All Hail the Queen

Latifah was the first major woman rapper to build a career on positivity, and this debut is proud, funny, and self-assured. Latifah knows she's the best, so she doesn't have to tear down anyone else to prove it. Neatly produced (with simple, dance-friendly beats, mostly by loop-master DJ Mark the 45 King) and stylistically varied (including a couple of expert forays into dancehall reggae), it collects her early singles along with a bunch of convincing pronouncements of her royalty. Where she shines most, though, is on a couple of duets: "Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children," with De La Soul clowning around under her tutelage, and "Ladies First," with Monie Love deftly trading verses with her. Selected by The Source as one of the “Top 100 Best Rap Albums,” while also making it onto Robert Dimery's “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die” list, All Hail the Queen continues to be a must have for record collectors and hip-hop heads around the world.