Ciro’s Five Favorite Rap Debut Albums

This year, N.W.A.’s landmark Straight Outta Compton turns 30 and continues to stand as one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time. In music, first impressions are important—they can signal either a great success, or an even greater failure.

Here are five albums that introduced the world to some of the greatest acts in hip-hop. Obvious honorable mentions include Illmatic by Nas, Cypress Hill by Cypress Hill, Ready to Die by the Notorious B.I.G. and Get Rich or Die Tryin’ by 50 Cent.

5. Section .80 – Kendrick Lamar
Released: July 2, 2011

Compton is no stranger to excellent talent. The newest album on this list, Kendrick Lamar’s major label debut was a powerhouse, tackles themes of drug trafficking, racial tension and, of course, the crack epidemic of the 1980s. A conscious album released during the dying days of rap’s bling era, Lamar’s penchant for storytelling was front and center in Section.80. Sure, Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City and To Pimp A Butterfly are certainly better albums, but no one can deny how Lamar’s first foray into music set the blueprint for his near-perfect discography.

Best Track(s): ADHD, The Spiteful Chant

4. Licensed to Ill- Beastie Boys
Released: November 15, 1986

Three punk-rock Jewish kids from New York decided that they wanted to change the rap game. 1986 was a crazy year and nothing was crazier than the time the Beastie Boys burst onto the scene. With an attitude heard around the world, the Beastie Boys crafted one of the biggest albums of the decade, sampling artists like Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. They were the pioneers of what would be called rap rock. Bands like Rage Against the Machine and acts like Eminem would not be who they are without the Beasties fighting for everyone’s right to party.

Best Track(s): Rhymin’ and Stealin’, Paul Revere

3. The College Dropout- Kanye West
Released: February 10, 2004

Before he was interrupting award shows, marrying reality stars or even venturing into fashion, Kanye West was a producer carrying a Louis Vuitton backpack filled with old disks and demos. On his first album, he used what he learned from producing Jay-Z’s The Blueprint and The Black Album and crafted the anthem for every artist shooting for their dreams. The album is filled with soul samples, themes of family and black identity, as well as the right amount of cockiness that any good rapper needs. Gone were the days of gangsta rap dominating the airwaves. Instead, Mr. West ushered in the new era of alternative hip-hop.

Best Track(s): Family Business, Last Call

2. The Chronic- Dr. Dre
Released: December 15, 1992

It’s hard to imagine the good doctor as someone who was just a member of the Compton-based N.W.A.  On The Chronic, Dre not only jump-started his career, but he managed to birth that of Long Beach rapper Snoop Dogg, who was featured on numerous tracks on the album. Like Brian Wilson before him, Dre pushed the barriers of what can be done with sound and not only elevated the rap genre, but managed to break new ground in areas of funk and R&B. Mellow beats, violent lyrics with the occasional reference to a certain herb and the laid back attitude as cool as a pool day in California made The Chronic into what it is. It converted Dre from producer to composer in only 62 minutes.

Best Track(s): Let Me Ride, Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang

1. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)- Wu-Tang Clan
Released: November 9, 1993

From the rugged lands of Shaolin (or Staten Island) came an album about weed, martial arts films and the struggles of street life. The Wu-Tang Clan put East Coast hip-hop back on the map with this sprawling, hardcore mess of an album. Helmed by the production of the RZA and verses by members such as Method Man and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard, the Wu upped the ante on what a hardcore rap album should be. Featuring graphic lyrics about murder with a couple of soul samples thrown in for good measure, it was certainly something no one could expect or ever put down. In terms of lyrical depth and production, Wu-Tang Clan were certainly nothing to ‘f’ with.

Best Track(s): Da Mystery of Chessboxin’, Protect Ya Neck