Worst to Best: Every Kool G Rap Album Ranked

Kool G Rap is your favorite rapper's favorite rapper. That sort of distinction may be cliche when describing the hardcore rhymer from Queens, but it's true: G Rap rivals Scarface as the kind of hip-hop elder that almost all other legends revere. It's not hard to see why; you can't talk about 90s East Coast hip-hop and not mention Kool G Rap.

He first emerged as part of the famed Juice Crew; a collective of (mostly) Queens-based rhymers brought together by superproducer Marley Marl. While Big Daddy Kane became known for suaveness, Masta Ace was the brainer wordsmith and Biz Markie was the clown prince; Kool G Rap was unapologetically hardcore. With street tales defined by gunplay and dope dealing, G Rap was no crossover rap star. But while he may have not been a fixture on commercial radio, he would become a pillar for the streets.

As the 90s progressed, G Rap's rhymes got more story-driven and his penchant for Mafioso references became a staple in hip-hop. Nas, the Notorious B.I.G., Raekwon and Mobb Deep all reveled in the kind of persona Kool G Rap had crafted, and after splitting from DJ Polo, G Rap spent the late 90s refining and redefining that persona. He would ultimately deliver the 2002 masterwork The Giancana Story, still one of the best albums the Mafioso rap genre ever produced.

With the release of his new album The Return of the Don, we decided to rank all of Kool G Rap's studio albums, from worst to best.

Watch Kool G Rap and DJ Polo's "Road to the Riches" Video: 

Watch Kool G Rap and DJ Polo's "Ill Street Blues" Video:

Watch Kool G Rap and DJ Polo's "On the Run" Video:

Watch the Kool G Rap and Nas "Fast Life" Video:

Watch Kool G Rap's "My Life" Video:

Watch Kool G Rap, Termanology and Saigon's "Running" Video:

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