Murder Was the Case Soundtrack (Death Row, 1994) by various

I remember I bought this album on my 8th grade East Coast trip in the summer of 2001.  Blink-182 had released a new LP too (props to them as well), and while many of my classmates purchased that, I rushed to the rap section and found this older release.  "Murder Was the Case" is one of Snoop's best songs ever, and the remix does it justice.  The biggest deal of the release though is "Natural Born Killaz"- a great reunion of Ice Cube and Dr. Dre.  Other noteworthy tracks are Nate Dogg's "One More Day" and Jodeci's "Come Up to My Room."  I remember on the last night of the trip, I listened to the album non-stop and burned through an entire set of batteries on my portable CD player.  Good times.

Doggystyle (Death Row, 1993) by Snoop Dogg

This is one of my all-time favorite albums.  In my opinion, it is superior to The Chronic [but that is and always will be a masterpiece of an album that forever changed hip hop and music production].  Dre's trademark flawless G-funk sound is still here, but the lyrics aren't as blatantly aggressive.  Not to say the "parental advisory" sticker isn't warranted, but repeating Snoop's name for a chorus will probably hold up better than "Bitches ain't shit" for one.  Also, as far as rapping flow, Snoop is better than Dre.  It is the perfect party album.  It has gangsta swagger with pop sensibilities.  Snoop's laid back delivery is a great match for Dre's beats; they complement each other well.  "Bitch Please," "Still D.R.E." and "The Next Episode" are all fantastic, but the two of them haven't sounded this good together since.

Tha Doggfather (Death Row, 1996) by Snoop Dogg

Dr. Dre's absence on Snoop's sophomore album is very apparent.  However, the album still has a few very strong points.  Just like his cover of old school hip-hop on Doggystyle with "Lodi Dodi", the homage continues on Tha Doggfather with "Vapors".  "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" is a great party record, as well as "Groupie".  The latter is good, but is clearly a "Ain't No Fun" part 2.  Lyrically, Snoop is very much a party MC.  Yet, at the end of the second verse on the title track, he addresses the situation that probably delayed the album and could've forever changed Snoop's life and West coast rap had the outcome been different: "You know I ain't tryin' ta floss/But uh, (Murder, murder, murder) was the case that they lost/I'm Tha DoggFather."

All Eyez on Me (Death Row, 1996) by 2Pac

The amazing thing about this album is how quickly it was recorded (just over two weeks).  I believe this 2-disc set is a wonderful testament to Pac's amazing work ethic and his ability to rapidly put together quality material.  Although, there is some filler.  From a production perspective, it is some of the best music Pac has ever rhymed over.  Me Against the World was the first time that 2Pac had tracks intense enough to compete with his subject matter, but All Eyez on Me was able to match his attitude at the time as well.  "Ambitionz Az a Ridah", "Can't C Me", and "How Do U Want It" are all incredible.  "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" was masterful timing and I think it's great that Snoop still performs that song so many years later (that hologram was cool at Coachella too).  My favorite song, however, is "Life Goes On".  It is, in my opinion, one of Tupac's most emotional songs (props to "Unconditional Love" as well) and one of my all-time favorite records.

The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (Death Row, 1996) by 2Pac [a/k/a Makaveli]

"I ain't a killer, but don't push me/Revenge is like the sweetest joy next to gettin' pussy/Picture paragraphs unloaded, wise words bein' quoted/Peeped the weakness in the rap game, and sewed it/Bow down, pray to God hoping that he's listenin'/ Seein' niggaz comin' for me, to my diamonds, when they glistenin'/Now pay attention, rest in peace father/ 'm a ghost in these killin' fields/Hail Mary catch me if I go, let's go deep inside/The solitary mind, of a madman who screams/In the dark, evil lurks, enemies, see me flee/Activate my hate, let it break, to the flame/Set trip, empty out my clip, never stop to aim/ Some say the game is all corrupted, fucked in this shit/Stuck, niggaz is lucky if we bust out this shit/Plus, mama told me never stop until I bust a nut/Fuck the world, if they can't adjust/It's just as well, Hail Mary"

                                                                                                                                                                  -2Pac, "Hail Mary"

Greatest Hits (Amaru, 1998) by 2Pac

Greatest hits albums are usually terrible.  Not that the actual music is bad, but it is just a collection of hits with a few rush-recorded tracks by an artist to fulfill a contractual obligation.  Therefore, there is very little incentive to purchase them if you are already a fan of the artist.  However, in this case, there is an exception.  2Pac was a prolific writer and recorder.  There are four unreleased tracks here (as well as the original version of "California Love").  And some of the unreleased tracks are the best ones on this 2-CD set ("Unconditional Love" and "Changes").  The sequencing of the compilation is also done well and the album provides a well-rounded glimpse into the mind of one of the most amazing artists that hip-hop will ever see.  {Writer's note: Because of a family emergency, I was unable to post for multiple days and so I am posting multiple times now to make up for it.  I apologize for any confusion and/or inconvenience.}

The Chronic (Death Row, 1992) by Dr. Dre

There is nothing I can say about this album that has not already been said.  It is a masterpiece.  Snoop Dogg's laid-back flow is a perfect match for the melodic production.  I have never heard dirty music sound so clean.  And as a result of Dr. Dre's innovative board work, hardcore hip-hop is able to cross over to Top 40.  Put simply, The Chronic changed popular music and its influence only continues to increase over time.  Now if only I could get away with pulling a beautiful woman's bikini top off while "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" plays in the background (just kidding).