My top 10 based solely on personal preference/amount listened to.
1. Lupe Fiasco - The Cool. A dark, moody, intelligent and thoroughly entertaining concept album. While there are certainly more records with far more impact and popularity, this is a personal favorite of mine. It's gotten more spins than damn near anything else on this list.
2. NaS - Illmatic. Do I really have to explain this one? It's on damn near every list for a reason. It's really fucking good and stands the test of time.
3. Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold. Another recent record, but one that has, according to my iTunes playlist, got more plays than anything save my number one. It's that rare record where I never skip a track and know all the words.
4. Big - Life After Death. I can't explain it, but for some reason this one gelled with me more than Ready to Die. I think due to a combo of when it was released and Notorious Thugs/Hypnotize/Ten Crack Commandments.
5. Tupac - Me Against the World - While I like more of Pac's songs than Big, his was more scattershot. This record had more tracks I liked than any of his others.
6. Eminem - Slim Shady LP. This album blew a lot of minds. It wasn't until his follow up that he was taken seriously as a rapper, but this one is my favorite simply due to the shock factor of it, and the connection I felt with Rock Bottom. Very entertaining, even if I think it's the one that will age the worst.
7. Kanye West - College Dropout. Before he lost his damn mind, Kanye used to be a fairly down to earth guy. This record if played next to MBDTF would seem like two different people if not for the similar voice and familiar cadence of West's vocals. Dropout had a lot of relatable tracks, whereas his more recent efforts are relatable to only a handful of the richest and most glammed out frauds. He'll never make another "Through the Wire" or "Spaceship" but that's okay. At least he did at one point.
8. Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt. Another predictable entry. Can't be helped though, as Brooklyn's Finest, Dead Presidents, Feelin' It, D'Evils, 22 Two's and Can't I Live might be the best 6 track run in the history of rap.
9. Nappy Roots - Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz. Southern rappers from Kentucky. Unlikely as this record being on anybodies top 10, but I bumped this for 2 years straight. Ballin' on a Budget, Life is a Bitch, Start it Over, Awnam, Po Folks and Country Boys are all amazing tracks that I've listened to about 1,000,000 times.
10. The Roots - Game Theory . I honestly could have put this, Busta's The Big Bang, Obie's Cheers, Rhymefest's Blue Collar, Clipse's When the Casket Drops or Snoops or Cubes debut albums. But I'm a sucker for dark beats and themes and Black Thought is at his best when tackling meaty tracks like 'Don't Feel Right."
