The Solution (Roc-A-Fella, 2007) by Beanie Sigel

"Dear self, can I talk to you/I been trying to have this conversation for years but you won't listen/Damn, are you that plain ignorant? your so indignant/Please come off that high chair your sitting in/Before you snatched from it, or strapped to it/Ya body used as a conduit, a thousand volts flow through you/Ya life gone over something foolish/Talking to you is so useless/Ya head harder than them walls you'll be housed in soon/Before ya body's embalmed and you lie in tomb/Open ya ears, eyes and heart, cause that hour's soon/And the hour shall cometh, when Ish Rahzel blows his trumpets/The sky shall crack, the stars will plummet/The sun will rise in the West you'll drown in your own sweat/And when that day shall be, I'll bet I'll see no bravery"

-Beanie Sigel, "Dear Self (Can I Talk to You)"

Street Wars: Roc-A-Fella is an Army (N/A, 2005) by DJ P. Cutta

DJ P. Cutta put together a solid collection of Roc-A-Fella battle records.  It starts strong with Jay-Z rhyming his "Dear Summer" rap over Black Rob's "Can I Live" instrumental and his classic "Takeover" record.  Not long after, the "Drop It Like It's Hot (Remix)" comes in and Jay gets the last word on R. Kelly.  Other Roc-A-Fella artists make notable contributions (especially Beanie Sigel).  However, as far as straight rhymes, no one tops Hov.  The last strong point on the tape is the infamous "Superugly."  It's good, but not great- especially when compared to Nas' "Ether."  Overall, this is a good compilation of diss songs courtesy of the house that Dame, Biggs, and Jay built.

The B. Coming (Dame Dash Music Group, 2005) by Beanie Sigel

"I sit alone in my 4 cornered room staring at hammers/Ready to go bananas/2 vests on me, 2 techs, extra clips on me/I know my mind ain't playing tricks on me/I ain't skitz homie, ain't no body drop a nick on me/It's like they tryna plot a set on me/ I hear this voice in the back of my mind like Mack tighten up your circle/Before they hurt you/Read they body language/85% communication non-verbal, 85% swear they know you/10% you know they story, man the other 5... time'll show you, just know you/Then pull they strings, you the puppet master/Fuck them other bastards/Man watch who you puffing after/Play your cards, go against all odds/Shoot for the moon, if you miss, you still amongst those stars"

-Beanie Sigel, "Feel It in the Air"

The Truth (Roc-A-Fella, 2000) by Beanie Sigel

Beanie Sigel is an underrated rapper.  He is a very gifted lyricist with a commanding flow.  And his debut album, The Truth, is an impressive piece of work that got lost in the shuffle of Jay-Z's meteoric rise to superstardom.  The title track is the first time I ever heard a Kanye West beat.  And "Mac and Brad", where Beanie shares the mic with Scarface, is a flawless example of two emcees going back-and-forth on a record.  Other highlights include "Remember Them Days" with Eve, "Everybody Wanna Be a Star", "What Ya Life Like", and "Die."  In a nutshell: if you do not own this album, go buy it now.