The 10 Best Hip Hop Albums of 1990

1.  AMERIKKKA'S MOST WANTED by ICE CUBE

2.  FEAR OF A BLACK PLANET by PUBLIC ENEMY

3.  MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT by LL COOL J

4.  PEOPLE'S INSTINCTIVE TRAVELS AND THE PATHS OF RHYTHM
by A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

5.  WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE by KOOL G RAP & DJ POLO

6.  ONE FOR ALL by BRAND NUBIAN

7.  LET THE RHYTHM HIT 'EM by ERIC B. & RAKIM

8.  FUNKY TECHNICIAN by LORD FINESSE & DJ MIKE SMOOTH

9.  THE GETO BOYS by GETO BOYS

10.  THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT by PARIS

The 10 Best Hip Hop Albums of 1989

1.  IT'S A BIG DADDY THING by BIG DADDY KANE

2.  PAUL'S BOUTIQUE by THE BEASTIE BOYS

3.  3 FEET HIGH AND RISING by DE LA SOUL

4.  THE CACTUS ALBUM by 3RD BASS

5.  NO ONE CAN DO IT BETTER by THE D.O.C.

6.  NO MORE MR. NICE GUY by GANG STARR

7.  UNFINISHED BUSINESS by EPMD

8.  ROAD TO THE RICHES by KOOL G RAP & DJ POLO

9.  GHETTO MUSIC: THE BLUEPRINT OF HIP HOP by BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

10.  AS NASTY AS THEY WANNA BE by THE 2 LIVE CREW

The 10 Best Hip Hop Albums of 1988

1.  STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON by N.W.A.

2.  IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK by PUBLIC ENEMY

3.  LONG LIVE THE KANE by BIG DADDY KANE

4.  STRICTLY BUSINESS by EPMD

5.  BY ALL MEANS NECESSARY by BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

6.  THE GREAT ADVENTURES OF SLICK RICK by SLICK RICK

7.  FOLLOW THE LEADER by ERIC B. & RAKIM

8.  CRITICAL BEATDOWN by ULTRAMAGNETIC MC'S

9.  I'M THE RAPPER, HE'S THE DJ by THE FRESH PRINCE & DJ JAZZY JEFF

10.  LIFE IS... TOO SHORT by TOO $HORT

The 10 Best Hip Hop Albums of 1987

1.  PAID IN FULL by ERIC B. & RAKIM

2.  CRIMINAL MINDED by BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS

3.  BIGGER AND DEFFER by LL COOL J

4.  RHYME PAYS by ICE T

5.  N.W.A. AND THE POSSE by N.W.A.

6.  DOWN BY LAW by MC SHAN

7.  HOW YA LIKE ME NOW by KOOL MOE DEE

8.  ROCK THE HOUSE by THE FRESH PRINCE & DJ JAZZY JEFF

9.  LIVING LARGE by HEAVY D. & THE BOYZ

10.  YO! BUM RUSH THE SHOW by PUBLIC ENEMY

The 10 Best Hip Hop Albums of 1986

1.  RAISING HELL by RUN DMC

2. LICENSED TO ILL by the BEASTIE BOYS

3. OH, MY GOD! by DOUG E. FRESH & THE GET FRESH CREW

4.  KOOL MOE DEE by KOOL MOE DEE

5.  THE SOURCE by GRANDMASTER FLASH

6.  SCHOOLLY D by SCHOOLLY D

7.  PLANTER ROCK - THE ALBUM by AFRIKA BAMBAATAA & SOULSONIC FORCE

8.  HOT, COOL, VICIOUS by SALT 'N PEPA

9.  BACK TO BLACK by WHODINI

10.  HOUSE ROCKER by LOVEBUG STARSKI