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."

Restless (Loud, 2000) by Xzibit

I have been a fan of Xzibit for years (and unlike Granddad on The Boondocks, I really mean it).  From the moment I heard the Taxi Driver-inspired intro on At the Speed of Life, I was an immediate fan.  I remember I was so excited to buy Restless that I made a point of dealing with the heavy snow in Michigan and going out on a snow day to buy it the day of its release.  Xzibit, who is one of the best lyricists out of the West, did not disappoint (especially on "Don't Approach Me").  And Rockwilder, making a beat out of the hydraulic sounds of a lowrider ("Front 2 Back"), is absolutely incredible.