Complex's Best Rap Albums of the '80s

Critic Score

3 reviews

49. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper

April 5, 1988

Critic Score

3 reviews

48. Kurtis Blow - Kurtis Blow

September 29, 1980

Critic Score

2 reviews

47. Just-Ice - Kool & Deadly (Justicizms)

Critic Score

1 review

46. Nice & Smooth - Nice & Smooth

May 16, 1989

Critic Score

1 review

45. Various Artists - Wild Style

Critic Score

1 review

44. Jungle Brothers - Done by the Forces of Nature

November 7, 1989

Critic Score

2 reviews

43. Too $hort - Life is...Too Short

January 31, 1989

Critic Score

100

1 review

42. Fat Boys - Fat Boys

May 29, 1984

Critic Score

2 reviews

41. Kool Moe Dee - How Ya Like Me Now

November 3, 1987

Critic Score

2 reviews

40. MC Shan - Down By Law

August 8, 1987

Critic Score

1 review

39. Treacherous Three - Treacherous Three

38. Queen Latifah - All Hail the Queen

November 1, 1989

Critic Score

1 review

37. Run-D.M.C. - Run-D.M.C.

March 27, 1984

Critic Score

2 reviews

Spotify

36. Schoolly D - Saturday Night! The Album

Critic Score

1 review

35. Stetsasonic - In Full Gear

June 21, 1988

Critic Score

100

1 review

34. Special Ed - Youngest in Charge

May 16, 1989

Critic Score

1 review

33. Public Enemy - Yo! Bum Rush the Show

April 1, 1987

Critic Score

2 reviews

32. Ice-T - Power

September 13, 1988

Critic Score

1 review

31. Salt-n-Pepa - Hot, Cool & Vicious

December 8, 1986

Pop Rap

Critic Score

1 review

30. MC Lyte - Lyte as a Rock

September 13, 1988

Critic Score

1 review

29. Marley Marl - In Control, Volume 1

September 20, 1988

Critic Score

1 review

28. LL Cool J - Radio

November 18, 1985

Critic Score

100

1 review

27. Eazy-E - Eazy-Duz-It

September 13, 1988

Critic Score

1 review

26. 2 Live Crew - The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are

July 25, 1986

Critic Score

1 review

25. Big Daddy Kane - It's a Big Daddy Thing

September 12, 1989

Critic Score

2 reviews

24. Boogie Down Productions - By All Means Necessary

January 1, 1988

Boom Bap

Critic Score

100

1 review

23. EPMD - Unfinished Business

July 25, 1989

Critic Score

1 review

22. 3rd Bass - The Cactus Album

October 23, 1989

Critic Score

100

1 review

21. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Road to the Riches

March 14, 1989

Critic Score

2 reviews

20. Whodini - Escape

October 17, 1984

Critic Score

1 review

19. Geto Boys - Grip It! On That Other Level

March 19, 1989

Critic Score

1 review

18. Eric B. & Rakim - Follow the Leader

August 4, 1988

Critic Score

3 reviews

17. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique

July 25, 1989

East Coast Hip Hop

Critic Score

5 reviews

16. Jungle Brothers - Straight out the Jungle

November 8, 1988

Critic Score

100

1 review

15. The D.O.C. - No One Can Do It Better

June 16, 1989

Critic Score

2 reviews

14. Biz Markie - Goin' Off

February 23, 1988

Critic Score

1 review

13. Too $hort - Born To Mack

July 20, 1987

Critic Score

1 review

12. Ultramagnetic MCs - Critical Beatdown

October 4, 1988

Critic Score

6 reviews

11. LL Cool J - Bigger and Deffer

June 11, 1987

Critic Score

1 review

10. EPMD - Strictly Business

August 30, 1988

Critic Score

100

2 reviews

9. Big Daddy Kane - Long Live the Kane

June 21, 1988

Critic Score

3 reviews

8. De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising

March 3, 1989

Conscious Hip Hop

Critic Score

4 reviews

7. Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full

July 7, 1987

Critic Score

3 reviews

6. Slick Rick - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick

November 1, 1988

Hardcore Hip Hop

Critic Score

2 reviews

5. Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill

November 15, 1986

East Coast Hip Hop

Critic Score

3 reviews

4. Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell

May 15, 1986