If you were to ask me what I think is the best hip hop album of all time, after a quick hesitation I would tell you it is Illmatic by Nas. I’ve spent more than 25 years debating this with friends; and this has always been my conclusion. When tasked with choosing my favourite hip hop album it wasn’t as straight forward. Those that read the blog or listen to the pod will have at least a slight inkling to the fact that hip hop is a large part of my music collection and is a key pillar to my musical journey since a young age. I own 100’s of hip hop albums; and I love most of them. Although Nas’ debut album was and still is phenomenal, there are albums that connected with me better when they were released. Deciding which one is my favourite has been a near impossible task. Some albums haven’t dated that well, some albums I’ve loved more with time; but what album has been rock steady since my first listen? What album is timeless? What album still moves me? I widdled the list down to five, but there was one that ticked all the boxes: Outkast – Atliens.
When it comes to Outkast and their fan base, there are layers. The majority discovered the group via Stankonia and Ms. Jackson, some through Aquemini’s ‘Rosa Parks’, less through the forementioned ‘ATlien’s’ and people like me who started the ride in 1994 with their debut album ‘Southernplayalisticadillacmusik’. From the second I heard a teenage Big Bio say ‘time and time again I’ve been thinking about the future’, I’ve been in with two feet. Whilst many of my peers couldn’t get enough of gangster rap, the honest, raw view of Big Boi were on constant rotation in my Walkman. They smoked weed, were navigating life, were backed by delicious beats from the dungeon family, and were custodians to a step change in hip hop.
By 1996 I was fully committed to hip hop. It was my world. Could you argue with a 16 year old me? The genre had been releasing nonstop incredible music since late 1992 (IMO) and it was at a great pace. As the music evolved so did my taste, and hip hop in 96 flaws. The jiggy era was in its infancy and the music was embroiled in a west coast / east coast beef (enter the southern hip hop stage left).
From the first time Much Music’s Rap City played the lead single ‘Elevators’, I think hip hop changed for me. A new bar was set. You will struggle to find 18 bars by Andre 3000 that aren’t special, but his verses on Elevators were elevated; and Big Bio’s may be better. I have always felt that Elevators was their war cry to hip hop. Released in August of 2016, Andre has stated at the now infamous East Coast / West Cost tension riddled award show that ‘the south got somethin’ to say’. Little did we know that a few weeks later Outkast would release an album that would not only change the sound of hip hop.
The album was a giant step from their debut. Big Boi had become a father, Andre had given up smoking and drinking and replaced them with reading. They wanted to make something different, and wouldn’t let anything get in their way. The album as we know it almost never happened. 20 songs didn’t make the cut for Outkast. LaFace records didn’t like Elevators (the group took it to radio, and it blew up). The album cover was initially rejected because the cartoon version of Big Boi didn’t look like him (this was resolved by covering his face with an Atlanta Braves hat. The Universe had its on making sure that ATLiens saw the light of day.
From end to end the album is solid. They start with ‘Two Dope Boys’ and follow with ‘ALTiens’. On first listen I remember thinking they went too soon with two big tracks, but the quality throughout the album is consistent on every track. ‘Wheelz of Steel’, Jazzy Bell’ (which has one of my favourite lines in hip hop from Andre).. and then ‘Elevators’. Seriously!
The grittiness of ‘Ove Da Woods’ is quickly complimented by the opposite in ‘Babylon’. Wailin’ and ‘Mainstream’ again do the same whilst ‘Decatur Pslam’ is a perfect Organized Noise posse track.
Getting lost in Andre’s chorus on ‘Millennium’, the building tension of ‘E.T.’ ….. whilst encasing watertight lyrics and flows. As the end of the album approaches, ‘13th/Growing Old’ lets you loose yourself one last time as the Big Boi sample of ’96 gonna’ be that year’ echo’s though the track. For one last time you try and decide who is the best as the two mc’s trade verses without fault…. They’re both untouchable, reminding you that ‘the south has somethin’ to say’.
I could talk endlessly about each song at length (and over time have to brother Joey), but for the sake of time I think that each song is perfect.
Unlike Illmatic which was introduced to me, I introduced ATlien’s to most of the people I knew. It was a sound soundtrack to many teenage cars with big sound systems in the town I grew up in; and was a gateway to many of my friends into getting into hip hop.
In 2016, on the album’s 20th anniversary, Billboard stated that ATLiens was one of hip hop’s most celebrated opuses. Nearing it’s 30th anniversary the album for me goes from strength to strength as it still sounds fresh and is as relevant as the day it was released. This is why it’s my favourite hip hop album.
Who else were in my top 5? There was no particular order: Jeru The Damaja ‘Wrath Of The Math’, The B.U.M.S. ‘Lyfe’N’Tyme, Gza ‘Liquid Swords’ and Common Sence ‘Resurrection’. Note that this list is subject to change!
thisisnothappening.net 