Your Favorite Hip Hop Albums, As Milkshakes

Let it be known that the milkshake + hip-hop combo is sorely underrated, even though it easily puts the PB&Js of the world to shame. That's why my gift to you is a milkshake recipe to go with four classic hip hop albums. Of course, I went all in and listened to each record while making (and eating) its milkshake counterpart. Smooth ice cream and smooth rhymes all day long, my friends.

At the end of this article, I promise you'll never want to use a cliché cute couple compliment again. You'll go with something unique like, "Wow, you two go together better than Illmatic and an apple pie shake!"

1. Straight Outta Compton— N.W.A.

Released in 1988, Straight Outta Compton was N.W.A.'s debut studio album and the subject of the recent film sporting the same name. When even the genre has the word "hardcore" in it, you know it's about to get real. That's why I brought in the big guns to spice up this milkshake: cayenne pepper.

At first sip, it tastes like a rich, chocolatey shake, but wait a few seconds and the heat will hit you like an Eazy-E rhyme. I only added 1/8 of a teaspoon, but feel free to adjust the spice to your liking.

Since the album boasts a double-platinum title, I ditched the whipped cream for glitter sparkles and a sprinkle of coffee grounds to add glamour and an extra punch. I also threw in a few extra pieces of ice in honor of Ice Cube's contribution to this record (I like to think I'm funny).

Spicy Chocolate Shake

• Prep Time:2 mins
• Cook Time:1 min
• Total Time:3 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup chocolate gelato
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• Handful ice
• 1/2 teaspoon coffee ground
• Glitter sprinkles

• Step 1

  Blend gelato, milk, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and ice until smooth. Top with ground coffee and glitter sprinkles.

  

2. All Eyez on Me—2Pac

You can't have a classic hip hop album list without some 2Pac. The 20th anniversary of the young talent's death was earlier this month and gave us a new trailer for the upcoming biopic. Because this full-length record was a double with 27 tracks that tell stories of "the thug life," I knew I had to go big. Not only do Double Stuf Oreos grace the milkshake world with their presence, but Snackwell's Devil's Food cookies also join the party.

But it doesn't stop there. The double-cookie feature rests on a bed of cookie dough ice cream. Now THAT is what the thug life is all about to me.

Triple Cookie Shake

• Prep Time:2 mins
• Cook Time:1 min
• Total Time:3 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup cookie dough ice cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 Double Stuf Oreos
• 4 Snackwell's Devil's Food Cookies
• Handful ice
• Whipped cream

• Step 1

  Blend ice cream, milk, 3 Oreos, 3 Snackwell's cookies, and ice until smooth (but still boasting some cookie crumbs). Top with whipped cream and one kind of each cookie.

  

3. Illmatic—Nas

The first album from Nas is the inspiration behind milkshake number three. Even though much of the hip hop scene came from the West Coast, we can't forget the impact that the East Coast had as well. New York native Nas definitely made his mark. Even though he was only 20 years old when the album dropped, the lyrics tell of his experiences growing up in Queensbridge.

"When I made Illmatic, I was a little kid in Queensbridge, trapped in the ghetto. My soul was trapped in Queensbridge projects," he said in an MTV interview.

With just one feature and a minimalist-style production (courtesy of DJ Premier), the final product is simple and profound. Apple pie is the perfect flavor to represent the album since it's also simple, classic, and an ode to the Big Apple. Grab that leftover slice of pie or pick up a frozen slice and throw it in the blender. So easy, so good.

Apple Pie Shake

• Prep Time:30 mins
• Cook Time:1 min
• Total Time:31 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 slice frozen apple pie thawed for 30 mins
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon plus a pinch for topping
• Whipped cream
• Caramel drizzle

• Step 1

  Blend ice cream, milk, apple pie, and cinnamon until smooth. Top with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and a pinch of cinnamon.

  

4. Ready to Die—The Notorious B.I.G.

I don't know about you, but if I'm about to die I want some comfort food. A strawberry shake is the definition of comfort in my book. Plus, the album's lead single is "Juicy," which is just like a B.I.G. strawberry (ha). 

On a more serious note, the album becomes even more impressive when you realize that Biggie was taking care of his baby girl and ailing mother while recording. He wasn't afraid to put his fearlessness into his music with complex rhymes and masterful flows. Billboard emphasizes the intricacy of his lyrics in this album review that says, "His songs mix fantasy and reality."

Because of the aforementioned complexity, I couldn't just make a strawberry shake and call it a day. Hence, the almond whipped cream. Just two months after Biggie's debut in 1994, his work earned a well-deserved gold certification from the RIAA, so don't forget the celebratory thumbprint cookie (I know it doesn't look exactly like a record, but hey, it tastes amazing)

Strawberry Almond Shake

• Prep Time:2 mins
• Cook Time:1 min
• Total Time:3 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup strawberry ice cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 5 fresh strawberries plus 1 for topping
• Handful ice
• Handful sliced almonds plus a few for topping
• 1/2 cup whipped cream
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• Strawberry thumbprint cookie optional

• Step 1

  Blend ice cream, milk, strawberries, almonds, and ice until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine whipped cream and almond extract before pouring on top of shake. Top with sliced almonds, a fresh strawberry, and a thumbprint cookie.