>The Score was a big commercial success, no one was calling it
>a classic
A TON of people called this a classic...between Fugeela, Ready Or Not, Killing Me Softly (which was the song that put the album over the top), and one of the funniest skits in a minute, that shit was a certified classic

>Makaveli had buzz because it was posthumous and controversial,
>it wasnt considered a classic
Most cats in the west pumped this shit to death, along with cats below the Baltimore border

>Atliens? they didnt get classic ratings until Aquemini
I can agree somewhat with this...I didn't hear much out of this album outside of Elevators

>You're really stretching with Illadelph, you had to be all the
>way in the know at the time. Most casual rap fans and the
>media were still sleeping on the roots
The media maybe, but more and more rap fans was deep in the buzz of the Roots with this joint

>Meanwhile Jay was well on his way to being a big deal and
>being recognized as such
In 96? Come on man
Jay put out a bangin album, but in 96? Winter Warz was the official hiphop theme, along with some of the Fugees shit...the buzz of Raekwon's album finally died down a little, and Junior Mafia was BIG's project and they had some bangers...Jay really didn't make a name with Reasonable Doubt until Brooklyn's Finest and that was because of the Biggie duet. Then BIG passed and it was over
Jay got a little shine, and then Triumph by the Wu-Tang came out and caught most of the buzz