I’m curious to hear. I know I’m wrong in thinking it was Disposable Arts by Masta Ace because that was 2001. There had to be f***ing dozens of them released earlier than that. What would you say the first is?

36 chambers

What’s the concept

In 1996, Kool Keith released the first hip hop concept album “Dr. Octagonecologyst” under the alter-ego Dr. Octagon.

36 chambers

Fear of a Black Planet, I'd say

I feel like liquid swords is more of a contender for being a concept album with the skits and subject matter all flowing together

i dont consider either of those to be concept albums

I’ve never really thought of liquid swords as a concept album but it’s the closest wu album that I can think of

I'd say OB4CL is the closest but even that's a no for me. that album has the mafioso concept

Isn't it by prince paul

no. that's 99. one of the first Rap Operas tho.

Yeah both are classics that follow a concept but it’s not like each song was intended to move an overarching concept forward

It's not the first, but Life After Death is def a concept album as well.

whats the concept

mbdtf

3 Feet High And Rising

It Takes a Nation of Millions

the character he is playing on the album is a paranoid crime boss who is afraid of impending death that ultimately comes.

A little looser than Fear, but I could be swayed into counting it

I had heard people say De La Soul is Dead was a concept album growing up I know now they were confused

Great answer

I hate the term concept album because most albums have a concept, even something like a Migos album

That’s absolutely a concept album, I think you’re confused

An album doesn’t have to tell a literal story chapter by chapter to be a concept album. There’s levels to it sure but there’s a difference between a concept album and a rap opera

The themes on De La Is Dead are extremely interlinked and all making the same point of killing off their old image and their frustrations of that time, it’s so laser focused on these frustrations. Even the single is them complaining about getting rappers trying to give them demos

There’s a whole subplot through many of the songs that they’re opening a donut shop, it’s such a subtle little running gag that comes up in a bunch of different ways, and that’s just one of the intricacies there

Some people do stretch the definition of concept album but this seems like an over correction to me. Like I wouldn’t call OB4CL a concept album but De La Is Dead is one imo