10 Albums You Should Not Have Missed Over The Last Decade.

18Jan/1027

10 Albums You Should Not Have Missed Over The Last Decade.

To allieviate those monday blues here's my top ten for the last decade of Hip-Hop. Not necessarily the best albums of the 00's but maybe the most important.

10. Tough Junkie: Grab What You Can (2009)

Hip-hop regains some dignity. The circumstances which preceded Tough Junkie's manifestation remain unclear, with only a small following and little hype this cat is definitely an MC/Producer to watch. This was my favorite album of last year but not instantly, something about the humour and the language stuck in my head and pretty soon i was hooked on the cuts and loops. This dude takes a different approach to the album format, certain tracks are reminiscent of De La's 3 Feet High and Rising combining off-beat prose and great cuts. Maybe the most unexpected album in this list, granted. This isn't for everyone, nonetheless this is important hip hop.

Track Picks: Every Dream & FFJB RMX

9. Count Bass D: Dwight Spitz (2002)

10 Albums You Should Not Have Missed Over The Last Decade.

Mr copy/paste. A close affiliate of hip hop heavyweights such as MF Doom, Pete Rock and Madlib, CBD's perspective on production is unique. And Sure, the man is intensely loyal to hip-hop, but in a way that appeals to a much broader musical audience. This is an acclaimed work of staggering originality, featuring CBD playing (nearly) all of the live instrumentation. The samples are consistently ill and the vocals are witty and engaging. This is sometimes more like hip-hop cabaret chop-shop.

Track Picks: Blues for Percy Carey & Antemeridian

8. Aesop Rock: None Shall Pass (2007)

Horror-core conforms for the masses. The most commercially accessible album by Aesop Rock to date, places him amongst greats. This Def Jux veteran has developed a mass following through the years for his surreal world views and dark imagery. Past albums were deliberately abstract and aggressive with the flow, which left him in that "not for everyone" bin. The production on this album alone is insane, Aesop produces a third of it himself, but it's the contributions from Ninja Tune's Blockhead that set this apart from anything you have ever heard. Blows my socks off every time anyway!

Track Picks: None Shall Pass & Fumes

7. Kev Brown: I Do What I Do (2005)

I Do What I Do1 10 Albums You Should Not Have Missed Over The Last Decade.

Cap'n D.I.Y. Kev Brown is one of the founding members of Low Budget, a collective among the hardest working musicians in the world of underground hip hop at present. This dude makes the album making process seem effortless, sounding like he recorded most of the vocals from a hammock half asleep. This is a real gem and a good example of the new generation of production. Pete Rock certified.

Track Picks: Say Sumthin & Albany

6. J Rawls: The Essence of J Rawls (2001)

An old-soul. This high school teacher is one of the biggest contributors to modern day hip-hop. He is one half of backpack pioneers Lone Catalysts, and produced Brown "Skin Lady" and "Yo, Yeah" on the legendary "Black Star" album. With credits like that, and a catalogue of classic after classic, he is among few who keep the mid-90's soul alive.

This was his first solo project, there's something for everyone, storytelling as masterful as Slick Rick, and the energy and presence of Run-DMC.

Track Picks: Birds of a Feather & Check the Clock

5. 9th wonder: Dream Merchant Vol.1 (2005)

9th Wonder Presents Dream Merchant Vol 11 10 Albums You Should Not Have Missed Over The Last Decade.

Your favorite producer's favorite producer's first album. Jay-Z's "Black Album" did possibly more for 9th than it did for even Jay himself. Since, he has become a major influence to the new style of beatmaking and the album remixing phenom. This, his first collection of work, is full out, good time hip hop at its best.

Track Picks: Soul Dojo & Too Late

4. Jean Grae: Attack of the Attacking Things (2002)

Attack Of The Attacking Things1 10 Albums You Should Not Have Missed Over The Last Decade.

It's cool to be human. Emotional rappers are rare and as sexist as it may sound, female MCs are always better at breaking down their emotional experiences into relatable, digestible chunks. This, the first solo offering from Jean Grae after the breakup of Natural Resource, was filled with heart from start to finish. This dude-ette pours out her guts and paints a vivid picture of a flawed and humble human being. Such a great personality is hard not to love and this ablum is a real classic, reading as well as any good novel. The only female MC who could test Lauryn.

Track Picks: God's Gift & Knock

3. Blu & Exile: Below the Heavens (2007)

No surprise this is on here. Hailed a masterpiece when it dropped, this collaboration of previously unknown MC and producer has stood the test of time. Since this Blu has only just recently dropped "theGODleebarnes" in solo via twitter, Exile meanwhile was the production mastermind behind Fashawn's recent debut "Boy Meets World". Hopefully the sign of things to come.

Track Picks: Dancing in the Rain & Greater Love

2. Madvillain: Madvillainy (2004)

Madvillainy 21 10 Albums You Should Not Have Missed Over The Last Decade.

The most macabre joint venture in hip hop. The man the most hated in the underground speaks his best grease over some of the finest work by Madlib to date. Like most great albums nowdays this has been remixed and reworked to death, but completely retains it's original integrity. This album still gets the highest praise from both the indie and the underground circuits and still sounds fresh 5+ years on. An obvious pick.

Track Picks: Fancy Clown & All Caps

1. Reflection Eternal: Train of Thought (2000)

Reflection Eternal1 10 Albums You Should Not Have Missed Over The Last Decade.

Will I ever get sick of this album? By the time this dropped Kweli was already a big name. The deserved success of his collaboration with Mos Def, "Black Star", along with his appearance on "Soundbombing II" set him as Rawkus' golden child. This collaboration with long time friend Hi-Tek however caught the underground off guard during a time where Conscious/Backpack Hip-Hop was dying due to poor publicity and the ever growing demand for all things shiny and arrogant. If not for this legendary body of work I honestly believe the game would be completely different today. Both Kweli and Tek have each since put out a great number of projects respectively, but somehow none as important or meaningful as this. It really doesn't get any better.

Track Picks: Memories Live & Good Mourning

I want to hear some thoughts. Give me your top 10...

~peacelove

Tagged as: aesop rock, chop shop, dark imagery, def jux, dwight spitz, hip hop heavyweights, last decade, Mf Doom, monday blues, surreal world Leave a comment

Pingback: Hip Hop RSS Feed
http://str8buttah.com/ teck

Relfection Eternal was my emotional cushion, Madvilliany inspired me to reach into the deeper,darker regions of my imagination. Blu took me on another ride to the west ala Pharcyde but with advanced vocabulary(No dis to Pharcyde tho’). Jean Grae- well..Jean grae is the female king of rap..fruck what anyone says
http://str8buttah.com/ teck

Relfection Eternal was my emotional cushion, Madvilliany inspired me to reach into the deeper,darker regions of my imagination. Blu took me on another ride to the west ala Pharcyde but with advanced vocabulary(No dis to Pharcyde tho'). Jean Grae- well..Jean grae is the female king of rap..fruck what anyone says
http://myspace.com/sicsixone sicsixonerecords

xzibit- at the speed of life should be up there

http://www.thewordisbond.com •J•

Yeah that was a very dope album…..

Yet another classic from the 90′s…..remember “tha alkaholik crew”?!

J

http://myspace.com/sicsixone sicsixonerecords

xzibit- at the speed of life should be up there
brannubian

Yeah that was a very dope album…..

Yet another classic from the 90's…..remember “tha alkaholik crew”?!

J
Pingback: BLOG UPDATE: Album Review Writer WANTED! «•Word Is Bond•
Fuhgidabowit

I see that this thread is from 5 months ago but still i wanna say that the “must have”‘s of the last 10 years are more than 20.
KRS-One – Maximum Strenght
KRS-One & Buckshot – Survival Skills
K’Naan – The Dustyfoot Philosopher
Crown City Rockers (“Mission” previously) – One
Jeru The Damaja – Still Rising
and a lot more :]
May be it should be “50 Almubs You Should Not Have Missed…”
Fuhgidabowit

I see that this thread is from 5 months ago but still i wanna say that the “must have”'s of the last 10 years are more than 20.
KRS-One – Maximum Strenght
KRS-One & Buckshot – Survival Skills
K'Naan – The Dustyfoot Philosopher
Crown City Rockers (“Mission” previously) – One
Jeru The Damaja – Still Rising
and a lot more :]
May be it should be “50 Almubs You Should Not Have Missed…”
Zeph

I might include The Listening, Mindstate, and Ink Is My Drink. Every song on each of those albums absolutely kills it. I did appreciate what you guys put up though. I had not heard at least half of what was listed and each album appears to be dope from the songs that I sampled. Gotta love Kweli.
Zeph

I might include The Listening, Mindstate, and Ink Is My Drink. Every song on each of those albums absolutely kills it. I did appreciate what you guys put up though. I had not heard at least half of what was listed and each album appears to be dope from the songs that I sampled. Gotta love Kweli.
http://twitter.com/SavantRAREBREED Stanstro

I’ll refrain from listing any mixtapes…

Mos Def: Black On Both Sides
Divine Minds: Divine Intervention
Youngs: The Once Upon a Time EP
LongShot: Addicted
’80s Babies: The ’80s Babies LP
http://twitter.com/SavantRAREBREED Stan Strophe

I'll refrain from listing any mixtapes…

Mos Def: Black On Both Sides
Divine Minds: Divine Intervention
Youngs: The Once Upon a Time EP
LongShot: Addicted
'80s Babies: The '80s Babies LP
the microkorg kid

hell yes to the Aes Rock. respect
the microkorg kid

also i might include Diverse – One A.M.
the microkorg kid

hell yes to the Aes Rock. respect
the microkorg kid

also i might include Diverse – One A.M.
ghost pig

hell yeah.. tough junkie
ghost pig

hell yeah.. tough junkie
Lork

will check these out. but 2 big albums missing that i dont know how. first is binary star – masters of the universe, not one the most important (and best) underground albums of the last 10 years but one of the best of all time. the second is lupe fiasco’s food and liquor, in my opinion the most important mainstream album. not only is it ****ing good but it’s keeping hip hop alive in the mainstream, just. the cool was good and kanye’s stuff is nice, but food and liquor is the mainstream one that sticks out to me.
Lork

will check these out. but 2 big albums missing that i dont know how. first is binary star – masters of the universe, not one the most important (and best) underground albums of the last 10 years but one of the best of all time. the second is lupe fiasco’s food and liquor, in my opinion the most important mainstream album. not only is it ****ing good but it’s keeping hip hop alive in the mainstream, just. the cool was good and kanye’s stuff is nice, but food and liquor is the mainstream one that sticks out to me.
jtronic

in no particular order:

Big Boi – Sir Lucious Leftfoot the Son of Chico Dusty
Cee-Lo Green – … is the Soul Machine
Jay-Z – The Black Album
Kanye – The College Dropout
Mos Def – The New Danger
Q-Tip – The Renaissance
jtronic

in no particular order:

Big Boi – Sir Lucious Leftfoot the Son of Chico Dusty
Cee-Lo Green – … is the Soul Machine
Jay-Z – The Black Album
Kanye – The College Dropout
Mos Def – The New Danger
Q-Tip – The Renaissance
jtronic

in no particular order:

Big Boi – Sir Lucious Leftfoot the Son of Chico Dusty
Cee-Lo Green – … is the Soul Machine
Jay-Z – The Black Album
Kanye – The College Dropout
Mos Def – The New Danger
Q-Tip – The Renaissance
TheriddlerXXIII

Aesop Rock, horrorcore WTF??!!
TheriddlerXXIII

Aesop Rock, horrorcore WTF??!!
http://profiles.google.com/giventheokiedoke Nicholas Lindrup

Take out Aesop Rock and throw in Fashawn “Boy Meets World” or One Be Lo “S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.” and id be cool. It too hard to pick any top 10 list for anything let alone a whole decade.
Anonymous

Take out Aesop Rock and throw in Fashawn “Boy Meets World” or One Be Lo “S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.” and id be cool. It too hard to pick any top 10 list for anything let alone a whole decade.