Yeah, I know we already listed the hip-hop songs that dominated 1998, so it’s only right we look back at the albums that were being spun throughout the year. While the list of albums isn’t quite as strong as it was in 1993, these projects still hold up, especially at the top.
Here are the best hip-hop albums of 1998.
Yes, this isn’t a rap album. Honestly, it’s more of an R&B/Soul album than anything. But the impact it had on rap culture is undeniable, so it’s on this list. It’s Lauryn Hill at her lyrical and musical best. She was extremely honest and genuine on an album that’s still considered one of the best and most influential of all time.
Unfortunately, he passed because Big Pun was on the path to superstardom. He had a special ability to morph in between a hardcore street rapper and a smooth, lighthearted MC. Everyone points to songs like “Still Not a Player,” but he had other records such as “You Ain’t a Killer,” “The Dream Shatterer” and “The Caribbean Connection” that were also just as dope.
Not Scarface’s best work, but it’s far from bad. In this double album from the Houston legend, he gives you everything the Texas city is about. Scarface is as real as it gets on this Southern rap classic.
Redman is so underrated. He was never quite as popular as some of the superstars in rap during the ‘90s, but all he did was consistently put out good rap albums, and Doc’s Da Name 2000 was one of them.
The 1990s was the decade of soundtracks. It’s not quite as beloved as the soundtracks for Juice, Above the Rim, and Sunset Park, but it’s still filled with dope songs coming from one of the best hip-hop groups of all time, Public Enemy.
This album is so underrated. Yeah, I know it was hard to stand out during the ‘90s when so many West Coast artists were some of the biggest in the genre, but this album from Hieroglyphics does not get its respect. This Bay Area supergroup amazingly worked well together and put out an album for fans who love straight rap.
This album had people thinking they were going to be the next big group in hip-hop. They didn’t quite become that but they still had immense success. This was a dope New York album that expressed the style of all its members.
DMX was ahead of the times. Dropping two albums in the same year was unheard of in 1998. While it wasn’t as dope as It’s Dark and Hell is Hot, it was still a solid entry in DMX’s discography. Plus that album cover is just iconic.
This album lands somewhere in the middle of Hov’s discography. It’s not great, but also not bad either. Jay-Z was chasing mainstream success in this album, but he still showcased his ability to try new things while being a dope wordsmith.
Before he was a podcaster on Drink Champs, he was an up-and-coming MC who had the potential to be one the most popular in the game. He didn’t become that, but this was still a cool listen that displayed his enthusiasm for making music.
This album is good, but not great. But still, it showcases his dope lyrics and amazing voice, (which was always one of the best in hip-hop for me). Songs like “Love is Love,” “How Ya Livin’” and “What’s the Deal” showcase the ability AZ still had on his sophomore album.
I’ll say it, this album isn’t for everybody (especially me). But I still appreciate one of the greatest rap producers of all time trying something different. I mean just look at this album cover, it looks nothing like the covers Wu-Tang was releasing throughout the 1990s.
This A Tribe Called Quest album is good. No, it doesn’t live up to the group’s first three albums, but it’s still a good listen that’s smooth and laid back.
I’m always going to put on for the city. Goodie Mob’s second studio album was a successful follow-up to their debut, Soul Food. They displayed that southern flair that were known for and dropped one of their biggest records, “Black Ice (Sky High).”
Kool G Rap gave you more of what he’s known for. Hard rhymes, descriptive bars, and mafioso references.
Such an underrated duo, M.O.P. has been active since the early 90s and dropped an album in June of this year. Their aggressive style of rapping is better than ever on this 1998 album, which features verses from Jay-Z, Treach, and Gang Starr.
This album is just full of rhymes. This double-disc compilation record does not have any specific theme or meaning, it’s just dope MCs doing their thing. Some of the rappers who make appearances include Black Though, KRS-One, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, Cool Keith, De La Soul, Q-Tip, and many more.