Vol. 1 or American Gangster? Which is the better album?

[OHSNAP!]

The one with COUGH UP A LUNG WHERE I'M FROM, MARCY SON!!

 

[Nasty_C]

I prefer American Gangster.

Shawn Carter is much more mature and sophisticated on this album

 

[No Hook]

Vol.1 is when I got first introduced to Hov

Only thing AG has over Vol.1 is production

Vol.1

 

[BaRRyG]

AG is theme driven

Vol wasn't.

The song pray is wild.... I can see it play it out...

... Head to the heights where big coke is processed...

 

[RennisDeynolds]

Vol 1 full of classics


Imaginary Player won this contest alone

 

[ISO]

American Gangster is overrated, I never got the hype.

Vol. 1 easy for me. Imaginary Player, Who You Wit, Where I'm From, You Must Love Me, A Million, City is Mine. This is vintage Jigga lyrically and flow wise.

 

[mobbinfms]

Hell I’d take Vol 3 over both.

:PPicard:

 

[JustCKing]

American Gangster gets my vote. That's my favorite Jay album. Sounded like a sequel to Reasonable Doubt. Puff & the revamped Hitmen redeemed themselves with American Gangster where Puff & the OG Hitmen gave him some trash on Vol. 1. "Where I'm From" is still classic and one of Jay's best songs though. As is the last song with Kelly Price.

 

[Mr. Negative]

AG.


It's amazing though. I'd swear 5 or 6 years ago cats swore Vol 1 was his 2nd or 3rd worst album.

"It got Sunshine on it! "

 

[Piano Reevez]

Roc Boys still my favourite Jay Z single ever.

 

[The Gimp]

This is true but AG is the better album overall

How sway

 

[smoking man]

AG is so damn well put together, its really more than just a collection of songs and thats where vol1 is lacking..

It does not have quite the highs vol1 has with say 'Imaginary Players' or 'Where im from' but as a whole its the better work

 

[dubsmith_nz]

Man this is hard. "Vol. 1" has more highlights but as a whole body of work front to back "American Gangster" has it beat, no skips on that joint and he nailed it thematically.

"A Million" is Jays best intro, and "Where I'm From" and "You Must Love Me" are as good as it gets in hip hop. I always fukked with "City Is Mine" heavy too.

I'm gonna bring both out again next week. Good thread OP.

 

[dubsmith_nz]

Man Jay really is the GOAT though, which other artist can you compare their 2nd album to their 10th album and have a legitimate conversation about quality

 

[CrimsonTider]

Vol 1 has some classic songs but it’s not better than AG. It also has the WOAT Jay song