So, I decided to dive into the “best hip hop albums of 1994” thing. It’s a classic year, you know? Everyone talks about it, so I figured, why not make my own list and see how it stacks up?
First, I brainstormed. Just off the top of my head, I jotted down all the albums I could remember from that year. Nas, Biggie, you know, the big names. But I also tried to think about some less obvious choices, albums I loved that maybe don’t always get mentioned.
My Process.
I used NotePad++ to do it.
Then, I hit up the internet. I didn’t want to just copy someone else’s list, so I mostly used it to remind myself of albums I might have forgotten. I checked out some old forum threads, some “best of” lists, just to get a sense of what other people were saying.
After that, it was all about listening. I went back to the albums, some I hadn’t heard in ages, and gave them a fresh listen. I wanted to see if they still held up, if they still hit me the same way they did back then. Or, you know, if my taste had changed.
- I spent whole afternoon listening to a few choice cuts, really focusing on the beats, the lyrics, the overall vibe.
- I made some notes. I scribbled down anything that stood out to me, good or bad.
- I kept rearranging the albums. I’d put one higher, then move it down, then put it back up again. It was a whole process, let me tell you.
Finally, I forced myself to settle on a list. It’s not perfect, and I’m sure I’ll change my mind tomorrow, but for now, it’s my definitive ranking of the best hip hop albums of 1994. I think it is a very personal thing.
