great list - would be cool to have a playlist with one or two of the best tracks from each of these releases to go along with the list - just a note for your next list!
Thanks! But I've stepped away from streaming. Adding the Bandcamp and YouTube links for people to check out the work – and then hopefully buy it when they like it!
I was thinking as I clicked the link that if the Siah and Yeshua make it on here, this list is official. Then BOOM that and Book of Human Language are featured.
04-12 (and really up until the present) were lean times in the genre for me but most people would agree with the bright spots you highlight and see the torch was carried pretty well by the artists appearing in your list multiple times like billy woods, roc marciano. But the inclusion of cavalier shows some unique taste! Saw that cat perform in some basement in the east village waaay back (like 07?) and thought 'dude is different'.
I definitely would put Siifu 'Ensley' as a recent addition as well, but overall excellent list
Thanks MTN! Happy you enjoyed the list, as you clearly know what you're talking about.
Good call on that Siifu album; I had pondered FlySiifu's but in the end it fell victim to editing. Ensley would defo have been the better inclusion!
Siah and Yeshua were absolutely formative to me.
I agree with the leaner times in the second half of the Noughties and early 2010s, but in recent years there's so much great indie rap that I haven't even been able to follow it all (as I'm interested in so many other genres)! Cavalier just stood out to me, his was my favorite rap album of 2024.
Fantastic list! Many of my all-time favorite albums on here. One note, #3 has a typo, the album is "Dr. Octagonecologyst" (and the youtube link seems broke on that one too)
So, I have a list of 50 favourite hip hop albums, 20 of which are before 1995 - a fair few indie I think. I'm not such a big one for label spotting. You gotta cut off somewhere I guess but 95 when you're talking hip hop... Maaan...
Well, I can tell you we have very similar tastes in ambient music, so I guess it's not a huge surprise (to me). I must get that ambient albums list going... Anyway, loving your work, Stephan.
Don't you think Ghetto Pop Life is a strangely underrated album? This is the first time I've ever seen it given GOATish status and it absolutely bangs
If I'd do fav hip-hop albums, I'd need much more space! No, the idea for this list was just to create a throughline and flesh out that certain lineage/tradition from the current wave of indie/underground rap back to its roots and origins.
Everything up until around 2010 would be almost identical for me, except I'd definitely have one or two inclusions for Eyedea & Abilities, and probably Sole's Live From Rome album.
Didn't realise Jurassic 5 always released via majors, else they'd be on there too for me.
E&A were definitely on the longlist – I edited this down from a huge spreadsheet.
Yeah, Jurassic 5 were quickly signed to a major, but that first EP could have landed on here. Then again, I wouldn't want to sit through that one today.
Need to do a proper Big Dada deep dive but Take Me To Your Leader is an all time fav of mine.
great list - would be cool to have a playlist with one or two of the best tracks from each of these releases to go along with the list - just a note for your next list!
Thanks! But I've stepped away from streaming. Adding the Bandcamp and YouTube links for people to check out the work – and then hopefully buy it when they like it!
Great through line on indie rap.
I was thinking as I clicked the link that if the Siah and Yeshua make it on here, this list is official. Then BOOM that and Book of Human Language are featured.
04-12 (and really up until the present) were lean times in the genre for me but most people would agree with the bright spots you highlight and see the torch was carried pretty well by the artists appearing in your list multiple times like billy woods, roc marciano. But the inclusion of cavalier shows some unique taste! Saw that cat perform in some basement in the east village waaay back (like 07?) and thought 'dude is different'.
I definitely would put Siifu 'Ensley' as a recent addition as well, but overall excellent list
Thanks MTN! Happy you enjoyed the list, as you clearly know what you're talking about.
Good call on that Siifu album; I had pondered FlySiifu's but in the end it fell victim to editing. Ensley would defo have been the better inclusion!
Siah and Yeshua were absolutely formative to me.
I agree with the leaner times in the second half of the Noughties and early 2010s, but in recent years there's so much great indie rap that I haven't even been able to follow it all (as I'm interested in so many other genres)! Cavalier just stood out to me, his was my favorite rap album of 2024.
Anyways, thanks for the thoughtful comment!
Fantastic list! Many of my all-time favorite albums on here. One note, #3 has a typo, the album is "Dr. Octagonecologyst" (and the youtube link seems broke on that one too)
Thanks! YouTube link works for me though, might be a territorial restriction?
This is great.
So, I have a list of 50 favourite hip hop albums, 20 of which are before 1995 - a fair few indie I think. I'm not such a big one for label spotting. You gotta cut off somewhere I guess but 95 when you're talking hip hop... Maaan...
I genuinely like most of these records and many were on my longlist that I edited down for this one. I think we have similar tastes in hip-hop.
Well, I can tell you we have very similar tastes in ambient music, so I guess it's not a huge surprise (to me). I must get that ambient albums list going... Anyway, loving your work, Stephan.
Don't you think Ghetto Pop Life is a strangely underrated album? This is the first time I've ever seen it given GOATish status and it absolutely bangs
Thank you!
If I'd do fav hip-hop albums, I'd need much more space! No, the idea for this list was just to create a throughline and flesh out that certain lineage/tradition from the current wave of indie/underground rap back to its roots and origins.
I'm gonna have to go and check which one of my 30 post-95 albums are on indie labels... I'll be back!
I'd genuinely also be interested in the full list.
In that case.... I did this a few years ago, so I'm not sure if all count on the 'would I still listen' criteria but I think so....
1983 Various Street Sounds Electro
1988 EPMD Strictly Business
1988 Public Enemy It will take a nation of millions...
1988 Eric B & Rakim Follow the Leader
1988 NWA Straight Outta Compton
1990 A Tribe Called Quest People's Instinctive Travels...
1990 Public Enemy Fear of a Black Planet
1991 A Tribe Called Quest The Low End Theory
1991 Main Source Breaking Atoms
1991 Massive Attack Blue Lines
1992 Diamond D & The Psychotic Neurotics Stunts Blunts & Hiphop
1992 Pete Rock & CL Smooth Mecca and the Soul Brother
1993 A Tribe Called Quest Midnight Marauders
1993 Souls of Mischief 93 'til Infinity
1994 Nas Illmatic
1994 Pete Rock & CL Smooth The Main Ingredient
1995 Tricky Maxinquaye
1995 Goodie Mob Soul Food
1995 Ol' Dirty Bastard Return to the 36 Chambers
1995 GZA Liquid Swords
1995 Raekwon Only Built 4 Cuban Linx
1996 De La Soul Stakes is High
1996 Jay-Z Beyond Reasonable Doubt
1996 DJ Shadow Endtroducing
1996 Outkast Atliens
1998 Gang Starr Moment of Truth
1998 Outkast Aquemini
1998 The Hieroglyphics 3rd Eye Vision
1998 Goodie Mob Still Standing
1998 Black Star Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star
1998 Witchdoctor ASWAT Healin' Ritual
1999 The Roots Things Fall Apart
1999 Mos Def Black on Both Sides
2000 D'Angelo Voodoo
2000 Ghostface Killah Supreme Clientele
2001 The Coup Party Music
2001 Missy Elliott Miss E...So Addictive
2002 The Streets Original Pirate Material
2002 People Under the Stairs OST
2002 Clipse Lord Willin'
2003 Dudley Perkins A Lil' Light
2003 DM & Jemini Ghetto Pop Life
2006 Ghostface Killah Fishscale
2007 Lil Wayne Da Drought 3
2007 MIA Kala
2008 Erykah Badu New Amerykah Part 1 (Fourth World War)
2009 Sa-Ra Creative Partners Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love
2010 Erykah Badu New Amerykah Part 2 (Return of the Ankh)
2012 Masta Ace Ma Doom: Son of Yvonne
2018 Noname Room 25
Maybe I stretched the limits of how you might define hiphop....
I asked ChatGPT which post-95 ones were on indies (I think we have 3 in common):
Here’s a breakdown of which albums were released on independent labels, based on your list. I'll flag only the independent releases for clarity:
✅ Independent Label Releases:
De La Soul – Stakes Is High
Released on Tommy Boy Records (an independent label at the time).
DJ Shadow – Endtroducing
Released on Mo' Wax (UK independent label).
The Hieroglyphics – 3rd Eye Vision
Released on Hieroglyphics Imperium Recordings (their own independent label).
Black Star – Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star
Released on Rawkus Records (independent at the time).
Witchdoctor – A S.W.A.T. Healin' Ritual
Released via Organized Noize/Interscope — not independent.
The Coup – Party Music
Released on 75 Ark (an independent label).
The Streets – Original Pirate Material
Released on Locked On/679 Recordings, independent in the UK.
People Under the Stairs – OST
Released on Om Records (independent label).
Dudley Perkins – A Lil' Light
Released on Stones Throw Records (independent).
DM & Jemini – Ghetto Pop Life
Released on Lex Records (independent).
Masta Ace – Ma Doom: Son of Yvonne
Released on Fat Beats Records (independent).
Noname – Room 25
Self-released (independent).
Good lord there's some listening in here! Excellent list.
Everything up until around 2010 would be almost identical for me, except I'd definitely have one or two inclusions for Eyedea & Abilities, and probably Sole's Live From Rome album.
Didn't realise Jurassic 5 always released via majors, else they'd be on there too for me.
E&A were definitely on the longlist – I edited this down from a huge spreadsheet.
Yeah, Jurassic 5 were quickly signed to a major, but that first EP could have landed on here. Then again, I wouldn't want to sit through that one today.
brilliant list stephan - loads of favs and loads to discover :)