The king of the cut up DJ Yoda will be joining us at Bestival for a special Classic Album Sundays session. Ahead of his appearance we caught up with him to find out his Top Five Hip Hop Albums Of All Time.
This is the first hip-hop album I can remember becoming totally obsessed with. Big Daddy Kane could still take out every rapper in existence, 25 years after this album was released. I even love the gimmicky “hip-house” track on this album.
2. Biz Markie – The Biz Never Sleeps
Biz was the first to really nail humour in hip-hop as far as I’m concerned. Every track on this album is brilliant, even though the subject matter ranges from body odour to transvestites.
3. De La Soul – Three Feet High And Rising
Completely defined the idea of sampling for all generations to come. There were others out there doing it (Steinski, Coldcut, the DMC DJs), but Prince Paul was the first to put this into an album format successfully. Beyond influential.
4. Nas – Illmatic
Such a short and perfect album – despite a different producer on virtually every track, the whole thing remains unbelievably coherent. Nas was directing lyrical movies with each song.
5. Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders
Watch: Classic Album Sundays and DJ Yoda on A Tribe Called Quest ‘Midnight Marauders’ at Bestival