Skip to content

15 Essential ’90s Hip-Hop Records Everyone Should Own

Hip-hop in the 1990s had no shortage of legendary groups and larger-than-life figures that produced groundbreaking records.

By Ron Hart

Essential '90s hip-hop albums on Discogs.com

Hip-hop in the 1990s had no shortage of legendary groups and larger-than-life figures: Wu-Tang, A Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy, UGK, Tupac, Biggie, Dre, and Nas, to name a few. 

At the time, there were three primary factions in U.S. hip hop: the East Coast, the West Coast, and the American South. Fans often stuck to their distinctive regions, referencing trusted sources like Ralph McDanielsVideo Music Box and publications like The Source and Rap Pages to decipher what to get next. 

In 2024, fans and artists of the genre still rank dozens of records from this time as some of the best around in the same way rock fans do with the 1960s and 1970s. Given the recency, many of the surviving artists from the 1990s are still releasing records and dropping guest verses as if no time has passed at all.

Hip-hop has always been about pushing boundaries. While some elder heads debate the legitimacy of newer styles like cloud and mumble rap, there’s no doubt that these young artists have taken the progressive attitude of their predecessors and continued pushing in new directions. Meanwhile, current stars like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Freddie Gibbs, and Earl Sweatshirt, who have moved the genre forward with instrumental choices and dynamic lyricism, openly owe much to the trailblazing efforts of their forebearers.

Either way, rapping today would sound and feel alien if it weren’t for the 15 trailblazing records listed below.


Public Enemy

Fear of a Black Planet (1990)


De La Soul

De La Soul Is Dead (1991)


A Tribe Called Quest

The Low End Theory (1991)


Dr. Dre

The Chronic (1992)


Wu-Tang Clan

Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (1993)


Nas

Illmatic (1994)


The Notorious B.I.G.

Ready To Die (1994)


2Pac

Me Against The World (1995)


UGK

Ridin’ Dirty (1996)


Jay-Z

Reasonable Doubt (196)


DJ Shadow

Endtroducing….. (1996)


Lauryn Hill

The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill (1998)


OutKast

Aquemini (1998)


MF DOOM

Operation: Doomsday (1999)


Mos Def

Black On Both Sides (1999)

More Essential ’90s Hip-Hop Records

KEEP DIGGING

×