Top 100 Rap Albums of the 2000s

Written by Rizoh. Posted in Lists

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Published on January 22, 2010 with 58 Comments">58 Comments

About.com’s resident backpacker has finally unveiled his Top 100 Rap Albums of the 2000s. He claims it would leave me feeling wistfully nostalgic, but the only feeling it gave me was the desire to punch him for omitting Nelly’s Country Grammar. Seriously, if you don’t have Country Grammar on your Greatest Albums list, your list has no credibility. Anyhow, I wanted to share the list with TRU Nation to get your take on it. Here’s the Top 100 broken down by year.

2000
10. Slum Village – Fantastic Vol.2
9. Reflection Eternal – Train Of Thought
8. dead prez – Let’s Get Free
7. M.O.P. – Warriorz
6. Blackalicious – Nia
5. Del Tha Funky Homosapien – Deltron 3030
4. Common – Like Water For Chocolate
3. OutKast – Stankonia
2. Eminem – Marshall Mathers LP
1. Ghostface Killah – Supreme Clientele

2001
10. Aesop Rock – Labor Days
9. N.E.R.D. – In Search Of…
8. Cannibal Ox – Cold Vein
7. Missy Elliott – Miss E…
6. Cormega – The Realness
5. J-Zone – Pimps Don’t Pay Taxes
4. Pete Rock – Petestrumentals
3. Masta Ace – Disposable Arts
2. Nas – Stillmatic
1. Jay-Z – The Blueprint

2002
10. Blackalicious – Blazing Arrow
9. Mr. Lif – I-Phantom
8. RjD2 – Deadringer
7. Devin The Dude – Just Tryin’ ta Live
6. GZA – Legend Of The Liquid Sword
5. The Roots – Phrenology
4. El-P – Fantastic Damage
3. Talib Kweli – Quality
2. Nas – God’s Son
1. Scarface – The Fix

2003
10. T.I. – Trap Muzik
9. CunninLynguists – Southernunderground
8. Danger Mouse & Jemini – Ghetto Pop Life
7. Viktor Vaughn – Vaudeville Villain
6. Little Brother – The Listening
5. Dizzee Rascal – Boy In Da Corner
4. JayLib – Champion Sound
3. 50 Cent – Get Rich or Die Tryin’
2. Jay-Z – The Black Album
1. OutKast – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

2004
10. Masta Killah – No Said Date
9. Brother Ali – Champion Sound EP
8. Masta Ace – A Long Hot Summer
7. Murs – Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition
6. Royce da 5’9″ – Death Is Certain
5. Madvillain – Madvillainy
4. Cam’ron – Purple Haze
3. De La Soul – The Grind Date
2. MF Doom – Mm..Food
1. Kanye West – College Dropout

2005
10. Sean Price – Monkey Barz
9. Beanie Sigel – The B-Coming
8. DJ Muggs vs. GZA – Grandmasters
7. Quasimoto – The Further Adventures of Lord Quas
6. Lil Wayne – Tha Carter II
5. Cage – Hell’s Winter
4. Common – Be
3. Little Brother – The Minstrel Show
2. The Game – The Documentary
1. Kanye West – Late Registration

2006
10. Apathy – Eastern Philosophy
9. The Coup – Pick a Bigger Weapon
8. T.I. – King
7. Louis Logic & JJ Brown – Misery Loves Comedy
6. Trae – Restless
5. Clipse – Hell Hath No Fury
4. J Dilla – Donuts
3. Ghostface – Fishscale
2. Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor
1. The Roots – Game Theory

2007
10. Devin The Dude – Waiting to Inhale
9. Prodigy – Return of the Mac
8. Blu & Exile – Below the Heavens
7. El-P – I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead
6. UGK – Underground Kingz
5. Pharoahe Monch – Desire
4. Kanye West – Graduation
3. Jay-Z – American Gangster
2. Brother Ali – Undisputed Truth
1. Lupe Fiasco – Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool

2008
10. Immortal Technique – 3rd World
9. Elzhi – The Preface
8. Jazz Liberatorz – Clin d’oeil
7. The Roots – Rising Down
6. eMC – The Show
5. J Live – Then What Happened
4. Black Milk – Tronic
3. Nas – Untitled
2. Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons
1. Q-Tip – The Renaissance

2009
10. K’Naan – Troubador
9. K-os – Yes!
8. Eminem – Relapse
7. Clipse – Till The Casket Drops
6. Slaughterhouse – Slaughterhouse
5. DOOM – Born Like This
4. UGK – UGK 4 Life
3. Brother Ali – US
2. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… PT2
1. Mos Def – The Ecstatic

Rizoh

Rizoh is the most powerful man in all the lands. He lives in Houston where he earned a BS in Nerf Herding. He's the founder of The Rap Up, the editor of Roc4Life.com, and is in the Grammy-awaiting band Pervertable Disciples.

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  • Devil’s Advocate

    where is The Eminem Show !!

  • Devil’s Advocate

    where is The Eminem Show !!

  • http://my.rawkus.com/profile/Rizoh God’s Angel

    ^Somewhere in a trash bin.

    • Dustin6595

      your fucking retarded, the eminem show is a classic rap album. and dont tell me i dont know good rap music, cause i listen to lupe fiasco, nas, immortal technique, early Kanye West, and Tupac all the time.

  • http://my.rawkus.com/profile/Rizoh God’s Angel

    ^Somewhere in a trash bin.

  • YoGuy

    nice to see K-OS – Yes!

  • YoGuy

    nice to see K-OS – Yes!

  • georgeburns

    solid list overall…its obviously gonna be tough to get 10 years worth of good albums all to hit one list…i can live with a few missed good albums..im just glad theres no trash on there

  • georgeburns

    solid list overall…its obviously gonna be tough to get 10 years worth of good albums all to hit one list…i can live with a few missed good albums..im just glad theres no trash on there

  • DJ Raida

    Dissapointed Eardrum isnt there but altogether a solid list.

  • DJ Raida

    Dissapointed Eardrum isnt there but altogether a solid list.

  • mc24/7

    2010-1-the R.E.D.album

  • mc24/7

    2010-1-the R.E.D.album

  • miguel024

    not one jeezy album, you trippin…

  • miguel024

    not one jeezy album, you trippin…

  • suo

    how the f**** is hell hath no fury or fishscale not top of the 2006 list!? can’t say the list is not solid though.

    U’ve reminded of some hidden gems i need to check out..

  • suo

    how the f**** is hell hath no fury or fishscale not top of the 2006 list!? can’t say the list is not solid though.

    U’ve reminded of some hidden gems i need to check out..

  • Self-Impersonator

    Switch 6 and 7 in 2009 and I am content.

  • Self-Impersonator

    Switch 6 and 7 in 2009 and I am content.

  • http://my.rawkus.com/profile/Rizoh Rizoh

    Suo – Hell Hath No Fury and Fishscale on the list.

  • http://my.rawkus.com/profile/Rizoh Rizoh

    Suo – Hell Hath No Fury and Fishscale on the list.

  • madrinkandmy2step

    Jedi Mind Tricks – Violent By Design shoulda been on there for 2000

  • madrinkandmy2step

    Jedi Mind Tricks – Violent By Design shoulda been on there for 2000

  • Loveman15

    No American Gangster, Trill, or The Carter 3! SMH

  • Loveman15

    No American Gangster, Trill, or The Carter 3! SMH

  • Darkpoet

    I would just add the Dusty Foot Philosopher and the list is solid.

  • Darkpoet

    I would just add the Dusty Foot Philosopher and the list is solid.

  • djp

    I understand how easy it is to nitpick lists like this and think this is pretty fuckin solid. But I’m going to go ahead and nitpick. You have When Life Gives you Lemons at #2 in 2008 but God Loves Ugly is nowhere to be found in 2002? I wouldn’t put it in the top 5 of 2002, but it probably belongs on the list…especially if you like Atmosphere enough to put WLGYLYPTSG at 2. Needless to say ’02 was a good year for rap. A couple classics in there.

  • djp

    I understand how easy it is to nitpick lists like this and think this is pretty fuckin solid. But I’m going to go ahead and nitpick. You have When Life Gives you Lemons at #2 in 2008 but God Loves Ugly is nowhere to be found in 2002? I wouldn’t put it in the top 5 of 2002, but it probably belongs on the list…especially if you like Atmosphere enough to put WLGYLYPTSG at 2. Needless to say ’02 was a good year for rap. A couple classics in there.

  • suo

    rizoh- i actually meant the top of the list as in number 1 and 2, my bad. but looking at it again though, game theory did feel like the root’s very own ‘revolver’ or ‘tranformer’, their magnum opus. maybe 2 and 3 then for hhnf and fs? no?

  • suo

    rizoh- i actually meant the top of the list as in number 1 and 2, my bad. but looking at it again though, game theory did feel like the root’s very own ‘revolver’ or ‘tranformer’, their magnum opus. maybe 2 and 3 then for hhnf and fs? no?

  • LA Huey

    Every hip-hop album I loved in the 00s was accounted for. No complaints here.

  • LA Huey

    Every hip-hop album I loved in the 00s was accounted for. No complaints here.

  • Kyle

    Gotta have The Doctor’s Advocate and L.A.X. THE GAME IS DOPE!

  • Kyle

    Gotta have The Doctor’s Advocate and L.A.X. THE GAME IS DOPE!

  • suo

    l.a.x is shit. I’m not even try and explain why.

    Doctor’s advocate on the other hand, seems like it was a fluke by him, almost too good to have been done by the game.

  • suo

    l.a.x is shit. I’m not even try and explain why.

    Doctor’s advocate on the other hand, seems like it was a fluke by him, almost too good to have been done by the game.

  • http://www.therapup.net J to the AAP

    Solid list, hard to compile something as comprehensive as that but I can’t have much complaints about this one.

    Suo, As much as I love HHNF (newskool classic) and Fishscale (Ghost’s consistently dope) and you have a point about Game Theory as well you’re sleeping on Donuts! Dilla’s magnum opus is a genuine masterpiece.

    Agree with you on LAX(atitve) though, Advocate probably was that good because he had to prove he could deliver without the doctor. MC’s need to hunger for that mic.

  • http://www.therapup.net J to the AAP

    Solid list, hard to compile something as comprehensive as that but I can’t have much complaints about this one.

    Suo, As much as I love HHNF (newskool classic) and Fishscale (Ghost’s consistently dope) and you have a point about Game Theory as well you’re sleeping on Donuts! Dilla’s magnum opus is a genuine masterpiece.

    Agree with you on LAX(atitve) though, Advocate probably was that good because he had to prove he could deliver without the doctor. MC’s need to hunger for that mic.

  • C-LOS

    NO DR. DRE????????????

    • Marston50

      chronic 2001 was actually released in 99. so no

  • C-LOS

    NO DR. DRE????????????

  • http://freshlyservedhiphop.com CK

    Good lists, but I would definitely have Tha Carter III somewhere in the top 5 for 2008.

  • http://freshlyservedhiphop.com CK

    Good lists, but I would definitely have Tha Carter III somewhere in the top 5 for 2008.

  • http://theactivist.org Illmatic620

    i’ll assume c-los was joking (if he was it was pretty funny) i wouldve put doctor’s advocate on the list… and the street’s first two albums. also Vakill’s “Worst Fears Confirmed” and Blue Scholars’ “Bayani”. I can find a few albums I’d knock off for these.

  • http://theactivist.org Illmatic620

    i’ll assume c-los was joking (if he was it was pretty funny) i wouldve put doctor’s advocate on the list… and the street’s first two albums. also Vakill’s “Worst Fears Confirmed” and Blue Scholars’ “Bayani”. I can find a few albums I’d knock off for these.

  • jamaicaflyestbk

    How is Blueprint 3 not on this list ???? THey bugging

  • jamaicaflyestbk

    How is Blueprint 3 not on this list ???? THey bugging

  • http://www.pmpworldwide.com/alsween AlSween

    No matter how much certain albums sell they still suck or are just average. The Carter 3 and Blueprint 3 were left off for reasons.

  • http://www.pmpworldwide.com/alsween AlSween

    No matter how much certain albums sell they still suck or are just average. The Carter 3 and Blueprint 3 were left off for reasons.

  • A Soulquarian

    niiice The Renaissance is so underrated

  • Franksdaddy

    yeah boy this guy is a fuck boy , i got 14 out of 100 wow you are so closeminded, downsouth underrepresented, is the west coast on this list ? whut the fuck