Best Produced Hip Hop Album - 1996

[Clive42]

I'm going with a hipster choice and choosing Endtroducing...... Hell on earth is a close second.

Heard good things about that album and its use of samples. So by default, I have to listen to it sometime

 

[mobbinfms]

Its about time i listen to Hell on Earth, been hearing about its greatness for years.

Will add Big Noyd's album to the list

Noyd's album is pretty much wall to wall Havoc production :havarmscrossed:
Prodigy is on damn near every song. :pwhitehat:
This is prime P too :pdahellclean:
Noyd bodying verses :pdahell3:
Infamous Mobb :pdisbelief:
I call it the "QB Purple Tape" :Pshades:
Because its a joint Noyd/Prodigy album :prodigyarms:
In the way OBFCL is a joint Raekwon/Ghost album :Pgroot:
And they each have mainly one legendary producer behind the board :pwhitehat2:
It's the most overlooked album in hip hop history :pdahell2:

 

[mobbinfms]

whoever didnt pick hell on earth is just a stan to some other artists.

my own mobb stanning aside...this is easily the best produced album of 96. There isn't an album listed that is anywhere near as cohesive Hell on Earth is

 

[mobbinfms]

maybe it is just that the mid 90s west coast sound was fresher and holds up better today, meaning it can be more appreciated today for its clarity or clean/pristine mix as you said

I miss that dirty basement sound though

 

[FunkDoc1112]

fukk.

Objectively, it's All Eyez On Me...but goddamn there's so many choices. I had to pick Muddy Waters because that's my personal GOAT

 

[ZEB WALTON]

It's not even close really. This was the album where Hav solidified his spot as the GOAT producer :havdahell:

Everybody should have this album on tape, CD and vinyl. :havarmscrossed:
Lettuce not forget his work on the GOAT EP that same year

This.

Had all 3 over the years (tape cd biyl). Prolly bought this 5 times over.

 

[ZEB WALTON]

who did it first?

Its based on the roots cover brehs lol

 

[Clive42]

Please. All eyez on me sounds fresh even today.


It's one of the best produced hip hop albums of all time.

Iron man sounds dated.

I agree with you about All eyez on me. Even if you aint into all of the album's beats, you cant deny the overall quality and longevity of the album's production. Especially for how quicky it was made. Plus the uptempo tone helps it resonate with more than just hardcore hip hop fans.

I dont think Ironman sounds dated though. Compared to All eyez on me? Maybe. But for anyone that is into soulful hip hop production of any era, this album is also well produced. One of RZA's best.

 

[Amor fati]

I think dated means would you be able to play it today and still sound fresh? Rather than is it the representative sound of the hip-hop landscape today...

In that case, AEOM sounds fresh because sonically it is expertly mastered and mixed and the beats hold up well. Ironman doesn't hold up as well though it still is decent in its own right. Obviously an album like Criminal Minded is super dated imo. A masterpiece but confined to the limitations of the era it was released in.

That's just my 2 cents.

David Blake aka DJ Quik did a good job in mixing/mastering all eyez on me, In my opinion, Quik is probably one of the best in the craft of mixing/mastering.

 

[Amor fati]

Honorable Mention

No doubt fav tracks from 'Engima' is The Rhyme, 'Future rhythm' Oregano Flow and 'Time Will Reveal' City Of Angels.

 

[Amor fati]

Honorable mentions

 

[Clive42]

Will add to the list too

 

[Clive42]

whoever didnt pick hell on earth is just a stan to some other artists.

my own mobb stanning aside...this is easily the best produced album of 96. There isn't an album listed that is anywhere near as cohesive Hell on Earth is

Dapped

 

[Clive42]

Go revisit or visit if u never heard these twp

Will do. Heard that 3-2 rapper was killed about a year ago. RIP

 

[Clive42]

Noyd's album is pretty much wall to wall Havoc production :havarmscrossed:
Prodigy is on damn near every song. :pwhitehat:
This is prime P too :pdahellclean:
Noyd bodying verses :pdahell3:
Infamous Mobb :pdisbelief:
I call it the "QB Purple Tape" :Pshades:
Because its a joint Noyd/Prodigy album :prodigyarms:
In the way OBFCL is a joint Raekwon/Ghost album :Pgroot:
And they each have mainly one legendary producer behind the board :pwhitehat2:
It's the most overlooked album in hip hop history :pdahell2:

Lool i'll add that to the batch of albums to listen to.

Have always liked Havoc's production.

Like i said in the 1995 thread, its funny how Havoc wernt even intending to produce, and only got into production for some other reason. But then ended up being one of the leading producers in the genre. Think i heard a similar story about Just Blaze.

Even based on what ive heard from him so far, hes one of my favourite east coast producers alongside Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Easy Mo Bee and Buckwild.