It's a Big Daddy Thing (Cold Chillin', 1989) by Big Daddy Kane

This is a phenomenal Hip-Hop album that certified Kane's status as one of the greatest.  His flow is absolutely incredible and the playboy persona that he brought to "Smooth Operator" and "Pimpin' Ain't Easy" made for great charisma.  I also give Jay-Z a lot of props for rhyming over the "Young, Gifted, and Black" beat on The S. Carter Collection mixtape and keeping his relevance known to younger audiences.  Big Daddy Kane is one of the best rappers ever and this is one of the reasons why. 

4, 5, 6 (Cold Chillin', 1995) by Kool G. Rap

Lyrically and rap-wise, this album is incredible.  Kool G. Rap is one of the best rappers ever period.  His multi-syllablic rhymes allow him to fit an incredible amount of words into every bar without rapping too fast beyond comprehension.  As far as production, Dr. Butcher produces a lot of the album's material.  However, his beats aren't quite on par with what G. Rap has rhymed over in the past.  The album's highlight is the Buckwild-produced "Fast Life" which features Nas and makes better use of the Surface sample than R. Kelly would three years later on "Only the Loot Can Make Me Happy."

Looks Like a Job For... (Cold Chillin', 1993) by Big Daddy Kane

In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated hip hop albums ever.  Kane's beat selection makes a smooth transition into the 90s with the assistance of the then unknown Trackmasters production duo.  "Very Special" is a decent love song, and makes up for the stumbles that Prince of Darkness presented with its more soulful approach to the same subject matter.  The title track and "How U Get a Record Deal?" present a very strong opening to the album and "N****z Never Learn" has one of Kane's most incredible flows at the end of the record. When the beat drops out and one of the G.O.A.T. delivers an a cappella rhyme, it is nothing short of astounding.

Long Live the Kane (Cold Chillin', 1988) by Big Daddy Kane

Big Daddy Kane's debut album raised the bar for emceeing.  His flow and wordplay were unmatched.  "Ain't No Half Steppin'," "Raw" and "Set It Off" are all hip hop classics.  Not surprising Marley Marl's production is great here all the way trough-from track 1 to 10.  The only misstep on this album was "The Day You're Mine."  It was a cheesy attempt at a hip hop love song.  The record easily could've been left on the cutting room floor.  Taken as a whole though, this album is a highlight from hip hop's Golden Age and one of the reasons that Big Daddy Kane is still used as a barometer to measure greatness when it comes to rapping over 20 years later.

Live and Let Die (Cold Chillin', 1992) by Kool G. Rap & D.J. Polo

In the 90s, it was Biggie, Jay-Z, or Nas.  And in the 80s, it was Rakim, Kane, or G. Rap.  And even though G. Rap did not sell in the millions- what he lacked in sales, he more than made up for in influence.  He pioneered multi-syllabic rhyming and his descriptive street narratives were definitely a first as well.  This is also one of my favorite album covers too.  Two cops tied to nooses while standing on chairs that are attached to dogs.  G. Rap and Polo are then standing just out of the dogs' reach with pieces of meat.  Guess what happens next?