Since the decade is ending, we here at vinyl tap thought it would be appropriate to do a top 10 list of my favorite rap albums released over the last 10 years. Enjoy.

The Roots – Things fall Apart (1999)

This was the first time that the roots really gelled on an album. This album remains as strong now as it did when it first came out. Listening to this album you hear a variety of sounds from rock and roll, soul to hip hop and it sets the standard for much of the roots’ discography. This album also reminds me of life pre-bush, pre-economic cluster fuck and pre-facebook, which was a simpler time when the terrorists where confined overseas and democracy still existed, also napster.

Binary Star – Masters of the Universe (2000)

I remember first hearing about this album in a skateboard magazine along with jedi mind tricks. I didn’t pay it much mind for a few years, then when cleaning out my old apartment I picked up the magazine and read the review again. I downloaded it, then bought it and am in search of a version on vinyl still to this day. Everything about it is great and reminds me of dead prez only better.

People Under The Stairs – OST (2002)

This album is the reason I listen to rap to be honest. Before this album I didn’t spend a lot of time listening to rap. After hearing it for the first time I started to understand. The intricate layers of samples, the clever production, the fact it never took itself too seriously makes this album one of the best of the decade.

Buck 65 – Talkin’ Honky Blues (2003)

This is both the token white guy rap album and the token Canadian album. This is an excellent example of taking obscure blues and country and turning it into something completely different. This was a creative and original album that unfortunately never received its full respect.

 

MF Doom & Madlib – Madvillain (2004)

For a while this was my favourite album ever. I could do a full list of stonesthrow albums that are amazing but this one seems to epitomize the scale and excellence that has been produced by that label. The concept is great (a super villain rap album), the execution is flawless and everything about it makes you smile.

Kool Keith & Kutmasta Kurt – Diesel Truckers (2004)

Very underrated album. Kool Keith brings his A game to this. Enough said.

Ghost Face – Fish Scales (2006)

So you take a member of the Wu-tang clan and a lot of great soul samples and you end up with this album. I was considering putting supreme clientele here instead but I made a gut decision and went with Fish scales. All round this album is a great listen. 

J Dilla – Donuts (2006)

Jay Dee was bloody prolific and made some great beats. I was considering putting Jaylib on this list but decided against it since I had already included Madvillain. Jay died three days after this album dropped and it is a fitting testament to his creative process and his skill as a producer. 

Wu-Tang Clan – 8 Diagrams (2007)

What can be said about the Wu. Besides releasing possibly the greatest rap album ever (some exceptions but KRS-one is getting old) in 1993 they have had some hit and misses. It was good to see that they can take their style in whole new directions after all these years which make them great innovators. Now I might get some flack for putting this in here but if you have some problems with it, leave a comment or piss off.

The Cool Kids – the Bake Sale (2008)

For some reason in the second half of this decade, hip hop took a hit to the head and starting acting a little strange. Auto tune and minimalist mediocrity reigned supreme. A great deal of fun was removed from the music and began taking itself far too seriously for its own good while simultaneously becoming a joke (see Kanye West for example). The cool kids stand out though because they have a sound and a style that reminds people of what hip hop is supposed to be about, good music that doesn’t suck. After all they do claim to be the new black beastie boys and Black Mags is an awesome song.

Notes:

There are a lot of albums left out of this which is a real shame. I would have liked to have put Deltron, Lupe Fiasco, Jay-Z's black album or Kool Keith's Black Elvis in here but couldn't.

I would have included Aesop Rock but decided to put Buck 65 in instead.

I am aware that I did not include Kanye or Lil' Wayne.

I am aware that there is not much Southern Rap in here.

Speakerboxx is the better listen of the two. 

From the desk of:

Andrew Morris

Head of Marketing & Acquistions

Conquering China one city at a time.