Hip Hop's Top Ten Albums

10. Criminal Minded, Boogie Down Productions

Listening to this classic now, some of the beat patterns sound simplistic, but KRS One's lyrical finesse allows it to stand side my side with any of the other albums on this list. At the time, bangers like Poetry, 9mm, The Bridge is Over, South Bronx, KRS established him as an MC to be reckoned with. Twenty years later, these tunes have become hip hop anthems.

9. Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers), Wu Tang Clan

Never before -or since- has a click of so many talented MCs come together like this. Drop dead lyrics delivered by Method Man, Raekwon, Ghost Face and the rest of the crew are topped off by the Rza's razor sharp production . The whole rough rugged and raw sound and the grimy, gully style that Wu Tang introduced to the world with this album was unforgettable.

8. Raising Hell, Run DMC

"Rock Box" is the song that kicked in the door to the mainstream, and hip hop has never been the same since. Ironically, when Rick Rubin dropped the concept of remaking the Aerosmith hit, Daryl and Joseph thought he was going too far with the rock/hip hop mashups. The other gems on this album are "My Adidas" (think endorsements) and "Peter Piper." Just try and karaoke that tune with one of your friends and bear witness the skill it takes to deliver such a staccato call and response. There are better albums lyrically and production wise, but the impact of this one cannot be overlooked.

7. Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z

Jay Z got it right with his debut and never looked back. This reflection on the thug life is the hustler's manifesto, and Jigga shows off his lyrical prowess to the world by shockingly delivering clever and complex rhymes that he hadn't even written down. On the classic "Brooklyn's Finest," the torch was passed.

6. Midnight Marauders, A Tribe Called Quest