This is a legendary thread and should be put in The Rafters, first thread I've read every single page of in a long time...
I will predict the upcoming Top 100 NY rappers thread will be just as dope. I've loved hearing all the banter from New Yorkers in here...
What this thread really highlighted to me is how much shyt varies throughout regions and eras. I'm 35, from California with mad time in the South, and I consider myself a hip hop head. Grew up on it, there's family ties (one of my aunt's was DJ Yella's manager back in the day), hip hop is a soundtrack to my life...
And yet around 20 of the entries on this list, I've never even HEARD of. Think about that, albums considered Top 100 New York drops, there's about 20 I never even heard of. Which tells me, someone who grew up on hip-hop, just how regional it still can be and certainly was...
Among the 80-ish I have heard of, I've listened to, maybe 20 of those albums? I've "heard" of mostly all the artists named, and heard some track by pretty much all artists named at some point in my life, and the way some of these artists resonate with you guys, encapsulates why this is a "New York" list. Vast majority of these nikkas had minimal motion beyond New York, and again I'm no old nigha, nor simply a hip hop casual. Maybe today I am but from the mid-90s to mid-10s I'd say I was pretty immersed in the culture...
Just an example (because I can give more based upon this thread), Mobb Deep is way more revered in New York/East Coast culture than beyond...
That's not to say we don't appreciate or respect them because we do. Most non-NY heads would tell you they are a top duo ever and rank their albums pretty highly...
But I dont think I know a single person who would rank a Mobb Deep album as #1 on any list: a NY list, a duo list, an era list, etc. We view them highly but not that damn high...
So I think it's dope and fun to see NY cats talk about the drops and artists that were important to them. It is the birthplace of The Culture. This thread is kinda inspiring me to start a passion project similar to this for LA, California, and the South
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@Don Jesus shout out to you guys and your list. I think we all can respect black folk serving up this kinda content over white owned conglomerates, so while it's definitely debatable, I respect the work!
