Credit: Mikamote

Although there have been several debates over the years among older generations within the hip-hop industry about whether or not the album format has become redundant, it is evident that for most, it most definitely is not. Last year saw some quality albums, and whether it’s Tyler The Creator’s Chromakopia or ScHoolboy Q’s Blue Lips, some of the material was undeniably good. Although there were some fantastic mixtapes, several of the albums set themselves apart with their excellence.

Of course, what is a ‘good album’ and what is a ‘bad album’ is subjective, and opinions can differ. However, there are some common threads that all music fans agree on when it comes to making that decision. When listening to albums, there are specific criteria the body of work just has to meet. A good album is thematically and sonically cohesive. Cohesion is an essential trait of all good albums.

Now, while it is seen as poor if all the instrumental tracks sound the same, they should seamlessly come together and subtly weave into one another. Jumping between genres and having one song abruptly end and another begins with the two sounding different is quite jarring and often uncomfortable for listeners. Another thing people look for is substance. An underlying story, subtle undertones, or a consistent theme. An album that one minute is lyrically telling you one thing but then in the next track contradicts itself is, again, quite jarring and highly confusing for listeners.

An album’s intro or opening track immediately sets the tone and could be considered one of the most essential songs of a project. The first track can give listeners a sense of where the body of work is set to go, sonically, and often signals the quality of an album. That said, we have compiled a list of the five best opening tracks from hip-hop albums.

The five greatest opening songs on hip-hop albums:

5. Jay-Z and Kanye West – ‘No Chruch In The Wild’, Watch The Throne, (2011)

Although this track is more modern and is a far cry from some of the great intros of 1990s rap, it’s fair to say that the dramatic feeling created by the sample of Phil Manzanera’s ‘K-Scope’ sets up the listener for what was the last great collaborative project from Jay-Z and Kanye West.

With outstanding vocals from the elusive Frank Ocean, a song like this will never be produced again. Kanye West, 88-Keys and Mike Dean all brought something to the table, and in turns of lyricism, Jay-Z most certainly provided tension. As an opening song for Watch The Throne, it’s safe to say it is one of the best intros ever.

4. Mobb Deep – ‘The Start Of Your Ending’, The Infamous, (1995)

Aside from the fact that The Infamous is an East Coast classic, its opening track is a perfect example of the kind of music the project boasts. With a simple but catchy piano melody from ‘Lovers Chant’ by Dee Dee Warwick, it showcases how a straightforward piano riff can be the backbone of a song.

The soft opening offsets some of the harsher-sounding songs on the album, providing a fantastic balance that otherwise wouldn’t have been achieved. This introduction to Mobb Deep‘s The Infamous is not just one track on an album but epitomises the sound of New York during the mid-to-late 1990s. As such, it is arguably one of the best openings to an album ever.

3. Jay-Z – ‘Can’t Knock The Hustle’, Reasonable Doubt, (1996)

‘Can’t Knock The Hustle’ was one of the first Jay-Z songs to hit the charts and, as the intro of his debut project Reasonable Doubt, it was his chance to make an excellent first impression, and that he did. The track was not a commercial smash but landed at number seven on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs Chart, and, in retrospect, many hip-hop fans consider it a classic.

The smooth instrumental and incredible verses from the Brooklyn legend perfectly set the stage for tracks such as ‘Dead Presidents II’ and ‘Regrets’, which followed a similar pattern yet all sounded unique. ‘Can’t Knock The Hustle’ is a fantastic opening track due to its simplicity, epitomising the project as a whole.

2. Snoop Dogg – ‘G Funk Intro’, Doggystyle, (1993)

The opening track to Snoop Dogg‘s 1993 classic Doggystyle is very similar to many of the intros from the Death Row label in the early 1990s. With a P-funk sample from Funkadelic’s 1979 classic ‘(Not Just) Knee Deep’, it hears a mixture of talking and rapping with verses from Dr Dre and Lady Of Rage.

The overblown P-funk bass heard in the intro is a sound that is used throughout the album, and George Clinton’s voice on the intro shows recognition from the Funkadelic frontman of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, who themselves sampled his music heavily for their revolutionary tracks. The project seamlessly saw Dr Dre’s production evolve from a softer, more traditional funk sample-based sonic to a more aggressive style with the increased use of George Clinton. The intro of Doggystyle is arguably one of the best of all time.

1. Dr Dre – ‘The Chronic (Intro)’, The Chronic, (1992)

The Chronic is one of the best hip-hop albums of all time—period. From its production to its guest verses, it marked a shift in rap music and the start of a new era in the culture. Although Dr Dre‘s production was an extension of what he did for NWA, The Chronic was a cohesive showcase of what became known as G-funk. It’s fair to say it was the dominant sound of the 1990s.

The Chronic’s intro not only sounds good, with appearances from Snoop Dogg, but it also perfectly encapsulates what follows it. The project’s intro is the epitome of G-funk. With a prominent sample from George Clinton’s Parliament, it truly embodied the spirit of what came out of Death Row Records in the following years.