For this list I'm going off of the albums I listened to that year. Later I'll have a blog for 2011's album of the year, but I'm not really sure which album is the best yet...
2001: The Blueprint by Jay-z- This is one juggernaut of an album.....hell you could almost call this the blueprint for most all rap albums to come in the decade. Yes they must be compared to BP1...this album is that good.
Runnr Up: Word of Mouth by Ludacris-This was actually the first album I ever bought, and I hold it in high esteem. The songs are very entertaining. I still think this is Luda's finest work to date. There are so many hits on this one.
2002: Stillmatic by Nas- Even though it came out in 2001, I didnt really get this one till 02. Nas's 2nd best album in my opinion. He keeps it really real on about every track. Who could forget the awesome track One Mic?
RU: The Eminem Show by Eminem- Another elite album from Eminem. This is a real close runner up. The beats are awesome, and Em's flow here can only be rivaled by a few rappers dead or alive.
2003: The Black Album by Jay-z- ANother incredible album by Jigga. This won by a very slim margin. The beats are stellar, and Jay is the only rapper on the album techincally.
RU: Get Rich or DIe Tryin by 50 Cent- 50's first interscope album stayed in my cd player for a LONG TIME....it's just fire from front to back.
2004: The College Dropout by Kanye West-This is the only album that was so good it didnt really have any competion. 04 was a year of many good albums, but Kanye's debut was just greatness.
2005: The Documentary by The Game- Game wasnt really an artist I thought much of until this album came out. It has stellar beats, and a good amount of guest spots. It's ironic that Game and 50 Cent have so much chemistry. Its another one of those albums where I'm not really sure which song is the best.
or Late Registration by Kanye West- Kanye tried to repeat with Late Registration, a glossy beat album with lots of great tracks. Its not quite as good as College Dropout but it was good enough.
2006: King by T.I.- I've got to admit, this is one incredible album. It's well made, with excellent production and TI's best track What You Know. The album is fairly creative while holding true to TI's style. It's just a truly great dirty south album..
RU: Food & Liquor by Lupe Fiasco- Lupe birst on the scene with a very critically aclaimed album. I felt this album was close to being album of the year, but fell short just a little bit. Lupe's creativity on this album is something to behold.
RU: Hip Hop is Dead by Nas- Coming in third is HHiD, Nas's comeback album after the lackluster double disc Street's Disciple. From front to back its good, even if some songs dont stand out as much as others.
2007: Graduation by Kanye West- My favorite rap album of all time was also one of my most anticipated albums. This is one album I just grew to love right away. It has everything, but some songs like Drunk and Hot Girls dont do much for it. Despite that song this is a great album, with a very fun upbeat feel.Im not sure which song is best, but I'd have to go with Can't TEll ME NOthing.
RU: The Cool by Lupe Fiasco- Lupe bursts out the gate again, but falls a tad bit short of 1st place. THis album is creative, and Lupe's flow is almost unrivaled here. 07 was a year of many good albums including American Gangster, Finding Forever, and Eardrum.
RU: Finding Forever by Common
2008: Paper Trail by T.I.- If 2007 had a lot of good rap albums, 08 would blow that record away. TI's Paper Trail was considered by me at that time to be the very best dirty south album out there. It's not hard to see why with songs like Swagga Like Us, No Matter What, and Live Your Life. People may dispute which is better(This or KING) but this one seems to just have more incredible songs on it.
RU: Untitled by Nas- A somewhat close 2nd, but lyrically this is a monster album. Nas really does a great job of staying on topic throughout th entire album. In a year of great rap albums like The Recession, L.A.X., and Tha Carter III, and Raw Footage, Untitled was a step above them.
2009: Man on the Moon the end of Days by Kid Cudi- Kid Cudi burst onto the scene, and quite frankly I idnt think a whole lot of him then, and I still didnt think much of this album until the 2nd or 3rd time I heard it. It might as well be a debut album classic, even though its not really perfect. Some of the songs are mellow, but there is a balance here that few albums can pull off. All in all its about as good as Kanye's C.D. believe it or not.
RU: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II by Raekwon- Before hearing this album I didnt have much respect for the WU-Tang Clan, let alone Kwon'. But this album is just dope. Its a very thuggish album with tales from the hood.....some may even call this a classic, but to me Its good enough to be 2nd best in 2009 easily.
RU: Blueprint 3 by Jay-z- Who would think Jay-z would have so much competion in 2009. The beats are really hot, and Jay didnt hesitate to get an all star caliber guest star list(Kanye, Kid Cudi, J.COle, Drake, Rihanna). THe album isnt perfect, and the 2nd half isnt as good as the first half, but it's still considerably better than some other 09 albums lke Loso's Way and Relapse.
2010: My Beautiful Dark Fantasy by Kanye West- ALOT can be said about this album. Kanye made it clear he was going to switch it up from his Graduation days. The album is dark, yet glossy at the same time. It's so varied, some songs dont even feel like they go together on up here like So Appaled and Lost in the World. Overall though in a year of a LOT of good rap albums, Kanye reigns supreme. For one I feel it has a lot more 5 star songs then 4 star ones. Power, ALl of teh Lights, and Dark Fantasy are just incredible.
RU: Sir Luscious LEft Foot by Big Boi- I thought Big BOi's stellar album would easily take album of the year honors...well it almost did. Every song is good, and I've heard alot of rap albums, including Stankonia, and this album seems slighlty better than that and TI's Paper Trail.....
2011: The Red Album by Game-
or The Dreamer The Believer by Common
2012:The Good Kid Maad City by Kendrick Lamar
RU: Life is Good by Nas
2013:The Marshall Mathers LP 2
RU: My Name is My Name by Pusha T
2014: tbd
2001: The Blueprint by Jay-z- This is one juggernaut of an album.....hell you could almost call this the blueprint for most all rap albums to come in the decade. Yes they must be compared to BP1...this album is that good.
Runnr Up: Word of Mouth by Ludacris-This was actually the first album I ever bought, and I hold it in high esteem. The songs are very entertaining. I still think this is Luda's finest work to date. There are so many hits on this one.
2002: Stillmatic by Nas- Even though it came out in 2001, I didnt really get this one till 02. Nas's 2nd best album in my opinion. He keeps it really real on about every track. Who could forget the awesome track One Mic?
RU: The Eminem Show by Eminem- Another elite album from Eminem. This is a real close runner up. The beats are awesome, and Em's flow here can only be rivaled by a few rappers dead or alive.
2003: The Black Album by Jay-z- ANother incredible album by Jigga. This won by a very slim margin. The beats are stellar, and Jay is the only rapper on the album techincally.
RU: Get Rich or DIe Tryin by 50 Cent- 50's first interscope album stayed in my cd player for a LONG TIME....it's just fire from front to back.
2004: The College Dropout by Kanye West-This is the only album that was so good it didnt really have any competion. 04 was a year of many good albums, but Kanye's debut was just greatness.
2005: The Documentary by The Game- Game wasnt really an artist I thought much of until this album came out. It has stellar beats, and a good amount of guest spots. It's ironic that Game and 50 Cent have so much chemistry. Its another one of those albums where I'm not really sure which song is the best.
or Late Registration by Kanye West- Kanye tried to repeat with Late Registration, a glossy beat album with lots of great tracks. Its not quite as good as College Dropout but it was good enough.
2006: King by T.I.- I've got to admit, this is one incredible album. It's well made, with excellent production and TI's best track What You Know. The album is fairly creative while holding true to TI's style. It's just a truly great dirty south album..
RU: Food & Liquor by Lupe Fiasco- Lupe birst on the scene with a very critically aclaimed album. I felt this album was close to being album of the year, but fell short just a little bit. Lupe's creativity on this album is something to behold.
RU: Hip Hop is Dead by Nas- Coming in third is HHiD, Nas's comeback album after the lackluster double disc Street's Disciple. From front to back its good, even if some songs dont stand out as much as others.
2007: Graduation by Kanye West- My favorite rap album of all time was also one of my most anticipated albums. This is one album I just grew to love right away. It has everything, but some songs like Drunk and Hot Girls dont do much for it. Despite that song this is a great album, with a very fun upbeat feel.Im not sure which song is best, but I'd have to go with Can't TEll ME NOthing.
RU: The Cool by Lupe Fiasco- Lupe bursts out the gate again, but falls a tad bit short of 1st place. THis album is creative, and Lupe's flow is almost unrivaled here. 07 was a year of many good albums including American Gangster, Finding Forever, and Eardrum.
RU: Finding Forever by Common
2008: Paper Trail by T.I.- If 2007 had a lot of good rap albums, 08 would blow that record away. TI's Paper Trail was considered by me at that time to be the very best dirty south album out there. It's not hard to see why with songs like Swagga Like Us, No Matter What, and Live Your Life. People may dispute which is better(This or KING) but this one seems to just have more incredible songs on it.
RU: Untitled by Nas- A somewhat close 2nd, but lyrically this is a monster album. Nas really does a great job of staying on topic throughout th entire album. In a year of great rap albums like The Recession, L.A.X., and Tha Carter III, and Raw Footage, Untitled was a step above them.
2009: Man on the Moon the end of Days by Kid Cudi- Kid Cudi burst onto the scene, and quite frankly I idnt think a whole lot of him then, and I still didnt think much of this album until the 2nd or 3rd time I heard it. It might as well be a debut album classic, even though its not really perfect. Some of the songs are mellow, but there is a balance here that few albums can pull off. All in all its about as good as Kanye's C.D. believe it or not.
RU: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II by Raekwon- Before hearing this album I didnt have much respect for the WU-Tang Clan, let alone Kwon'. But this album is just dope. Its a very thuggish album with tales from the hood.....some may even call this a classic, but to me Its good enough to be 2nd best in 2009 easily.
RU: Blueprint 3 by Jay-z- Who would think Jay-z would have so much competion in 2009. The beats are really hot, and Jay didnt hesitate to get an all star caliber guest star list(Kanye, Kid Cudi, J.COle, Drake, Rihanna). THe album isnt perfect, and the 2nd half isnt as good as the first half, but it's still considerably better than some other 09 albums lke Loso's Way and Relapse.
2010: My Beautiful Dark Fantasy by Kanye West- ALOT can be said about this album. Kanye made it clear he was going to switch it up from his Graduation days. The album is dark, yet glossy at the same time. It's so varied, some songs dont even feel like they go together on up here like So Appaled and Lost in the World. Overall though in a year of a LOT of good rap albums, Kanye reigns supreme. For one I feel it has a lot more 5 star songs then 4 star ones. Power, ALl of teh Lights, and Dark Fantasy are just incredible.
RU: Sir Luscious LEft Foot by Big Boi- I thought Big BOi's stellar album would easily take album of the year honors...well it almost did. Every song is good, and I've heard alot of rap albums, including Stankonia, and this album seems slighlty better than that and TI's Paper Trail.....
2011: The Red Album by Game-
or The Dreamer The Believer by Common
2012:The Good Kid Maad City by Kendrick Lamar
RU: Life is Good by Nas
2013:The Marshall Mathers LP 2
RU: My Name is My Name by Pusha T
2014: tbd