So, at one point over the holiday weekend, I was reading a "tribute" piece on a hip hop site about Nas' "It Was Written" album, which apparently celebrated it's 20th anniversary within the last few days. The writer was waxing about each song, what he (yes, the writer was male) liked about each song and what he though stood out, and wrapped up with his argument about how underrated the album is, how it's one of his favorite hip hop albums ever, yada, yada, yada, and then he hit me with the line "While it can be argued that It Was Written is the greatest sophomore album in the history of rap music,...".

Hold up. What? I recall enjoying quite a few songs on the album when it came out- yes, the cd got a lot of play in my ride back then. But greatest sophomore album ever? I can't give "It Was Written" those kind of props. Can you? If not, what do you nominate as the "greatest sophomore album in hip hop"?

When it comes to anything "great" in a positive light, the answer should usually be
NAS.

Good lord can that dude rap.

My choice is . . . Public Enemy -- It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. Because IMHO t's the GOAT for hip-hop albums. Other candidates . . .

A Tribe Called Quest -- The Low End Theory

Digable Planets -- Blowout Comb

Ice Cube (solo) -- Death Certificate

2Pac -- Strictly for My N.I.G.G.A.Z.

De La Soul -- De La Soul Is Dead

Redman -- Dare Iz A Darkside

Q-Tip (solo) -- The Renaissance (counting this as a sophomore effort b/c it's an official release)

EPMD -- Unfinished Business

Run-DMC -- King of Rock

Gang Starr -- Step In The Arena

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth -- The Main Ingredient

OutKast -- Aquemini

LL Cool J -- Bigger And Deffer

Kanye West -- Late Registration

Ice-T -- Power

Ghostface Killah -- Supreme Clientele

[Edited 7/6/16 13:41pm]

[Edited 7/6/16 13:41pm]

[Edited 7/6/16 13:43pm]

^^^^^^^^^

Many Great Albums!

This Sure Was Funky Back in The Day...

Off EPMD's - (Unfinished Business - sophomore album)

[Edited 7/6/16 20:49pm]

namepeace said:

My choice is . . . Public Enemy -- It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. Because IMHO t's the GOAT for hip-hop albums. Other candidates . . .

A Tribe Called Quest -- The Low End Theory

Digable Planets -- Blowout Comb

Ice Cube (solo) -- Death Certificate

2Pac -- Strictly for My N.I.G.G.A.Z.

De La Soul -- De La Soul Is Dead

Redman -- Dare Iz A Darkside

Q-Tip (solo) -- The Renaissance (counting this as a sophomore effort b/c it's an official release)

EPMD -- Unfinished Business

Run-DMC -- King of Rock

Gang Starr -- Step In The Arena

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth -- The Main Ingredient

OutKast -- Aquemini

LL Cool J -- Bigger And Deffer

Kanye West -- Late Registration

Ice-T -- Power

Ghostface Killah -- Supreme Clientele

[Edited 7/6/16 13:41pm]

[Edited 7/6/16 13:41pm]

[Edited 7/6/16 13:43pm]

I agree with all of this although I'm sure the poster meant Outkast's ATLiens instead of Aquemini.

I'd also add Biggie's "Life After Death" and K. Dot's "To Pimp A Butterfly".

I seem to be the only one who still thinks that Ice-T´s debut album is better than any other album he´s ever released. Yes, better than Power, bettern than The Iceberg, better than anything he´s ever done after Rhyme Pays.

.

Public Enemy´s sophomore album was great.

.

EMPD´s sophomore album was great.

.

Whodini´s sophomore album was , in my opinion, so much better than their debut album.

.

And yes, King of Rock had more depth than Run DMC´s debut album.

.

But speaking of Nas, I really liked his sophomore album. Was it better than his first one?

I don´t know. But it is still a great album.

I'm going for Nation Of Millions, which is also about my favorite hip hop record ever, so it fits the bill.

KoolEaze said:

I seem to be the only one who still thinks that Ice-T´s debut album is better than any other album he´s ever released. Yes, better than Power, bettern than The Iceberg, better than anything he´s ever done after Rhyme Pays.

He had a good run.

.

Public Enemy´s sophomore album was great.

.
IMHO, the GOAT.

EMPD´s sophomore album was great.

It had one of the best first tracks of any hip-hop album, ever.

But speaking of Nas, I really liked his sophomore album. Was it better than his first one? I don´t know. But it is still a great album.

Illmatic remains his best, but It Was Written is overlooked. A little more filler but still better than the majority of hip-hop albums. Especially with tracks like "I Gave You Power" and "Take It In Blood."

CoolMF said:

I agree with all of this although I'm sure the poster meant Outkast's ATLiens instead of Aquemini.

That's my bad. But ATLiens makes the list all the same.

I'd also add Biggie's "Life After Death" and K. Dot's "To Pimp A Butterfly".

Almost put both on there. Can't argue. Especially with TPAB. featuring a new national anthem, "Alright,"

According to Prince, Stillmatic is better than Illmatic.

http://wallywaves.com/pos...nic-monday

Hands down..."It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back"

Publice Enemy: It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

[Edited 7/9/16 19:20pm]

BASS

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO!!!

UncleJam said:

Hands down..."It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back"

GZA Liquid Swords.

While it was his first as a member of Wu-Tang, he put one out an album a year before the group was formed.

MD431Madcat said:

BASS

HOW LOW CAN YOU GO!!!

UncleJam said:

Hands down..."It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back"

I got a letter from the governement the other day...I opened and read it, it said they were SUCKAS!

A Salt With A Deadly Peppa 1988 by Salt & Peppa....come on Push It https://www.youtube.com/w...leXlgHI1oM and Spinderella's Not a Fella (But a Girl D.J.) https://www.youtube.com/w...Z76YaPr6Sc and Shaka Your Thang https://www.youtube.com/w...7G0drdJPqs are classics!

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peedub said:

I don't have a triple threat for Paul's Boutique but YEAH. And I actually carried this CD into work with me today.

I wouldn't call it the greatest sophomore album but "Hard Knock Life" by Jay-Z is one of the best ones IMO

Abdul said:

I wouldn't call it the greatest sophomore album but "Hard Knock Life" by Jay-Z is one of the best ones IMO

"Hard Knock Life" was a song on Jay-Z's third album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 2.

I would agree that it is worth mentioning Jay-Z's second album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, containing "Who You Wit", "(Always Be My) Sunshine" featuring Foxy Brown, "The City Is Mine" featuring BLACKstreet, and "A Million And One Questions".

Cinny said:

Cinny said:

BlackCandle said:

Cinny said:

"Hard Knock Life" was a song on Jay-Z's third album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 2.

I would agree that it is worth mentioning Jay-Z's second album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, containing "Who You Wit", "(Always Be My) Sunshine" featuring Foxy Brown, "The City Is Mine" featuring BLACKstreet, and "A Million And One Questions".

...but it's not on a par with Reasonable Doubt...

I probably listen to Vol.1 more than Reasonable Doubt! The album tracks are very memorable and quotable, IMO. "Imaginary Player", "Streets Is Watching", "Friend Or Foe `98", "Rap Game", "Where I'm From".

The Streets Is Watching MOVIE was built on songs from Vol.1 and his book Decoded featured most of the second album.

[Edited 7/14/16 7:15am]