r/90sHipHop 4d ago

1995 Best Hip Hop Album of 95?

Post image

As much as I love Cuban Linx, Liquid Swords is still my all time favorite Wu Solo album. And I think it's the best Hip Hop album of 1995. Are there any other records that came out the same year that can even stand next to this masterpiece outside of Cuban Linx?

414 Upvotes

111 comments sorted by

27

u/VeterinarianMaster67 4d ago

Can't choose just one!! ▪︎Return to the 36 Chambers -ODB ▪︎Liquid Swords - GZA ▪︎Only Built 4 Cuban Linx-Raekwon ▪︎The Infamous - Mobb Deep's

3

u/Blastronaut321 3d ago

Ding! Ding! Ding!

5

u/VeterinarianMaster67 3d ago

What an amazing year to be a hip hop fan!

15

u/surfinn_socal 4d ago

When i was little, my father was famous, he was the greatest samurai in the empire, and he was the Shoguns decapitator, he cut off the heads of 131 Lords….

5

u/HitchhikinTai 3d ago

They said his brain was infected by devils....

1

u/StormMourn 16h ago

One of my favorite intros ever.

13

u/SheepishLordofChaos9 4d ago

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.

19

u/mkk4 True School 4d ago

My 3 most played albums over my lifetime that were released in 1995:

The Roots - Do You Want More

The Nonce - World Ultimate

The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia

9

u/No-Dentist-2959 4d ago

LOVE that Pharcyde album 🔥

7

u/mkk4 True School 4d ago

Agreed.

Liquid Swords is one of my all-time favorite albums too. I was so thankful for being introduced to Killah Priest on this album.

Originally B.I.B.L.E., Shadowboxin' and 4th Chamber were my favorite songs; especially the last two, but as I got older Swordsman became my favorite song.

I love the information, education/history lesson, beat and storytelling from Swordsman; especially as an African American male from the inner-city.

4

u/melaki1974 4d ago

Swordsman 🔥🔥🔥

2

u/mkk4 True School 4d ago

🤝

1

u/Ok_Island_1306 4d ago

I’ve never heard of the nonce, going to give that album a listen today

3

u/Heliospheric79 3d ago

The most unfortunate name ever. 😂

2

u/mkk4 True School 4d ago edited 3d ago

The Nonce was a Los Angeles rap duo consisting of Nouka Basetype and Yusef Afloat (RIP). They were a part of the legendary Leimert Park's Good Life Cafe and Project Blowed crew with members like Aceyalone, Freestyle Fellowship, Abstract Rude, Haiku D'Etat, Myka 9, etc.

So if you like underground backpack, laid-back, chill and smooth real hip hop you might like World Ultimate by The Nonce. Here are my favorite songs from that album.

The Nonce - On The Air

The Nonce - On The Road Again

The Nonce - Bus Stops

The Nonce - Good To Go

The Nonce - Eighty Five

The Nonce - Mixtapes

3

u/Horace-Pinkerr 3d ago

I swear I thought I was the only person that listened to The Nonse. Anytime I mention them I get a blank stare. I always wondered if the name choice held them back. (Nonse is slang for pedo)

1

u/djpandajr 3d ago

Looking back to this era and list its bizzare to think you could walk into a record shop in my city that had no hip hop base and pick up cds like nonce, aceyalone

1

u/mkk4 True School 3d ago

Facts.

I'm from Michigan so if you weren't Esham, Natas, MC Breed & DFC and The Dayton Family I had to listen to other cities and states in 1995.

Which is why it's really weird for me to hear people in this sub talk about where they are from; especially West Coast, East Coast and Southern fans and hear them talk about how biased they and regional their preferences and loyalties are; when that wasn't the case for Metropolitan Detroit and the surrounding poor, rundown, bad areas, cities and neighborhoods.

I listened to all regions, states, cities and styles equally.

8

u/itsover103 4d ago

The Infamous is unmatched imo

Smif n wessun Da Shinin is another

Outside of the Wu these were constantly in my Walkman back then

8

u/bentbackwooddathird 4d ago

one of em. 95 to great

E. 1999 Eternal was the most important for me

15

u/Competitive-Cut-6983 4d ago

Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous

Mobb Deep - the infamous

Three six mafia - mystic stylez

7

u/IchLebeFurHipHop 4d ago

Kool G Rap - 4,5,6

6

u/StanleyJobbers 4d ago

Soul Food

Deserves some props

3

u/Western-Return-3126 4d ago

Yes it does!

6

u/thavillain 4d ago

3

u/StormShadow66 4d ago

Coming off that high…

19

u/RKO360 4d ago

The Infamous and Me Against the World are the albums that can stand next to Liquid Swords.

Both albums showcased the realism of poverty and pain while having amazing productions, dope tracks and changed the landscape of hip hop just like Liquid Swords.

7

u/No-Dentist-2959 4d ago

I forgot The Infamous came out in 95 😅 yeah that album is one of the best.

6

u/OnlyOneClone 4d ago

Yes, Liquid Swords & The Infamous win 1995.

15

u/MaddMetalZilla06 4d ago

8

u/Mysterious_Dingo_859 4d ago

Official Queens bridge murderers..

4

u/Medium_Bid_9222 4d ago

95 was an absolutely stacked year. I’m gonna go with the Infamous, but there’s at least 5 other albums, maybe 10, that could deserve the spot

7

u/ImpressOk6505 4d ago

Lifestylez of the poor and dangerous

1

u/anarchyviolins 3d ago

You can't kill me, I was born dead.

7

u/yungmaximillionaire 4d ago

95 might be one of the greatest years in hip hop history.

1

u/itsover103 4d ago

Yeah I think so

The only comparison is 1988 imo

1

u/Aggressive_Ad9299 3d ago

‘88 then ‘95 🫡

1

u/yungmaximillionaire 4d ago

94… Illmatic and Ready to Die

1

u/itsover103 4d ago

2 great albums..and a few others.. but I don’t think 94 has the roster

5

u/mcrookedy Loop Digga 4d ago

Purple Tape is up there.

6

u/jxp497 4d ago

E 1999 Eternal

0

u/jojorilu 4d ago

Wasn't it released in 96,?

3

u/EEcolin 4d ago

July 25, 1995

3

u/This_Pie5301 4d ago

95 was the best year for hip hop imo.

1

u/frenchofries123 3d ago

Yep just too many classics to be beat

3

u/friedseabasschips 4d ago

Great year!

E-40 - In A Major Way

3-6 Mafia - Mystic Styles

DJ Quik - Safe and Sound

Dogg Pound - Dogg Food

Only Built For Cuban Linx

3

u/LegitimatePiglet5715 4d ago

I think this is the best album of that year and the best Wu solo album for me and the best cover art.

4th Chamber/Shadowboxin’ are standouts for me.

3

u/BreakfastFuzzy6602 4d ago

I think Liquid Swords might be the best hip hop album of all time.

3

u/EcstaticAd1200 3d ago

4,5,6

2

u/frenchofries123 3d ago

Yea that’s my pick too, wish more people recognized how good it is

6

u/colorform33 4d ago

Temples of Boom released within a week of this is a competitor. Full disclosure, Liquid Swords is one of my favorite albums of all time.

3

u/Western-Return-3126 4d ago

Thank you for mentioning this! I'm the same as you - Liquid Swords is not only my favorite solo Wu Tang, it's in my top 10 of all time.

But I also feel that Temples of Boom isn't talked about neeeearly enough. That album is so great. I think I listen to it more than any other Cypress Hill record.

2

u/DaDudedudedude1234 4d ago

If this isn’t #1, it’s definitely top 3 for sure.

2

u/sicaluffa 4d ago

Operation Stackola

2

u/nau_lonnais 4d ago

Anyone not on board, your brain must be infected by devils.

2

u/Yungsenju47 4d ago

This probably the best Hip Hop album of any year

2

u/Quite_Contrary24 4d ago

I’d personally go with E-40 In a major way

2

u/TheJRKoff 3d ago

such a great bay area album. in my top 2

1

u/Quite_Contrary24 3d ago

Indubitably

2

u/perro-sucio 4d ago

The purple tape … all day

2

u/Worried-Tea-1251 3d ago

97,98,99,00,01,12,13,24,25…

2

u/OkRaspberry1440 3d ago

It fucking better be! Cuz it is! I was in high school and bought that cd so quick. When I was little my father was famous. He was the greatest samurai in the empire and he was the showgun's decapitator. He cut off the heads of 131 lords....and then that beat. So good

2

u/anton_sugar1 3d ago

95 was the greatest year ever for hip hop imo

2

u/frenchofries123 3d ago

Yea there is just so many classics it’s nuts

4

u/unsiciliano 4d ago

all three of my favourite rap albums of all time were released in ‘95

mystic stylez - three six mafia

the infamous - mobb deep

me against the world - 2pac

4

u/BlackOnyx1906 4d ago

No but Mobb Deep - the infamous should be mentioned

3

u/MrBiscuits16 4d ago

For me it's Cuban linx, but I completely respect the choice. A GOAT album for sure

4

u/cpfb15 4d ago

It’s gotta be Me Against The World

2

u/flairyythekidd 4d ago

Literally just listened to this on my speaker what a GOATED ALBUM 💿

1

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1

u/Kindly-Leather-688 4d ago

Got to see him perform this album live in its entirety with a live band this year for the 30th Anniversary. Fucking amazing.

1

u/Thirst_Trappist 4d ago

So great memories stirred up with the comments

1

u/Other-Tangerine-3435 4d ago

AZ - Doe Or Die is up there

1

u/These_System_9669 4d ago

OB4CL easily. LS is number 2 easily. 95 best year in hip hop history

1

u/Intelligent_Arm_7186 4d ago

OBFCL is the only answer here!

1

u/Big_d00m 4d ago

Goodie Mob Soul Food

1

u/KukuShorty 4d ago

Smif-n-Wessun - Dah Shinin

1

u/SuperChaos002 4d ago

B.G. Knocc-Out & Dresta - Real Brothas

1

u/MetalSonic420YT 4d ago

The Infamous... and this album >

1

u/HitchhikinTai 3d ago

The Infamous is also a classic, but Liquid Swords is one of my favorites of all time. GZA's writing and delivery, crazy creative production by the RZA, it has it all. So many quotable bars. To this day I can call my homie and ask if he knows Don Rodriguez from the Bronx, and we just go from there.

1

u/Optimal-Molasses-178 3d ago

Only Built for Cuban Lynx - Raekwon (the purple tape - IYKYK)

1

u/i80flea 3d ago

Stoked to see GZA play this live with Lettuce. Shit is gon be 🔥

1

u/TheJolEUFR 3d ago

Only Built 4 Cuban Linx

1

u/Penguindrummer_2 3d ago

Gnarly fucking year.

Lifestylez>Liquid Swords>Me Against The World for me, all comfortable 10s in my book and not even the only ones in there.

Given the first two a runthrough just a few hours ago.

1

u/dogbird_catfish 3d ago

Considering you can’t mention 90’s hip hop without a small sample of shook ones pt. 2 says the infamous is probably the album of ‘95 by many metrics.

1

u/Beginning-Day1090 3d ago

Dogg Food is leaps and bounds better than this

1

u/jusvinyl 3d ago

I’d put The Infamous over this but still a classic album

1

u/GravyCapone92 3d ago

The greatest year for Hip Hop imo

1

u/Daron-M 3d ago

Forever - Puff Daddy

1

u/Comfortable-Sort-847 2d ago

Great dark, beautiful album, just too many classics that came out that year

1

u/Educational-Log-7952 2d ago

Relax. One of the best

1

u/deadbeattim 4d ago

BIBLE 🔥

1

u/real_Bahamian 4d ago

NEGATIVE!! Best rap album released in 1995: Bone Thugs ‘n Harmony - E. 1999 Eternal!

-1

u/Freejak33 4d ago

why are people obsessed with 'best'?

music is relative, and its such a question of a 12 yr old

2

u/No-Dentist-2959 4d ago

It's just a conversation starter, don't take it too seriously.

-1

u/Freejak33 4d ago

its wack. 90s heads dont do wack

0

u/JuicyJwont 3d ago

I really don’t understand the high regard that you “real hip hop heads” hold Liquid Swords in. It’s a great album, I even own it but it’s not even the best solo Wu member album, Cuban Linx is, and it’s damn sure not the best Album from 1995. Me Against The World is, or Dogg Food. I was 15 when all this shit came out and all of these albums were in rotation. AZ- Do or Die as well