The Year in Review: MadTheory Selects the Best Hip Hop Albums of 2001!
Jan 18 '02 (Updated Mar 28 '02)
The Bottom Line Odds are that if you bought a rap album last year that wasn't one of these, you wasted your money.
To put it simply, last year was a horrible year for Hip Hop lovers. In half-hearted attempts to sell albums, rapper after rapper constantly spewed forth LPs that ranged from mediocre to straight garbage. With a few notable exceptions, it wasn’t until the fourth quarter of last year that the really worthwhile stuff began to hit shelves.
However, the deluge of garbage rap from 2001 does make it easier to select the best albums of last year. So for all my faithful readers, I have sifted through the trash to bring you the Best Hip Hop albums of 2001. Enjoy while I go get my tetanus shot.
10. Sticky Fingaz – Black Trash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones
Full review: http://www.epinions.com/content_25513528964
It seems like everyone is sleeping on Black Trash. If you haven’t checked this out yet then you’ve missed some really great work from the former Onyx frontman. He puts together a great concept for the LP; the music allowing the listener to follow along with alter-ego Kirk Jones as he places himself on a path for self-destruction. Plus, the beats and production are very impressive as well. In my opinion, Sticky is easily on of the most underrated rappers ever.
Highlights:
“Money Talks”
“Why”
“State vs. Kirk Jones”
9. Redman - Malpractice
Full review: http://www.epinions.com/content_26193333892
It looks like Redman has finally found a formula for success. After finally achieving platinum status with his last LP Doc’s Da Name, Red returns to the funk-inspired beats and insane lyrics that made his last effort such a success. His latest LP Malpractice is just more of the same; Erick Sermon’s funk tracks plus more of Funk Doctor Spot’s off-the-wall rhymes equal more fun and addictive Hip hop music. Bump this when you want to get crazy with friends.
Highlights:
“Let’s Get Dirty (I Can’t Get In Da Club)”
“Muh-F***a”
“Doggz II”
8. Jay-Z - The Blueprint
Full review: http://www.epinions.com/content_51432951428
Even though it is completely overrated (Hip Hop classic my a**) this latest effort from the epitome of “jiggy” Jay-Z, is one of the best albums to drop in 2001. Lyrically, Jay takes a hiatus from constantly extolling the virtues of having his wrists frozen in “ice,” and actually gets into some real topics and depth, while maintaining the lyrical sharpness that helped make him one of rap music’s elite. The music follows this shift as Jay gets Hip Hop’s top producers to lace tracks using old Soul, R&B, and Rock samples and sounds to help capture the complete essence of the music.
Highlights:
“Takeover”
“Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)”
“Renegade”
7. Dilated Peoples – Expansion Team
Full review: http://www.epinions.com/content_45933104772
Babu, Rakaa, and Evidence skillfully sidestep the sophomore jinx with their second album, Expansion Team. Over some inspired tracks and music, the trio drops some impressive vocals showing that West Coast rappers can be about much more than “gangsta” activities. Looks for awesome collabos with Tha Liks, DJ Premier, Phil Da Agony and others.
Highlights:
“Clockwork”
“Heavy Rotation”
“Dilated Junkies”
6. De La Soul – Art Official Intelligence: Bionix
Full review: http://www.epinions.com/content_55838346884
Over ten years ago they said three is the magic number, and this trilogy of albums from Pos, Mase, and Trugoy in the At Official Intelligence is definitely turning out to be some enchanting music. Last year’s AOI: Mosaic Thump wowed those who had forgotten about De La, and the second installment, this year’s Bionix, won’t be slept on either. Filled with intelligent, humorous, and colorful tracks, this album shows De La at their sharpest. Collect all three.
Highlights:
“Bionix”
“Watch Out”
“Trying People”
5. Jay-Z Live… MTV Unplugged
Full Review: http://www.epinions.com/content_52277120644
Yes, I think this is much better than The Blueprint. Jay-Z has never been considered a top-notch Hip Hop stage performer, so he was smart to work his hustle and get first-class musicians to back him up. For this latest session of MTV unplugged, Jay recruits Hip Hop/Jazz fusion musicians The Roots to flawlessly recreate some of Jigga’s most recent and most memorable work, and they do so masterfully. Songstresses Jaguar Wright and Mary J. Blige even show up to steal some of Hov’s thunder. All in all, it’s a great recording of an excellent live performance. Even the most ardent of Jay-Z haters can’t front on this.
Highlights:
“Takeover”
“Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love) ”
“Can’t Knock the Hustle”
4. Underground Airplay Version 1.0
Full review: http://www.epinions.com/content_45268504196
For a very long time, the Lyricist Lounge in NY has been a foster home to underground Hip Hop music. They continue to support this scene with the Underground Airplay compilation, taking the freestyles and singles from some of the best artists in the underground scene and placing them into mixtape format with the help of DJ Spinbad. Overall, it’s a great compilation of songs from an impressive stable of emcees. Side note: there’s a rumor going around that Rawkus, the label that releases the LL works and is home to many other noteworthy underground artists (Mos Def, Kool G. Rap, Pharohe Monch), is going out of business. The fact that I can’t pull up their site doesn’t help alleviate my fears. Buy all the Lyricist Lounge stuff while you still can.
Highlights:
“Return”
“Bisexual”
“Special Forces”
3. Wu-Tang Clan – Iron Flag
Full review: http://www.epinions.com/content_50680008324
The return of the Wu. Many, including I, were beginning to think that it would be impossible for the Wu-Tang Clan to reproduce the gritty production and intimidating raps that made the group’s debut a classic. Fortunately for us, they’ve recaptured the formula and sprinkled it liberally throughout their latest release, Iron Flag. Rza’s back behind the boards, and the Wu have formed like Voltron again to give each track that true “group” feel. The only thing missing from this is the man himself, ODB.
Highlights:
“In the Hood”
“Y’all Been Warned”
“Radioactive”
2. Nas – Stillmatic
Full review: http://www.epinions.com/content_50797186692
After years of lusting after Jay-Z’s commercial success, Nas has hopefully finally reconciled himself to the fact that he’s better a better artist as an intelligent, introspective emcee than as a run-of-the-mill “jiggy” rapper. Nowhere is this more evident than with Nas’ most recent album Stillmatic. On this, fans get to see the return of the “Nasty Nas” we embraced on the debut Illmatic through venomous attacks on Hip Hop rivals and insightful looks into social issues and politics. All in all, it’s a great homecoming for Nas. Don’t miss it.
Highlights:
“Ether”
“One Mic”
“What Goes Around”
1. Masta Ace - Disposable Arts
Full review: http://www.epinions.com/content_48652193412
This is without a doubt, the single best album I’ve heard this year. Ace included the total package with this CD, with songs that range from standard uptempo hype tracks, to his signature “Brooklyn Bass” sound, to even including a few love tracks for the ladies. Masta Ace may be old-school, but you won’t be able to tell from listening to the songs. Track production is high-quality and creative, and his lyrics are just as sharp as the deliveries of the youngsters currently cornering the market on emceeing. The album concept is cool too; throughout the album he plays the role of Ace, a man just released from prison who goes to a vocational school in an attempt to get his life back together. Buy it. Put it in. Push play.
Highlights:
“Take a Walk”
“Acknowledge”
“Dear Diary”
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madtheory
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Location: Dallas,TX
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DON'T CALL IT A COMEB... wait. I guess you actually can call it a comeback.
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