I have (and love) Licence to ill, student days and all that. One of the first albums that got me interested in hip-hop too. But I didn't know Paul's Boutique. I loved it. It doesn't have the hits of Licence to Ill but is more coherent and just sounds great (I love the basslines too). The use of samples is very clever. My only slight gripe is that the vocals are a bit too omnipresent for me (and quite samey). A more restrained use of vocals and a greater emphasis on the music would have been a 5* for me. Still a great album and worthy of the 1001 list.