10 Greatest Hip Hop Concept Albums
1. Prince Paul - A Prince Among Thieves
Prince Paul’s 1999 opus shouldn’t work nearly as well as it does. Over 77 minutes, the producer unfolds the tale of Tariq, an up and coming rapper who accepts work from a local drug lord in order to fund his demo. But when he demonstrates aptitude for dealing, his friend True, envious of his success in the drug and rap game, plots his downfall.
An album this story-centric requires tightly focussed tracks as well as interludes to keep the story moving, and it could make for a forced affair. That it doesn’t is a tribute to Paul’s vision as well as the various performers.
Tariq is played by Breezly Brewin, who’s a blast on stage-setting Ice Cube spoof “Steady Slobbin’” and “What You Got”, the storyline demo for Tariq. The narrative hangs on Brewin’s ability to rap in character, and he does so brilliantly.
The guest spots are indispensable, particularly Kool Keith as an arms dealer and Big Daddy Kane as gregarious pimp Count Macula. It’s an album best listened to as a whole (though the featured spots are mostly great standalone tracks), and a risk that paid off big time for Paul.