# What albums have gotten 5 mics in The Source? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 22, 2004, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575 "2004-10-22T07:58:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/1 "2004-10-22T07:58:48Z")
I’m pretty sure _Life After Death_ got it, I think _Aquemini_ got it. What else? Did Tupac ever get 5? ---
**Author:** ![LuckyMe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e36b37/32.png) [@LuckyMe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LuckyMe)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/2 "2004-10-22T09:41:14Z")
I think Scarface got it twice. Oh yeah, Nas Illmatic did too. ---
**Author:** ![cryptic\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@cryptic\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cryptic_j)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/3 "2004-10-22T11:48:09Z")
They did an issue once where they went and gave retrospective 5 mics to classics that they didn’t give enough credit for when they were released… like Dr.Dre’s 2001… there was a huge list - - I think Ice Cube’s Death Certificate may have been there too… I don’t think I have that issue though… they give anyone 5 mics nowadays though don’t they? - - except Eminem of course… ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/4 "2004-10-22T11:51:07Z")
> [@cryptic\_j](#): > > Dr.Dre’s 2001… Really? That album wasn’t _bad_, but I didn’t think it was really super great either. Certainly not “classic” imho. ---
**Author:** ![cryptic\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@cryptic\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cryptic_j)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/5 "2004-10-22T12:08:04Z")
really??? In my eyes that album is yet to be beaten in the last 6 years since it’s release… my friend and I were discussing this very point… name 5 albums that come anywhere near that since it’s release… we came up with Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP Eminem - The Eminem Show Masta Ace - Disposable Arts umm… thats it - - we couldn’t name 5! 50 cent lacked consistency… Masta Ace’s latest didn’t quite meet the standard of the last… it’s a general lack of consistency that lets albums down nowadays… just my opinion of course… ---
**Author:** ![cryptic\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@cryptic\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cryptic_j)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/6 "2004-10-22T12:09:21Z")
In response to the OP - - I think “Me Against The World” got 5 - - if not originally - certainly in the retrospective issue… if it didn’t then he was robbed, guvna! ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/7 "2004-10-22T12:20:48Z")
> [@cryptic\_j](#): > > my friend and I were discussing this very point… name 5 albums that come anywhere near that since it’s release… Well, you’re right. Hip-hop, in my opinion, has been in a sad state for several years due to over commercialization. And I know it’s tired to say this, but the fact stands that no one has stepped up to the plate since Biggie and Tupac died. 50 Cent is NOT here to save rap Eminem is NOT “white-pac” Ja Rule is NOT the new Tupac (this is the most laughable one. I can’t believe he has the balls to say that…) Jay-Z, while a great lyricist in his own right, is NOT Biggie All that said, I did think of one album since Dre’s 2001 that is much better imo (and I’m sure I’ll think of more later): **Blackstar**. ---
**Author:** ![cryptic\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@cryptic\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cryptic_j)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/8 "2004-10-22T12:44:46Z")
I must bow my head in shame to say I haven’t listened to that album… when it initially came out I wasn’t really into that kind of hip-hop… since then I’ve developed a taste for it - but still never went back and checked it… I’m looking forward to hearing the new Mos Def CD … but apparently the last Talib Kweli album was not so good ( I have Quality - - or whatever it’s called , but find it’s one of those albums I’m never in the mood to listen to… ) I’m hoping Nas continues his return to form, although the single seems a bit dodgy! obviously I’m hoping Eminem can come up with something better than the D12 album and his new single! - - ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/9 "2004-10-22T13:24:55Z")
> [@cryptic\_j](#): > > my friend and I were discussing this very point… name 5 albums that come anywhere near that since it’s release… > > we came up with > > Eminem - Marshall Mathers LP > Eminem - The Eminem Show > Masta Ace - Disposable Arts In addition, we have: Outkast - Stankonia Jay-Z - Black Album Dungeon Family - Even in Darkness Common - Like Water for Chocolate Common - Electric Circus Blackstar And those are just off the top of my head and not looking through my collection. > [@Cisco](#): > > 50 Cent is NOT here to save rap > Eminem is NOT “white-pac” > Ja Rule is NOT the new Tupac (this is the most laughable one. I can’t believe he has the balls to say that…) > Jay-Z, while a great lyricist in his own right, is NOT Biggie I agree with you, sort of. 50 Cent and Ja Rule shouldn’t even be in this discussion. Eminem is not the white Tupac, it’s true, but of all the mainstream rappers that have come out since Tupac’s death, Eminem is the closest to Tupac’s level. He’s really, really good. And he gets better on every album. Jay-Z isn’t Biggie. He’s better. I seriously think Biggie is the most overrated rapper in history. Listen to any of the songs that Jay-Z and Biggie collaborate on and Jay-Z’s rhymes smoke what Biggie puts out. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/10 "2004-10-22T13:36:15Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Eminem is not the white Tupac, it’s true, but of all the mainstream rappers that have come out since Tupac’s death, Eminem is the closest to Tupac’s level. He’s really, really good. And he gets better on every album. > > Jay-Z isn’t Biggie. He’s better. I seriously think Biggie is the most overrated rapper in history. Listen to any of the songs that Jay-Z and Biggie collaborate on and Jay-Z’s rhymes smoke what Biggie puts out. I’ll see your Jay-Z is a better rhymer than biggie and one up you: Eminem is a better rhymer than Tupac. It’s not all about rhymes though. First of all, Tupac was lightyears ahead of Eminem in content. Hell, half of Eminem’s crap doesn’t even make sense; what the hell does “How can one Chandra be so Leavey?” mean, anyway? Secondly, Tupac had charisma on the mic. Eminem sounds like he’s 12. I can’t really disagree that Biggie was and is overrated, but he had mic presence too. I don’t really explain what it is, but only a few rappers have it and they all stand out. Tupac and Biggie both had it, Eazy E had it, KRS-ONE has it. I only mentioned Ja Rule because his label tries to promote him as “the new Tupac”. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/11 "2004-10-22T13:38:39Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > I don’t really explain what it is Heh. I’m not being an elitist. That should say I _can’t_ really explain what it is :). ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/12 "2004-10-22T13:53:11Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > I’ll see your Jay-Z is a better rhymer than biggie and one up you: Eminem is a better rhymer than Tupac. I’m not ready to say that yet. We’ll have to see how he does on his next album. I > [@](#): > > I only mentioned Ja Rule because his label tries to promote him as “the new Tupac”. That’s pretty disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/13 "2004-10-22T14:00:02Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > That’s pretty disturbing. Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/14 "2004-10-22T19:51:26Z")
Blatant hijack: Are hip-hop critics as out of touch with the general audience as pop/rock critics seem to be? ---
**Author:** ![cryptic\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@cryptic\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cryptic_j)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-albums-have-gotten-5-mics-in-the-source/270575/15 "2004-10-22T20:53:09Z")
I sometimes think people who buy some hip-hop are out of touch with their sanity… e.g big sellers like Ja-Rule - - and others… I think that technically Eminem is a better rapper than 2pac - - but I would agree with **Cisco** 2pac had a broader content… I would not put Jay Z up there as a _great_ rapper - - but probably because of all the trash he’s put out between the occasional classic… and I’ve never liked his voice - - even when he was making songs I liked…