10 Dope Rap Acts Who Could Not Top Their Freshman Albums

It’s hard to top a classic album, even if that classic was the artist’s debut. It almost seems like a given that, as time progresses, an artist would get better at their craft and be able to put out better and better material. However, for whatever reason, that is rarely the case.

Even with some of the rap game’s most heralded artists: just ask Nas, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent and several other rappers who have yet to surpass the critical acclaim they received on albums they dropped when they were still wet behind the ears in the game. Record sales aside, here are 10 exceptional rap acts who tried and tried, but couldn’t top the magic of their first LPs.

Feel free to tell us who we missed, or how wrong you think we are.

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Photo: Lisa Leone

Snoop Dogg
Freshman Opus: Doggystyle
# of tries: 10
Close but no Cohiba: The Doggfather

Snoop Dogg is another rapper whose inability to top his freshman opus hasn’t meant a damn thing in the public’s eye. Maybe it is because his first album was so great that people really don’t give a sh#t about the other careers worth of trash albums he’s put out. But how can you blame them? Doggystyle is one of the most influential West coast album of all time. Then again, is it even possible to top something like that?

Capone-N-Noreaga
Freshman Opus: The War Report
# of tries: 3
Close but no Cohiba: The Reunion

This is some of the hardest sh#t that ever came out of NYC. This is the sh#t that had me thinking New York was on some third-world, hell on earth sh#t, for real. And I loved every second of it. From start to finish, The War Report was some of the grittiest street music ever put on wax. The guttural soundscapes combined with CNN’s matter-of-fact street content was every hardened thug’s soundtrack to life. To add to the lore, the album was mostly put together with Capone behind bars and it still turned out to be uncut dope. Then Pone came home. The Reunion has its moments (really just a couple). And those other two albums, well, they came out. But when TWR dropped, CNN was T.O.N.Y.

Nas
Freshman Opus: Illmatic
# of tries: 8
Close but no Cohiba: It Was Written

You know the story. In 1993, Nas dropped arguably the greatest debut album of all time. Ever! It was 10 tracks (nine and an intro) of some of the rawest raps ever put in physical form with production from some of the best in the game. This album is a perfect 10 from top to bottom. Since then, Nas has not been able to harness the greatness that was Illmatic. Whatever you blame it on, beat selection, beef, personal problems, setting the bar too high, Nas has yet to reach the same LP magic. It Was Written is a close second. But since then, buying a Nas album is like blindly picking candy out of a grab bag. You could get a Snickers. But you might f-ck around and get licorice or some sh#t. Maybe it was all that snuffing Jesus talk.

Dr. Dre
Freshman Opus: The Chronic
# of tries: 1
Close but no Cohiba: 2001

Most of the people on this list aren’t here because of lack of trying. But when it comes to Hip-Hop’s P.T. Barnum aka Dr. Dre, it’s a different story. After dropping the classic, The Chronic in 1992 and following up seven years later with the almost equally satisfying 2001, Dre has been playing us for the sucker every since. At this point, Dre could drop the greatest album of all time and not a single f0ck would be given on my behalf, just off principal. But listening to these subpar singles he has put out recently, that will more than likely not be the case.

Ghostface Killah
Freshman Opus: Ironman
# of tries: 8
Close but no Cohiba: Supreme Clientele, Fishscale

Ghostface Killah’s catalog aint no ho, not in the least bit. He has come mighty damn close to topping his first LP, but, if you ask me, no cigar. Ironman was just THAT album. But honestly you could interchange two or three albums in the top position depending on which way the wind blows and you couldn’t go wrong. Ironman just had that magic. It was a perfect combination of RZA beats and picture-painting rhymes from Tony Starks and the rest of the crew. A cohesive collection unmatched by following albums. Not by much though, nah mean.

Goodie Mobb
Freshman Opus: Soul Food
# of tries: 3
Close but no Cohiba: Still Standing

Goodie Mob’s debut Soul Food was a hearty meal. Stuffed full with tasty morsels of introspect and a wholesome filling of the Southern way of living in musical form. Their second LP, Still Standing goes hard in the paint, but is still a slight step down. When I’m hungry for some great Goodie tunes, Soul Food gets the nod every time. I’m not even going to mention that World Party, album. Yes I am. (Men of Film voice) “Hated It!!”

50 Cent
Freshman Opus: Get Rich or Die Tryin’
# of tries: 3
Close but no Cohiba: The Massacre

When GRODT dropped, Fif was fresh off turning the mixtape world upside down. The hype was there. The mystique was there (cats wanted to know why ninjas had previously used Curtis’ face for target practice). The intriguing beef was there (50 had Ja Rule in the virtual headlock). And Mr. Jackson delivered with a classic album. There’s no denying that. But since then, no matter how much isht he talks, how many evil villain laughs unleashes or veiled publicity stunts he pulls out of his azz, none of his subsequent albums have matched the collection of tracks on Get Rich.

Raekwon
Freshman Opus: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…
# of tries: 4
Close but no Cohiba: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Part II

Raekwon’s debut OB4CL aka “The Purple Tape” is musical perfection, period. And how do you top that? You don’t. And Raekwon hasn’t. This is another situation were an artist unintentionally set the bar too high. While OBCL2 was drop, none of the albums in the Chef’s catalog truly comes close to recapturing allure of the OG. And probably no future albums will either.

Young Jeezy
Freshman Opus: Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101
# of tries: 3
Close but no Cohiba: The Recession

TM101 is a coke boy classic. The thundering beats, unheard of drug innuendo and Jeezy’s raspy Southern drawl made for one of the best albums of the 2000s. Da Snowman hasn’t been able to whip up a pie that numbs music fans’ faces that same way since. Don’t get me wrong, all of Jeezy’s album have been (crack) rock solid. But nothing gets the dope boys going crazier than TM101.

Jay-Z
Freshman opus: Reasonable Doubt
# of tries: 9
Close but no Cohiba: The Blueprint

“Can’t Knock The Hustle,” “Politics as Usual,” “Brooklyn’s Finest,” “Dead Presidents II,” “Feeling It,” “D’ Evils” (pulls Gucci bucket over face) and that’s just the first half of the album, in order. This LP was pure unadulterated perfection. Jay’s style was impeccable, and the beats were impregnable, word to Iron Mike. However, Hov has been yet to top this album pinnacle since. It’s not like it has mattered. Jay has become one of the most popular rappers in the world, gone on to put out a record breaking 11 Billboard topping CDs and has parlayed his popularity into beaucoup business ventures. But when it comes to albums, it gets no better than RD. The Blueprint, which came out six years and three solo albums later, is a close second. But aint no Jigga like the one on Reasonable.