NoGimmicksNeeded

It's not set in my top 10 by any means, but there's a clear argument for it being in there, and I always try to use objectivity in things like this (to an extent). I don't like to use words like 'classic' or whatever to describe albums I don't see as the best in the genre, so that's again a personal thing. If you're going to call The Blueprint a classic, then we obviously just use the word differently. Some people will call any really good album, or any artist's best, a classic, but I tend to reserve that for the few records I consider the best in the genre, or something like Straight Outta Compton that had an undeniable impact on the direction hip hop took.

EDIT: Wait, when you say top 3, do you mean for Nas albums, this year, rap in general? I'm pretty drunk so not following that line of thought.