Raising Hell (Profile, 1986) by Run-D.M.C.

I wish I was older so that I could have been around when this album came out.  This was the album that legitimized hip-hop in the mainstream.  And the records are timeless, which is not surprising because Rick Rubin produced the album.  Yet, the leaps and bounds that this album took for an entire culture continue to be recognized and grow in appreciation to this day.  The first three cuts on the album are some of the best music hip-hop has to offer and "Walk This Way" is absolutely iconic.  My favorite line on the album, however, is in the title track where they say, " Kings from Queens from Queens come kings/ We're raising Hell like a class when the lunch bell rings."  In Chuck D's book Fight the Power, he identifies Raising Hell as his favorite album.  It's very easy to understand why.

Get In Where You Fit In (Jive, 1993) by Too $hort

Get In Where You Fit In is my favorite Too $hort album.  Some claim that if you've heard one Short Dog song, you've heard them all.  True, but if the music is good I don't care.  Gettin' It (Album Number Ten), his "retirement" album, relied a bit too heavy on funk tracks and Life Is… Too Short [a very close second in my opinion] had a bit better lyrics than beats at some points during the album.  However, Get In Where You Fit In is the perfect blend of both music and rhymes.  The introduction is clever and I love how he name drops his previous material.  Mr. Shaw also killed the Kool & The Gang sample on "Money in the Ghetto" years before Ma$e did the same in a Top 40 hit ["Feel So Good"].  And last, but certainly not least, "Blowjob Betty"-the best dirty record of all-time in my opinion!

The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (Roc-A-Fella, 2000) by Jay-Z

If I'm not mistaken, this album was originally supposed to be a compilation album in order to continue to showcase Roc-A-Fella's roster beyond just Jay-Z.  However, by making it a Jay-Z release, it probably helped it sell at least an additional million copies.  There are a few standout songs- "The Intro", "This Can't Be Life", "Soon You'll Understand", and "Squeeze 1st".  However, the highlight of the album, in my opinion is the production.  It was the first time I became aware of Just Blaze and Kanye stole the show with just his single contribution, "This Can't Be Life."  As far as the actual sound, in retrospect, it was like a blueprint to The Blueprint as far the beats beginning to dabble in the soulful sound that would help shape one of the best albums in hip-hop history less than a year later.

The Lost Tape (n/a, 2012) by 50 Cent

Clearly, 50 has a lot of pressure on him musically to succeed with his new LP later this summer and I think that this tape is a great way to bring him back to the masses and set him up for a successful release.  "Get Busy" and "Murder One" do an excellent job of bringing back the gritty street sound that made the industry fear him over a decade ago, while "I Ain't Gonna Lie" and "Complicated" infuse that gangsta pop approach by putting aggressive/explicit talk over infectious and melodic beats.  50 also stays current by doing a solid remix of 2 Chainz' "Riot" Perhaps, the only fault to this tape is that switching back and forth between so much different (but quality) material make the tape seem a little inconsistent as a whole.  But having so much versatility is the best problem an artist can have.  At the beginning of the aforementioned "Murder One" the G-Unit General says, "Don't you ever forget it n***a, I'm the reason you make a mix-tape sucka!"  Damn straight!  50 doing a mix-tape with DJ Drama is already epic, but the quality of the release is a pleasant reminder as to why those two are two of the best to ever make them.

The Big Picture (Rawkus, 2000) by Big L

"Yo, you know the game plan/C-Town, that's my main man/We never bring luggage, we go shoppin' when the plane lands/Still run with the same clan, used to be a Kane fan/("Mmm, mmm, mm..") Everything I rock is name brand/L'll make ya dame swallow/Your ice don't shine, and your chain hollow/While you front in clubs for hours with the same bottle/Takin' midget sips, I run with the richest clicks/Tap the thickest chicks, plus drop the slickest hits/You know nuttin' about L, so don't doubt L/What's this motherfuckin' rap game without L?/Yo, that's like jewels without ice/That's like china without rice/Or the Holy Bible without Christ/Or the Bulls without Mike/Or crackheads without pipes/The Village without dykes, or hockey games without fights/Don't touch the mic if you unable to spit/Flamboyant is the label I'm with, motherfucker"

- Big L, "The Big Picture (Intro)"

Rock N Roll Jesus (Atlantic, 2007) by Kid Rock

If Kid Rock took the approach of the "Picture" record and made an album out of it, it would be this album.  Rock N Roll Jesus definitely has that crossover to full-fledged southern rock that his previous material didn't.  I remember when this album dropped I was really into it because Mr. Ritchie referenced Northern Michigan and Nashville on the same album- two places which are very near and dear to my heart.  And in addition to that, the music was good too.  My favorite song on the album is "Roll On."  The sentimental tone of the record coupled with Rock's continued maturity made for one of my favorite songs and videos of that year.  It is not often that I prefer singles over deep cuts, but "Roll On" is one of the few exceptions.

Paul's Boutique (Capitol, 1989) by Beastie Boys

I place this album among the best-produced in hip-hop history.  Its 300+ samples will never be able to be duplicated, and its unique artistic approach merits multiple repeat listens.  It was definitely a sign of growth from Licensed to Ill, proving that Beastie Boys aspired to be more than just the mischievous punk rock/rapper guys from "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)"  From beginning to end, this album is a masterpiece.  R.I.P. MCA.