# A$AP Yams' 42 Favorite Rap Albums > A$AP Yams reveals his 42 favorite rap albums from Ice Cube to Lil Boosie, sharing stories behind each pick. - Title: A$AP Yams' 42 Favorite Rap Albums · Complex | Shortify - Summary: A$AP Yams reveals his 42 favorite rap albums from Ice Cube to Lil Boosie, sharing stories behind each pick. - Keywords: a$ap yams, rap albums, ice cube, lil boosie, mobb deep, raekwon, nas, jay-z, the blueprint, stillmatic, dipset, southern rap - Source: Complex — https://complex.com/music/a/ernest-baker/asap-yams-42-favorite-albums - Published: 2026-11-13T23:03:01.899+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: a$ap yams, rap albums, ice cube, lil boosie, mobb deep, raekwon, nas, jay-z, the blueprint, stillmatic, dipset, southern rap ## Ice Cube, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990) A$AP Yams credits Ice Cube's album with opening his mind to revolutionary rap and its social commentary. > It really just opened my mind to the whole revolutionary rap. I wasn’t really big on that shit back in the day, but I really fuck with it, and the way Cube did it like with the gangster shit, and it sounded right, you feel me? ## Mobb Deep, The Infamous (1995) A$AP Yams describes Mobb Deep's album as essential street music that made him appreciate life's simple pleasures. > That was just... It was dope to me, cause with Raekwon and Jay and AZ and Nas, they was giving you that mafioso music that you could bump in your Lexus, Mobb Deep was giving you that music that you could bump in your Saab. ## Raekwon, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (1995) A$AP Yams credits Raekwon's album with setting the standard for street rap and fashion in New York. > On C uban Linx, Rae was just painting such a vivid picture of just whatever was going on in his head at the time. He was the first drug-lord rapper. ## Onyx, All We Got Iz Us (1995) A$AP Yams calls Onyx's album a necessary piece of aggressive street rap that influenced his generation. > That album was like, every time I listen to that album I be getting so turnt up, it make me want to get a bally. ## UGK, Ridin' Dirty (1996) A$AP Yams says UGK's album made him appreciate southern rap's raw storytelling. > Ridin' Dirty made me fucking appreciate southern rap. Cause they was rapping about some real shit. ## Makaveli, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996) A$AP Yams considers Makaveli's album a raw, street-focused letter to the public. > That album was so ill cause everything on it, he wasn’t just rapping. He was making a point, and he was making a point at somebody. ## Puff Daddy & the Family, No Way Out (1997) A$AP Yams praises Puff Daddy's album for its cohesive east coast rap sound and radio presence. > It took, you know, post-Big’s and post-Pac’s death, it took everything to the next level as far as the east coast. ## The Firm, The Album (1997) A$AP Yams recalls The Firm album as a childhood treasure that shaped his early rap tastes. > Oh man, I’m going to come clean. I love, even back then, I love the The Firm for some reason. ## MJG, No More Glory (1997) A$AP Yams highlights MJG's album as a forgotten gem that influenced his appreciation for conscious rap. > That was really like my first introduction to like southern rap and shit like that. ## Noreaga, N.O.R.E. (1998) A$AP Yams calls Noreaga's album the soundtrack of 1998 that influenced his understanding of rap. > N.O.R.E. is probably my memory of the summer of '98. Cause it was the whole album was... Forget that, he was the first motherfucker fucking with The Neptunes. ## Big Pun, Capital Punishment (1998) A$AP Yams shares his pride in Big Pun's album as a defining moment for Puerto Rican identity in rap. > Capital Punishment, aw man. I swear, that shit, I’ma come clean like. I’ma come so clean, I had never told nobody this shit. ## DMX, It's Dark and Hell is Hot (1998) A$AP Yams describes DMX's album as a transformative experience that changed his perspective on music. > That shit, as good as the jiggy era was, that shit came through and smashed all of that shit. ## Bizzy Bone, Heaven'z Movie (1998) A$AP Yams credits Bizzy Bone's album with inspiring his appreciation for raw storytelling in rap. > I met Bizzy Bone this year. I never been starstruck in my life. That was the first time. ## Ruff Ryders, Ryde or Die Vol. 1 (1999) A$AP Yams praises Ruff Ryders' album for its influence on the development of rap culture. > Cause fucking it was just so crazy to hear, you know what I mean? Eve was the first female rapper I could listen to and not feel completely uncomfortable. ## Mobb Deep, Murda Muzik (1999) A$AP Yams calls Mobb Deep's album a dark, influential piece that shaped his understanding of hardcore rap. > Murda Muzik, it was just... Shit. Like Murda Muzik was such a crazy record, cause it was like, it was all like hardcore shit. ## Jay-Z, The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000) A$AP Yams considers Jay-Z's album a defining moment for rap crews and their sound. > I’ll put The Dynasty over a few Hov albums a matter of fact. I would put The Dynasty over a lot of his albums a matter of fact. ## Cam'ron, S.D.E. (2000) A$AP Yams highlights Cam'ron's album as a deep dive into street culture and relationships. > S.D.E. is my favorite Cam album cause I think Dipset has a lot more fans now, especially with the internet and shit like that. ## Jay-Z, The Blueprint (2001) A$AP Yams shares how Jay-Z's album changed his approach to music and lyrics. > Motherfucker I cut school to get The Blueprint. I cut school the day, September 11th, I cut school to go buy The Blueprint. ## Cormega, The Realness (2001) A$AP Yams credits Cormega's album with painting a vivid picture of Queensbridge life. > Cormega to me, is like, I remember it was one time, when I was like 13, I went QB and took the train out there. ## Nas, Stillmatic (2001) A$AP Yams prefers Nas's Stillmatic over Illmatic for its impact on his life and understanding of rap. > This is always my argument for people. I always prefer Stillmatic over Illmatic for one specific reason. ## Key takeaway A$AP Yams lists 42 rap albums he considers essential, spanning from Ice Cube's AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted to Lil Boosie, with stories about their impact on his life.