1996 Hip Hop Music: The Best of the Year
Looking for the best 1996 hip hop music? Check out our list of the top tracks of the year, featuring artists like Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., and Jay-Z.
Best Hip Hop Albums of 1996
1996 was a great year for Hip Hop music. Some of the best albums of all time were released in 1996. There are too many great albums to list them all here, but we will try to cover some of the best ones.
Dr. Dre – The Chronic
Dr. Dre – The Chronic
Released: December 15, 1992
Chronic is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist Dr. Dre. It was released on December 15, 1992, by his own record label Death Row Records and distributed by Interscope Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman Mastering Studios in Hollywood.
The album is notable for its popularization of West Coast G-funk, a subgenre of hip hop characterized by a synthesizer foundation and slow, heavy beats. It is credited as being among the earliest recorded examples of G-funk, helping give birth to the sound that would become rap music’s mainstream identity during the 1990s. The Chronic was rankednumber 148 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003, while TV Guide included it in their 2013 list of 60 essential albums. In 2012, it was voted as one of The 100 Greatest Albums Ever by readers of NME magazine.
Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt
Reasonable Doubt is the debut studio album by American rapper Jay-Z. It was released on June 25, 1996 by Roc-A-Fella Records and Priority Records. The album features production provided byDJ Premier, Ski, Knobody and Clark Kent; the album features Mafioso rap themes and gritty lyrics about the “hustler” lifestyle and material obsessions. Reasonable Doubt debuted at number 23 on the US Billboard 200 and peaked at number 23. Upon its release, the album received significant acclaim from many music critics Entertainment Weekly placed it at number 15 on their 1996 Pazz & Jop Critics’ Poll, while The Source gave it a perfect five mic rating in their June 1996 issue. In 2000, the album was voted the 56th greatest rap album of all time by The Source magazine.[8] In 2012, Complex magazine placed it at number 22 on their list of “The 50 Best Rap Albums of All Time”. The publication’s DubCNN called it “one of Hip Hop’s most influential masterpiece albums.”
Nas – It Was Written
Nas’ second album, It Was Written, was released in 1996 to critical and commercial success. The album saw Nas experimenting with a more “mainstream” sound, and features some of his most well-known songs, like “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” and “Street Dreams.” It Was Written is considered one of the best hip hop albums of all time, and helped to solidify Nas’ place as one of the greatest rappers of his generation.
The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die
The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready to Die
If you’re looking for the best hip hop album of 1996, you can’t go wrong with The Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die. This is an essential album not just for fans of hip hop, but for fans of music period. Ready to Die is a classic album that helped define a generation and put New York City back on the map as the Mecca of Hip Hop. The Notorious B.I.G.’s raw and honest lyrics combined with his impeccable delivery make for an unforgettable listening experience. There are few albums that are as important and as timeless as Ready to Die, and it is without a doubt one of the best hip hop albums of all time.
Best Hip Hop Songs of 1996
The year 1996 was a great year for hip hop music. Many classic songs were released that are still popular today. If you’re a fan of hip hop, then you need to check out these songs from 1996.
“Gin and Juice” – Snoop Doggy Dogg
One of the most popular songs of the ’90s, “Gin and Juice” is a tribute to the good life of sex, drugs, and alcohol. The bouncy, easygoing G-funk track features California classic-car culture and references to Chrysler products. The song was released in December 1993 as the second single from Snoop’s debut album Doggystyle and became an instant hit, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” – Dr. Dre
“Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” is a song by American hip hop artist Dr. Dre, featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg. It was released on December 15, 1992 as the lead single from Dre’s debut solo album, The Chronic. It peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1993, behind Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest hip black coffee songs of all time.
“In Da Club” – 50 Cent
“In Da Club” is a hip hop song performed by American rapper 50 Cent from his debut studio album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003). The song was written by 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, and Mike Elizondo, and produced by Dr. Dre with co-production credit from Elizondo. The track was released in January 2003 as the album’s lead single and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming 50 Cent’s first US number-one single. “In Da Club” received mixed reviews from music critics, who praised the song’s hook but were divided on its lyrical content. It won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance and was nominated for Best Male Rap Solo Performance at the 46th Grammy Awards.
“Shook Ones Pt. II” – Mobb Deep
“Shook Ones Pt. II” is a song by the American hip hop duo Mobb Deep from their album The Infamous (1995). The song, released as the album’s second single on May 28, 1996, features a sample of “The Bridge” by MC Shan, and was produced by Havoc.
The song is widely considered to be one of the greatest hip hop songs of all time. In 2008, it was ranked number 17 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. In 2012, Complex named it the greatest New York rap song of all time.
Best Hip Hop Music Videos of 1996
The 1990s was a golden age for Hip Hop music. Many memorable songs and videos were released during this time. 1996 was no exception. Some of the best Hip Hop music videos of the year came out in 1996.
“Gin and Juice” – Snoop Doggy Dogg
“Gin and Juice” is a single by American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg from his debut album Doggystyle. The song was produced by Dr. Dre and features Lily Allen on the hook. It was released in December 1993 as the second single from the album, after “Who Am I (What’s My Name?)”. “Gin and Juice” peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1994, and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The song has been considered one of Snoop Dogg’s signature songs.
The music video for the song was directed byType of Roasts – (Coffee Roast Guide)
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“Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” – Dr. Dre
“Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” is a song by American rapper Dr. Dre, featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg. The single was released in 1992 on Dre’s debut solo album, The Chronic. It is widely considered to be one of the most influential songs in hip hop history and one of the greatest rap songs of all time. The music video was directed by Hype Williams and filmed in Los Angeles, California.
“In Da Club” – 50 Cent
“In Da Club” is a hip hop song performed by American rapper 50 Cent from his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003). The song was written by 50 Cent, Dr. Dre and Mike Elizondo, and produced by Dr. Dre with co-production credit from Elite. It was released in January 2003 as the lead single from the album, and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 2003. Critics praised the song’s production and club anthem-like appeal. An accompanying music video was directed by Mr. Collipark and filmed in a night club.
The video features 50 Cent performing in a nightclub surrounded by scantily clad women and partying patrons. It won Best Rap Video at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. “In Da Club” helped propel Get Rich or Die Tryin’ to multi-platinum status, becoming 50 Cent’s best-selling album to date.
“Shook Ones Pt. II” – Mobb Deep
“Shook Ones Pt. II” is a 1995 song by hip hop duo Mobb Deep from their album The Infamous. The song, produced by Havoc, features a sample of “Q tip” from the 1970s TV show The Wire Theme Song.
The music video was directed by Wayne Isham and released in 1996. It features the duo rapping in front of a burning car in a parking lot.
