The Midwest topic.

For everyone wondering if there's even 50 dope albums from the midwest here is a list from my collection alone of dope midwest albums.


Bone "Creepin On Ah Come UP"
Bone "E. 1999 Eternal"
Bone "Art of War"
Bone "Ressurection"
Bizzy Bone "The Gift"
Bizzy Bone "A Song For You"
Krayzie Bone "Thug Mentality"
Poetic Hustlaz "Trials & Tribulations"
Eminem "SSLP"
Eminem "MMLP"
Eminem "Eminem Show"
Crucial Conflict "The Final Tic"
Atmosphere "Lemons"
Atmosphere "God Loves Ugly"
Atmosphere "Seven's Travels"
Atmosphere "Lucy Ford"
Brother Ali "Undistputed Truth"
Brother Ali "Truth Is Here ep"
Brother Ali "Us"
Brother Ali "Shadows On The Sun"
Eyedea & Abilities "E&A"
Kanye West "College Dropout"
Kanye West "Late Registration"
Kanye West "Graduation"
Rhymefest "Blue Collar"
Do Or Die "Picture This"
Twista "Adrenaline Rush"
MC Breed "Funkafied"
Invincible "Shapeshifters"
Jean Grae "Jeanius"
Slum Village "Fantastic Voyage vol.2"
Elzhi "The Preface"
Tanya Morgan "Brooklynatti"
Black Milk "Popular Demand"
Black Milk "Tronic"
Royce 5'9 "Death Is Certain"
Royce 5'9 "Street Hop"
Royce 5'9 "Bar Exam"
Finale & Spier "Develop"
Binary Star "MOTU"
One Be Lo "Sonogram"
Senim Silla "The name, the motto"
Tech 9 "Anghellic"
Tech 9 "Absolute Power"
Tech 9 "KOD"
Common "Be"
Common "Like Water For Chocolate"
Common "Resurrection"
Lupe Fiasco "Food & Liquor"
Lupe Fiasco "The Cool"
Dayton Family "FBI"
Obie Trice "Cheers"
Obie Trice "2nd Round's on Me"
Obie Trice "Special Reserve"
Unknown Prophets "Road Less Traveled"
Unknown Prophets "World Premier"
Big Jess "Good Clean Fun 2"
Vakill "Worst Fears Confirmed"
Vakill "Darkest Cloud'
Heiruspecs "Tiger Dancing"
Da Brat "Funkdafied"
Hi Tek/Kweli "Reflection Eternal"-I may be reaching here but Hi Tek is from Cincy.
All Natural "Vintage"
EuloRhythmics "Extended Play"
EuloRhythmics "Green St. & Avers"
Mood "Doom"
The Primeridian "Da All Nighta"
D12 "Devil's Night"
Astonish "From Now Until Forever"

That's 67 by my count. Take into account i'm leaving alot off of here too. There are plenty more dope album including more from Bone, Em, Tech 9, Atmosphere, etc............that i consider just a notch below the albums listed above.

Yep... plenty of dopeness on here and more not on here... good list E. Taylor.

One thing i'll add. With the midwest you don't have alot of unanimous classics. Most of them are in the 4-4.5 range. Doesn't mean there's no quality. I'd also argue that the midwest is the most diverse region with so many different styles.

E. Taylor wrote:

One thing i'll add. With the midwest you don't have alot of unanimous classics. Most of them are in the 4-4.5 range. Doesn't mean there's no quality. I'd also argue that the midwest is the most diverse region with so many different styles.

Now this I agree wtih. The midwest has no choice but to be diverse in sound. We are surrounded by so many different influences.

"Jean Grae "Jeanius""

Jean Grae's from NY, I believe...

Shaun wrote:

"Jean Grae "Jeanius""

Jean Grae's from NY, I believe...

I stand corrected. Don't know why i thought she was midwest.

Nice list E!

You definitely have some of my favorites on there.

If some of those even get nominated, I may just make a few votes on the midwest thread. lol

Just a few more that came to mind:

Iomas Marad "Go Head"
Finale "A Pipe Dream & A Promise"
Modill "Midnight Green"
Anything by J Dilla
Copperpot "Chapter 7
Wade Waters "Dark Water"-criminally slept on. If you haven't already then atleast give it a chance. Dope material.

E. Taylor wrote:

Wade Waters "Dark Water"-criminally slept on. If you haven't already then atleast give it a chance. Dope material.

Yup, I love that album. And nice midwest collection there Taylor.

Tung Twista-Runnin Off at the Mouth
Twista-Resurrection
Common-Electric Circus (YEAH I SAID IT! WORD TO BIG BIRD!)

Prozak-Tales From The Sick
King Sandman-King Of Hallucinations
King Sandman-No Secrets, No Lies
Grave Plott-Plott Thickens
Liquid Assassin-Apocolypse
POS-Never Better
POS-Ipecac Neat
POS-Audition
Bootleg-The Product
Bootleg-Death Before Dishonesty
Esham-Tongues
Natas-Multikillionaire
DMG-Rigormortiz
Soulcrate Music-Hearland Panic
Coo Coo Cal-Disturbed
Coo Coo Cal/Baby Drew-Kokaine Kowboyz
Shoestring-Representin Til The World Ends
Wildstyle-That Was Then, This Is Now

N3R0N0N Of 0nslaught3r wrote:

Prozak-Tales From The Sick
King Sandman-King Of Hallucinations
King Sandman-No Secrets, No Lies
Grave Plott-Plott Thickens
Liquid Assassin-Apocolypse
POS-Never Better
POS-Ipecac Neat
POS-Audition
Bootleg-The Product
Bootleg-Death Before Dishonesty
Esham-Tongues
Natas-Multikillionaire
DMG-Rigormortiz
Soulcrate Music-Hearland Panic
Coo Coo Cal-Disturbed
Coo Coo Cal/Baby Drew-Kokaine Kowboyz
Shoestring-Representin Til The World Ends
Wildstyle-That Was Then, This Is Now

how do you not mention Judgment Day??

I just ordered it, haven't heard the full thing yet. But good call.

Judgement Day...Esham album I presume?

Just because you can name a bunch of midwest albums do not mean they are that good. Half these albums mentioned are average-above average at best to me. Dayton Fam, Bro Ali, Common, Da Brat, DO or Die, DMG, Kanye, Breed, Twista, Em, and some others would make up my whole top 50 from this region...sorry.

How is that any goddamn different from Rap A Lot making your entire top 50 southern albums, Kev

N3R0N0N Of 0nslaught3r wrote:

How is that any goddamn different from Rap A Lot making your entire top 50 southern albums, Kev

Lies mofo all lies. But a the majority of albums that made my list for the south would be from RAL. No shame in that. But quality over quanity is the reason the south is kicking the midwest ass for me. And I got luv for the midwest so don't get it twisted.

KRob86 wrote:

Just because you can name a bunch of midwest albums do not mean they are that good. Half these albums mentioned are average-above average at best to me. Dayton Fam, Bro Ali, Common, Da Brat, DO or Die, DMG, Kanye, Breed, Twista, Em, and some others would make up my whole top 50 from this region...sorry.

C'Mon Kev, get the fuck outta here with that fucking bullshit!!!! (KJ Style)

Like you've heard even half of these albums. Please. Now you're just lying.

More Minnesota hip-hop albums that range from 4.25-5 stars (to me) that have not been listed yet.

Big Jess "Good Clean Fun" (2004)
Big Jess "High Rule" (2008)
Big Quarters "Cost of Living" (2007)
Death Ray Scientific "Death Ray Scientific" (2008)
Desdamona "The Source" (2007)
Down Lo & Deploi "In Our World"
Ernie Rhodes "The Orbital Effect" (2005)
Eyedea & Abilities "First Born" (2001)
Eyedea "The Many Faces Of Oliver Hart Or How Eye One The Write Too Think" (2002)
Felt "Felt 2: A Tribute to Lisa Bonet" (2005)
Heiruspecs "Small Steps" (2002)
Heiruspecs "Heiruspecs" (2008)
Kanser "It Wrote Itself" (2003)
Kanser "Kanser" (2005)
Kanser "Future Retro Legacy" (2008)
Knonam "Length Of The Blade" (2008)
Leroy Smokes "Love Hustle Theater" (2006)
Mr. Ruff "Struggle Hustle Love" (2006)
Oddjobs "Drums" (2002)
Semi Official "The Anti-Album" (2003)
Unknown Prophets "Now You Know" (2002)
Wide Eyes "Hands Tied" (2010...new addition...basically already a personal classic)
Zachariah (aka New MC of Kanser) "White Jesus" (2007)

Alan wrote:

C'Mon Kev, get the fuck outta here with that fucking bullshit!!!! (KJ Style)

LMAO, Big Ups for the Shout Out Pounds!!!

KJ Styles wrote:

Alan wrote:

C'Mon Kev, get the fuck outta here with that fucking bullshit!!!! (KJ Style)

LMAO, Big Ups for the Shout Out Pounds!!!

lol...it definitely fits here....

Damn Al, that list would look exactly like my list of Seattle hip hop. Lots of unknown gems.

Victor Shade wrote:

Damn Al, that list would look exactly like my list of Seattle hip hop. Lots of unknown gems.

Yeah man. Taylor already listed most of my favorites too. Those were the even lesser known gems. lol

But yeah, I've never been concerned with the Midwest being on the mainstream hip-hop map. I dig that underground sound.

Victor Shade wrote:

Damn Al, that list would look exactly like my list of Seattle hip hop. Lots of unknown gems.

No Tran, your list of Seattle Hip-Hop would be:

Blue Scholars - Blue Scholars
Blue Scholars - Bayani
Blue Scholars Mixtape Vol. 1 - DJ Tran
Blue Scholars Mixtape Vol. 2 - DJ Cuong
Blue Scholars Mix CD for Girl I am Stalking - Victor Shade
Songs that kind of sound like Blue Scholars Mixtape - DJ Tran

KRob86 wrote:

N3R0N0N Of 0nslaught3r wrote:

How is that any goddamn different from Rap A Lot making your entire top 50 southern albums, Kev

Lies mofo all lies. But a the majority of albums that made my list for the south would be from RAL. No shame in that. But quality over quanity is the reason the south is kicking the midwest ass for me. And I got luv for the midwest so don't get it twisted.

Until you prove me wrong, I'd really appreciate you shuttin the fuck up. Thanks.