Be (Geffen, 2005) by Common

Kanye West has referred to No I.D. as his mentor and West's production on Be is an example of the affect that No I.D. has had on him.  The jazzy beats, a few of which are also put together by J. Dilla, give Common a perfect opportunity to show his lyrical abilities.  One of my favorite rhymes ever is featured on this album.  In "Go" he says, "Freaky like the daughter of a Pastor, said I was bait for her to master/Little red corvette, now she was faster."

1st Born Second (Interscope, 2001) by Bilal

I like this album a lot.  It is a very good mix of Hip-Hop and R&B.  It's cool because it isn't just singing over rap beats either.  The sound is like a modern-day Sly & the Family Stone.  Contributions from Hip-Hop heavyweights make the project that much sweeter too.  Jadakiss, Dr. Dre, Common, and Mos Def all shine with their respective roles in assisting Bilal with his memorable debut release.  By far, "Fast Lane" is the best track in my opinion.