9. EPMD - Business As Usual

Business as usual? EPMDs third entry was anything but. The classic soul production that blessed their first two had evolved into frenetic blasts of funk, the rhymes had grown increasingly confrontational.

8. Brand Nubian - One for All

On their debut album, Grand Puba, Sadat X, Lord Jamar, and DJ Alamo brought political commentary and spirituality to the forefront, excelling with sensible tunes like Slow Down and Wake Up.

7. Gang Starr - Step in the Arena

Virtually fresh on the scene, Guru and DJ Premier quickly stood out from their peers by meshing thoughtful lyrics with snazzy, sample-heavy tracks.

6. LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out

After dropping two mediocre albums back-to-back, Cool J decided to heed his grandmothers instruction to knock his critics straight to the curb.

5. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo - Wanted: Dead or Alive

G Rap diversified his rhymes to include a much-needed discussion on racial divisiveness and personal responsibility.

4. A Tribe Called Quest - Peoples Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

Through their honest and introspective rhymes, Tribe appealed to Americas urban youth on their debut album.

3. Eric B. & Rakim - Let the Rhythm Hit Em

These two made plenty of classics together, but none ever matched the intricately stitched expressionism on Let The Rhythm Hit Em.

2. Ice Cube - AmeriKKKas Most Wanted

Following a bitter split from N.W.A., Ice Cube filled his debut album with dark stories of manic frustration.

1. Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet

That Fear of a Black Planet was not PEs best work but still managed to eclipse 99% of everything out at the time is a testament to the groups impact on 90s hip-hop. Dark, incendiary, and inevitably brutal, Fear gave yield to classics like 911 Is a Joke and Who Stole the Soul.

9. Del tha Funky Homosapien - I Wish My Brother George Was Here

While his cousin Ice Cube was busy stirring up the gangsta rap scene, Del was laying the foundation for what would become a healthy alternative-hip-hop