It's On [Dr. Dre] 187um Killa (Ruthless, 1993) by Eazy-E

Dre's "Dre Day" video elevated hip-hop beef by taking diss records and making videos out of them.  However, Eazy responded on this album with "Real Muthaphuckkin G's" and the photo insert of Dre decked out in a doctor's outfit with the shiny stethoscope as part of the World Class Wreckin' Cru.  Eazy was also very good at blending humor with his gangsta appeal and  the humor is certainly apparent on "Gimmie That Nutt."

Eazy-Duz-It (Ruthless, 1988) by Eazy-E

Even though he supposedly had to punch-in line for line when recording his raps at times and had others pen his lyrics, Eazy still put it down for West Coast hip hop-specifically gangsta rap (the remix to "Boyz-n-the-Hood" is great).  If it weren't for Eazy paying money to meet with Jerry Heller and forming Ruthless Records, the course of hip hop would probably be very different.  Cube was a superior rapper, but Eazy-E was the wild one and the character of N.W.A. Eazy had perverse humor, and that worked well to counter some of the harder-edged violent material.  This album, with Dre's trademark bass-lines and Cube's writing, make for a solid set.  In my opinion, for all intents and purposes, Eazy-Duz-It belongs in N.W.A's catalogue just as much as it does in Eazy's.

Straight Outta Compton (Ruthless, 1988) by N.W.A

The impact of this album can not be overstated.  There also is not anything that I can say about it that has not already been said.  Public Enemy challenged the establishment; N.W.A destroyed it.  They exercised free speech and, as a result of it, got a letter from the F.B.I.  "Straight Outta Compton" set a new precedent for gangsta rap.  "Fuck Tha Police" said what so many people wanted to, but were either afraid or did not have a microphone.  And "Gangsta Gangsta" and "Dopeman" painted pictures of life and situations in existence on the tough Compton streets.  But more than that, it spoke for everyone who was screaming to be heard from a place of struggle.  This album forever changed music and we are all better for it.

Efil4zaggin (Ruthless, 1991) by N.W.A

N.W.A was never the same after Ice Cube left the group.  And even though this album is less culturally significant than Straight Outta Compton, the production value of it makes it noteworthy.  Lyrically, the content is absolutely repugnant.  However, the rhymes are so outlandish that one would be foolish to take them seriously.  But Efil4zaggin is a precursor to The Chronic in its sound.  And even though The Chronic is better, Efil4zaggin put hardcore hip-hop at the top of the pop charts for the first time and properly introduced the world to the G-Funk era.    {Writer's note: Because of Internet connection issues, I was unable to post yesterday, 3/17, and so I am posting twice today on 3/18.  I apologize for any confusion and/or inconvenience.}