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Weekly updates


The debut album; next to childbirth it has to be the most gruelling experience anyone, man or woman, can face. Just like a child, debut albums can bring both great joy and soul crushing disappointment. Ask perennial underdog Canibus. His 1998 album is still haunting him, despite releasing the classic-worthy ‘Rip the Jacker’ album five years later. While it performed well on the US charts, the album disappointed hardcore fans and failed to result in a lasting mainstream career for the battle-bred rapper. As his debut proved a loyal fanbase and hype can be beneficial, but at the same time it can prove to be a real bitch.

Apparently the hot new thing right now is this good kid Kendrick Lamar, who apparently comes from a maad city. As prone as the internet is to jizz, most of the load blowing about Kendrick’s major label debut is warranted. Despite the overpraise, the Compton native has pulled off what many have failed to do before him, living up to the expectations of the diehards while also gaining mainstream credibility. You could thank Dr. Dre but he only appears on one track and doesn’t contribute any beats (production, not headphones). If all you needed was the endorsement of a star producer then Wyclef’s work on the aforementioned Can-I-Bus album would’ve propelled it to the top.

Pulling off a classic or even a successful debut album can be done but it’s nothing that can be pre-planned or predicted. Albums like Wu-Tang’s Enter the 36 Chambers came out of nowhere and its sheer aggressiveness alone makes it the anti-commercial album, yet it struck a chord with a broad range of fans. The success of a debut album almost depends on your definition of success. It can be based on creative innovation or pure album sales. The difference is album figures are instant gratification, while the lasting impact of an album is something that can only be judged in the fullness of time. Jay-Z’s debut Reasonable Doubt performed decently on the charts and was highly praised by critics but didn’t get its classic status until at least three or four years later.

The word classic gets thrown around a lot, which in many cases does a major disservice to the artist and the album. Classics need to grow on listeners and are the kind of albums that reveal new details and sound fresh after multiple listens. Then again, what is the appropriate time to wait before you can call an album a classic? You could almost equate calling an album a classic to making jokes after a major disaster or death. The new Gucci Mane mixtape is a classic, what too soon?  How history and fans will judge good kid, mAAd city and today’s rap albums in the future remains to be seen. Until then, or until the Apocalypse comes, we look at those debut rap albums that changed the game and those that flopped. Missed an album? Let us know!

Keep up with Andrew Hickey’s weekly Hit & Miss column here.