Hip Hop lists always spark lots of disagreement, but Rolling Stone’s latest offering has baffled many on social media.
Veteran Hip Hop journalists, fans and more blasted Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 greatest Hip Hop albums of all time, which was published on Tuesday (June 7). Although these types of lists are destined to face criticism, Hip Hop heads questioned Rolling Stone’s selections.
One of the head-scratching decisions was OutKast’s Stankonia album being listed at No. 2. Although the LP is critically acclaimed and well-regarded by fans, Aquemini and ATLiens have typically been viewed as OutKast’s best albums.
Another puzzling choice was Nas’ Illmatic landing at No. 24 despite frequently being in the G.O.A.T. conversation. The LP wound up behind Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy, Madvillain’s Madvillainy and Future’s DS2, among others.
Rolling Stone also raised eyebrows with City Girls’ mixtape Period at No. 138, which put it ahead of notable classics. Nas’ It Was Written, Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage, Little Brother’s The Listening, LL Cool J’s Radio and UGK’s Super Tight were just a few of the albums ranked behind the tape.
View some of the reactions to Rolling Stone’s list below.
‘Best of all time’ lists always spark controversy, but seeing my OG hip-hop journalist pals express exasperation for Rolling Stone’s newest foray reminds me why we started @TheSource way back in 1988.
— Jonathan Shecter (@SheckyGreen) June 7, 2022
They disrespected and misunderstood the music from day 1. We were the anti-RS. https://t.co/lN6Z6Zp94b
Look, I get that lists are subjective but Rolling Stone's top 200 hip hop albums is f*cking ridiculous. Any list that has Cardi B's "Invasion of Privacy" ranked higher than "Illmatic," "Midnight Marauders," "Aquemini" and "Doggystyle" is null and void.
— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) June 7, 2022
That Rolling Stone list is atrocious
— Bobby Foster (@_bobbyfoster) June 7, 2022
And apparently, Rolling Stone thinks that Doja Cat, Migos, RaeSremmurd, Future, Young Thug, Birdman, Rich Homie Quan made albums greater than MC Lyte, 8Ball & MJG (who don't have a single album on this list), the Goodie Mob, Organized Konfusion, and Jeru the Damaja.
— Bernard Oliver (@boliver36) June 7, 2022
Stankonia is not even the best Outkast album, but its somehow the second greatest hip hop album ever?
— Langston Collin Wilkins, PhD. (@StreetFolkLCW) June 7, 2022
They got City Girls “Period” at 138, ahead of Nas “It was written” at 140. What we doing Rolling Stone?
—🅡🅞🅢🅔🅑🅤🅓
(@EaglesJawn) June 7, 2022
A wise man once told me that a good list is one no one can agree on. That said, a 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time list with ‘The Great Adventures of Slick Rick’ at #82 is a bad one. Respectfully.
— Andrew Barber (@fakeshoredrive) June 7, 2022
literal thesis statement pic.twitter.com/dqqFuG8UbA
— matthew ritchie (@mkrwrt) June 7, 2022
Bruh nah fam – the #19 greatest hip hop album of all time is Lil Kim’s Hardcore? Did I read that right? Ahead of Nas Illmatic? And Future’s DS2 is ahead of Illmatic? That's where I stopped looking at it https://t.co/cAZcPQMRhm
— brokencool (@brokencool) June 7, 2022