Your Favorite Albums of the Decade

[Magician]

this decade is coming to an end, and there's been a lot of great albums since everybody thought our computers were going to crash and jesus would descend from the heavens. time to list them.

these are my top 25 (leaving three spaces open for '09 releases).

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22. b.dolan - the failure
this is a fantastic and often slept on album. you have to listen to this thing from start-to-finish to fully appreciate its value, and if you do you definitely won't be disappointed.

21. people under the stairs - question in the form of an answer
a great album to ride/chill to. "blowin wax" is one of the top songs of the decade, a fantastic example of hip-hop at its purest.

20. eminem - the marshall mathers lp
this is eminem's best work, and shows why he is considered one of the best ever by many listeners. eminem covers the widest range of topics, each of them seeming fresh at this point in his career.

19. the roots - rising down
a fantastic effort from the roots, black thought offering up some of the best lyrics of his career. also, some of the best guest spots i've ever heard.

18. madvillain - madvillainy
one of the best outputs from doom. also features one of my all time favorite smoking anthems, "america's most blunted."

17. deltron 3030 - deltron 3030
a concept album from one of the game's premier emcees, del. this album is amazing to sit down with, listen to, and experience.

16. brother ali - the undisputed truth
brother ali has long been one of the best in the game, and here he proves why, spitting from the incredibly personal aspects of his life to lashing out at the government.

15. mr. lif - i phantom
another concept album, this one more convoluted and complex than deltron's. features great observations on the social and political workings of the country (america), as well as the greatest monday morning anthem i've ever heard, "live from the plantation."

14. atmosphere - you can't imagine how much fun we're having
atmosphere's best release, which is saying something. from start to finish, a banger, with slug rhyming about being the shit, women, and even social behavior. this is the peak of an amazing career.

13. juggaknots - re:release
this makes the list for the song, "sex type thing," one of the best songs in hip-hop history (no joke). the rest of the album doesn't reach this level, but it comes pretty close.

12. aesop rock - none shall pass
aesop's best record of his career, with fantastic beats, and often decipherable lyrics - which is a change of pace from him. showcases his skill both on and off the mic.

11. ill bill - hour of reprisal
ill bill rhymes about every aspect of his life on this one, from conspiracies to his daughter to racism. the track with raekwon, "coka mosaich," is a banger, a standout of the decade.

10. jedi mind tricks - servants in heaven, kings in hell
both stoupe and vinnie paz are on their shit on this one, dropping their best work to date. "uncommon valour," with ra the rugged man, is a standout for the epic production and emotional lyrics. hopefully, the group can return to this level some day.

9. r.a. the rugged man - die rugged man, die
r.a. has been in the game since the early 90's, but this 04 release is his debut album. and, it's worth the wait. ra lives up to his self-proclaimed title as the best ever at times, and rips every beat laid out for him.

8. cage - movies for the blind
cage's best release is his first, with each track being a banger - whether rhyming about drugs, being in a mental hospital, or imagining he's in a clockwork orange, cage is on his shit on this one.

7. el-p - fantastic damage
el producto's debut is a masterwork, a symphony of underground ny rawness. this track takes the listener to another solar system from its opener, and keeps you there until the final track fates out.

6. immortal technique - revolutionary voume 2
tech has his breath under control here, is spitting raw shit, and covers a variety of topics. this remains his best work, and showcases the undeniable skill he possesses as both an emcee and a teacher.

5. murs - murs 316: the 9th edition
murs & 9th wonder's first collaboration remains their greatest. murs's flow and cadence is perfect for 9th's superb production, and the 10 tracks keep things short and sweet.

4. dangerdoom - the mouse and the mask
doom is on my list again, this time with his all-time best work. with appearances by talib kwali and ghostface killah, this album has doom showing his full potential over dangermouse's flawless production.

3. cannibal ox - the cold vein
this is one of those albums made for a cold winter day, but remains an undeniable classic in any season. vast aire and vordul mega spit a whole lotta scientifical raps over some of el-p's all time best production, conjuring images of both hip-hop's golden age and the future of the genre.

2. sage francis - personal journals
sage's first LP is a masterpiece of alternative hip-hop. the poet's rhymes suit the album title, with francis spitting about the most personal aspects of his life over some great instrumentals. from start to finish, an epic and unforgettable journey.

1. ghostface killah - supreme clientele
the best wu-release since wu-tang forever, this album solidifies ghostface's spot as one of the greatest to ever grace the mic.

what're yours?

[RealShine]

I think stillmatic, masters of the universe, MMLP, idk cant think right now lols

[Trupanzine]

The Streets - Original Pirate Material