The Best Hip-Hop Albums of 1988

1. Public Enemy — "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" ★★★★★

2. NWA — "Straight Outta Compton" ★★★★★

3. Eric B. & Rakim — "Follow the Leader" ★★★★☆

4. Big Daddy Kane — "Long Live the Kane" ★★★★☆

5. Slick Rick — "The Great Adventures of Slick Rick" ★★★★☆

6. EPMD — "Strictly Business" ★★★★☆

7. Eazy-E — "Eazy-Duz-It" ★★★★☆

8. Boogie Down Productions — "By All Means Necessary" ★★★★☆

9. Ultramagnetic MC's — "Critical Beatdown" ★★★★☆

10. Marley Marl — "In Control, Volume 1" ★★★★

11. MC Lyte — "Lyte as a Rock" ★★★★

12. Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew — "The World's Greatest Entertainer" ★★★★

13. Ice-T— "Power" ★★★★

14. Jungle Brothers — "Straight Out the Jungle" ★★★★

15. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince — "He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper" ★★★★

16. Too $hort — "Life is... Too Short" ★★★★

17. Run-D.M.C. — "Tougher Than Leather" ★★★★

18. Biz Markie — "Goin' Off" ★★★★

19. The Beatnigs — "The Beatnigs" ★★★☆

20. Lakim Shabazz — "Pure Righteousness" ★★★☆

21. Tuff Crew — "Danger Zone" ★★★☆

22. King T — "Act a Fool" ★★★☆

23. M.C. Shan — "Born to Be Wild" ★★★☆

24. Two Live Crew — "Move Somthin'" ★★★☆

25. The Real Roxanne — "The Real Roxanne" ★★★☆

26. AAVV — "Colors" ★★★☆

27. Kid 'n Play — "2 Hype" ★★★

28. Gary Clail's Takhead Sound Systemy — "Tackhead Tape Time" ★★★

29. Sweet Tee — "It's Tee Time" ★★★

30. J.V.C. F.O.R.C.E. — "Doin' Damage" ★★★

31. Stetsasonic — "In Full Gear" ★★★

32. Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud — "Girls I Got 'Em Locked" ★★★

33. AAVV — "The First Priority Music Family: Basement Flavor" ★★★

34. Tall Dark & Handsome — "Tall Dark & Handsome" ★★★

35. Schoolly D — "Smoke Some Kill" ★★★

36. Salt 'n' Pepa — "A Salt with a Deadly Pepa" ★★★

37. AAVV — "Rhyme Syndicate Comin' Through" ★★★

38. The 45 King — "Master of the Game" ★★★

39. Steady B — "Let the Hustlers Play" ★★★

40. Derek B — "Bullet from a Gun" ★★★

41. Masters of Ceremony — "Dynamite" ★★★

42. Fila Fresh Crew — "Tuffest Man Alive" ★★★

43. MC Shy-D — "Comin' Correct in 88" ★★★

44. Sparky D — "This Is Sparky D's World" ★★★

45. Alliance — "We Could Get Used to This" ★★★

46. Bass Patrol — "Rock This Planet" ★★★

47. Royal Flush — "Uh Oh!" ★★★

48. Miami Boyz — "Getting Off" ★★★

49. L'Trimm — "Grab It!" ★★☆

50. Cold Crush Brothers — "Troopers" ★★☆

51. Known Rulers — "Paper Chase" ★★☆

52. The 7A3 — "Coolin' in Cali" ★★☆

53. Asher D & Daddy Freddy — "Ragamuffin Hip-Hop" ★★☆

54. Busy Bee — "Running Thangs" ★★☆

55. MC Cool Rock & MC Chaszy Chess — "Boot the Booty" ★★☆

56. J.J. Fad — "Supersonic" ★★☆

57. Kurtis Blow — "Back by Popular Demand" ★★☆

58. Shinehead — "Unity" ★★☆

59. Sir Mix-a-Lot — "Swass" ★★☆

60. Def IV — "Nice & Hard" ★★☆

61. Audio Two — "What More Can I Say?" ★★☆

62. Mantronix — "In Full Effect" ★★

63. Skinny Boys — "Skinny (They Can't Get Enough)" ★★

64. Original Concept — "Straight from the Basement of Kooley High!" ★★

65. Finesse & Synquis — "Soul Sisters" ★★

66. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five — "On the Strength" ★★

67. Rodney O & Joe Cooley — "Me and Joe" ★★

68. Rod Base & DJ E-Z Rock — "It Takes Two" ★★

69. Chubb Rock featuring Hitman Howie Tee — "Chubb Rock featuring Hitman Howie Tee" ★★

70. Anquette — "Respect" ★★

71. Cash Money & Marvelous — "Where's the Party At?" ★★

72. Ghetto Boys — "Making Trouble" ★☆

73. Fat Boys — "Coming Back Hard Again" ★☆

74. Raheem — "The Vigilante" ★☆

75. M.C. Hammer — "Let's Get It Started" ★☆