The 25 Best Underground Rap Albums Of All Time (Part 8)

 (Image taken from: musicya.net)

6. Gangstarr- Moment of Truth

Released in 1998

Label: Noo Trybe/Virgin/EMI Records

Probably the most commercial record on this list, Gandstarr’s, Moment of Truth, is still an underground album through and through. With DJ Premier and Guru returning from a four year hiatus doing what they do best (He’s the DJ and I’m the MC, essentially), they came back with a vengeance with only a little lag along the way. With the first single, “You Know My Steez,” getting heavy rotation on BET and MTV when it was first released, this album was a testament that the underground, when brought to the surface, could make quite a stir. This album definitely took it, “above the clouds.”

Best track: Work

 (Image taken from: undergroundhiphop.com)

5. The Circle of Tyrants-Self-titled

Released in: 2005

Label: Psychological Records

Underground legends Goretex and Mr. Hyde, join brothers Ill Bill and Necro on this album with startling results. Every track on this self-titled and only release from the mega group (Goretex has since had a falling out with Necro) is excellent, with “The Four Horsemen,” which samples a western, probably being the most noteworthy and impressive track of them all. Hell, even the rock/rap songs are hardly a misstep here and actually compliment the rest of the brutality. We’ve listened to this album more times than we can count. It's death rap at its finest. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that this is the best album that Necro has ever produced.

Best track: The Four Horsemen

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4. Dr. Octagon-Dr. Octagonecologyst

Released in: 1996

Label: Dreamworks/Geffen/MCA Records

Coming to you live from outer space is Kool Keith, with yet another one of his bizarre creations, Dr. Octagon. Dr. Octagonecologyst is one of those rare releases that even those who don’t know a lick about the underground knew about for some reason, often citing “Bear Witness,” as their starting point, or singing the chorus to “Blue Flowers,” like it was, “Singing in the Rain.” Whatever got them on board, it probably wasn’t Kool Keith’s out-there, surrealistic lyrics, as he had been serving those up since his Ultramagnetic MC’s days and he never made the kind of waves that this release did. No, we’re thinking there’s just something wonderful about a man who doesn’t mind donning multiple alias, and Dr. Octagon just happened to stick. It doesn’t hurt that Dan the Automator’s production is amazing and that Kool Keith is as bizarre as ever. Hip-hop, meet your Ziggy Stardust.

Best track: Earth People

The 25 Best Underground Rap Albums Of All Time (Part one)

Hey, y'all. This article was originally supposed to be on Complex's website, but I guess it didn't fit their site. But why waste a good article? So here it is. Do your favorites make the cut?

Some people will tell you that underground rap is impossible to define since there are so many factors that go into it (Do you base it on how socially conscious it is, how independent it is, how unknown it is? What?). Well, we’ll agree that it’s hard to peg what exactly puts an album beneath the surface, but we wouldn’t say that it’s impossible. Really, as true blue fans of the genre, we just seem to know when an album is underground. These were the albums that backpackers used to rave about. They were the stuff of legend.

Today, pretty much all rappers who try to get famous on YouTube or get their music out there without any airplay or promotion could be considered underground, and more power to them. Maybe they too will one day have a classic album that will make a list like this. But these albums right here are the classics that you already know and love. Or maybe, you don’t know and love them. And that’s the great thing about underground music, you’re always hearing something new. So, without further ado…

25. Necro-Gory Days

Released in 2001

Label: Psychological Records

Perhaps the self-proclaimed master of the macabre’s most complete album, Gory Days, is definitely the best solo record Necro has ever released. It has the perfect mixture of hardcore porn and hardcore violence that fans of the rapper came to know and expect after his debut album, I Need Drugs, hit the scene. From its brutal beginning (“Bury You With Satan”) to its fitting end (“Morbid”), Necro covers everything from pimping to stealing a scalpel in a doctor’s office, to how to get rid of a dead body quickly. Necro kills it on every single track. As the rapper would say, “Die!”

Best track: Gory Days

(Image taken from: newsroom.mtv.com) 

24. Killah Priest-Heavy Mental

Released in 1998

Label: Geffen/MCA

Awash with religion and introspection is Wu-tang side member, Killah Priest’s debut album, Heavy Mental. What makes this album such a winner is the consistency and drive of Killah Priest’s purpose, which is to murder it lyrically and to also get his points across. This couldn’t be any clearer than on tracks like “One Step,” “Blessed Are Those,” and “Cross My Heart,” which all come one after the other in succession on this album. “One Step” even made it on MTV a few times. Thus was the power of the Wu-tang Clan back in the late 90s. They even made the underground recognizable to the general public.

 Best track: It's Over

(Image taken from: hip-hopalbum.blogspot.com)

23. Talib Kweli-Quality

Released in 2002

Label: Rawkus

You may think that Talib Kweli skirts the lines of being commercial and underground since he’s done tracks with Kanye West (The song “Get By” was actually a pretty big hit when it was first released), and Jay-Z has name-checked him a few times, but this is where we get back into the whole, backpacker phenomena. The album has generally been forgotten by the public, but fans of the underground still trumpet this decade year-old release for its eclectic track selection (“Shock Body” sounds nothing like the West Coast flavored, “Put it in the Air”), and stellar beats. It’s a certified classic, 

through and through. We still bump this today.

The Top Ten Best Producers Who Can Rap

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Or maybe, this article should be titled, the top ten rappers behind the boards. Either way, it'd be foolish for anybody to say that rap could be good without the beats. Just look at the rapper Canibus. His debut album back in, what was it, 1997, should have been legendary. But it wasn't. And you know why? Because the production on it was soft. Never mind the fact that the lyrics were some of his sharpest ever.

So it's all the more impressive to find a rapper who is skilled on the mic AND can tear it up on the mixing boards. Because usually, it's one of the other. You have the great rapper who does a decent job at producing (See: Eminem), or the excellent producer who does a moderate to poor job at rapping (See: Kanye West). But these ten. These ten are mint. See if you agree with them. And if you don't, go f%*# ya'self (Sorry, it's the hip-hop in me).

(Image taken from: songonlyrics.com)

10. Timbaland

You might find this entry gag-worthy. But as horrible a rapper as Timbaland is, and he IS pretty horrible, I'd actually say that he's a better rapper than Kanye--who you'll find didn't even make this list since he's such an awful rapper. What works for Timbaland is that his beats, even when they're for somebody else, always seem to fit his easy-going flow. His thick voice just seems to work, and it makes for some pretty cohesive tunes when he actually gets on the mic. I approve.

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9. Pete Rock

As known for his jazzy beats as he is for his quick, boppity flow, Pete Rock is old school supreme. His lyrics may not be on par with some of the later rappers on this list, but his voice just works over his upbeat tempos and drums. Take a listen.

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8. The Beatnuts

Psycho Les and JuJu may not have ever reached the height of popularity that they were searching for, but their sometimes playful, but mostly times dirty, beats and lyrics were always something to look forward to when they were in their prime. Below is probably their most famous song. How could you not bop your head to that beat and smile with those lyrics ("Yo, it's better to take, then to receive")? No, I'm really asking you. How could you not? It's hot.

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7. Dr. Dre

You may be wondering how a legend like Dr. Dre is so low on this list. Well, here's the thing about Dre. His production is some of the most solid in the business, as his 70s G-Funk sound somehow transformed to become popular even today. But as for his rapping? Well, if Dre has any other talent besides production, it's surrounding himself with rappers who can really make him look good. Slinging lyrics with Snoop or Eminem boosted his own cred, and he didn't sound that bad, either. But that's only because some of his stuff was ghostwritten, and the other stuff that wasn't was genuine hard work to not sound awful in comparison to his guests. For that, he lands at number 7. But it's definitely a respectable 7.

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6. Madlib

Madlib has always said that he considers himself a producer first and a rapper last. That's fine. But damn, man, as Lord Quas, you're sick as hell, brother. Even if it DOES sound like you just sucked up all the helium in a balloon, your flow is impeccable. And your beats are as soulful and as jittery as they come. It works. Take a listen.

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5. El-P

El-P, formerly of Company Flow, makes beats for aliens. His space age sounds made Can Ox's The Cold Vein the greatest rap album of all time, and his overall sound is ridiculous. Oh, and his raps, jeez. Sometimes, you need to get a dictionary just to understand what the hell he's talking about. El-P was nerd rap before nerd rap even had a title to it. And for that, he lands on this list. Zap!

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4. J Dilla

Gone but NEVER forgotten, J Dilla was like the perfect mix of lyricism and beats. His flow was silky. I don't know how else to put it. And his beats just complimented him or anybody else he produced for, from Tribe to Ghost. His Slum Village work is still legendary. RIP, Jay Dee.

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3. The Rza

NOBODY sounded like the Rza in his prime, both lyrically and beat wise. He pretty much created an empire as the leader of the Clan with his songsmanship, and his flow is the strangest thing since Kool Keith hit the scene. If uniqueness alone could be monetized, then Rza's face should be on the highest form of currency that's available. Even his lisp was awesome, and how many other rappers can you say that about?

(Image taken from: clashmusic.com)

2. MF Doom

Or just plain 'ol Doom these days, drop the MF (Silly!), the metal faced villain is a sampling god. You think Kanye is good? Pfft. Kanye ain't shit compared to how far Doom is willing to go to get his samples. Sometimes, he uses jazz hooks. Other times, he uses prog rock samples. And sometimes, well, jeez, I don't even KNOW where he gets some of his samples from. But they're always genius, and they always sound brilliant. And yo, peep this. Doom has collaborated with both Madlib AND Danger Mouse, and managed to have albums that sounded better when he produced without them. Now THAT'S clout. And his rhymes are beyond perfect. His flow is immaculate. Only one rapper/producer is better than ol' Metal Fingers. And I stand by the man to my dying day.

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1. Necro

Necro's beats are sadistic. They're brutal. They're bonecrushing, and they fit his evil lyrics to a tee. No other rapper on this list is as musically gifted as Necro, and that's the truth. He can play electric guitar with the best of them, and other instruments as well. And his sampling ranges from horror to snuff to straight out porno. It's definitely the most diverse you'll ever hear. And you may think I'm nuts to say this, but I even think he's the best rapper on this list as well, as everything he's ever done has been classic. Every single line. From his very first album to his current one, Necro is king of both production and lyricism. Die!

My Favorite Rap Lyrics

Being a black dude, I sometimes rap to myself. I know, I know, SO stereotypical, but I at LEAST only say maybe a line or two before I'm done. This is very much unlike SOME people who you'll see rapping all the way down the block, saying all the cuss words as if they wrote them themselves. Well, here are my favorite rap lyrics. See if you can hear them in your head.

"Girls pee pee when they see me."-The Notorious B.I.G. from the song, "One More Chance"

(Image taken from: blogs.villagevoice.com)

I like this line because it talks about incontinence. And how many songs do you know that talk about THAT topic? One, and it's this one.




"What?! I'm immune to all viruses. I get that cocaine, it cleans out my sinuses."-The 'Ol Dirty Bastard from the song, "Nigga Please."

(Image taken from: last.fm)

I like this line because ODB died like he lived, full of drugs and crazy off his ass. I like that about the man. He kept it real. Really real. DEAD real.

(Image taken from: Bigpunforever.com)

"Cannibalism is livin' in my metabolism"-Big Pun from the song, "Wrong Ones"


This is just such a sick line. Most of the lyrics Pun would spout, you wouldn't really believe him since he was too big to do things like chase you down the street and kill you. But this line sounds somewhat credible. And did I mention that it was sick?

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"Mr. Clinton, Mr. Bob Dole! You're too old to understand the way the game is told."-2Pac from the song, "How Do U Want It"


I like this line because it makes the song sound SO incredibly dated. Bob Dole? BOB DOLE?! If any song was stuck in the 90s on this list, it's this one. Most kids today would most likely just shrug their shoulders at this line. Bob Dole...Ha!

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"I predicted that you'd be addicted to my dick once you licked it"-Necro from the song, "Who's Your Daddy?"

I like this line because it sounds like a nursery rhyme. A really perverted one. Honestly, I could have filled this whole post with Necro lines, but this is just one of my favorites. The flow of it is magnificent.



What are YOUR favorite lines? I'd like to know.