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So I'm sittin back, smokin playin Xbox talkin @@@$ (an enormous amount as usual), so we're listening to It's Dark & Hell Is Hot, and I justthought about it... This N DMX really captured lighting in a bottle (or a vial) either way, his debut is AMAZING...
We continue on, in between puffs we get into a discussion about, where exactly would Its Dark & Hell Is Hot rank amungst the BEST solodebuts of ALL time... We agreed it was DEFFINETLY top 10 (concensus was somewhere around 7 or
So me being the list whhore that I am decided to concoct a list of the 10 BEST Solo debut's...
#10
Mos Def - Black On Both Sides (1999)
After receiving critical acclaim on his group effort with Talkib Kweli & DJ Hi tek (collectively known as BlackStar), his highly anticipated solo debut hitthe streeets in the fall of 1999, and became the FIRST album on Rawkus records to go gold (800K+ units sold to date).
#9
Kanye West - The College Dropout (2004)
After years of playing the background, meanwhile providing some of the BEST tracks for some of our FAV rappers, Kanye WestFINALLY had his time to shine in 2004, and that he did. Soulful beats and heartfelt lyrics about his life struggling as a sometimes student,most times producer ALL the time $@$ hole.
#8
Big Daddy Kane - Long Live The Kane
Before there was BIG, before there was a Camel Stedman, it was Big Daddy Kane that reigned as the greatest rapper on the streets of Brooklyn. His smoothdelivery, and witty punchlines mixed with laid back production/sometimes BOOM BAP, and a great sense of humor made for one of theMOST enjoyable debuts in hip hop history.
#7
DMX - Its Dark & Hell Is Hot (199
As mentioned before... Dropped in the summer of 98, as a part of DMX's 6 month RULE on the hip hop world (from a quality stand pointatleast).
#6
Stedman - Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Prolly the OLDEST artist on the list @ the time of his debut, at the ripe age of 36Camel Stedman hit the scene with his solodebut... After years of failed coatail riding, and stints as a BUDDY hustler, he finally found someone to get him a legitimate record deal,and the album was later redestributed via Def Jam.
#5
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
I was hesistant to put this on the list... NOT because the overall product, cause the album is AMAZING... But this is barleya "solo" effort by ANY stretch of the world, if anything its a duo with Ghostface, but none the less... Rae's name is thebiggest on the cover, and I'm sure he got a bigger perecentage than Ghost (prolly not as much a the Rza's money hungry $@$ , but thats another thread)
#4
Notorious BIG - Ready To Die (1994)
"The heavyweight brother from Fulton Street"... With his 94 debut, Notorious BIG not only brought the east back, he showed rappers that there wasmedian when it came to making HARDCORE hip hop and still being able to make records with crossover appeal without compromising lyricism.
#3
Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990)
Hardly a rookie to the rap game by the time his solo album hit the streets, the former NWA rapper (and rhyme writer), decided to try his chances as a soloartist... 20 years later... I think he made the right decision. The album is dope, its hardcore gangsta rap but @ the same time it's politically chargedand conscience...
#2
Dr Dre - The Chronic (1992) & Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle (1993)
The debate we had came to a stalemate when my man brought up The Chronic... Cause as much as its a family effort, @ the end of the day its STILL Dr Dre'ssolo debut, and there was no way it could not be included.
As far as Doggystyle, when it comes to solo debuts, this is deffinetly one of the best, from the production to the Snoop Dogg that actually found itappropriate to use DIFFERENT verses, instead of spitting the SAME one...
#1
NaS - Illmatic (1994)
Predictable...
Trendy...
I mean what else was gonna be #1??
Just missed...
Big Pun - Capital Punishment
50 Cent - GRODT
The Game - Documentary (atleast I thought so)
Slick Rick - Great Adventures Of..
Lauryn Hill - Miseducation (NOT 100% hip hop, so I couldn't include it)
D.O.C. - No One Does It Better
Ras Kass - Soul On Ice
Young Jeezy - Thug Motivation 101
Disclaimer:
Liquid Swords was NOT Gza's debut...
Resurrection was NOT Common's debut...
Eric B & Rakim are a group (of sorts)...
Diamond D had the Psycotic Nuerotics...
We continue on, in between puffs we get into a discussion about, where exactly would Its Dark & Hell Is Hot rank amungst the BEST solodebuts of ALL time... We agreed it was DEFFINETLY top 10 (concensus was somewhere around 7 or
So me being the list whhore that I am decided to concoct a list of the 10 BEST Solo debut's...
#10
Mos Def - Black On Both Sides (1999)
After receiving critical acclaim on his group effort with Talkib Kweli & DJ Hi tek (collectively known as BlackStar), his highly anticipated solo debut hitthe streeets in the fall of 1999, and became the FIRST album on Rawkus records to go gold (800K+ units sold to date).
#9
Kanye West - The College Dropout (2004)
After years of playing the background, meanwhile providing some of the BEST tracks for some of our FAV rappers, Kanye WestFINALLY had his time to shine in 2004, and that he did. Soulful beats and heartfelt lyrics about his life struggling as a sometimes student,most times producer ALL the time $@$ hole.
#8
Big Daddy Kane - Long Live The Kane
Before there was BIG, before there was a Camel Stedman, it was Big Daddy Kane that reigned as the greatest rapper on the streets of Brooklyn. His smoothdelivery, and witty punchlines mixed with laid back production/sometimes BOOM BAP, and a great sense of humor made for one of theMOST enjoyable debuts in hip hop history.
#7
DMX - Its Dark & Hell Is Hot (199
As mentioned before... Dropped in the summer of 98, as a part of DMX's 6 month RULE on the hip hop world (from a quality stand pointatleast).
#6
Stedman - Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Prolly the OLDEST artist on the list @ the time of his debut, at the ripe age of 36
#5
Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
I was hesistant to put this on the list... NOT because the overall product, cause the album is AMAZING... But this is barleya "solo" effort by ANY stretch of the world, if anything its a duo with Ghostface, but none the less... Rae's name is thebiggest on the cover, and I'm sure he got a bigger perecentage than Ghost (prolly not as much a the Rza's money hungry $@$ , but thats another thread)
#4
Notorious BIG - Ready To Die (1994)
"The heavyweight brother from Fulton Street"... With his 94 debut, Notorious BIG not only brought the east back, he showed rappers that there wasmedian when it came to making HARDCORE hip hop and still being able to make records with crossover appeal without compromising lyricism.
#3
Ice Cube - AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990)
Hardly a rookie to the rap game by the time his solo album hit the streets, the former NWA rapper (and rhyme writer), decided to try his chances as a soloartist... 20 years later... I think he made the right decision. The album is dope, its hardcore gangsta rap but @ the same time it's politically chargedand conscience...
#2
Dr Dre - The Chronic (1992) & Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle (1993)
The debate we had came to a stalemate when my man brought up The Chronic... Cause as much as its a family effort, @ the end of the day its STILL Dr Dre'ssolo debut, and there was no way it could not be included.
As far as Doggystyle, when it comes to solo debuts, this is deffinetly one of the best, from the production to the Snoop Dogg that actually found itappropriate to use DIFFERENT verses, instead of spitting the SAME one...
#1
NaS - Illmatic (1994)
Predictable...
Trendy...
I mean what else was gonna be #1??
Just missed...
Big Pun - Capital Punishment
50 Cent - GRODT
The Game - Documentary (atleast I thought so)
Slick Rick - Great Adventures Of..
Lauryn Hill - Miseducation (NOT 100% hip hop, so I couldn't include it)
D.O.C. - No One Does It Better
Ras Kass - Soul On Ice
Young Jeezy - Thug Motivation 101
Disclaimer:
Liquid Swords was NOT Gza's debut...
Resurrection was NOT Common's debut...
Eric B & Rakim are a group (of sorts)...
Diamond D had the Psycotic Nuerotics...
