quote: Originally posted by KrazyKarl For me, 36 Chambers by the Wu-Tang Clan. Combiled in a basement. Nuff Said. "Cash Rules Everything Around Me. C.R.E.A.M. Get the Money! Dolla Dolla Bill Ya'll!!!"

36 Chambers definitely ranks highly on my list, maybe top 25. Good pick. I like newer stuff nowadays though, to name a few: Talib Kweli and Mos Def's Blackstar Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek's Reflection Eternal Common's Ressurection The Root's Phrenology 7L & Esoteric's Soul Purpose RJD2's Deadringer (not much rap on it, but maybe the best hip hop producer in a loooong time) Mr. Lif's I Phantom MF Doom's Doomsday Jurassic 5's Power in Numbers People Under the Stairs' OST Kurupt's Space Boogie Swollen Member's Monsters in the Closet Non Phixion's Futurama Del (Ice Cube's less gangster cousin) and Dan the Automator's (Deltron) 3030 Canibus 2000 B.C. Jedi Mind Trick's The Psycho-social-chemical-biological-and-electromagnetic manipulation of human consciousness LP AZ's 9 Lives Nas's Illmatic Hi-Tek's Hi-Teknology Masta Ace's Disposable Arts Slum Village's Fantastic Vol. 2 Yosumi's Game Over U-God's Golden Arms Redemption Just a sampling. I could list 100 more, but those are all great. If I had to pick one album that I listen to more than any other, it's gotta be Kweli and Hi-Tek's Reflection Eternal Train of Thought album. Just awesome.

gravediggaz "6 feet deep" "g to the r to the a to the e" "v to the d to the i to the g" "g to the a to the zig zag z" "gravediggaz, nigguz." "6 feet deep" [8D]

Swollen Members - Balance (easily) "pain stains the carpet when you run into us"

Well Cott, I have heard about half of those you just listed, and will now do my best to listen to all of those. I have barely heard any Talib Kwali, so I will put that on the top of my agenda. Also, for an interesting point: A friend of mine was taking an upper devision english class and one day he walked in the room and "Cash Rules Everything Around Me. C.R.E.A.M. Get the money. Dolla Dolla Bill Ya'll" was written on the board. They then proceeded to argue and analyze Wu-Tang lyrics, discussing whether it was poetry or not. Obviously, like many people on this site, there was venemous insults and ignorant bashing of the lyrics because of some of the content. Through 2 days of analyzation they found that many of the lyrics adhered to strict structural principles that poets like Walt Whitman used (numbers of syllables in a line, rhyming schemes, etc). According to my buddy, a lot of the "haters" left that room in disbelief. Their pre-concieved notions about rap were shattered. Wish I coulda been there... Just Beer for Thought

Public Enemy - "Fear of a Black Planet" A Tribe Called Quest - "The Low End Theory"

i can't believe i forgot everlast. the "...whitey" album just smokes, what's it like is probbaly the best rap song of all time. listening to it now.

quote: Originally posted by that_guy Swollen Members - Balance (easily) "pain stains the carpet when you run into us"

Easily? I don't know, Bad Dreams was the better album IMO. That said, everything that Swollen Members has done has been great. I thought of a couple more super-underground gems today to add to the list: Louis Logic, Music to Drink By Atmosphere, Overcast! Soul Position, 8,000,000 Stories Demigodz, Sure Shot Affair (Good luck finding this one, I had to download some of the songs, the album is impossible to find. Start with The Godz Must be Crazy if you download) Shed Light, Perseverance Perceptionists, The Black Dialogue And if anyone takes the time to search out that Demigodz album and actually finds it, let me know. More to come I'm sure.... [:D]

FAT BOYS - CRUSHIN' Ok all kidding aside, although I really liked that album when it came out, I was also 12 at the time ('87), they are still one of the pioneers of Rap/Hip-Hop. Public Enemy's "It Takes A Nation Of Million..." is probably my all time favorite. Beastie Boys "Licensed To Ill" was the album that got me initially into rap, but "Paul's Boutique" or "Ill Communication" are probably their most solid efforts to date. [}:)]

All Eyes on Me- 2pac Doggystyle- Snoop The Marshall Mathers LP- Eminem Enter the 36 Chambers- Wu Tang Ready to Die- Biggie Those gotta be my top 5 in no order

The first three Public Enemy albums were great. I really enjoyed Digital Underground (the mix of rap and humour). Run DMC had some great **** too ! Tougher Than Leather.... Rock tha house !