It was an up and down decade for hip hop. It started up and stayed there for a few years and then the downloading age hit and threw hip hop into a downward spiral of irrelevance and bullshit in the middle of the decade(05-08). As of today it is getting back to where it was. In retrospect we never really realize how damn long a decade is. I mean 10 years ago we were worried about the Y2K crash and Puff, J.Lo & Shyne shot up the club. But since a decade is so long I am going to go year by year and give my opinion on the best 2-4 albums that year.
2000
1. The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem showed he was a main staple in hip hop and not just some quick fad. He managed to make such a dark album that gives you humor, insight and understanding of him as a man and artist. You can’t deny tracks like “Stan” "Marshall Mathers" "Who Knew" "Remember Me?" "The Way I Am” are hip hop classics. Talks about everything from murder to feeling alone to the absurdity of blaming Columbine on music to nonsense to his disdain toward pop music. To see a classic on record look no further than at the first verse of “The Way I Am”, the rhyme pattern is just ridiculous.
2. Country Grammar
This is what started it off. Without this album the South would have never had a shot. I know what you are thinking Scarface, No Limit, and Cash Money were around before him. BUT this was the first Midwest/Southern major album push release on a MAJOR RECORD LABEL. If this was not a success we would not have had Ludacris, T.I., Lil Wayne being able to become big, because major labels would not have taken the chance on another Southern Artist. And major radio stations in the Northeast and West would not bother to play another Southern Hip Hop artist.. "St. Louie" "Country Grammar" "Greed, Hate, Envy""Batter Up" "Ride Wit Me" "E.I.". Don't matter where you from, people were bumping this. If they didn't they missed out on a great album.
2001
1. The Blueprint
Arguably Jay-Z's best album. All 15 track, (there is 3 on the last one) from start to finish are great. I can never seem to just play one song, I have to play the whole album through. His use of soulful beats and vulnerable subject matter, are what makes this album so great. It changed the approach, the beat selection and flow of rappers throughout the decade. My personal favorite songs are "Takeover" "Izzo" "Song Cry" "Renegade" "Heart of the City" "Lyrical Exercise"
2. Stillmatic
Nas was coming off an awful effort with his last album "Nastradamus" and had been on a couple year hiatus with his mother in ailing health. Many around the hip hop circle we're doubting if Nas still had anything left. As did Jay-Z, when he took a shot at Nas to claim Sole Chair of King of NY. What this did was woke a sleeping giant and Nas came out with his best album since It Was Written. "Ether", "Got Yourself A Gun" and "One Mic" proved Nas was not going to let anyone take full control of the throne, and let the naysayers see he didn't go anywhere.
2002
1) The Eminem Show
This is my favorite Eminem album. I feel it gives you the most variety of his albums. "Sing for the Moment" "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" "Cleaning Out My Closet" are one of the most personal collections of hip hop songs together on an album. The best track "Til I Collapse" is so ridiculous. Songs like "Drips" & "Superman" are funny songs but avoid being corny. "Say What You Say'' "Business" are classic Em/Dre collabos. There isn't really much to dislike about this album.
2) God's Son
2002 was one of Nas' best years. He was still capitalizing on the buzz of Stillmatic and was able to drop two great albums God's Son & The Lost Tapes. I personally believe that God's Son was the better of the 2. "Heaven" is a personal favorite to me. Songs like "Made You Look" "Last Real N___ Alive" were bangers. "Hey Nas" was a real laid back track. "Get Down" was an excellent first track. This is an often overlooked Nas album.
If it were up to me though. God's Plan, 50 Cent Is The Future & No Mercy, No Fear deserve to be #1 on this list. But since they are mixtapes I'm not going to put them there. But for all those who love Wayne mixtapes, these 3 mixtapes are the genesis of a mixtape. They revolutionized the game and how rappers market themselves. Not to mention that front to back every song is good.
2003
1) Tie between Jay-Z Black Album & 50 Cent Get Rich or Die Tryin'
This would have been a perfect way for Jay-Z to end his career. "Dirt off Your Shoulders" the beat and lyrics are vicious. "P.S.A." is one of Jay's best songs.. "Moment of Clarity" brings a deeper Jay that you don't often get to hear. "99 Problems" is a great fusion of Jay's gritty hip hop lines with Rick Rubin's rock beat. "Allure" is such a chill vibe song. "My 1st Song" is a great way to encompass what could have been Jay's last song.
One of the most anticipated debut albums in history. And 50 delivered a classic. From the intro where you hear the half dollar coin hitting the table you knew you were in for something crazy."What Up Gangsta" "Many Men" "Backdown" "U Not Like Me" all show 50's gritty New York gangster lyrics. "If I Can't" "P.I.M.P" show off his braggadocio and style. "Don't Push Me" "Patiently Waiting" are all hungry tracks. "21 Questions" is a perfect love song but it isn't corny, is catchy and makes you laugh. "Wanksta" shows Fif's ability to make a single but not compromise on it's content. And how can we forget "In Da Club" easily the hottest single released all decade. You couldn't go anywhere for months without hearing it, and it never got old. 50's career has been trouble with trying to duplicate this album and it would be damn near impossible no matter how hard any rapper tried.
2) Beg For Mercy
One of the best crew albums of the decade and probably since Wu-Tang was in their prime years. 50, Banks and Buck bring it on every single track on this album. My personal favorites are "Stunt 101" "G'd Up" "Wanna Get To Know You" and "Poppin' Them Thangs"
2004
1) College Dropout
Kanye brought a perfectly produced album and mixed it with talent, and clever rhymes. Everything in this album flows perfectly. "Through The Wire'' is a classic song. "We Don't Care" is a great playful song. "All Falls Down" is a great introspective song about our consumer culture. "Spaceship" is the anthem for almost anyone working retail. "Jesus Walks" is one of the best singles with non single content. "Last Call" is one of the most inspirational record made. Ye's best album.
2)The Hunger For More
Lloyd Banks continued G-Unit's rule on the middle of the decade with a great debut album. The beats were top notch, Banks flow was on point and delivered some of the craziest punch lines ever written. "Warrior Part 1 & 2" "I Get High" "I'm So Fly" and "Die One Day" are my favorite tracks.
2005
1.Late Registration
Kanye followed up his first album with another great album. There are some really subpar tracks. But both Diamonds Are Forever songs showed how much better of an emcee Kanye became. I also prefer his production on his first album but you can't deny the genius production Ye did. "Touch The Sky" was a great track and introduced to a great artist Lupe Fiasco. "Gold Digger" was a great single.
2. The Documentary-The Game/Be-Common
This album single handedly brought the West Coast back. But to be honest without 50's influenece in "Hate it or Love it" "This Is How We Do" "Church For Thugs" "Westside Story" and other tracks this album would only be a decent album. 50 gave him a basis on how to write songs and gave him some of his best verses on the album.
Common had already been around hip hop for over a decade and had a wide fan base among hip hop heads but Be is the album that give him the most mainstream buzz. With a ton of production from Kanye West it is one of the most soulful hip hop albums made. Personal favorites of mine are "Testify" "The Corner" "Be (Intro)" & "Go"
2006
1)Food & Liquor
Lupe Fiasco's first album brings us one of the most complicated & intricate rappers. He uses heavily packed simile's and representations to give us a complicated subject matter. The people who dislike Lupe Fiasco is often because of his complexity. I think "American Terrorist" "I Gotcha" "Kick Push" & "Hurt Me Soul" are the best tracks. Lupe is a different kind of artist and is necessary for hip hop to survive and expand.
2) Hell Hath No Fury
Our favorite cocaine selling brothers dropped the 2nd best album in 2006 in my opinion. There is something about Clipse on a Neptune beat that elevates everyone's talents so much. The best thing about this album is that the Clipse didn't have a wide variety of topics and still were able to keep it from being stale and boring for 12 tracks. "Mama I'm Sorry" "Keys Open Doors" & "Mr. Me Too" are the best tracks.
2007
1) American Gangster
Jay-Z said that this album was inspired by the Denzel movie American Gangster and it shows. It plays out like a movie. "Pray" "American Dreamin" is the come up. "Hello Brooklyn" "No Hook" "Roc Boys" is the achievement of recognition. "Sweet" "I Know" "Party Life" is the top of the world. "Ignorant Shit" "Say Hello" "Fallin" is the downfall and destruction. This album is so damn smooth. Puff even shows you why he ruled things in the 90s with some of the best production you will ever hear.
2) Graduation
Jay's little brother Kanye came out the box with his 3rd album. He beat 50 in the war of sales, and gives a very different kind of hip hop.. "Good Life" "Flashing Lights" are not your typical hip hop songs but make the album what it is. He steps up his rhyming ability even more from his second album. And if not for Wayne's awful verse on "Barry Bonds", and the awful "Drunk & Hot Girls it would be a perfect album.
2008
1)Untitled- Nas
Such a deep album for such an important time. Nas' best release of the decade.
2. Recession/Raw Footage/Paper Trail/ 808's & Heartbreak
Jeezy is not known for his lyrical prowess but he spits some of the realest bars over some of the tightest beats. He's non Jay or Nas but he separates himself from a lot of people with this.
I know what you are going to say Cube is old and is like kid friendly now-a-days. This album is farrrrrrrrrrr from kid friendly. "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" disects the ridiculous argument that hip hop is the blame for society's problems. "I Got My Locs On" gives a good South & West feel with Jeezy. "Hood Mentality" "It Takes A Nation" are more of the dissecting of the mainstream. "Jack In The Box" "Thank God" are the Cube we all love. "Why Me" talks about the senselessness of killing each other. Now while I love this album I will be the first to admit Cube has lost a large step and has a few awful verses. But this is a much needed album that could have only been made by him.
All I have to say is complete album..
I will catch a lot of heat for saying this but this album is damn near musical genius. Just put yourself into the shoes while listening to it. I like Kanye's first 3 albums but the genius of this album. The raw emotion of it makes it one of the most realistic and most emotion filled album.
2009
1) Man on the Moon
One of the most depressing albums I have ever heard. And I feel like I should be on suicide watch when I listen to it but great music is great music. "Soundtrack to My Life" feels like a real soundtrack to your own life.."Solo Dolo" is one of the darkest tracks but you can't help but to sing along.. "Day N Night" nothing needs to be said... "Hyyerr" is on of the most relaxing songs, I don't even smoke and it makes me want to. Great album will be looked back as a classic in a few years.. Now all we need to do is convince Cudi to start wearing baggier jeans.. Tighter than a girl's jeans is not cool.
2) Tie Between Blueprint 3 & Before I Self Destruct
Jay& 50 neck and neck all damn decade
Seriously dude is 40 years old. Why is he incapable of falling off like the rest of hip hop at that age? I don't want him to go but this is like an unrealistic feat he is doing. "Thank You" "Empire State of Mind" "A Star Is Born" "Venus vs. Mars" "Young Forever" are my favorite songs. I want to go to that BP3/TM103 concert because "Real As It Can Get" seems like it is an awesome concert song.. Ah well I got to see him in Philly. And see the beginning of the Beans & Jay beef.
After years of complainng that 50 doesn't make good music anymore (not from my viewpoint) 50 dropped his best work since Get Rich............and people complained? Hip hop has fallen far but this album is under-appreciated just like Massacre was so in 3 or 4 years we will be calling it a classic. "Death To My Enemies" "Psycho" give you that ill looking face. "Stretch" and "Hold Me Down" are other favorites of mine. "Do You Think About Me?" & "Could've Been You" are the good personal records.. "Ok, You're Right" is the catchy but non watered down single that 50 is best at.
R&B Album You Must Check NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T
Amerie - Touch
I said it before Amerie is the most under-appreciated artist of the decade in my opinion.
Amerie came back with an r&b fused with the GoGo movement of the DMV area (D.C., Maryland, Virginia). It makes for clever and creative music. If you like R&B you will definitely appreciate this album.
Rapper of the Decade
1) 50 Cent
2 solo classic (Get Rich & Massacre). We could say 3 because 90% of us didn't hear Power of the Dollar until 2002-2003. 1 Classic Group Album (Beg For Mercy). 1 Album that will be classic in 5 years (Before I Self Destruct). 1 good group album (T.O.S.) and like a dozen classic mixtapes.
2) Jay-Z
3 classic albums (Blueprint 1, Black Album, American Gangster). 1 Future Possible Classic (Blueprint 3). 3 good album (Dynasty, Best of Both Worlds, Blueprint 3.) 2 disappointing albums (Kingdom Come (still a very good album), Unfinished Business)
3) Kanye West
3 classic albums (College Dropout, Late Registration, Graduation). 1 heavily misunderstand album (808's & Heartbreaks). Tons of classic production material.
The top 3 is really close and you could argue the 3 anywhere in the top 3. I picked 50 at #1 because of how much material he has released in the decade that was classic.
Honorable Mention
4 & 5) Nas and Lil' Wayne in either order.
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