The Best Hip-Hop Songs & Albums: 1996

It’s time for 1996. A huge year right here. My No. 3 all-time album dropped in ’96, Jigga dropped his solo debut, Nas released the highly-anticipated follow-up to Illmatic, another Wu solo classic hit the shelves and one the greatest voices in hip-hop was fully unleashed. There’s love stories, fantastic collaborations, some street shit and two albums from my favorite MC to ever bless the mic.

’96 is one of my favorite years in hip-hop and the songs and albums that didn’t make this list were incredibly hard to leave off. So without further adieu, here’s the Best of 1996.

Best of 1996

Best Songs

20. “Move On” – A+
The fact that a 13-year-old made this track is of itself incredible. The execution is perfect, from the beat (which has been used several times since by other rappers), to the soulful hook and then A+’s storytelling about lost loved ones. Seriously, it sounds like a 30-year-old recounting better days with fallen soldiers, not a freshly teenaged rapper. I love this track to this day.

19. “G.O.D. Pt. III” – Mobb Deep
Great Scarface sample for this track. Every rapper quotes Scarface. But Mobb rapped over the music from the movie. Now that’s gangsta. Mobb Deep always brought that street shit and this was an absolute banger from Hell on Earth.

18. “D’Evils” – Jay-Z
If I wrote this in 1996, I would’ve picked “Can’t Knock The Hustle.” Just a few years ago, I would’ve picked “Feelin’ It.” If I wanted to make the popular choice, I’d go with the Biggie collaboration, “Brooklyn’s Finest.” If I wanted to please “real hip-hop heads” I would’ve picked “Can I Live.” The crazy thing is, they all would be great picks. But I’m going with my true favorite from the album. I loved this song when I first heard it and think it’s just as great now.

17. “1nce Again” – A Tribe Called Quest
Beats , Rhymes & Life had a lot to live up to given Tribe’s track record. And while it wasn’t quite as good as their previous work, the lead single was still excellent. This track featured production from Dilla and was one of the first songs the great producer worked on with Tribe. It features the hook from “Check The Rhime,” as Q-Tip and Phife repeat the “Ya on point” hook.

16. “The Love Song” – Da Bush Babees feat. Mos Def
Da Bush Babees second album, Gravity, was a fantastic release. It featured Q-Tip, as well as an unknown Mos Def. Mos rapped and scatted on “S.O.S.” and also provided the hook for this track. De La Soul’s Posdnuos produced the song and serves up a great beat. This is feel good hip-hop.

15. “Stick To Ya Gunz” – M.O.P. feat. Kool G. Rap
M.O.P. and Kool G. Rap together? Yes please! This song is just mean. The beat is menacing and Lil’ Fame, Billy Danze and G. Rap rip it apart. Danze’s verse is my favorite. “Holding it down it’s the drama Lord/So you riff/You’ll be lift/And laid stiff/As a fuckin’ board.” Damn.

14. “Bow Down” – Westside Connection
During the East Coast-West Coast beef, Ice Cube, Mack 10 & W.C. joined forces to bring us Westside Connection. Although I wasn’t a huge fan of their album, the lead single was tremendous. Ice Cube smacks you in the face with his opening verse. Great West Coast hip-hop anthem.

13. “Stakes Is High” – De La Soul
Loved the production on this joint. No surprise that it was a Dilla beat. Lyrically, this song is brilliant. Dave vented against the current fads like blunts, slang, Versace and commercial hip-hop. While Posdnuos discusses social issues including racism, drug abuse and poverty.

12. “Firewater” – Fat Joe feat. Raekwon, Big Punisher & Armageddon
Everything the Wu touched during this time was gold. Raekwon was the perfect choice to open the song, as well as deliver the hook. The beat is stripped down and raw. Joe was still ferocious back in ’96, as this was well before his Ja Rule, Ashanti, R. Kelly collaborations. Armageddon spits my favorite line, “My body’s 95% alcohol, 5% cancer.” Oh, and this track brought us Big Pun, who steals the show to close out the track.

11. “Clones” – The Roots feat. M.A.R.S. & Dice Raw
Could’ve picked “Concerto of the Desperado” here as well, but there’s just something so dope about “Clones.” The production has an old school feel to it and all four MC’s tear it up. Black Thought sounds really hungry on this track. He remains one of the most underrated MCs to ever do it.

10. “Smoke Buddah” – Redman
Over Rick James’ “Mary Jane,” Red makes another ode to his favorite pastime. The song opens, “Ayo, I got a slight problem, I smoke weed too much/Needs buckle the fuck up when I’m splitting my dutch.” Red is an animated as ever on this one. This was my favorite time period for Redman music, and “Whateva Man” deserves recognition here as well.

9. “Woo Hah” – Busta Rhymes
Busta has now done every type of song, rocked every style, invented new sounds and has taken his music to so many different levels, but this wild-ass style was the Busta sound of the early-to-mid ‘90’s. It wouldn’t have sounded right if Busta didn’t go ape shit on his solo debut. The beat is almost cartoonish and it matched Busta’s personality perfectly.

8. “Renee” – Lost Boyz
I originally heard this song on the Don’t Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood soundtrack, and I liked it, but didn’t think much more of it. Then they released the album version and it took on a whole new life. The beat became much harder, and while the lyrics remained the same, the story just sounded better over the new backdrop. Great story telling on this track and Mr. Cheeks’ finest effort.

7. “Paparazzi” – Xzibit
This was my introduction to Xzibit. The beat on this track is chilling, as it samples Gabriel Faure’s “Pavane” to perfection. X discusses his disdain for hip-hop artists selling out for fame and spits,“I don’t need no lights, no cameras, just action Goddamnit/Never no superstar, I’m more like a planet.”

6. “Elevators” – Outkast
“Me and you/Your momma and your cousin too.” After hearing this song for the first time, I was singing the hook for the rest of the day. It was so damn catchy. And so damn smooth. Andre’s final verse about rap music being a job and a way to feed his family instead of a glamorous life in the spotlight is a fresh look at what trying to make it in the music industry is really like.

5. “Ready Or Not” – The Fugees
Did anyone see this coming from Lauryn Hill? She blew us all away with her amazing voice in 1996. “Killing Me Softly” was of course her breakout performance and the Fugees most successful record, but she sounds just as amazing on this track. And she combines her showstopping vocals with another dope verse. Seriously, Lauryn could spit as well as anyone. Wish she would still rhyme.

4. “The Message” – Nas
I get excited every time this track begins. The opening bars that Nas spits are ridiculous. Lyrically, this was like a continuation of Illmatic. Nas sounds as good as he has on any track here. The guitar licks are hypnotizing as well. And the “N.Y. State of Mind” sample for the hook was the perfect touch.

3. “Daytona 500” – Ghostface Killah feat. Raekwon & Cappadonna
I first heard this song during a live performance on MTV. The Wu did a small concert, including “Wu-Wear” and “Ice Cream” and then Ghost unveiled this track as the first single off Ironman. I spazzed the first time I heard this. RZA delivered again with a beat that was completely unique. All three MCs are fantastic on this track.

2. “Ambitionz Az A Ridah” – 2Pac
One of the most haunting tracks ever. Pac’s accappella vocals to open the track, then that menacing beat, it just grabs you and doesn’t let go. 2Pac is sharp as ever on this track and you could tell right from the start that All Eyez On Me was going to be magical as this song set the tone for two-discs of some of the best music 2Pac ever created. “I won’t deny ya/I’m a straight ridah/You don’t wanna fuck with me.”

1. “Leflour Leflah Eshkoshka” – Fab 5 (Heltah Skeltah & Originoo Gunn Clappaz)
The illest shit to come out in 1996. This remains one of my favorite hip-hop songs. Classic Boot Camp sound and Rock and Ruck ripped this track apart. I rap along with this song every time it comes on. There’s so many dope lines, it’s ridiculous. Ruck owns it with, “I control the masses/With metaphors that’s massive/Don’t ask if/The n-gga Ruck will bash it like Cassius,” and “So whatcha gonna do?/When you’re stuck at 32/Degrees, please/Get off your knees/And follow these/Now swallow these/Buckshots from the rifle/Then I will make n-ggas beat it and scream like Michael.”

Best Albums

10. Illadelph Halftime – The Roots
Some regard this as The Roots best album. I don’t quite agree with that, but it is great. The Roots stayed true to their sound during a time when a lot of acts were starting to sell out and go the commercial route. The group touched on this in their brilliant video for “What They Do.” Lots of great songs on this disc and excellent cameos from Common, Q-Tip, Bahamadia and D’Angelo among others. My favorite tracks are “Respond/React,” “Push Up Ya Lighter,” “Concerto of the Desperado,” “Clones” and “Ital (The Universal Side).”

9. Firing Squad – M.O.P.
In previous posts on this site, I’ve talked about artists that I didn’t initially like and I have to make a confession that absolutely kills me. The first time I heard M.O.P. was “Rugged Neva Smooth” and I didn’t care for them. I don’t know why. I’m a fan of that song now, but for some reason, back in ’93 when I first heard it, I didn’t like it. I love M.O.P. They are one of my absolute favorite groups of all time. And this is the album that made me a fan. They are as rugged and raw as ever on this album and it includes such standouts as “New Jack City,” “Stick To Ya Gunz,” “Born 2 Kill,” “World Famous,” “Illside of Town,” hell the whole album is dope.

8. Noctural – Heltah Skeltah
Black Moon and Smif-N-Wessun brought us classics in ’93 & ’95 respectively and now it was Ruck & Rock’s turn to carry the torch for the Boot Camp Clik. While Noctural wasn’t quite a classic like Enta Da Stage or Dah Shinin’, it was still a fantastic debut album. Rock has one of my favorite voices in music and Ruck is lyrically as sharp as any member of the BCC. And of course my favorite song of ’96 was on this album. Let the madness begin!

7. Legal Drug Money – Lost Boyz
This was an incredibly dope album, one that I have kind of put on the back burner in recent years. But I listened to this album every day for about 3 weeks straight when it first came out. If I wrote this in 1996, this CD would have an outside shot of finishing among my top 3 albums of the year. “Renee” remains the standout, but there are a ton of great tracks on this album. My other favorites are “The Yearn,” “Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz,” “Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless,” “Is This Da Part” and “1, 2, 3,” that had Freaky Tah as the lead lyricist. R.I.P. Freaky Tah.

6. ATLiens – Outkast
After their debut album introduced Outkast as Southern playa’s, they come back on some extraterrestrial shit. This was completely different. Not just from Outkast’s previous music, but from anything in hip-hop. Perhaps a risky move, but it paid off. And as we learned, Outkast was never a group to stick to the same formula. Highlights include “Two Dope Boyz (In A Cadillac),” the title track, “Wheelz of Steel,” “Jazzy Belle,” “Elevators,” and “13th Floor/Growing Old.”

5. The Seven Day Theory – 2Pac
Or Don Killuminati, whatever you prefer. This was 2Pac’s second album to drop in 1996, as he finished recording this shortly before his death. The album was released posthumously, but was still a true Pac release as it didn’t sound dated or altered in any way. 2Pac is downright angry on tracks like “Bomb First” and “Against All Odds.” He also created a follow-up to “California Love” with “To Live & Die in L.A.” The rest of the album touches on a bevy of topics in songs like “Krazy,” “White Man’z World” and “Hold Ya Head.” The album also includes the brilliant “Me and My Girlfriend” which Jay-Z reused for “’03 Bonnie & Clyde.”

4. Ironman – Ghostface Killah
The Wu was relatively quiet in terms of albums in ’96, although they did launch their clothing line and made guest appearances everywhere. But with the one solo album that did come out in ‘96, the Wu produced another gem. I can honestly say Ghost was not among my favorite Wu-Tang members before Ironman dropped, but he won me over. Now, he’s tied with Meth as my favorite Wu MC. And he has definitely put out the best solo work out of them all.

3. Reasonable Doubt – Jay-Z
There’s no denying Reasonable Doubt’s status as a hip-hop classic. Jay-Z made some noise with “Dead Presidents II” and then hit the mainstream with “Ain’t No N-gga,” featuring Foxy Brown. But it is the non-commercial songs that really made this album as great as it is. It features production from DJ Clark Kent, DJ Premier, Irv Gotti, Ski and the Hitmen and it brought us our first Biggie-Jay-Z collaboration with “Brooklyn’s Finest,” which is ridiculously dope. I bought this album the day it came out and listened to the entire thing while sitting on the beach. I became an instant fan.

2. The Score – The Fugees
This album is like a hip-hop variety show. It brought us soul, R&B, reggae, and hip-hop all rolled into one. “Ready or Not,” “Fu-Gee-La,” “Killing Me Softly,” “No Woman, No Cry” all had that vintage sound from classic records that came before them, but the Fugees not only did the originals justice, they made the songs their own. The entire album was flawless and remains one of the most enjoyable and relistenable hip-hop albums to be released.

1. All Eyez On Me – 2Pac
This is the No. 3 album on my all-time list. Two discs worth of 2Pac at his absolute best. Pac made the Best Albums list twice in 1997 and this is a double-disc, meaning he put out 3 discs worth of classic material in one year. Most would lean towards Disc 1 as the stronger of the two, but honestly, I wouldn’t want one without the other. They are the perfect compliment to each other. While it’s true that Disc 1 has the more recognizable songs like “All About U,” “Life Goes On,” “I Ain’t Mad At Cha,” “How Do You Want It?” and “California Love,” Disc 2 has some of the best songs Pac ever made. From the Dre banger “Can’t C Me,” featuring George Clinton, to “Holla At Me,” “Picture Me Rollin’,” the title track and “Run That Streetz,” there is no shortage of great songs from front to back. There is one misstep on the album, the awful “What’z Ya Phone #” but I forgave it when I first heard the album 15 years ago, so I’ll continue to overlook that one hiccup and continue to celebrate this as one of the best hip-hop records ever.

I know I haven’t done this with the other lists, but trimming down the lists for 1996 was really difficult. I had to leave out some great songs and albums, so I’m going to give a quick honorable mention to the following albums: Smoothe The Hustler’s Once Upon A Time In America; Redman’s Muddy Waters; De La Soul’s Stakes Is High; Busta Rhymes’ The Coming; Xzibit’s At The Speed of Life; Eazy-E’s Str8 Off Tha Streetz of Muthaphuckkin’ Compton; Mobb Deep’s Hell on Earth; Nas’ It Was Written; Dr. Octagon's Dr. Octagonecologyst; Da Bush Babees’ Gravity; Jeru the Damaja's Wrath of the Math; and A Tribe Called Quest’s Beats, Rhymes & Life.

Damn, that's a lot of honorable mentions. Probably would've just been easier to make a Top 20 albums list for '96. But wanted to stick to the formula, so there you go.

Up next is ’97 (obviously). Till next time….