20 Albums Turning 20
These albums are turning two decades old. Wow.
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The 20/20 Experience - 1996 was a colossal year in music. After all, it was the year we lost Tupac, but it was also a year that saw a lot of iconic releases. Let’s go down memory lane and check out 20 albums turning 20 this year. — Jon Reyes(Photos from left: Jim Hughes/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images, SGranitz/WireImage,Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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Toni Braxton, Secrets - Toni’s sophomore release was an epic move for the singer. “Unbreak My Heart” was a massive record, but more importantly the project solidified her voice in R&B with hits like “You’re Making Me High” and “I Don’t Want To.”(Photo: Arista Records)
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Busta Rhymes, The Coming - Busta’s solo intro to the music world was just a peek into his amazingly demented appeal. Just peep his debut video for "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check."(Photo: Flipmode Entertainment)
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Ginuwine, Ginuwine...the Bachelor - This debut by Elgin Lumpkin was a definite highlight of R&B that year. Plus, his video for “Pony,” in which he strips on a stage, was so legendary that Channing Tatum swagger jacked it and so did Tatum's wife.(Photo: 550 Music)
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Jay Z, Reasonable Doubt - It’s been a crazy 20 years for Hov and this album marks the beginning of it all.(Photo: Priority Records)
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Aaliyah, One in a Million - Baby Girl’s sophomore album was a complete step up from her R. Kelly-assisted debut. Timbaland and Missy Elliott provided the singer with an amazing canvas to prove her star power. We wouldn’t see another complete project from Aaliyah until five years later, right around the time we lost her.(Photo: Atlantic Records)
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Nas, It Was Written - Nothing ruled that summer more than “If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)” featuring Lauryn Hill. Nas’s follow-up to Illmatic was a massive hit, outselling his iconic debut by 2.5 million.(Photo: Columbia Records)
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Maxwell, Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite - This record helped pioneer of the neo-soul movement, starting the prior year with D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar. Maxwell cut an amazing debut album that introduced a new wave of classics like this one.(Photo: Columbia Records)
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The Fugees, The Score - The Fugees second album was an instant classic and a better look of things to come from Lauryn Hill. The massive success of the group couldn’t deter the member’s own dreams of solo stardom. The Score would be the group’s last studio album.(Photo: Ruffhouse Records, Columbia Records)
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112, 112 - These Georgians were Bad Boy royalty, becoming the second R&B act to be signed to legendary label. Hard to believe this jam is 20!(Photo: Big Beat Records)
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Tupac Shakur, All Eyez on Me - The double disc was the last album to be released by the rapper while he was alive. He would be murdered seven months after its release. The album is a bona fide classic with 10,000,000 records being sold.(Photo: Death Row Records)
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SWV, New Beginning - The sophomore effort by Sisters With Voices wasn't just the return of the group but also served as an introduction for The Neptunes, the production team that consisted of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo. Damn, that's a long time we've had with Skateboard P.(Photo: RCA Records)
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Outkast, ATLiens - The ATL players shed their party personas on this album and began conceptualizing with futuristic undertones, yet remained true to the South. The group would continue to do that well into their fourth album. ATLiens outsold their debut by a million copies. Fresh.(Photo: LaFace Records)
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Prince, Emancipation - This album was Prince’s way of sticking it to the man. This was his first album off his original label, Warner Bros., which he had been vocal about wanting to leave. With Emancipation, we also got a glimpse into Prince’s personal life. In it, he dedicated a song to his child that would tragically pass away from a rare skull disease. “Sex in the Summer” even features the unborn child’s heartbeat.(Photo: NPG Records)
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Lil’ Kim, Hard Core - This game changer is legendary. Kim introducing herself to the world with lyrics owning her sexuality was something that’s leaked into hip hop 20 years later. Can we look back? Check it out!(Photo: Big Beat Records)
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