Im from the congo but I was raised in hip hop culture. In that culture we have what we call classic albums like Illmatic by Nas, Reasonable Doubt by Jay-Z and All Eyez on Me by Tupac. What would you say are the 5 or 10 classic albums that every one should listen front to back. All generations included.

Not in a specific order
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton
Dr.Dre -The Chronic
Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle (his first but his best album for me)
Nas - Illmatic
2Pac - Me Against The World (Makaveli is not far from being my favourite Pac record, All Eyez On Me came third on my favorite 2Pac album)
Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (by the way the first wave of solo albums by Method Man,ODB,Raekwon,GZA & Ghostface were amazing !)
Mobb Deep - The Infamous
Notorious B.I.G - Ready To Die
Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP (even if The Eminem Show is my favorite Eminem's album)
50 Cent - Get Rich Or Die Tryin' (Like Snoop his first and best album)

Dr Dre -The chronic
Notorious B.I.G - ready to die and life after death
Mobb Deep - The infamous
Nas - Ilmatic
Ice cube - Death certificate
NWA - Straight outta Compton
50 Cent - Get rich or die tryin
2Pac - Me against the world
Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle


But of recent that I can think of at the top of my head I'd also put
Kendrick Lamar - Good kid mad city & Damn
J Cole - 2014 Forest hills drive
Jay Z - 444

Lol ndeko I was more so asking for classic rumba/ndombolo albums I should have worded it different. Definitey agree on that Me Against the World album, I also think thats his best but the general consenscus seems to be that All Eyez on Me is the classic.

Lol ndeko I was more so asking for classic rumba/ndombolo albums I should have worded it different. Definitey agree on that Me Against the World album, I also think thats his best but the general consenscus seems to be that All Eyez on Me is the classic.

Ohhhh okay! Well in that case
Effrakata
Titanic
Solola bien
Kibuisa mpimpa
Force d'intervention Rapide
Loi
V12
Pentagone
Sanction
Feux d'lamour

Any underrated rumba ndombolo  albums you guys think deserve to be in the conversation ? Like albums not too many people heard because of promotion or whatever the case may be but turned out to be putting the bar even higher

I would say :

Koffi Olomidé - V12, Loi, Effrakata, Koweït Rive Gauche and Les Prisonniers Dorment
Fally Ipupa - Droit Chemin
Ferré Gola - Qui est derrière toi ?
Wenge Musica - Kala-yi-Boeing
JB Mpiana - Feux de l'amour
Werrason - Solola bien, Kibuisa Mpimpa
Papa Wemba - Emotion

its a non-exhaustive list, pratically every Congo artist has a classic song to his credit but no classic album, sometimes even several classic songs in a single album but the album is not a classic

5 or 10 ?

You can't name  10 classics.

Congolese music's catalogue is too big to name just 10 classics. You need at least 50 albums.

A better way to do it will be to go decade by decade.

You guys liked the emotion album by papa wemba ?

You guys liked the emotion album by papa wemba ?

Not at all, like my uncle called it - white WOMAD people music.

I'm huge Wemba fan as well. Hugely successful album, but not catered towards what I liked from him. Le Voyageur worked much better for me.

You guys liked the emotion album by papa wemba ?

I have a sentimental attachment towards that album, especially with songs like Yolele and Ah Ouais. But as I've grew older it's definitely generic world music. There's no artistic liberty, synergy from the musicians that you would hear in a Viva La Musica album. But the world musicians/audience ate that up and it's his most commercial album to date.

I know someone is going to laugh at me for this but, I would add Stino-Mubi's "Romeo Et Jullitte" to that list. If you take away the very cringeworthy Michael Jackson impersonations lol it's a solid album. Tanya, Romeo et Juliette, Ndosi and Mista are all classic songs. I love the first half of Mista a lot, the guitarist did a beautiful job. And the second half of Odia-bilala goes off.   

50 cent get rich or die tryin
Raekwon only built 4 cuban linx
Dr dre 2001
Eminem eminem show
Eminem mmlp
Notorious big ready to die
Rick ross deeper than rap
50 cent the massacre
Nas illmatic
Jay z blueprint
Snoop dogg tha last meal
Three 6 mafia most known unknown
Drake take care
Wu tang wu tang forever
Rick ross teflon don
Mobb deep the infamous, hell on earth, murda muzik, infamy & blood money

Stinocould have had such a bright futur if it wasnt for his weird obsession with MJ. What a waste honestly. I blame papa wemba for letting him go michael jackson crazy, if i was the bandleader none of that shit woulda been flying I woulda told my guy to tone that shit down.

The list is long there are many classic albums that i forgot

Wenge Musica - Anges Adorables (1994)
Zaiko Langa Langa - Nippon Banzai au Japon (1986)
Franco Luambo Makiadi - Les Rumeurs "Inedites 1988-1989" (1994)
Madilu- Pouvoir (1999)
Defao - Nessy de London (2000)
Les Quatro +1 (2000) <<Papa Wemba, Bozi Boziana, Evoloko Lay, Gina Efonge & Pepe Felly Manuaku>>
Academia Quartier Latin - Sanction (1999)
Papa Wemba - Le Kuru Yaka (1982) <<which had the songs Santa, Zea, Matebu, & Dido Senga>>
Wenge Musica - Kalayi Boeing (1993)
Koffi Olomide - Loi (1997)
Wenge Musica Maison Mere - Solola Bien (1999)
Wenge B.C.B.G. - Titanic (1998)
Mayaula Mayoni - L'Amour au Kilo (1993)
Tabu Ley & Franco Luambo Makiadi - l'Evemenent a Paris (1983)
Wenge EL Paris - Le Monde Envers "aka Armageddon" (1997)
Mbilia Bel - Phenomene (1989)
Papa Wemba & Stervos Niarcos - Proclamation (1984)
Wenge Musica - Pentagone (1996)
Zaiko Langa Langa - Eh Ngoss! Eh Ngoss! Eh Ngoss! (1985)
Koffi Olomide & Quartier Latin - Droit de Veto (1998)
Extra Musica - Etat Major (1998)
Mbilia Bel - Welcome (2001)
"Le Nganshie" Stervos Niarcos - Dernier Coup de Sifflet (1990) <<ft Papa Wemba, Bozi Boziana & Rigo Star>>
Werrason - Kibuisa Mpimpa (2001)
Sam Mangwana & Franco Luambo Makiadi - Cooperation (1982)
Papa Wemba - Nouvelle Ecriture (1997)
Pepe Kalle & Nyboma - Moyibi (1988)
J.B. M'piana - T.H. (2000)
Tabu Ley & Franco Luambo Makiadi - Choc Choc Choc (1983)
Koffi Olomide & Quartier Latin - Magie (1994)
Modogo Gianfranco Ferre, Papa Wemba & Viva La Musica - Jour J de l'Histoire Romaine (1988)
Defao - Tremblement de Terre (1999)
Werrason & Wenge Musica Maison Mere - A La Que Leu Leu (2002)
Zaiko Langa Langa - Pusa Kuna, Serrez Serrez (1986)
Pepe Kalle - Pon Moun Paka Bouge (1989)
Modogo Gianfranco Ferre, Papa Wemba & Viva La Musica - Statue de La Liberte (1991)
Extra Musica - Shalai (1999)
J.B. M'piana - Feux de L'Amour (1997)
Papa Wemba - A La Une (2000)
Carlyto Lassa - Makolo Ya Massiya (1997)
Koffi Olomide - Koweit Rive Gauche (1992)
Pepe Kalle - Cocktail (1998)
Zaiko - Avis de Recherche (1995)
Wenge Musica - Kin E Bouge (1991)
King Kester Emeneya - Longue Histoire volume 1 & 2 (2000)
Simaro Massiya Lutumba - Maya (1986) <<ft Pepe Kalle & Carlyto Lassa>>
Koffi Olomide - Noblesse Oblige (1993)
Extra Musica - Trop c'est Trop (2001)
Dr Sakis - Cyclone (1993)
Pepe Kalle - Gerant (1991)
Reddy Amisi - Prudence (1994)
Zaiko - Eyi Nkissi (1985)
Fally Ipupa - Droit Chemin (2006)
Extra Musica - Nouveaux Missiles (1995)
King Kester Emeneya - Nzinzi (1987)
Koffi Olomide - V12 (1995)
Papa Wemba - Foridoles (1994)
King Kester Emeneya - Succes Fous (1997)
Madilu - Bonheur (2001)
Papa Wemba - Fula Ngenge (1999)
Awilo Longomba - Coupe Bibamba (1998)
Pepe Kalle - Chante le Poete Simaro Massiya (1989) <<ft Carlyto Lassa>>
Koffi Olomide - Effrakata (2001)
Defao & Choc Stars - Hitachi (1990)
Verckys presente Langa Langa Stars & Choc Stars (1983)
Madilu - Sans Commentaire (1993)
Papa Wemba & Koffi Olomide - Wake Up (1996)
Defao - Sala Noki (1997)
Zaiko Langa Langa - Jetez l'Eponge (1989)
Simaro Massiya Lutumba - Trahison (1998) <<ft Pepe Kalle. Defao & Mbilia Bel>>
Papa Wemba - Le Jeune Premier (1981)
Zaiko Langa Langa - Nkolo Mboka volume 1 & 2 (1982) <<songs like Wedou, Bolingo Aveugle, Kamangu, Sans Espoir, S.O.S. Maya "version orginale" & Mopaya Zoba>>
Choc Stars (1986) <<with the songs Riana, Mbuma Elengi, etc.>>
Franco Luambo Makiadi & TPOK Jazz - l'Animation Non Stop (1987)

Mvulusi I love you bro. Definitely gonna check out the ones I havent heard yet.