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Black Tom’s 10 Rap and Hip Hop Essentials1. Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full (1987)Eric B.’s instrumentals are often downplayed by critics, but the grooves actually provide able backing to Rakim’s lyrical genius without overpowering them. Rakim’s cadence and flow are something today’s rappers can only aspire to. There are only a few in my mind who come close to touching his ability.2. Kanye West – College Dropout (2004)Kanye’s production abilities can never be denied, but he’ll be more than happy to head off any arguments. With complex, ambivalent rhymes about class, education and wealth backed by music as catchy as it is brilliant, this album is a true work of art - not just the songs and skits on the CD, but its existence and mass consumption as well.3. Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet (1990)Possibly one of the greatest albums ever produced, the confrontational urgency in Chuck D’s voice is only matched by the importance of his rhymes. The Bomb Squad’s music is the perfect accompaniment, while Flavor Flav’s wit and flamboyance provide a little sugar to help the medicine go down.4. RUN-DMC - Raising Hell (1986)The album that showed that rap needn’t be just a lighthearted club fixture. Run and DMC’s lyrics are sublime and accessible. All rap metal fusion, from Limp Bizkit (ugh) to Rage Against the Machine, can trace its musical roots back to this album.5. Dr. Dre - The Chronic (1992)The album that solidified rap as an art form. Dre’s rhymes are heavy and interesting, and his choice to bring then relatively unknown Snoop Dogg on board was a true stroke of inspiration. The music on every track is solid, making subsequent turns more and more pleasurable.6. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)The “Lord of the Rings†of rap, Wu-Tang Clan birthed themselves into the world with this album and went on to exist as an epic, intricate, shifting and confusing artistic force, both together and separate. RZA’s production is chaotic but beautiful.7. Nas - Illmatic (1994)Writing lyrics at 20 years old that swing from regretful to optimistic, Nasir Jones crafted raps most can still only aspire to understand. Every song is an indictment of the harshness of the streets, as well as a testament to the beauty that can arise from such pain.8. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (1989)With lyrics that paved the way for every future pop culture reference made by any rapper, three white boys from Jersey proved that they were a force of rap. Listening to the Dust Brother’s music is like getting a master’s degree in music history while ingesting copious amounts of hallucinogenics before every class session.9. Ice Cube - Death Certificate (1991)An album full of brilliant and hateful character sketches of several members of society for whom Mr. Cube was feeling contempt at the time. You don’t listen to this album, you put it in, press play, and it beats the shit out of you. Then you ask for more.10. Jay-Z - The Blueprint (2001)Jay-Z’s career highpoint. Always pointed to as the best rapper alive, and most often by himself, Jay will forever be the embodiment of Rap and hip hop’s hustler, self aggrandizing nature. Every track on “The Blueprint†is an example of his artistic/commercial genius.…Plus Five That more people should spin1. Showbiz & A.G. – GoodfellasA.G.’s lyrical abilities and verbal style are among the best out there – it’s a shame this album is so hard to find and so expensive when you do find it. If you’re apprehensive about shelling out the $$$ for this album, pick up “White People†by Handsome Boy Modeling School and give a spin to A.G.’s track with Mars Volta and the RZA, ‘A Day in the Life’. Actually, do that either way.2. Non-Prophets – HopeSage Francis’ rhymes clearly illustrate why he was a champion at so many spoken word conferences. Joe Beat’s production ably underscores the undeniable poetry of Sage’s words on everything from his unadulterated love of rap to his insistence that he belongs within that world which he both adores and hates so much.3. Black Star - Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black StarThe lyrical mastery of both Mos Def & Talib Kweli intertwine on this album with all the grace, beauty and eloquence of two ballet dancers being gunned down my two master hit men. All the songs are about or inspired by the city; the poetry of the words and flow employed by these MC’s is a testament to gritty brilliance.4. Atmosphere – Seven’s TravelsThe fourth studio album from lyricist Slug and producer Ant stands a mature testament to both of their abilities. Slug’s amazing ability to talk about deeply personal experiences in a very approachable manner marries well with Ant’s complex and rhythmic production.5. De La Soul - 3 Feet High And RisingA powerhouse of Prince Paul production, this album redefined rap as being able to be fun and artistic at the same time. Trugoy and Posdnuos's lyrics and verbal style are seminal and yet familiar, and the hit “Me, Myself and I†is a true classic of music, let alone rap.