14. Blackalicious-Nia
Released in 1999
Label: Mo’ Wax/Quannum Projects
Gift of Gab kills it on every track, and Chief Xcel provides
the beats for him to kill it on with this debut masterpiece from the late 90s.
This duo from Sacramento is like the hipper version of Gangstarr, and they
never let you forget it from front of the album to the back. The group starts
it off right with “The Fabulous Ones” (Fabulous, indeed), and just keep on
going with tracks like “Deception” (We’ve had “Laa, de da de da da” stuck in
our heads for days), “Shallow Days,” and “Dream Sessions.” Even DJ Shadow’s,
“Cliff Hanger,” with its boom bap
aesthetics, fits on this fresh ass release. All of their albums are great, but
this one is our favorite.
Best track: Cliff Hanger
(Image taken from: amazon.com)
13. Deltron
3030-Deltron 3030
Released in: 2000
Label: 75 Ark
Concept albums are a rarity in the rap game. Sure, there
have been a few (With two others coming up later on this list), but when it
comes down to it, the pickings are slim. Which is why Del the Funky Homosapien
and Dan the Automator’s debut together is such a special album. Bringing the
space age lyrics that Del had been spouting for years before this album, Automator’s
production just sent this record into the stratosphere. “Positive Contact,” and
“Virus” shine, but the entire album is a masterpiece of vision and precision.
That said, it could never be a commercial release. It’s just too out there to
be anything more than underground. Fuck Earth!
