'Ready to Die' Tops Rolling Stone's List of 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time

Notorious B.I.G.'s 1994 magnum opus "Ready to Die" took the top spot on Rolling Stone's recently published list of the 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time.

While it seems that few would argue against the validity of the magazine's pick for No. 1 — or at least the fact that the deceased Brooklyn Bard should be in contention for the coveted spot —the rest of the list drew immediate criticism from fans of the genre following its release Tuesday.

"Look, I get that lists are subjective but Rolling Stone's top 200 hip hop albums is f*cking ridiculous," Andreas Hale wrote on Twitter, citing Cardi B's "Invasion of Privacy" claiming the No. 16 spot as an example.

Look, I get that lists are subjective but Rolling Stone's top 200 hip hop albums is f*cking ridiculous. Any list that has Cardi B's "Invasion of Privacy" ranked higher than "Illmatic," "Midnight Marauders," "Aquemini" and "Doggystyle" is null and void.

— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) June 7, 2022

He added, "Any list that has Cardi B's 'Invasion of Privacy' ranked higher than 'Illmatic,' 'Midnight Marauders,' 'Aquemini' and 'Doggystyle' is null and void."

Other fans piled on the list as well. 

Shawn Edwards, a former journalist with bylines in the hip-hop bible The Source,  called the entire list bullsh—t. 

"I WANT my culture back!" Edwards posted on Twitter. "I’m highly insulted! About to fly to their offices and pull an @icecube!"

I WANT my culture back! @RollingStone’s list of the 200 Best Hip Hop albums is egregious! The entire list is bullshit. As a former journalist who wrote for the @TheSource I’m highly insulted! About to fly to their offices and pull an @icecube!#rollingstone #hiphop #thesource

— Shawn Edwards (@sedwardskc) June 7, 2022

this screenshot alone invalidates the rolling stone top 200 rap albums of all time pic.twitter.com/FD6YhDoTDp

— Kyan (@Kyan__223) June 7, 2022

For its part, the magazine said, the rich history of rap LPs forced its panel to make some painful choices, describing their methodology as such:

"When confronted with a choice between the third (or fourth or fifth) record by a classic artist (Outkast, for instance, or A Tribe Called Quest) and an album from an artist who would make the list more interesting (The Jacka or Saba or Camp Lo), we tended to go with the latter option. The result was a list that touches on every important moment in the genre’s evolution — from compilations that honor the music’s paleo old-school days, to its artistic flourishing in the late Eighties and early Nineties with Public Enemy, De La Soul, Eric B. and Rakim and others, through the gangsta era, the rise of the South, the ascendance of larger-than-life aughts superstars like Jay-Z and Kanye West and Nicki Minaj, and on and on into more recent moments like blog-rap, emo-rap, and drill, from New York to L.A. to Houston to Chicago, and beyond."

The top 50 albums are posted below:

1. The Notorious B.I.G. - 'Ready to Die' (1994)

2. Outkast - 'Stankonia' (2000)

3. Jay-Z - 'The Blueprint' (2001)

4. Public Enemy - 'It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back' (1988)

5. Kendrick Lamar - 'To Pimp a Butterfly' (2015)

6. Kanye West - 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' (2010)

7. Missy Elliott - 'Miss E... So Addictive' (2001)

8. Wu-Tang Clan - 'Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)' (1993)

9. A Tribe Called Quest - 'The Low End Theory' (1991)

10. Lauryn Hill - 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill' (1998)

11. Drake - 'Take Care' (2011)

12. Clipse - 'Lord Willin' ' (2002)

13. Dr. Dre - '2001' (1999)

14. Ghostface Killah - 'Supreme Clientele' (2000)

15. Eric B. and Rakim - 'Paid in Full' (1987)

16. Cardi B - 'Invasion of Privacy' (2018)

17. Kanye West - 'Yeezus' (2013)

18. Madvillain - 'Madvillainy' (2004)

19. Lil Kim - 'Hard Core' (1996)

20. Future - 'DS2' (2015)

21. Lil Wayne - 'Da Drought 3' (2007)

22. DMX - 'It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot' (1998)

23. UGK - 'Ridin' Dirty' (1996)

24. Nas - 'Illmatic' (1994)

25. Eminem - 'The Marshall Mathers LP' (2000)

26. Jay-Z - 'Reasonable Doubt' (1996)

27. Outkast - 'Aquemini' (1998)

28. Mobb Deep - 'The Infamous' (1995)

29. 2Pac - 'All Eyez on Me' (1996)

30. Beastie Boys - 'Paul’s Boutique' (1989)

31. Nicki Minaj - 'Pink Friday' (2010)

32. Chief Keef - 'Finally Rich' (2012)

33. De La Soul - '3 Feet High and Rising' (1989)

34. Various Artists - 'The Sugar Hill Records Story' (1997)

35. Snoop Doggy Dogg - 'Doggystyle' (1993)

36. Chance the Rapper - 'Acid Rap' (2013)

37. Raekwon - 'Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...' (1995)

38. Kendrick Lamar - 'good kid - m.A.A.d city' (2012)

39. Lil Wayne - 'The Carter III' (2008)

40. Dr. Dre - 'The Chronic' (1992)

41. Kanye West - 'Late Registration' (2005)

42. Big Daddy Kane - 'Long Live the Kane' (1988)

43. Run-D.M.C. - 'Run-D.M.C.' (1984)

44. Genius/GZA - 'Liquid Swords' (1995)

45. LL Cool J - 'Mama Said Knock You Out' (1990)

46. Tyler, the Creator - 'Call Me If You Get Lost' (2021)

47. Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott - 'Supa Dupa Fly'

48. J Dilla - 'Donuts' (2006)

49. N.W.A - 'Straight Outta Compton' (1988)

50. EPMD - 'Strictly Business' (1988)

Murder-Suicide Takes the Life of Acclaimed Producer Metro Boomin's Mother

Photo Credit: Twitter

Leslie Joanne Wayne with her son Metro Boomin.

Leslie Joanne Wayne, the mother of famed hip-hop producer and DJ, Metro Boomin, was the victim of a
murder-suicide perpetrated by her husband over the weekend.

TMZ broke the story with sources connected to the investigation telling the outlet that Wayne appears to have been murdered by her spouse — not Metro's father — Friday night outside of Atlanta.

Representatives for the 28-year-old artist confirmed the death and requested privacy for the artist, whose real name is Leland Tyler Wayne, and his family during this difficult time.

Metro Boomin, whose chart-topping work with artists like Drake, Kanye West, 21 Savage and many more has made him one of the most sought-after producers in the business, credited his mother with much of his success.

He recalled her encouraging his music career and even driving 17 hours from their home in St. Louis to Atlanta every weekend to work with OJ Da Juiceman who helped hone and develop him as a producer.

In a 2016 profile for The FADER, Metro Boomin said his mother drove him 17 hours from their home in St. Louis to Atlanta to meet OJ Da Juiceman who, in turn, helped him grow as a producer.

"My name is Leland Tyler Wayne,” he told the publication of his mother who he described as a warmhearted, protective woman, whose support and care knows no limits. “My mom wanted to give me a name where, no matter what I wanted to do, I’d be able to do it. An astronaut. President. Whatever. Leland Wayne.”

The name of Wayne's spouse has not been released and an autopsy is being conducted to determine the official cause of death.

Suspect Named in Shooting Death of Atlanta Rapper Trouble

Photo Credit: Rockdale County Sheriff's Office

Jamichael Jones is wanted in connection with the 

the murder of Atlanta rapper Trouble.  

Atlanta rapper Trouble, who broke onto the scene with the breakout hit "Bussin" on his 2011 debut
mixtape "December 17th" and was best known for his collaborations with some of the biggest names in hip-hop, is dead at 34.

According to the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, the artist, whose real name is Mariel Semonte Orr and was also known as Skoob, was shot and killed Sunday morning in Rockdale County.

In a news release, officials said deputies from the office responded to the Lake St. James apartment complex located at 50 St. James Dr. in Conyers, Georgia, after reports of a shooting around 3:20 a.m.

Once there, police discovered Orr lying on the ground from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a hospital for treatment and was later pronounced dead.

An arrest warrant has been issued for 33-year-old Jamichael Jones in connection with the murder which may have been triggered by a domestic dispute.

“What we know and what I can tell you is that with Mr. Mariel Orr which is the victim was visiting a female friend at the complex and Mr. Jamichael Jones did know the female and it was a domestic situation,” Rockdale County Public Information Officer Jedidia Canty said. “I know there are a lot of people that are really upset right now about the situation.”

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A post shared by Def Jam Recordings®️ (@defjam)

Trouble's label, Def Jam Recordings, mourned the rapper's death on its official Instagram account.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the children, loved ones, and fans of Trouble. A true voice for his city and an inspiration to the community he proudly represented. RIP Skoob,” the label posted.

Following his mixtape success with "December 17th" (ranked number 23 on Complex’s “The 25 Best Mixtapes of 2011” ), he was named to XXL magazine’s list of “15 Atlanta Rappers You Should Know” in 2013 and eventually produced two studio albums "Edgewood" in 2018 and "Thug Luv" in 2020.

It was his collaborations with platinum artists like Drake, The Weekend and other Atlanta rappers such as the Migos that made him a star.

Several of them turned to social media to mourn his death Sunday. 

And I woke up to rip trouble…. Everybody texting be careful! Smh rip fam!!!! https://t.co/P9Kebuct9p

— MeekMill (@MeekMill) June 5, 2022

R.I.P. Trouble 😔

— Gucci Mane (@gucci1017) June 5, 2022

Prolific producer Mike Will Made-It, who signed Trouble to a record deal on his label Ear Drummer Records in 2017 and served as executive producer on his debut album "Edgewood," wrote that "Trouble’s personality lit up a room and his conversation left you more creative then when you walked in,” in his Instagram Stories. 

He added, "His accent, dialect, and charisma were of constant discussion when we spoke; usually chats full of laughter.”