Straight Outta Compton is iconic, but holds little substance outside of its historic hold on the hip hop art form. It seems the extent of its vulgarity for the time period is important, but it hasn't aged quite well, nor does its messaging seem that nuanced, especially compared to other politically charged hip hop of the '80s.

An undeniably iconic duo, even if recorded hip hop was still working out the kinks.

One of the funkiest hip hop artists of the time, Tupac Shakur, reflects on his shooting and mortality only a year before his death.

A staple of the '05 sound. Kanye and Dilla teaming up at their peaks.

It's amazing that this album is from '96. This totally feels like an experimental album you would find in the deep corners of the internet. Truly ahead of its time.

Gang Starr seems to me like a bit of an underdog in the world of iconic hip hop duos, but they're great. The vibes are impeccable.

I'm actually pleasantly surprised by this record. The production is so sharp, it's what the modern era of rap is pivoting back to to keep things interesting.

This is classic. This is hip hop. The storytelling is sharp and on point. It's called The Infamous for a reason.

Black on Both Sides embodies its time period, marking the cultural divide between the first 50 years of hip hop's two distinct halves. Mos Def reflects on the importance of the art form and is hopeful of its transcendence as time passes and the 21st century begins.

If you don't get it... I'm sorry. This is incredible. M-Town forever <3

Wu-Tang brings the ruckus! The chemistry between the group is iconic, and the record has immaculate style. The combination of rap and martial arts undoubtedly screams "New York". When I close my eyes and listen, I can picture the Ninja Turtles jumping around the streets at night beating up Foot Clan soldiers.

Madvilliany is another world. Madlib and DOOM's oddball production styles unite to create something that will never be replicated. The Madvillain is a character whose portrait is excellently painted through ethereal pockets of rhymes and puns, and everyone is afraid of what he is capable of. ALL CAPS when you spell the man name.

Rest in Peace. Literally one of the greatest to ever do it. There is no hip hop without DOOM.

Indubitably stellar hip hop. The production is vibrant, explosive, and plenty experimental for the time period. Chuck D's flow and rhymes are timeless, and Flavor Flav's charisma is everything that you need to make an unstoppable concoction of hype. The way the album combines a live London show into the flow of the tracklist is flawless, and the politcal messaging is biting and clever. This has aged like fine wine.

It's simply the peak of '90s rap. It has everything. A tight tracklist, excellent storytelling, impactful messaging, and some of the grooviest, memorable production of the era.

A highlight in The Alchemist's catalog. Armand Hammer remains of the most artful hip-hop groups of the modern era.

Love this album cover, and these are some KILLER j-rock tracks.

It seems Marvin struggles with this project to make for cohesive movements throughout this soul/dance journey, but that opening track will always be iconic.

A novelty piece that struggles to really deliver truly interesting music, but the vibes and its origin make for an entertaining listen and topic of conversation, nevertheless.

Its soundscape can often be a moving cacophony of indie folk perfection, but the world crafted here by Jeff Magnum doesn't seem to be all that important despite its strange presentation.