The Best Hip-Hop Albums of 1989

1. The D.O.C. — "No One Can Do It Better" ★★★★★

2. De La Soul — "3 Feet High and Rising" ★★★★★

3. Beastie Boys — "Paul's Boutique" ★★★★★

4. Ghetto Boys — "Grip It! On That Other Level" ★★★★☆

5. Low Profile — "We're in This Together" ★★★★☆

6. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo — "Road to the Riches" ★★★★☆

7. Jungle Brothers — "Done by the Forces of Nature" ★★★★☆

8. Boogie Down Productions — "Ghetto Music: The Blueprint of Hip Hop" ★★★★☆

9. Big Daddy Kane — "It's a Big Daddy Thing" ★★★★

10. Ice-T — "The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech... Just Watch What You Say" ★★★★

11. Tuff Crew — "Back to Wreck Shop" ★★★★

12. MC Lyte — "Eyes on This" ★★★★

13. Schoolly D — "Am I Black Enough for You?" ★★★★

14. Queen Latifah — "All Hail the Queen" ★★★★

15. Kool Moe Dee — "Knowledge is King" ★★★☆

16. Stezo — "Crazy Noise" ★★★☆

17. Gang Starr — "No More Mr. Nice Guy" ★★★★

18. 3rd Bass — "The Cactus Album" ★★★★

19. Tone-Lōc — "Lōc-Ed After Dark" ★★★☆

20. Chill Rob G — "Ride the Rhythm" ★★★☆

21. Kwamé featuring a New Beginning — "The Boy Genius" ★★★☆

22. EPMD — "Unfinished Business" ★★★☆

23. Nice & Smooth — "Nice & Smooth" ★★★☆

24. L.L. Cool J — "Walking with a Panther" ★★★☆

25. Divine Styler — "Word Power" ★★★☆

26. Neneh Cherry — "Raw Like Sushi" ★★★☆

27. D.J. Chuck Chillout & Kool Chip — "Masters of the Rhythm" ★★★☆

28. Maggotron — "The Invasion Will Not Be Televised (Cos We Don't Have a Video)" ★★★☆

29. Special Ed — "Youngest in Charge" ★★★☆

30. Breeze — "The Young Son of No One" ★★★☆

31. Jazzy Jay — "Cold Chillin in the Studio Live" ★★★☆

32. Priority One — "Total Chaos" ★★★☆

33. AAVV — "The Miami Bass Express" ★★★☆

34. Roxanne Shanté — "Bad Sister" ★★★

35. Young MC — "Stone Cold Rhymin'" ★★★

36. Willie Dee — "Controversy" ★★★

37. The New Style — "Independent Leaders" ★★★

38. Chubb Rock with Howie Tee — "And the Winner Is..." ★★★

39. Freddie Foxxx — "Freddie Foxxx Is Here" ★★★

40. Donald D — "Notorious" ★★★

41. Vicious Beat Posse — "Legalized Dope" ★★★

42. AAVV — "Compton Compilation Sound Control Mob" ★★★

43. Def Jef — "Just a Poet with Soul" ★★★

44. Gregory "D" & D.J. Mannie Fresh — ""D" Rules the World" ★★★

45. Jaz — "Word to the Jaz" ★★★

46. Stereo MC's — "33-45-78" ★★★

47. Success-N-Effect — "In Tha Hood" ★★★

48. Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five — "Piano" ★★★

49. Heavy D & The Boyz — "Big Tyme" ★★★

50. Nu-Sounds — "Mackin'" ★★★

51. Too Brown — "Takin No Shorts" ★★★

52. DJ Magic Mike — "DJ Magic Mike & The Royal Posse" ★★★

53. Sir Mix-a-Lot — "Seminar" ★★★

54. Mellow Man Ace — "Escape from Havana" ★★☆

55. King Sun — "XL" ★★☆

56. Maestro Fresh Wes — "Symphony in Effect" ★★☆

57. Ms. Melodie — "Diva" ★★☆

58. Cool C — "I Gotta Habit" ★★☆

59. Steady B — "Going Steady" ★★☆

60. Biz Markie — "The Biz Never Sleeps" ★★☆

61. Black Rock & Ron — "Stop the World" ★★☆

62. Three Times Dope — "Original Stylin'" ★★☆

63. Just-Ice — "The Desolate One" ★★☆

64. Antoinette — "Who's the Boss?" ★★☆

65. T La Rock — "On a Warpath" ★★

66. MC ADE — "How Much Can You Take" ★★

67. Dawn of the Maggozulu — "Maggozulu Too" ★★

68. Rob Base — "The Incredible Base" ★★

69. L'Trimm — "Drop That Bottom" ★★

70. Gigolo Tony — "Ain't It Good to Ya" ★★

71. 2 Live Crew — "As Nasty as They Wanna Be" ★★

72. Arabian Prince — "Brother Arab" ★☆

73. Fat Boys — "On and On" ★☆

74. Wrecks-N-Effect — "Wrecks-N-Effect" ★☆

75. Craig G — "The Kingpin" ★