Doc's Da Name 2000 (Def Jam, 1998) by Redman

Redman's fourth album brought him to the mainstream as part of Def Jam's big end of the century push with Method Man, Jay-Z, and DMX.  Although not as solid as his first and third albums, Doc's Da Name does deliver some great material.  "I'll Bee Dat!" is a great single, with outstanding production by Rockwilder, and Busta Rhymes and Redman deliver a solid collaboration with "Da Goodness."  My favorite cut on the project though is Redman's cover of Ice Cube's "Once Upon a Time in the Projects" called "Jersey Yo."

The Coming (Elektra, 1996) by Busta Rhymes

Along with Michael Jackson, Sting and Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes is one of the best artists to go solo and really come into their own after leaving a group.  "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check" is better than Sugarhill Gang's "8th Wonder." "It's a Party" is an overlooked gem and Busta holds his own alongside Redman and Q-Tip on "Ill Vibe" and "Flipmode Squad Meets Def Squad" respectively.  Production-wise, DJ Scratch and Easy Mo Bee provide music that unleash the dragon accordingly. 

T.I. Vs. T.I.P. (Grand Hustle, 2007) by T.I.

Conceptually, this album is very ambitious.  It's like Trap Muzik combined with King.  Over the course of 18 tracks, the LP is broken into three acts.  As a result of this though, the project becomes a bit cluttered as a whole.  Nevertheless, there are still some great songs.  "Big Shit Poppin'", with the guitar riff from the "Top Gun Anthem," has some of Mannie Fresh's best board work since Cash Money's reign in the late 90s and Busta Rhymes steals the show as usual with his guest work on "Hurt."  The bluesy vibe of "Watch What You Say" gives Jay-Z space to deliver a solid verse and "Respect My Hustle" finds T.I. and his alter-ego T.I.P. challenging each other.  T.I.'s Paper Trail, released a year later, is a way better album.  But T.I. Vs. T.I.P. shows a young person dealing with his past in the streets, coming to terms with fame and realizing who he is now all at once.  Even if it isn't done really well, the fact that T.I. even attempts to do so still counts for something.

Forever (Bad Boy, 1999) by Puff Daddy

Puff's sophomore set is certainly not as strong as his debut, but I don't think it's quite as bad as it is generally written off as.  Rolling Stone described it best when they wrote something to the effect of how the album was too eager to please.  The track "Satisfy You" with R. Kelly was a good hip hop love song and "Best Friend" with Mario Winans was a great record about a higher power.  I thought it was also cool how Puff put Sauce Money on the mic for a record.  Not only is Sauce a talented writer (i.e. Puff's "I'll Be Missing You"), but he's also a great emcee and so I think it's great that Puff gave him exposure alongside amazing artists such as Busta Rhymes and Redman on "Reverse."  And not surprisingly, with The Hitmen behind the boards, this album has top-notch production.

When Disaster Strikes (Elektra, 1997) by Busta Rhymes

This whole album is incredible and the videos for "Dangerous" and "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See" are both masterpieces.  My fondest memory about this album is that I remember being a pre-teen when the album came out and because of the "Parental Advisory" sticker my mom wouldn't let me buy it.  However, I had a cousin who had the album and one time she came over to babysit me and younger sister.  She just happen to have that CD on her and so I took it up to my room and taped "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" on a tape (not a CD, a tape).  I listened to the tape so much that I broke the cassette.  It is one of the first rap songs that I learned by heart.  And to this day, Busta Rhymes is still one of my favorite emcees.

    

Invasion Part II: Conspiracy Theory (n/a, 2003) by DJ Green Lantern

Of the three mixtapes in the series, the second one is my favorite.  Yes, "The Sauce" was good and "Nail in the Coffin" is one of the best diss records ever (both on the first Invasion), but as an emcee, Benzino never struck me as a worthy opponent for Eminem.  Therefore, it seemed obvious that Eminem would be victorious immediately when everything started.  Ja Rule, who was feuding with 50 at this time, however, had a bit more credibility and had sold millions.  I did think Ja was good on some records ("Holla Holla", "Can I Get A…", "Murdergram", and "Get the Fortune"), but when he began to compare himself to Tupac- he lost me.  And Shady Records took full advantage of that poor decision on Ja Rule's part, the "Hail Mary (Remix)" not only uses Ja's words against him but has three stellar verses from Eminem, 50 Cent, and Busta Rhymes.  As far as Green Lantern's blends, it has one of my favorites that I've ever heard from him, where he takes 50 and Lil Kim's vocals from "Magic Stick" and puts them over "Work It," "Fuck You," and "21 Questions" beats.  There are some skippable tracks on this project, but fewer than the other two and I think the tape concludes on a high note with a live recording of Em and 50 performing "Patiently Waiting" in Detroit, MI.

Extinction Level Event : The Final World Front (Elektra, 1998) by Busta Rhymes

Busta Rhymes is one of the best emcees ever and this album was released at the height of his popularity.  His rapid-fire flow was, and still is, one of a kind.  Because unlike other fast rappers, he is still understandable and the energy in his delivery is magnificent.  E.L.E.'s lead single, "Gimme Some More", clocks in at only a little over 2 and a half minutes but it is one of my favorite Busta songs.  The other great thing about this album, taken as a whole, is that is a little more upbeat production-wise and serves as a great soundtrack to the end of one millennium and the beginning of another.  The apocalyptic theme is still there, but the tracks and image of the project isn't quite as doom and gloom as Busta's first two solo releases.  Oh, and the music video for the Janet Jackson-assisted "What's It Gonna Be?!" was awesome too.

Doctor's Advocate (Geffen, 2006) by Game

The Documentary brought back the West the same way that Ready to Die brought back the East, but Doctor's Advocate is seemingly more significant for Game himself because it proved to skeptics that he was not just successful by association on the first go-round.  The standout out track, one which I still listen to frequently six years later, is the title track.  It's an emotional song to say the least hearing Game open up and the way Busta spits with such tough love/honesty in the last verse…damn.  The song epitomizes the idea of strength in vulnerability. 

The Big Bang (Aftermath, 2006) by Busta Rhymes

A noteworthy mistake which occurs with this release is that the album's first single, "Touch It", is produced by Swizz Beatz instead of Dr. Dre.  Nothing against Mr. Dean ( "Money, Cash, Hoes" is one of the best beats ever), but Busta's signing to Aftermath warrants a more pronounced collaboration between himself and the good doctor.  Other than that promotional misstep, this is a fantastic fifty-eight minutes of music.  And "Been Through the Storm", which features Stevie Wonder, is especially outstanding.