in a way that Emancipation is not.

'classic' = widely accepted by the given audience as a good/great album, w/ or w/o massive sales figures.

Confessions fits, regardless of our opinion of its quality. it's the last album i can remember that got over big time w/a relatively broad Black audience. Emancipation was also well received, but not as well received as Confessions. i dunno that i'd consider it a classic among the Blacks.