Mine has to be Deltron 3030, maybe my favorite collection of beats on one album ever. And the inspired rapping of del is great on every track. this is the album that got me into real hip hop, funny to think how long ago it was that i got into this shit. I was like a 15 year old kid when i first heard it. Anything thats changed my musical mind that much i have to put at the top.

first runner up would probably be Quasimoto-The Unseen. still remember the first time i heard "come on feet" high out of my mind on a hot summer day, i had never heard anything like it and you really still dont, even from madlib.

another honorable mention would have to be Madvillainy, i wish these guys would put out albums more regularly, really the only MC i HAVE to hear his new stuff anymore, which is fucking sad. probably a mix of my interest in rock music and my perception(and many others) that the quality of hip hop has seriously dipped in recent years. to me madlib and doom are the best at what they do(or were, neither have really BLOWN me away with their work in recent years) but i wish they would be the gangstarr of the 21st century, just a dedicated team of one of the illest mcs and illest producers.

Also, The Avalanches-Since I Left You, not sure if this really counts, which is one of my favorite parts about it. Again, remember the first time i heard this,(funny theme playing out here huh?) the way it blurred the line between hip hop and dance or electronica or whatever the fuck you want to call it captivated me. 8 years later its still great.

what do you guys think?

edan - beauty and the beat

cannibal ox - cold vein

Cold Vein and Deltron 3030 have both been favorite albums of mine... each spent a long time locked in the old discman on repeat.

That Avalanches album is cool... the vocal loop that keeps saying "chamika... chamika... chamika..." gets stuck in my head like a mofo.

two of my faves too. both of these plus animal collective's stuff made me pick up a sampler

deltron has the best overall package of beats and rhymes hands down

madvillian i think is one the most interesting-sounding records ever. with deltron, even though both the beats and rhymes are amazing, it always sounded to me as if del was rapping to a metronome and automator made the beats later on... like they could have been strangers or something, if that make sense

the beats may be quantized but the rhymes definitely fit each beat. if you really don't like quantization yea i can see why you'd think that

Edan - Humble Magnificent.

Just great lyrics and tough beats, it got me listening to hip hop again.

Although Heavens Demon by Abdominal is a brilliant track - a bit off subject

probably Fantastic Damage or Cold Vein...

RJD2 The Horror

the ownerz and villainy

i totally forgot about beauty and the beat, that shit is insane.

Non-Prophets - Hope
damn Sage Francis and Joe Beats are a great combo!

Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 is also a great album
RJD2 & Blueprint are also great together

can't choose between those two.

Mans, that's a gooood question.....today I feel like they'd be....

Alias - Muted

cLOUDDEAD - The Peel Session

J Dilla - Donuts

Company Flow - Little Johnny from the Hospitul (technically this was 1999, but come on! cut me some slack!)

It was almost 2004 when i got out of the pen so I missed almost half this decade. From what I've heard though I'd say Prefuse 73's One Word Extinguisher. Though Madvilliany is up there on the list and FlyLo's Los Angeles. Can't forget that Skeleton Crew Vol. 1!