons'', ''Biko'' and bonus track and single ''Flux'', but its mixed appraisal seemed to damage the band, who went on hiatus afterwards and returned with the indifferent Four in 2012.

Digital Ash In A Digital Urn- Bright Eyes

Conor Oberst peaked in 2005 with the double release of I'm Wide Awake It's Morning and Digital Ash In A Digital Urn, with many commentators declaring him the new Bob Dylan for the intimate, politically conscious folk of the former, but it seemed that the majority of these reviews ignored or dismissed its electronic counterpart, Digital Ash, with its soothing ambient textures and soft electronica. Oberst's poetry was at its finest on both of these albums, and tales of lost love, alcoholism and dark depression were at their most affecting and inspiring over these emotive electro backgrounds, making Digital Ash an album that deserves to be revisited and reevaluated.

Zaireeka- The Flaming Lips

The mind boggling design of Flaming Lip's 8th studio album was a huge problem for many listeners at the time. Consisting of 8 songs recorded on four separate stereo tracks, the album was structured so that when played on 4 different audio systems, it would harmonize together. The album had a glowing endorsement for every outraged detractor, being awarded both a 10/10 rating by NME and 0/10 by Pitchfork. Personally, I still think there's way too much effort involved to care.