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Of the 5 masterpieces from the initial round of solo albums, those being (in order of release)
Tical by Method Man
Return to the 36 Chambers by Ol Dirty Bastard
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx by Raekwon
Liquid Swords by GZA
Ironman by Ghostface Killah
My pick is Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.
Everything on this album just. fucking. works. Raekwon and Ghostface, two classic MC's are in their prime and just straight spitting fire over some of the best beats RZA has ever crafted, and that's pretty high praise considering the man's production discography.
These two facets alone make it a 5 star hip hop classic, but what really sets it apart for me is its functionality as an album, its flow, its narrative, use of movie samples, etc. Not only do I have a personal love for crime rap and the accompanying stories, but I can think of few other rap albums that have a consisent flow both soniclly and narratively like this one, making it not only my favorite album of the original batch, but also my favorite hip hop album behind only Enter the 36 Chambers.
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I can't find that painting.
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