When it comes to rap music, I love some old school hip-hop. And while I have my national favs (Nelly is my thug crush), I need to look no further than the Bayou City for legendary rap talent.
With such a diverse city of talented hip-hop artists, how do you choose the best hip-hop albums? You don’t. You choose 10 OF the best. And though I’ve been told I’m not quite a rap royalty expert (my colleagues say it’s crazy that I include Fresh Prince as one of my top rappers…but hey, I like what I like), I’m still going to proudly share with you MY list.
Anyway, when it comes to 10 OF the best rap albums out of Houston, these are our (really MY) choices. Let us know yours on our social media pages.
1 – Geto Boys, ‘We Can’t Be Stopped’ (1991) Now, you knew this would be on the list. Willie D., Bushwick Bill and Scarface defined the Rap-a-Lot era.
2 – Scarface, ‘The Diary’ (1994) The greatest album from the Geto Boys’ greatest talent. The Fix might be prettier and more star-studded, but that’s precisely why this one wins out.
3 – UGK, ‘Ridin’ Dirty’ (1996) UGK scaled to the top of the small but vicious hip-hop scene in the Southern United States, creating a distinctive gangsta hybrid in the process.
4 – Paul Wall & Chamillionaire, ‘Get Ya Mind Correct’ (2002) Get Ya Mind Correct is the debut studio album by rappers Paul Wall & Chamillionaire of The Color Changin’ Click, released when they were both on the Paid In Full Label. It was notable in the Houston underground rap scene. The album peaked at #67 on the BillboardTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
5 – DJ Screw, 3 ‘N The Mornin’ (1995) No explanation needed.
6 – Z-Ro, ‘Let the Truth Be Told’ (2005) – Z-Ro’s life seems like it was written by Shakespeare. This album seems like it was written by Zeus.
7 – Mike Jones, ‘Who is Mike Jones?’ (2005) – What other rapper can have a 281 number ringing in our heads. Tell the truth, you called the number back in the day…right after you told someone, “Back then you didn’t want me, now I’m hot, you all up on me.”
8 – Lil’ Keke, ‘Don’t Mess Wit’ Texas’ (1997) – Lil Keke is the mouthy, mouthy king of synonyms, and maybe the most sampled-from artist in Texas. (His voice was crafted to be slowed down.) Don’t Mess Wit Texas’s overall greatness has always been usurped by the unbeatable hit “Southside.”
9 – Fat Pat, ‘Ghetto Dreams’ (1998) – This was his first posthumous release, as the album was released a month after Pat was shot dead by an unknown killer, on February 3, 1998. The album featured the single “Tops Drop,” which peaked at number ten on the US BillboardBubbling Under Hot 100, and number five on Hot Rap Songs.
10 – Trae tha Truth, ‘Truth Season: The United Streets of America’(2022): A southern staple for more than 20 years running, Trae has upwards of 10 studio albums, a plethora of mixtapes, and guest features for days. In his newest album, he’s coming to continue living up to his name.
