100 Essential Rap EPs – The Best of the Short & Sweet

 •  News  •  by XXL Staff  •  27 Comments

Digital Underground, This is an E.P. Release
Label: Tommy Boy Records
Release Date: July 1, 1991

Above the Law, Vocally Pimpin’
Label: Ruthless Records
Release Date: July 16, 1991

Showbiz & AG, Soul Clap
Label: London Records
Release Date: March 17, 1992

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [for White Men Can’t Jump], White Men Can’t Rap
Label: EMI
Release Date: April 7, 1992

MC Ren, Kizz My Black Azz
Label: Ruthless Records
Release Date: June 30, 1992

Eazy-E, 5150: Home 4 tha Sick
Label: Ruthless Records
Release Date: December 28, 1992

Brotha Lynch Hung, 24 Deep
Label: Black Market Records
Release Date: 1993

The Beatnuts, Intoxicated Demons: The EP
Label: Relativity Records
Release Date: April 6, 1993

Esham, Helterskkkelter
Label: Reel Life Productions
Release Date: September 13, 1993

E-40, The Mail Man
Label: Sick Wid It
Release Date: September 28, 1993

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  • http://www.twitter.com/Pierzy Pierzy

    “100 Miles & Runnin’” or “Kill At Will.”

    And no West Coast bias since I’m from the East. Those were just two super dope EPs.

  • Worley

    E-40 looks like he could be Gucci Mane’s pops in that pic.

    • Worley

      Good looks on mentioning Jemini the Gifted One. I have been trying to remember that dude and the “Funk Soul Sensation” joint for years. Salute.

  • Q461

    Wow you got alot of shit on here most niggaz prob never even heard of…aesop rock, atmosphere, etc. Should be interesting to see if the EP takes over for the mixtape as the album before the album trend. Lots of dope forgotten about shit on this list.

    • Mr. Uda

      u must be from MN….but i definetly cosign everything u just said with Mixtapes being EPs…..this was a really good look for XXL Mag, finally doing your homework

  • El Tico Loco

    I like EP’s/maxi singles, they usually lead to classic albums, and now that mixtapes are out you can tell that EP’s were’t a rush job. I can absorb 6 songs a time rather than 30 plus from one artist.

  • http://xxlmag jayruckNYC

    What about Lord Finesse’s The Awakening? It’s usually lumped in the EP catagory even tho it has alot of skits. Other then that everything I can think of made it. Kizz My Black Azz, It’s On 187um Killa and LA Confidential by Knoc-Turn’al are all my shits.

  • Simple like ABC, 123

    Bone Thugs EP (Thuggish Ruggish Bone, Holy Shit!)
    & Three 6 EP (Be a Witness with KKK, Damn!)

    Classic!!!

  • Chuck D

    Whats with no Relapse: Refill, I mean I know theres lots of people who aren’t crazy about Eminem, but ya got Young Berg on this shit, and no Relapse: Refill.

  • the kid frankie

    i see y’all started w/ WAAAY back in the day. lol. im 22. i had to skip to pg8 to get to some shit i cared about. Teflon Don might as well be an EP too.

  • D-90

    yo wat about The Lost Scripts of K.O.D. by tech n9ne? that shit is ultra ill

  • brand-new

    that jedi mind tricks joint was bananas!!

  • BeerGangsta

    NWA stand for Negit With Azz!! Super hard CD!! Too Short real hard shit!! Pete Rcok CL Smooth cool and hard!! No answer for the rest of them lol.

  • Chris S

    Rhymesayers always has the best EP’s. Atmosphere just released another one that’s really good. “To All My Friends…”

    also, Straight From The Lab EP by Eminem is outstanding.

  • gaddic

    WHERE’S BROTHER ALI’S CHAMPION EP?

    WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!!!!

    Brother Ali always come good on every release every fucking piece of music this dude releases is either classic or close classic!!!
    same for Atmosphere

    That SFTLAB form Em was dope(WASAMERicans-one of his best tracks ever!)

    XXLMAG need to stop ignoring material because it doesn’t come from Big names

  • Lacey

    What about The Roots From The Ground Up EP?

  • Q461

    @ Mr. Uda

    Nahhh dog I’m from Ny. but I’m a student of hip-hop…everything from Aesop Rock and Jedi Mind Tricks to Slaughterhouse and Kanye…..

  • Lord Maximus

    @kid frankie hey man if you don’t care about the old school bro, you obviously don’t care about dope music that’s constantly referenced today jk lol but you should definitely give some of that old shit a try.

    Co-sign that this is a nice look for XXL and that the Mixtape is an EP (Just made a little more lazily). But I’m only 19 and love that Too $hort got mad props on this one. Old School EPs were and still are THE SHIT and are definitely underrated most of the time.

  • Nicholas

    Damn surprised yall got Charles Hamilton on this. Thats my dude I love MOST of his shit some of his is wack but This Perfect Life is great

  • Iveus99

    Nice list. I’d add Clyde Carson’s Bass Rock EP and Ya Boy & Big Rich’s Guns And Roses EP, that’d make this list perfect.

  • DadeFunk

    damn!
    thank you for takin it back! def mentioned those who started it all. thankyouuuuu XXL

  • Redder

    E-40 – Mr. Flambouyant …Kill At Will…So Far Gone.. 100 miles and runnin

  • bigbang

    a’g–e is nothìng but just a number. My b”oy’frì’end and i both think so …
    He is almost 11year oldér than me .i met him via
    (seek cou gar。c0m) as my name says.
    Where for Oldér wo*mén and youngér m*én OR youngér wo*m*én and Oldér mén,
    to interact with each other…

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  • golfwang

    umm
    the cool kids- the bake sale ep
    I mean come on, you have young berg on here

  • Free Weezyyy

    I think whoever made this just searched dat piff and picked randoms considering young berg and new boys made it.

  • http://www.eatuupspituout.com Free Weezy

    I think the author of this just hopped on datpiff and let one of kids pick there favourite album cover. young berg and new boys.. gimme a breakkk