The Untouchable (Rap-A-Lot, 1997) by Scarface

"Our lifestyles be close captioned, addicted to fatal attractions/Pictures of actions be played back in the midst of mashin/No fairy tales for this young black male/Some see me stranded in this land of hell, jail, and crack sales/Hustle too hard to think of culture/Or the repercussions while bustin on backstabbin vultures/Sellin my soul for material wishes, fast cars and bitches/Wishin I lived my life a legend, immortalized in pictures/Why shed tears, save your sympathy/My childhood years were spent buryin my peers in the cemetary/Here's a message to the newborns, waitin to breathe/

If you believe, then you can achieve, just look at me/Against all odds, though life is hard we carry on/ Livin in the projects, broke with no lights on/So all the seeds that follow me, protect yo essence/Born with less, but you're still precious/Just smile for me now"

2Pac, "Smile"

Emeritus (Rap-A-Lot, 2008) by Scarface

"I lay in bed lookin up at the ceiling/as the fan turns in a circle, thinkin 'bout my evil/Seein end on my TV, bombs in the skies/over Baghdad they fight but they don't know why/What they said about Hussein, was a God damn lie/Raised a war against a religion for oil, don't lie/I seen, kids from the hood livin like they gon' die/with the mindset of be broke or let's go get high/With the people livin so crazy how we gon' get by/Gasoline five dollars, how the fuck we gon' drive?/Can't afford to fill our prescriptions so we all gon' die/CVS is slangin dope on every block worldwide/Since, spies up and had the dope game on fine/Then it's only right for one nigga to go get mine huh/If they injured how they gon' survive?/If they stuck at the bottom how the fuck they gon' ride?"

-Scarface, "Can't Get Right"

The World is Yours (Rap-A-Lot, 1993) by Scarface

Mr. Scarface is Back is a fantastic album, and this album lives up to its predecessor.  In some respects, it even demonstrates growth.  From a production standpoint, it definitely has more of a West Coast/G-funk feel.  And lyrically, it's still dark-but at least, in this case, there is light at the end of the tunnel.  The album's best song, a 7-minute plus record called "Now I Feel Ya", has Face discussing the birth of his son and how he's had to change in order to be a father to him. 

Mr. Scarface is Back (Rap-A-Lot, 1991) by Scarface

This album is another one that has tremendous sentimental value to me.  When I was learning to rap; I couldn't.  However, I could, kinda, sort of write.  I was also really inspired by hardcore Hip-Hop at the time.  To demonstrate free expression and concepts, the producer I was working with played me Scarface's debut.  He really emphasized the last track, "I'm Dead."  I was really moved by it and later realized the influence that he perhaps had on rappers that came along later in the 90s such as Biggie and Jay-Z.

The Dude (Rap-A-Lot, 1998) by Devin The Dude

"Hey, hey what do you say?/Tell me have you ever been fucked this way?/Hoo hoo, what you gon' do/When I shove this dick in you?/Hee hee, what do you see?/Have you ever saw big nuts like these?/Ho ho, what do you know?/Let me bust one of 'em and then go"

-Devin the Dude, "Bust One for Ya"

Made (Rap-A-Lot, 2007) by Scarface

In my opinion, this is Scarface's best solo album since The Fix.  "Never" is a great record and "Boy Meets Girl" is an intense metaphor wherein a drug addiction is compared to a romance.  The other standout track here is the single, "Girl You Know."  Nottz's use of the Lenny Williams' sample was phenomenal.  Lyrically, Scarface has always been one of my favorites and this album is another reason why.

We Can't Be Stopped (Rap-A-Lot, 1991) by Geto Boys

The album's cover art is breath-taking and says so much about the Geto Boys at that time.  Bushwick Bill was shot in the eye during a fight with his girlfriend.  Therefore, things were aggressive and personal.  The album's best song is obviously "Mind Playin' Tricks on Me," but the album is not a one trick pony.  "I'm Not a Gentleman" is a response to Queen Latifah's "Ladies First," "Chuckie" pays respect to Child's Play and "Fuck a War" criticizes George Bush Senior and was inspired by a relative of Bushwick Bill's going to war in the Persian Gulf.  "I Ain't With Being Broke" is a great record as well.  We Can't Be Stopped isn't as good as The Resurrection, but is still a very solid project from Houston's finest.

Just Tryin' Ta Live (Rap-A-Lot, 2002) by Devin the Dude

This album ranks up there with The Fix, Aquemini and Ridin' Dirty as some of the best music in the history of southern hip hop.  "It's a Shame," with pronounced dark pianos in the beat (production courtesy of Dr. Dre) and a hook from Pooh Bear, is one of the albums early cuts but also one of the greatest in the set.  "R & B" is a very funny song that involves weed, alcohol and a redneck.  Nas and Xzibit make great contributions to "Some of 'Em" and DJ Premier doesn't disappoint behind the boards on "Doobie Ashtray."  Devin is a great writer, rapper, storyteller and singer.  With Just Tryin' Ta Live, he has assembled a great collection of individual songs that also fit together nicely to form a cohesive album.  Not to take anything away from a current artist like Drake who also sings and raps, but Devin did it before him and he did it a little better.

II Trill (Rap-A-Lot, 2008) by Bun B

Between Bun's first and second solo albums: Pimp C was released from prison, UGK topped the charts with Underground Kingz and then Pimp C died.  However, despite all the drama, he was able to put together a great second set of music.  "That's Gangsta" featuring Sean Kingston was a great single that didn't compromise Bun's swagger and "You're Everything" which samples Jodeci's "Cry for You" pays homage to southern hip hop.  "Get Cha Issue" and If I Die II Night" provide deep lyrics and social commentary.  The most noteworthy record though is "Angel in the Sky"- a very touching song eulogizing his friend, Chad "Pimp C" Butler.

Trill (Rap-A-Lot, 2005) by Bun B

For an album seemingly created out of necessity, this sounds a lot better than something that comes to fruition under those circumstances.  Put simply, at a time when Texas hip hop (i.e. Mike Jones, Slim Thug, Paul Wall) was getting national attention, Bun B proves why he's one of the best rappers from Texas ever.  Even with a large number of guest appearances for a solo album, Bun outshines them all.  The Ludacris assisted "Trill Recognize Trill" finds Bun and Mr. Bridges over one of the best instrumentals that I've ever heard from Lil Jon.  And  "Get Throwed" is an all-star cut with Pimp C, Jay-Z, Z-Ro and Young Jeezy.  However, the album's best moment is "The Story" wherein Bun gives a personal account of UGK's storied history- from their beginning to their mainstream break with Jay-Z to Pimp C's incarceration.  It's as personal as hip hop songs get and who better to record it than one of the game's most respected emcees.

Waitin' to Inhale (Rap-A-Lot, 2007) by Devin the Dude

"We work nights, we some vampires/Niggas gather round the beat like a campfire/Singin' folk songs, but not no Kumbaya my Lord/You download it for free, we get charged back for it/I know you're saying, they won't know they won't miss it/Besides, I ain't a thief, they won't pay me a visit/So if I come to your job, take your corn on the cob/And take a couple kernels off it that would be alright with you/Hell no! Yeah, exactamundo/But we just keep recording and it ain't to get no condo/And Candy Bentley fanny with no panties in Miami/And that cute lil' chick named Tammy that you took to the Grammys/See we do it for that boi that graduated/ That looked you in your eyes real tough and said 'preciate it/And that he wouldn'ta made it if it wasn't for your CD number 9/And he's standing with his baby momma Kiki and she cryin' talkin' bout/That they used to get high to me in high school/And they used to make love to me in college/Then they told me 'bout they first date, listenin' to my tunes/And how he, like to finger nail polish/I say hate to cut you off but I gotta go/I wish you could tell me mo' but I'm off to the studio, gotta write tonight/Hey, can you put us in your raps? I don't see why not/Devin it's the Dude you gon' probably hear him talking 'bout"

-Andre 3000, "What a Job"

    

The Diary (Rap-A-Lot, 1994) by Scarface

"Imagine life at it's full peak/Then imagine lying dead in the arms of your enemy/Imagine peace on this earth when there's no grief/Imagine grief on this earth when there's no peace/Everybody's got a different way of endin' it/And when your number comes for service then they send it in/Now your time has arrived for the final test/I see the fear in your eyes and hear your final breath/How much longer will it be til it's all done?/Total darkness and ease be at all one/I watch him die and when he dies let us celebrate/You took his life, but his memory you'll never take/You'll be headed to another place/And the life you used to live will reflect in your mother's face"

-Scarface, "I Seen A Man Die"