11 Great Rappers Who Never Had A Classic Album

Some MCs are dope, but still without a timeless LP.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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There may be a lot of classic rap albums, but there are even more rappers who have dope catalogs with no definitive classic. Remember when Robert De Niro's character in A Bronx Tale said, "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent"? Well, get that out of your head. That's not what we're saying at all. Every artist on this list has had a relatively great career, filled with many highlights. It's just that none of them have a cohesive, borderline perfect project that has absolutely stood the test of time.

If anything, this entire ordeal is just frustrating for the listeners. Every rapper on this list is probably fairly content with the status of their career. Between these artists, them are dozens of hits, plaques, and chart-topping singles. But even so, it's a bit disappointing that none of have been able to release that full-length masterpiece during their time in the game. Many of these MCs still have a chance to make it happen, but in the meantime, we're venting. Here are 11 great rappers who, surprisingly, never had a classic album.

Written by Insanul Ahmed (@Incilin)

RELATED: The 50 Worst Rap Album Fails
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Busta Rhymes

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Fabolous

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Ludacris

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Jadakiss

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Lloyd Banks

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Canibus

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Juelz Santana

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Age: 29
Albums: From Me To U (2003), What The Game's Been Missing! (2005),

Juelz Santana had it all. He was down with Dipset, he was steadily improving as a rapper, he contributed to classic albums (Diplomatic Immunity, Purple Haze), was on hits (“Oh Boy,” "Hey Ma," "Run It"), and scored his own hits ("There It Go (The Whistle Song)"). He was young, fresh, had street cred, and the girls liked him.

So what if his first two albums weren’t perfect? By 2007, Juelz was poised to break out thanks in part to his excellent Just Blaze-produced single, “The Second Coming.” He was homeboys with the Best Rapper Alive, Lil Wayne (back when he really was the Best Rapper Alive), and they were going to do an album together, I Can’t Feel My Face.

What went wrong? Well, his album Born To Lose, Built To Win was endlessly delayed and has yet to be released. Ditto for his collaborative album with Wayne. Combine that with Dipset’s brief but poorly timed breakup and you’ll see why Santana missed his moment when he could have made a classic.

The saddest part about all this was when, in the midst of the group’s turmoil, Cam’ron called out Santana for being a drug addict. We can’t say that it’s certainly true, but it could explain Santana’s severe lack of productivity. Still, here’s to hoping he can come back like crushed up Adderall cooked crack.

RELATED: The 50 Greatest Dipset Songs

Ras Kass

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Big L

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Nicki Minaj

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Royce Da 5'9"

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