CHRISFUCIUS: Top 5 Hip Hop Albums of 2009

PEACE yall! this is my personal top 5 Hip Hop albums of 2009.

#5. Royce Da 5'9" - Street Hop

When I first heard that DJ Premier was going to executive produce Royce's new album, I knew that the album was gonna be dope and that no Royce fan could ignore it. With features from Phonte, Busta Rhymes, Slaughterhouse, and Bun B and sounds bumped out by DJ Premier, Denaun Porter, Emile, Nottz, and others, the albums delivers a solid, hard hitting Hip Hop album. Royce shows why he's one of dopest MCs of the decade with tracks like Dinner Time, Something 2 Ride 2, Count For Nothing, Hood Love, and my personal favorite Shake This. Rappers like Royce Da 5'9" are the reason why I still have hope for Hip Hop.

#4. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3

Jay-Z has proved over and over again why he's one of Hip Hop's leading rappers of today's generation. BP3 became Jay-Z's 11th U.S. #1 album, beating Elvis Presley's record. I have to admit that when I first heard Jay singing on the hook for D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune) and kept on hearing Run This Town with Rihanna and Kanye West repeatedly on the radio, I turned the other way when it came to buying the album. But eventually, I gave in and it was much better than I expected! I'm not much of a fan of Young Jeezy, but he and Jigga do their thing to deliver a banging joint on Real As It Gets. This album shows Jay-Z maturing and lets rappers, Frederic Rouzaud, and even Rush Limbaugh know that he's nobody to mess with. Other notable tracks on the album are Thank You, On To The Next One, Off That, A Star Is Born, Venus Vs. Mars, and the New York City anthem Empire State of Mind with Alicia Keys. Since his Reasonable Doubt debut, Jay-Z still continues to stay on top.

#3. Mos Def - The Ecstatic

Mos Def graces our ears with the critically acclaimed album The Ecstatic. The album features production from Madlib, Oh No, Chad Hugo of The Neptunes, Mr. Flash, Georgia Ann Muldrow, Preservation, and the late-great J Dilla. It also features guest vocals from Georgia Ann Muldrow, the other half of Black Star Talib Kweli, and Hip Hop pioneer Slick Rick. Personal stand out tracks are Pistola, Supermagic, Auditorium, Life In Marvelous Times, the Spanish-sung No Hay Nada Mas, Casa Bey, and my favorite track History. Mos Def is one of Hip Hop leading acts that helps keep the art alive!

#2. Fashawn - Boy Meets World

The new-comer Fashawn dropped, in my opinion, something that the new generation of Hip Hop has been missing. His hard-hitting lyrics and Exile's beats create such a fresh, uplifting album that I can listen to without having to skip through any of the songs. My personal favorites would have to be Freedom, Stars, Life As A Shorty, Father, Samsonite Man, the story-telling track When She Calls, and Boy Meets World/Same Old Song. With dropping such a dope album and being born in 1988 like myself, Fashawn has become such a significant influence to me and is now my new hero!

#1. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II / OB4CL2

Wu-Tang! Wu-Tang! Wu-Tang! The Wu is back with the sequel to Raekwon's classic Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Continuing his role in the album series, Ghostface Killah does his part along with Raekwon, painting the listener that gritty picture of the streets with lyrics overs beats by Rza, J Dilla, Marley Marl, Pete Rock, Dr. Dre, Erick Sermon, Alchemist, Allah Mathematics, and Necro. Along with the Wu fam, guests include Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, Styles P., Beanie Sigel, Lyfe Jennings and the legendary story-teller himself Slick Rick The Ruler. All songs on this album are dope but the one that really stands out is the track Ason Jones which is a tribute to fallen Wu memeber, the late great Ol' Dirty Bastard. The whole album is a great gift to all hardcore Hip Hop fans alike and compliments Raekwon's great career.

Other notable albums that dropped in 2009 but didn't make my list are...

Rakim - 7th Seal