The year's ten best rap albums so far

Rap music, anyone? Me neither, at least not so much these days. I'm sure part of it's that I'm getting older (I'm damn near in my late 20s), but I had a pretty hard time coming up with the following list, for XXL, of the 10 best rap albums of the year so far. I almost scrapped the whole thing altogether and went with another post on Superhead or something.

The ten best rap albums of the year so far:

• Black Milk - Popular Demand
• Brother Ali - The Undisputed Truth
• El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead
• Evidence - The Weatherman LP
• KRS-One & Marley Marl - Hip Hop Lives
• Pharoahe Monch - Desire
• Phat Kat - Carte Blanche
• Prodigy - Return of the Mac
• Redman - Red Gone Wild
• Talib Kweli - Ear Drum

What do you 'bags think? Shitty year? Bad list? Anything missing?

Checkit:

• The half-year in rap
• Rap albums of the half-year

Comments

[jamie]

shitty year.

[Kin Corn Karn]

It's been a pretty crappy year for new hip hop except for the new El-P and a few other releases like Busdriver's "RoadKillOverCoat." You know it's a horrible year when you wouldn't even waste 5 minutes of downloading Brother Ali, Evidence, Black Milk, etc for free.

[dameSTAtus]

I'll have to second the vote re: Prodigy as the #1 album.

Good music, nice samples (esp james brown from the black caesar soundtrack), good flows, good cameos, etc. My ghetto version is actually the retail cd mixed w/ favs from the pre mac mix cd. so I re-A&R'd it to be even more fly. fly as a green ecko shoe actually. Looking like some cleats...hahahahahahahah

[mr. pilly wonk]

Turf Talk - The West Coast Vaccine

not that you would have ever listened to that.

[jihod]

So bol u telling me that you honestly think that brother ali & evidence it better the sean price, da fuck!!!!! Also Redman's shit definitely was better the Sean P. Dude u are really losing it.
1.Prodigy- Return of the Mac
2. Sean Price- Jesus Price Superstar
3. El-P- I'll Sleep when You're Dead
4. Talib Kweli- Ear Drum
5. Black Milk- Popular Demand
6. Phat Kat- Carte Blanche
7. Redman- Red Gone Wild
8. Pharoah Monch- Desire
9. Evidence- The Weatherman LP
10. Consequence- Don't Quit Your Day Job

[dameSTAtus]

Pilly wonk and Sir dookie: Holding down the bay on the interwebs for many moons my friend.

I see you!

[jihod]

*definitely wasn't better

[john cochran]

HALF OF THAT SHIT I DIDNT HEAR CAUSE I DONT LISTEN TO ALL THAT BACKPACK COLLEGE STUDENT SHIT. OUTTA THE LIST I HEARD RED AND PRODIGY AND THEY WERE BOTH HOT, P'S WAS BETTER. IT WAS A GOOD EFFORT AT DOING A CONCEPT ALBUM.

[Adam K]

No Fabolous, no care.

[dameSTAtus]

I second that "No Backpack College Schtick" M.O.

If my boy (nullus) tries to hype/sell me on Zion Fznucken I again, I'm going to put a hit out on his black emo azz.

What happened to the og Kush?
What happened to Spider goodlegs?

Shouts to Combat Jack and his army of children!

[washington]

Pretty crap year, I agree. Not only did I only buy one cd on that list, but it's the only one I listen to. I did cop the newish High Priest disc, which is pretty good spliff music, but it's probably too weird/backpacky for most of you.

[jihod]

Fabolous would be in my top 20 or 25, he has never ever fulfilled his potential. I almost forgot Style P- Ghost Sessions, which reminds me of nas's lost tapes albeit the poorman version was pretty good & I actually enjoyed it a lot more that redman's album. I think some of you should give it a listen large proffessor did like 4 beats and he & Styles have good chemistry. Also I know or later Atlantic will have to put out Saigon's "Greatest Story Never Told", I would love to hear it so bad. Saigon to me is has the potential to be just as good as Beanie Sigel!!!!

[Bol]

>If my boy (nullus) tries to hype/sell me on Zion Fznucken I again, I'm going to put a hit out on his black emo azz.

I'm surprised such a Bay Area stan doesn't listen to Zion I. That's like going to McDonalds and not getting the fries, or... you know, something else insane.

[Bo-icey]

Turf Talk. No contest. Seriously, and I aint from the Bay - I am in the UK. Best UK album would have to be Wiley.

But Kanye WILL release the album of the year...

[pothell]

fuck that, how bout raekwon?

[Bibs]

Disgruntle 30 somethings made this list huh? Cool list but, now I know we're in the era where old men are stuck in 1993. So does that mean people stuck in 1975 are now on to the eighties? How does that work? I wouldn't mind seeing a shag again.

[okayplayerhater]

When bisexuals (obviously not intellectuals) such as Talib Kweli and Pharoahe Monch are considered top albumns, something or someone is wrong.

[jonjon]

wowzwer! what a fuckin' un-inspiring batch. I mean these cats cool, but most don't really require playback, and I actaully like a few.

Bol ya better than that.

ya'dIG!

[Stonyman]

Good list. If you haven't listened to these albums you should gives you an idea what everything else is looking to beat. Bout time you mentioned Talib's album. So called "only hip-hip blog".

[kid pro]

Why does it seem that NO ONE has heard of Arts the Beatdoctor's first album, "Transitions?" I don't dig for obscure shit at all, I'm from Kentucky for fuck's sake, but I somehow stumbled across this album and it's unfortunate it's not on any list period... This dude is from the Netherlands or something like that, sounds like a jazzy version of RJD2 or Shadow, and all ya'll should check it out. Man I sound like a rep. for this cat but I just really dig this album and want more peoples to check it.
Word.

[Ivan]

No Jazzy Jeff? Still though, props on not over-looking Phat Kat...that album is banging

[frankster04]

did you get ahold of the new version of eardrum? justin timberlake is supposed to be on some revised edition that's coming out. love your blog man. keep up the good work and f the haters. got a non hip hop top 10 coming soon?

[fresh]

I would put Marco Polo's Port Authority somewhere in that top 10.

[SJAB]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_jEBh1VtdT0

"Could you lend this nigga a pencil?"

[NoMamesBuey]

EL-P IS OVERRATED & I like to suck my own balls ocassionally

[dronkmunk]

I didn't even know evidence had an Album out. I copped that shit and it is very solid. I should have spent money on it I guess.

[dad-e]

blue scholars - buyani

[NoMamesBuey]

FYI. Douche-bag libelous fake-name posting alert.

The douche that posted @ Jul 7, 2007 8:09:25 PM is Jihod or some other bitchmade. Grow up, morons.

[NoMamesBuey]

co-sign Dade. Blue Scholars 2007 Bayani is Top2, or at least Top10. That album is excellent.

Unfortunately Bol's racism would likely preclude him from giving it a chance. Blue Scholars is a duo from Washington State with a Philippino MC & Iranian producer/DJ.

Also close-minded douches like Jihod might talk shit on it without even listening to 1 song. Typical bitchmadeism.

[OranJuiceJones]

I know personally I cant listen to any emcee unless his voice carries a degree of base or edge to it and those blue scholars guys, no....

Shit has to have some kinda hood in it even if its just the emcee's voice, damn it. Fuck all this frapucchino, trucker hat, cargo short white boy rap. Blue Scholars sound like rocket scientists rambling about Eastern religious philosophy, wtf is that shit.

I know me as a black man, I dont wanna hear someone taking our artform and rhyming about the goddamn greatness of Siddhartha and the tenets of Therevada Buddhism, some shit is just better off being read through text and not rapped about.....

[NoMamesBuey]

@ OJ Jones

Blue Scholars doesn't rap about Buddhism, son. To just assume this, is as ignorant/racist as a non-black person assuming that any black MC from the innercity is an ignorant gangsta rapper.

I mean, listen to a track off of myspace. Or just ignore them & don't speak on them either way. But to talk ish on some music group without hearing 1 song is mad ignorant, yo.

[jihod]

NoMamesBuey I guess is on a personal crusade against the god, but on the real though he probably does suck his own balls, lmao!!!! Just copped the entire evidence today & that shit goes hard but dude tries his best once again to ruin some beautiful production.

[OranJuiceJones]

No boy, thats where you wrong,I listened to some of this shit when you mentioned it and there are references to esoteric eastern philosophic principles, but maybe you are too dumb to pick that up......

[OranJuiceJones]

and "talkin ish" + "mad ignorant, yo" I hope you from New York cuz muthafuckas get bust in they mouth for talkin that pseudo new york shit where Im from.....

[NoMamesBuey]

@OJ Jones

If you actually listened to Blue Scholars & then conclude that it's mostly "esoteric eastern philosophy", I question your english language comprehension skills.

I listened to Blue Scholars' album "Bayani" once, & the album's main topic is "everyman struggles" ala OutKast & Little Brother. There's also raps on growing up in Seattle, the WTO protest, & a prediction that we're the 1st generation in American history that will have worse living standard than that of its parents.

[NoMamesBuey]

@OJ Jones

LOL at 1st Amendment free speech rights being circumvented by "where you're from". I guess since say 60%+ of MCs that have made classic albums are from the NYC area, that group better avoid your town also. Fock outta here!

[YoMamaBuey]

a prediction that we're the 1st generation in American history that will have worse living standard than that of its parents.

^ not so much of a prediction, rather what already is

[OranJuiceJones]

NoMamesBuey, I dont know you and dont want to stereotype you, but you sound like a typical backpack lame. The type of guy from nowhere within 500 miles of New York embracing their culture such as that Wu-Tang ass slang you use and mistaking it for hip-hop culture.

Do you listen to Dilated Peoples on oversized headphones, skateboard, and drink Starbucks as well??!?!? Just curious....

Backpack hip-hoppers are the most annoying people on the face of the earth with their haughty arrogance and musical snobbery.

Shit, I might not like Fabo from D4L or the Shop Boyz music, but Im sure they 10x more cool to kick with than self-righteous, live at home with my parents cuz im against the system peons such as yourself...

[OranJuiceJones]

And you never answered me Buey, where you from?!!?!?

[OranJuiceJones]

You idiot, you also seem to have no comprehension of what "Bayani" actually is and how it relates to the themes of the album, please do your research before you speak

[NoMamesBuey]

OJ Jones,

"I don't mean to stereotype you", but you seem like a typical bitchmade ad hominem attacker, due to your inability to make a logical point. Aka morons like Jihod, if that isn't your alias commenting name. You probably love to talk shit on the internets, but never do so in real life.

I'm from Minneapolis, & have lived in every region of the US. I have close friends of varied backgrounds, including Black Americans. What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?

Fock outta here with your non-sequiter questions. No one gives a fock for your self-appointed high priest status of deciding who can have an opinion on rap music. Instead, attempt to offer an insightful opinion of your own, without ad hominem attacks.

[moderator]

lmfao at buey pulling the 'i have black friends' card out of nowhere/for no reason. you lost, kid.

[Covert Jerk]

http://www.covertjerk.com/

bol i think you'll enjoy

[OpenHeads]

"I know personally I cant listen to any emcee unless his voice carries a degree of base or edge to it and those blue scholars guys, no....

Shit has to have some kinda hood in it even if its just the emcee's voice, damn it. Fuck all this frapucchino, trucker hat, cargo short white boy rap. Blue Scholars sound like rocket scientists rambling about Eastern religious philosophy, wtf is that shit.

I know me as a black man, I dont wanna hear someone taking our artform and rhyming about the goddamn greatness of Siddhartha and the tenets of Therevada Buddhism, some shit is just better off being read through text and not rapped about....."

Wow, that was just sad. Reread that shit & tell me how you sound. It's a sad day for you my friend.

[Thizz what it izz]

turf talk- west coast vaccine

[jihod]

I think what oranjuicejone is trying to say is that white people have taken everything from almost every culture, race.....etc., and have just robbed it of it's purity. Let black people in this country have something because the white man is trying to kill our music by constantly putting certain artist on bet & mtv. Truthfully the Likes of Young Joc, Shop Boyz, D4L, T.I. (And the list goes on and on) don't even sell that many records. Its like they want the next generation to stay deaf, dumb & blind. My issues with blue scholar is that one is a TI which means his father is a doctor and he is well off & the other is a cracker whose father either sells propane or propane acessories or his father works for Dean Witter or Merril Lynch. My question for NoMamesBuey is how does this group relate to the working man's struggles? Once again niggas in the hood be struggling everyday, we're the real working men in this country. Women in the Black Community make more money then the men. Most BLACK Men can't get decent jobs & when they get a decent job we can't get a raise or a decent wage. A lot of Black Mean resort to selling drugs to feed their families. When they get caught that's a felony conviction and they can't get another job. To me this is the working man in America, the everyday man that is forced to do anything to survive & live a decent quality of life. You know corporations own all the prisons, so to the white man it's just a matter of money to them. They are gonna profit off a black no matter whether you're working for them or in prison. Chilly Chill, Lupes Manager, just got 40 years in prison for drugs(a nonviolent crime) in the same city, Chicago, a WHITE priest molested 5 underaged men and only got 5 years & will be out in last time then that. YOU TELL ME WHAT THE OBVISOUS AGENDA IS NoMamesBuey?????? Stop trying to force your wack ass opinions on everybody and anyone who agrees w/ anything NoMamesBuey has to say is a dumbass cracker ass cockersuck!!!!

[jihod]

Also like like a little ass girl who wears a short skirt on her first day of high school I think NoMamesBuey loves all the attention he is getting which is very fucking sad!!!! Someone should throw a shoe @ your skull u racist piece of shit cracker!!!!

[OranJuiceJones]

"I know personally I cant listen to any emcee unless his voice carries a degree of base or edge to it and those blue scholars guys, no....

Shit has to have some kinda hood in it even if its just the emcee's voice, damn it. Fuck all this frapucchino, trucker hat, cargo short white boy rap. Blue Scholars sound like rocket scientists rambling about Eastern religious philosophy, wtf is that shit.

I know me as a black man, I dont wanna hear someone taking our artform and rhyming about the goddamn greatness of Siddhartha and the tenets of Therevada Buddhism, some shit is just better off being read through text and not rapped about....."

I re-read it and it sounds perfect, once again hate it or love it, but I dont wanna hear all that Dose-One, Sage Francis Anticon shit. Shit has no relation to my life or my community. It is of a foreign entity of which I cannot stomach. Of course as a white person, which Im sure you are, you wouldnt understand my perspective and I dont expect you to understand, you have an entirely different culture and set of experiences, and save all of the "we're all the same" or "I went to school with 95% minorities" rant cuz it will never equivocate to being the actual minority.

So let it be known I dont give a shit what anybody has to day about it, unless he's playing an instrument and he's a suburban white dude, I dont wanna hear that shit. I'd rather listen to Paul Wall than Sole, Hot Karl, Minamina Goodsong (even with their two black guys), 7L & Esoteric, Braille, Hangar 18 (even with the one black dude) or any of them guys

[NoMamesBuey]

^ another Jihod self-ethering from this epic douche-bag mAnn Coulter-stan Jihod.

I the US Filipinos or Iranians (Blue Scholars) are considered "crakkas" or "TIs". An Iranian being labeled a "Jew TI"? Ha! What's next Dikembe Mutumbo being mistaken for a KKK leader?

Jihod has moved from 100% mAnn Coulter-biting ad hominem attacks, to making up completely nonsensical "evidence". Jihod, join Faux News, your outrageous lying skills will be in demand as a 4th-generation Gee Dubbz weed carrier.

[OranJuiceJones]

I dont even know why Im arguing about this, I live life as a black man, people like Buey live hip-hop....

NoMamesBuey is no longer (fill in the ethnicity he was born inot) but decided to throw on his sweat covered five year old Living Legends T-Shirt, join KRS's temple and become hip-hop....

[jihod]

Filipino is of pacific & asian decent, so that makes him a white bitch that "speaka no english", lmao. As if you have never had an asian doctor before. Bottom line he aint black.

[NoMamesBuey]

^douche-baggery & racism at its worst. With Jihod ethering himself so viciously with each comment, there's no need for me to say anything here.

[NoMamesBuey]

Bol,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Slim_Helu

Peep how the "HNIC" of "TIs", aka the World's richest dude, is now a MEXICAN of ARAB (Lebanese) ethnicity. Your boy Slim Helu is sonning "crakkas" like Bill Gates & Warren Buffet. And Slim Helu is self-made, his family was not rich growing up.

Given Bol's hatred of a-rabs & Mex-i-canz, someone put Bol on suicide watch!

[danthrax]

lol@ NoMamesBuay and his arab-jocking. You ever talk about anything else, sand goblin?

[thoreauly77]

danthrax- do you ever do anything but come here solely to spit out racist slurs? you're pathetic.

[TadAllagash]

Honestly, dead that backpacker stuff.

Hip Hop is having a horrible year, but none of these records is even relevant.

And to the guy who likes Blue Scholars, hip hop is not a meritocracy. Never has been. Cats have to LIKE you, it is, after all, entertainment.

And there's little entertaining about some headstrung self-righteous cats rapping with no foundation to stand on.

Better luck next time.

[The Nicker]

Fact check time: Carlos Slim helu is a dirty grimy motherfucker, not saying anything racial just the truth. And you're wrong about him coming from no money:

His family reportedly made its fortune when his father arrived at the beginning of the last century in Mexico by starting a small business on which Carlos further built his empire, but there are also reports about arming militias in Lebanon over the years through high ranking contacts his late wife had in the country. In Mexico, Slim is best known for winning the privatization bid of Telmex, the state's telephone company, which was widely believed to be another one of then-president Carlos Salinas' corrupt privatization deals. Slim is expanding his interests all over Latin America, but saw a an agreement to take over Colombia's telephone company canceled last September.

Researching the history and connections of Carlos Slim Helú leads inevitably to a myriad of corruption, bought elections, money laundering and drug trafficking, narcobankers and other such activities that the Forbes list generally does not mention as source of income. Slim is for example a friend of Roberto Hernández Ramírez, who acquired Banco Nacional de Mexico (Banamex) in another one of then-president Salinas corrupt privatization deals. Hernández was exposed later for money laundering and involvement in cocaine trafficking by the Narco News Bulletin and Mexican newspaper ¡Por Esto!, which both published pictures with evidence of narcotrafficking on Hernandez' private Yucatan beach resort.

[NoMamesBuey]

Okay, Okay I admit I'm a Loser in everysince of the word. You guys win!!! I also want Money Mike to enter my anal cavity with his huge slong!!!! I also enjoy watching the "Joy Luck Club" in my spare time.

[NoMamesBuey]

^bitchmade fake name posting

[enoughalready]

OK OK, You guys have gayed up the comments section enough. Everybody put your cocks away and go home.

[danthrax]

>>danthrax- do you ever do anything but come here solely to spit out racist slurs?

Yes. Sometimes i mix in some misogyny with my racism, faggot.

And I suppose some homophobia.

[seriouslyenough]

Just had to take one more "stab" at it didn't danthrax. One more "thrust" into the hot wet argument. You just couldn't resist. Now that Danthrax has blown his load all over NoMames's face maybe they'll go to sleep, spooning, and quit gayin' it up in here.

fags

[NoMamesBuey]

I wish dialated peoples could take turns sticking there slongs in my ass.

[NoMamesBuey]

^bitchmade lames who jack others' names for fake posts, with nasty fa-go subject matter = closeted self-hating fa-gos themselves, word to Dr. Freud

[jihod]

Well if people fucking with your screen name then that should tell u something about you bitch ass. Guess its not just me that thinks you are a bitch

[NoMamesBuey]

^Jihod

You're prolly the bitchass mofo posting with the fake name

[allah_sees_everything]

1.Sean Price- Jesus Price Superstar
2.Prodigy- Return of The Mac
3. Little Brother- And Justus For All
4. Talib Kweli- Ear Drum
5. Black Milk- Popular Demand
6. Styles P- Ghost Sessions
7.Evidence- The Weather Man LP
8. Talib Kweli & Mablib- Liberation
9. Redman- Red Gone Wild
10. Pharoah Monch- Desire

[Combat Jack]

Sean Price yo! I guess it's too Brooklyn for you mid-west cats. Devin also. I gues you don't burn trees bol!

[J.A.M.E.S.]

bol needs to spend a good year of ganja smoking, and then we'll see the next top 10 change considerably...

[Junkman]

Too bad the beats on that Sean P were bunk, I wanted to like that album too.

I guess every cracka should go back to listening to their guitar/drum-laden music and stop fucking with Hip Hop from the way this thread has been developing. Even if it sounds proper to them, crackaz shall no longer attempt to speak on Hip Hop and how its music should sound.

[jihod]

Junkman, thats exactly how I feel. White people who are exectutives & A&R's can eight a dick. I'm tired of them trying to push this South Shit on the Masses.

[jihod]

*eat not eight

[jihod]

*eat not eight

[pedro de pacas]

eat eight dicks?

[mongorrian]

dick eats eights?

Well eating 8 balls is bad for your health dick.

[Junkman]

What is a dikfore?

[whatsadickfor?]

^putting in your moms mouth

[literal]

Sage Francis: "Human the Death Dance" is a hell of an album. Should definitely be on that list. And Jedi Mind Tricks: "Servants in Heaven Kings in Hell" Now that's some Raw Hip-Hop!!!

[jb]

devin the dude - waitin to inhale

[jihod]

Sage francis really fucking sucks you internet lame!!!! El-p sucks too, u crackers really have bad taste in rap music, go listen too Ashley simpson or something

[muh]

STFU jihod, you shit eating faggot! OH and, muh dick.

[NoMamesBuey]

Jihod, for once you're correct, Sage Francis sucks. El-P is good though.

El-P is in the "A- producer, B or C rapper" mold, similar to Kanye West or Mike Shinoda.

It seems mad people ironically love Kanye's music but shite on others in this same mold such as El-P.

[jihod]

Kanye is an average rapper, but in the public eye charisma makes up for his shortcomings. El-p to me hasn't been good since since Third Eye Vision(Hieroglyphics), man Oakland Blackouts was shit!!! For Bol to say that's the best album is just ridiculous!! Actually I think Allah Sees Everything had the best list cause that little brother was tight.

[NoMamesBuey]

Damn Jihod, you're suddenly making sense today!

I concur, that LB "And Justus For All" is the best of 07 so far, IMHO.

[NoMamesBuey]

NOMAMESBUEY 2007 TOP RAP ALBUMS
(instrumental rap excluded. have not listened to Pharoahe Monch, J Medeiros, or TI yet)
4.0/5 albums
1 Little Brother 2007 And Justus For All
2 Blue Scholars 2007 Bayani
3.5/5 albums
3 El-P 2007 I'll Sleep When You're Dead
4 DJ Jazzy Jeff 2007 Return Of The Magnificent
5 Talib Kweli 2007 Ear Drum
6 Hell Razah 2007 Renaissance Child
7 Calle 13 2007 Residente O Visitante
8 Wax Tailor 2007 Hope & Sorrow
3.0/5 albums
9 Marco Polo 2007 Port Authority
10 Brother Ali 2007 The Undisputed Truth
11 Polyrhythm Addicts 2007 Break Glass
12 Talib Kweli 2007 Liberation
13 Consequence 2007 Don't Quit Your Day Job
14 Decompoze 2007 Decomposition
15 Devin The Dude 2007 Waitin To Inhale
16 J Rawls & Holmskillit 2007 J Rawls Presents Holmskillit
17 Timbaland 2007 Timbaland Presents Shock Value

[jihod]

hell razah is better than el-p,but some of those i haven't honestly owned. Honestly Blue Scholars > El-P, I just wanted to really like EL-P BUT I JUST DON'T LIKE IT @ ALL. YOUR LIST IS STRAIT.REDMAN ALBUM SUCKS KINDA TO ME & I REALLY THOUGH I'D LIKE IT GOOD THING IT ONLY COST ME $2.50 OFF AMAZON.COM

[Lee Keller]

Turf Talk has the album of the year so far, that is the consencious down here in Baltimore. Bol, I think you don't are losing touch with the black pop culture zeitgeist.

[jihod]

Yeah he is too good 4 us blackies!!! Lmao!!

[JUB3]

upcoming Ye's graduation will be dopest shizt ever.

[ray newlin]

el-p is a mastermind.he is like p-diddy...but like really really good abnd talented

[CranApe]

ehh....EL-P's shit was one song from start to finish and unfortunately, i dont like that song

[billbo]

all you fucks have no idea what good hiphop is...and homeboy that posted all the albums does.

he might be out of the loop, but at least he knows good hiphop.

pharoahe's a banger, phat kat's a banger, el-p's straight fire and black milk's a fuckin banger too.

so there. eat on that one you idiots

[xDaRkRaDx]

Okay first let me give my favorite rap albums of this year so-far:

Brother Ali- Undisputed Truth
Sage Francis- Human The Death Dance
Black Milk- Popular Demand
Blue Scholars- Bayani
Talib- Ear Drum
EL-P- I'll Sleep When You're Dead
A-Plus- My Last Good Deed
DJ Vadim- The Sound Catcher

Now let me address some things:

I really can't understand why some of you are flipping out. Since when has music been about ONE race or one type of working person. No matter who you are, you struggle. Even if you got it better than one person or another we all got problems and I can't see why we can't express it through hip-hop. Hip-hop is a way to break through the barriers that life has set up for us, and connect with one another. I'm not trying to throw some deep shit out there, cuz really what it all boils down to is GOOD MUSIC. If it has a hot beat, and some lyrics you can identify with then why not?

I understand that underprivileged Black Men in America want to feel compensated for something because of shit that happened in the past. I know, I'm a descendant of a black slave from Kentucky. My great grandmother was a slave, but as of now i am mostly 3rd generation Puerto Rican/Black mix. So i know how hard my parents and grandparents and great grandparents had it... that don't mean i gotta pay them homage every day of my life. Just because I'm a little more well off than them don't mean I gotta have a whole genre of music cut off to me, just cuz its reserved for those who live hard in the ghetto... shit... this music is for everyone who wants it. If you don't like what you're hearing then turn the shit off, and turn your cheek! No need to bash shit when you have no idea what it is about... Bayani is a perfect example. I found that album to be amazing. But if you can't identify with it, if it ain't yours... then just go listen to what makes your mood and move on, no need to put us down when we're getting the maximum capacity out of it.

My true point here is listen to music because it does something for you, and try to give that to others. If you ain't feeling it then suggest something I might feel. if that happens, and only if that happened then we can grow as one hip-hop community.

[magic nole]

The REAL top 10:

Honorable mentions:
#3 Ekundayo "Get Right or Get Left"
#2 Kanye West "Graduation"
#1 T.I. T.I. vs. TIP

10. Witchdoctor "Diary of an American Witchdoctor"
9. Sage Francis "Human the Death Dance"
8. Wyclef Jean "Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant"
7. Jay-Z "American Gangster"
6. Chamillionaire "Ultimate Victory"
5. Brother Ali "Undisputed Truth"
4. Lupe Fiasco "The Cool"
3. Talib Kweli "Eardrum"
2. UGK "Underground Kingz"
1. Little Brother "Getup"