Do Not Duplicate: Albums That Shouldn't Have Sequels

Some things just need to remain untouched.

Do Not Duplicate: Albums That Shouldn't Have Sequels - Over the weekend, Nas admitted in an interview that he's considered working on and releasing an Illmatic 2. "Yes and no; I've thought about it before," the MC told Vibe about the possibility. "I definitely thought about that. It just has to flow, it has to be natural. I can work on that and if I don't like it [just scrap it]. I have to feel it. It got to to be honest." But honestly, most would likely agree that any Illmatic sequel wouldn't be natural — it's in a rarefied class as is. But it's not the only classic hip hop album that should be left alone. Read on for more examples of sequels we hope to never see. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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Do Not Duplicate: Albums That Shouldn't Have Sequels - Over the weekend, Nas admitted in an interview that he's considered working on and releasing an Illmatic 2. "Yes and no; I've thought about it before," the MC told Vibe about the possibility. "I definitely thought about that. It just has to flow, it has to be natural. I can work on that and if I don't like it [just scrap it]. I have to feel it. It got to to be honest." But honestly, most would likely agree that any Illmatic sequel wouldn't be natural — it's in a rarefied class as is. But it's not the only classic hip hop album that should be left alone. Read on for more examples of sequels we hope to never see. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Photo By Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Nas - “The Genesis,” Illmatic (1994) - Illmatic introduces us to one of hip hop’s most cinematic rappers with an intro that contains audio clips from Wild Style, a movie that inaugurated hip hop into film.(Photo: Columbia Records)

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Nas, Illmatic - Nas set the bar — for himself and other rappers — immeasurably high with his classic debut, Illmatic. It has become like hip hop scripture. While the Queens rapper still has the skills to mirror the impeccable lyricism he displayed on the 1994 release, there’s something about trying to remake the moment that he captured two decades ago that feels equal parts difficult and blasphemous. (Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Records)

Fugees, The Score - No Fugees fan hasn’t dreamed of a reunion of the East Coast trio. But, it's probably not going to happen at this point. And even if it did, crafting a sequel to their classic 1996 release, The Score, inevitably wouldn’t hit the mark. Though it came far too soon, this was an epic send off. (Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Records)

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Fugees, The Score - No Fugees fan hasn’t dreamed of a reunion of the East Coast trio. But, it's probably not going to happen at this point. And even if it did, crafting a sequel to their classic 1996 release, The Score, inevitably wouldn’t hit the mark. Though it came far too soon, this was an epic send off. (Photo: Courtesy of Columbia Records)

Jay Z – Reasonable Doubt (1996) - We all know that Reasonable Doubt was the debut album of Jigga but it's also the first album cover Mannion shot, too. Taking an initial gamble with each other, the photographic memories continued with In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life, Vol. 3... Life and Times of Shawn Carter, The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, The Blueprint and The Black Album.(Photo: Roc A Fella Records)

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Jay Z, Reasonable Doubt - From the corner to a corner office — and beyond. That's Jay Z's miraculous trajectory since he released his 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt. He's in such a different place in his life now — just listen to 2013’s Magna Carta Holy Grail for musical evidence — that a part two of this classic wouldn't do the jazzy yet gritty album justice. (Photo: Courtesy of Roc-A-Fella Records)

Outkast, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik - Outkast’s debut, Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, was more like a grandiloquent announcement of the arrival of the South. The artistically creative album, released on April 26, was produced by Organized Noize. It featured a newly packaged sound blending thumping bass, live instruments and the imaginative storytelling of the Atlanta-based duo. André 3000 and Big Boi laid the foundation for the region's crossover respect with their uniqueness, a dose of humor, poetic plays on words and the perfect balance of energy, which showcased the duo's polar opposite personalities. Boasting two chart-topping singles, "Players Ball" and "Git Up Git Out," Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik will forever go down in history for putting ATL on the map in the midst of the East and West Coast ...

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OutKast, Southerplayalisticadillacmuzik - It's been 20 years since Southerplayalisticadillacmuzik dropped, but it remains a jewel in a crown catalog of OutKast albums that's full of them. The legendary duo never remain in the same space creatively for too long (like we're reminded on an Aquemini skit: "First they were some pimps. Then they were some aliens or some genies — some s--t."), anything too derivative of the past would be a clear deviation from the 'Kast path. (Photo: Courtesy of Arista Records)

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The Game, The Documentary  - The Documentary came at a perfect time for Game. G-Unit was riding high, and fans were hungry for an artist from the West to ride for — and Dr. Dre’s beats didn’t hurt. Though each of his follow up efforts have been strong in their own right, Game’s ability to truly make his debut a musical documentary of his life up to that point when it dropped in 2005 makes it territory that should go untouched.  (Photo: Courtesy of Interscope Records)

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The Game, The Documentary  - The Documentary came at a perfect time for Game. G-Unit was riding high, and fans were hungry for an artist from the West to ride for — and Dr. Dre’s beats didn’t hurt. Though each of his follow up efforts have been strong in their own right, Game’s ability to truly make his debut a musical documentary of his life up to that point when it dropped in 2005 makes it territory that should go untouched.  (Photo: Courtesy of Interscope Records)

50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin' - Critics are quick to point out that 50 Cent has never been able to recapture the magic of his debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin’. And that is partially true. There was something about Fif’s energy, his stories, the way he told them, and the production that he rapped over that ensures this one should be left alone. (Photo: Courtesy of Interscope Records)

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50 Cent, Get Rich or Die Tryin' - Critics are quick to point out that 50 Cent has never been able to recapture the magic of his debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin’. And that is partially true. There was something about Fif’s energy, his stories, the way he told them, and the production that he rapped over that ensures this one should be left alone. (Photo: Courtesy of Interscope Records)

Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle - In his two-plus decades in the game, Snoop Dogg has been able to successfully reinvent himself multiple times — from the Death Row days to the No Limit days to Snoop Lion to Snoopzilla. The Cali native manages to stay the same while constantly evolving, a talent that shouldn't be wasted by going backwards.(Photo: Courtesy of Death Row Records)

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Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle - In his two-plus decades in the game, Snoop Dogg has been able to successfully reinvent himself multiple times — from the Death Row days to the No Limit days to Snoop Lion to Snoopzilla. The Cali native manages to stay the same while constantly evolving, a talent that shouldn't be wasted by going backwards.(Photo: Courtesy of Death Row Records)

T.I., Trap Muzik - While I'm Serious was a solid debut from T.I., he wouldn't be calling himself the King of the South today if it weren't for 2003's Trap Muzik. Tip was still relatively fresh off the streets on the album, yet his flawless flow was taking form. Many would agree that this remains the Atlanta native's strongest work, and not only has he grown beyond the trap in the decade since, but there's also no reason to mess with a good thing. (Photo: Courtesy of Atlantic Records)

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T.I., Trap Muzik - While I'm Serious was a solid debut from T.I., he wouldn't be calling himself the King of the South today if it weren't for 2003's Trap Muzik. Tip was still relatively fresh off the streets on the album, yet his flawless flow was taking form. Many would agree that this remains the Atlanta native's strongest work, and not only has he grown beyond the trap in the decade since, but there's also no reason to mess with a good thing. (Photo: Courtesy of Atlantic Records)

Common, Be - After a tepid response to his 2002 album, Electric Circus, Common rebounded with a vengeance on 2005's Be. Anchored by production from fellow Chi Town native Kanye West, the album found Com in his finest form in a decade and West in the zone, but too much has gone down in Chi-raq since — the city needs a soundtrack on a brand new track for these times.(Photo: Courtesy of Geffen Records)

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Common, Be - After a tepid response to his 2002 album, Electric Circus, Common rebounded with a vengeance on 2005's Be. Anchored by production from fellow Chi Town native Kanye West, the album found Com in his finest form in a decade and West in the zone, but too much has gone down in Chi-raq since — the city needs a soundtrack on a brand new track for these times.(Photo: Courtesy of Geffen Records)

Lil Kim, Hardcore - When she dropped her debut album, Hardcore, in 1996, Lil Kim shook things up. She was a strong female rapper with equal parts sexuality and lyricism, and surely capable of making a hit. Kim hasn't dropped an album in almost 10 years, though, and what she has put out often suggests her skills have diminished over time. Trying to peg a sequel onto this celebrated debut wouldn't help anyone. (Photo: Courtesy of Big Beat Records)

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Lil Kim, Hardcore - When she dropped her debut album, Hardcore, in 1996, Lil Kim shook things up. She was a strong female rapper with equal parts sexuality and lyricism, and surely capable of making a hit. Kim hasn't dropped an album in almost 10 years, though, and what she has put out often suggests her skills have diminished over time. Trying to peg a sequel onto this celebrated debut wouldn't help anyone. (Photo: Courtesy of Big Beat Records)