Agree or Disagree: 13 Critically Acclaimed Rap Albums That Didn’t Age Well

[MrCrookedLetter]

Nas - Untitled

"Nas's Untitled garnered multiple 5 Cig debates when it dropped summer of 2008. With the impending historical election, and so much going on economically at the time, it was supposed to change the trajectory of Hip-Hop and bring it back to it's rebellious, message-bearing roots. But five years later, the album's fallen quickly below even what's considered the standard for a Nas album. On some charts, it may not even belong in the upper half of his catalog. With all said and done, Untitled winds up a better-than-average project, but needless to say, far far away from the classic, game changing album it was intended to be." -- Raj

 

[MrCrookedLetter]

Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: The End of Day

So yeah, I'm enjoying this fresh crow sandwich right now considering my favorable take on MOTM in 2009. My problem with MOTM has nothing to do with the album's production and everything to do with Cudi. His amateurish singing, so-so rapping, first-world agonizing over cleaning his room and self-esteem just sounds so...frustrating. These beats deserve better, dammit. -- S. Cadet

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - BTNHResurrection

The first of Bone's comeback-themed albums was played religiously during my high school era. Yet, considering the amount of vices my friends were getting into back then, it shouldn't surprise me that an album where the standout tracks are "Ecstasy" and "Weed Song" stood out so much then and doesn't hold up today. -- Beware

Jay Z - Vol. 3... Life And Times Of S. Carter

Vol. 3... Life And Times Of S. Carter released to universal acclaim in 1999, as the closer of the album trilogy. But over the years, the only song that anyone really talks about is "Big Pimpin." The UGK-assisted track is all that remains of this album. And with an arsenal of producers at his helm, including Timbaland, Swizz Beatz and DJ Premier, one would have imagined that more records could have better stood the test of time. -- Raj

 

[5th Letter]

I disagree about Fishscale, Untitled and BTNHRESSURECTION

 

[MrCrookedLetter]

Bun B - Trill OG

"Blaming the Source for Bun's third album falling off is somewhat legit. Although the 2010 LP from Port Arthur's favorite son was far from poor - "Just Like That" and the DJ Premier-produced "Let Em Know" still get burn - the project got the first 5 Mic Rating from Benzino's former publication in five years upon dropping and generated a bunch of lofty buzz as a result. Anyone who bought the album thinking, 'This has to be at least a 4 or 4.5,' ended up with a 3 to 3.5 cig project instead and expectations were immediately lowered from there on out." -- Beware

Nas - Stillmatic

Maybe it was the circumstances that brought about the sequel to one of the greatest albums of all time - the most epic rap feud of all time, doubts of Nas' ability to make great albums any more, El Nino, who knows - but when stripped of the story lines, Stillmatic sounds as uneven as any of Nas' albums. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that God's Son ages better. I honestly don't think Stillmatic gets so much acclaim if Nas hasn't had so many struggles right before it dropped. -- David D.

 

[MrCrookedLetter]

http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2013/10/rap-albums-that-didnt-age-well#page/1

 

[Stew]

No sign..........

The Love Below

Untitled

Stillmatic(although the latter part of the album isnt that good anymore)

BTNH

 

[5th Letter]

They got Stillmatic up there. Smh.

 

[Already Home_17]

half of these albums weren't that critically acclaimed to begin with

 

[Stew]

Cot damn that Banks, Jay and Ghost album collectin dust like a muhfucka.

 

[Meta_Conscious]

A lot of that shit was always wack...

 

[illedout]

No sign StillMatic, Untitled, FishScale..

 

[Turfaholic]

Nosign stillmatic & the love below. Love below was so ahead of its time Kid Cudi n Kanye tried to recreate it. I didnt like love below at first. 2 years later that shit got more spins than speakerboxxx

 

[mdot]

You gotta be fucking kidding me with Stillmatic right. That shit has some incredible records on it.

 

[_Goldie_]

When the fuck was vol 3 critically acclaimed? and smfh at stillmatic being on the list.

cruel summer, hunger for more,ti vs tip, and bone resurrection was never critically acclaimed

The love below was never a classic to me to begin with, but theres a handful of timeless records on it.

fishscale,watch the throne, stillmatic,untitled,trill, man on the moon all still crank.

 

[Turfaholic]

Gotta be a Complex article

 

[LUClEN]

I nosign the hunger for more. I have a 320 kbps version that sounds crisp as fuck

 

[jono]

half of these albums weren't that critically acclaimed to begin with

Agreed.

But for the sake of conversation why is Stillmatic, Fishscale and BTNHRessurection on here? The first two are still great albums and while I as a Bone fan loved Resurrection I don't remember any critical acclaim for it.

cruel summer is only a year old B. Shit only been out a year!!

I do agree about WTT though. That deserves to be up there. I don't even know when the last time I listened to anything on there.

 

[jono]

TI v TIP was already weak yo. I can't even finish this shit man.

I don't care anymore.

 

[Negro_Caesar]

T.i vs tip is one of the worse albums I've ever heard. Shit was doo doo water

 

[goldenja]

I never listened to watch the throne