{"id":7069529,"date":"2026-09-29T02:07:54","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T02:07:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/the-top-rap-albums-of-every-year-since-the-dawn-of-rap-1987\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T02:07:54","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T02:07:54","slug":"the-top-rap-albums-of-every-year-since-the-dawn-of-rap-1987","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7069529","title":{"rendered":"THE TOP RAP ALBUMS OF EVERY YEAR \u2026 SINCE THE DAWN OF RAP: 1987"},"content":{"rendered":"


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In 1987, we get a diversity of style from political rage (Public Enemy, e.g.) to the roots of West Coast gangsta rap (Ice-T), through romance rap (\u201cI Need Love\u201d), playful rap for the younger audiences (Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince), and the emergence of what would become some of the most influential artists of the genre (Eric B and Rakim).<\/p>\n

Still, I could only find 6 albums worthy of a \u201cBest of the Year\u201d entry.<\/p>\n

6. MC Shan Down by Law.\u00a0 <\/strong>Produced by Marley Marl and containing the song, \u201cThe Bridge,\u201d which led KRS-One to write the diss track \u201cThe Bridge is Over\u201d.\u00a0 Other key songs include\u00a0Down By Law and Kill That Noise.<\/p>\n

5. Bigger and Deffer by LL Cool J.\u00a0 <\/strong>Key tracks: I\u2019m Bad and I Need Love (one of rap\u2019s earliest romantic ballads).\u00a0 The cover was shot in front of the NYC High School that Mr. Smith dropped out of\u2013a wise choice on his part.<\/p>\n

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4. Yo! Bum Rush the Show by Public Enemy.\u00a0<\/strong> This is probably the worst of P.E.\u2019s first six albums.\u00a0 Which means that it\u2019s still amazing. They hadn\u2019t quite perfected their unique sound yet, but you can hear its roots in cuts like \u201cToo Much Posse\u201d and \u201cYou\u2019re Gonna Get Yours.\u201d\u00a0 People are STILL copying what Public Enemy did here.<\/p>\n

A bit of trivia: Vernon Reid of Living Colour provided some guitar licks for the album.<\/p>\n

3. Rhyme Pays by Ice-T.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>Everyone says NWA created Gangsta rap.\u00a0 <\/span>But Ice-T scooped them.\u00a0 <\/span>Best cuts: 6 \u2019N the Morning, Squeeze the Trigger.\u00a0 NWA\u2019s indie EP also came out this year, and it wasn\u2019t as good as this Ice-T album.<\/p>\n

2. Criminal Minded by Boogie Down Productions.\u00a0 <\/strong>BDP\u2019s second album tackled a wide variety of relevant topics: Drug abuse, AIDS, black-on-black violence, and the U.S. Government\u2019s complicity in all of it.\u00a0 And it even had a dis track. When you think of\u00a0 BDP, this album probably has the song you\u2019re remembering: \u201c9mm Goes Bang,\u201d \u201cBridge is Over,\u201d and \u201cSouth Bronx.\u201d\u00a0 In particular, \u201c9mm\u201d is one of the first (maybe even\u00a0the\u00a0<\/em>first) rap song to glorify guns.\u00a0 Scott LaRock was killed after this album was recorded, which ultimately led to BDP losing a major record deal and KRS-One rebranding himself.<\/p>\n

\"\"1. Paid in Full by Eric B and Rakim<\/strong>.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t just the best album of this year, it\u2019s one of the best albums of all time.\u00a0 Key tracks: All of side one, and much of side two.\u00a0 I mean, the whole thing is phenomenal.<\/p>\n

Honorable Mentions:<\/strong> A few good-but-not-great albums from 1987<\/p>\n