The Best Hip-Hop Albums of the 2000s
Our pick of the essential hip-hop records released in the 2000s, ranked.
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1StankoniaOutKast
Stankonia
A wildly inventive blend of funk, electro, gospel and rap that pushed Southern hip-hop into the future. 'B.O.B.' and 'Ms. Jackson' anchor it. Restless, joyful and ahead of its time.
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2The College DropoutKanye West
The College Dropout
The debut that broke the gangsta-rap mould with soul samples, humour and middle-class anxiety. Warm and witty, it announced a major new voice in production and persona. Still his most likeable record.
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3The BlueprintJay-Z
The Blueprint
Released to instant acclaim, it paired Jay-Z's confident writing with soul-sampling production from a young Kanye West and Just Blaze. Cohesive, quotable and influential. A peak of early-2000s rap.
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4The Marshall Mathers LPEminem
The Marshall Mathers LP
A technically dazzling, provocative blockbuster that made him the most discussed rapper alive. Funny, dark and razor-sharp. A defining record of its era.
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5Late RegistrationKanye West
Late Registration
A lush, orchestral leap forward with Jon Brion's strings behind soul-sample beats. Ambitious and warm. A peak of his early run.
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6GraduationKanye West
Graduation
A bright, stadium-sized pivot toward synths and anthems, home to 'Stronger'. Polished and huge. A turning point in mainstream rap.
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7The Black AlbumJay-Z
The Black Album
A sharp, reflective 'retirement' record of star production and quotable verses. Confident and cohesive. A peak.
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8The Eminem ShowEminem
The Eminem Show
A more personal, rock-tinged blockbuster of fame and family, home to 'Without Me'. Polished and huge. A commercial peak.
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9Speakerboxxx/The Love BelowOutKast
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
A sprawling double solo set, home to the inescapable 'Hey Ya!'. Adventurous and huge. A genre-blurring blockbuster.
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10MadvillainyMadvillain
Madvillainy
MF DOOM's dense, allusive rhymes over Madlib's dusty, short-loop beats, an underground touchstone with no choruses and no rules. Cryptic and endlessly rewinding. A cult masterpiece.
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11DonutsJ Dilla
Donuts
An instrumental masterpiece of chopped soul loops, made as the producer was dying. Warm, witty and deeply moving. A beat-tape that became sacred text.
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12808s & HeartbreakKanye West
808s & Heartbreak
A cold, Auto-Tuned grief record that reshaped pop-rap. Bold and influential. A pivotal record.
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13StillmaticNas
Stillmatic
A focused, lyrical comeback, home to the famous 'Ether'. Sharp and acclaimed. A return to form.
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14Get Rich or Die Tryin'50 Cent
Get Rich or Die Tryin'
A blockbuster debut of menace and hooks, powered by Dre and Eminem's production. Inescapable in its moment. A defining 2000s rap record.
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15The DocumentaryThe Game
The Documentary
A polished, Dre-and-50-backed West Coast debut. Tough and huge. A commercial landmark.
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16Tha Carter IIILil Wayne
Tha Carter III
A blockbuster peak of Wayne's wordplay and weirdness, home to 'A Milli'. Eccentric and huge. His commercial high.
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17BeCommon
Be
A warm, soulful return powered by Kanye West's production, concise and assured. Smooth and grown-up. A conscious-rap high point.
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18Like Water for ChocolateCommon
Like Water for Chocolate
A warm, soulful peak of conscious rap with the Soulquarians. Smooth and acclaimed. A high point.
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19PhrenologyThe Roots
Phrenology
An adventurous, eclectic peak of live-band hip-hop. Bold and acclaimed. A creative high.
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20Supreme ClienteleGhostface Killah
Supreme Clientele
A dazzling, abstract solo peak of vivid imagery and soul loops. Dense and acclaimed. A Wu-Tang high point.
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21Mm..FoodMF DOOM
Mm..Food
A playful, food-themed art-rap peak of dense wordplay. Quirky and beloved. A cult favourite.
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22Miss E... So AddictiveMissy Elliott
Miss E... So Addictive
A futuristic, Timbaland-driven peak, home to 'Get Ur Freak On'. Inventive and huge. A high point.
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23The Cold VeinCannibal Ox
The Cold Vein
A dense, sci-fi underground landmark over El-P's beats. Bold and acclaimed. A cult classic.
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24Labor DaysAesop Rock
Labor Days
A dense, verbose underground peak of intricate wordplay. Bold and beloved. A cult landmark.
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25None Shall PassAesop Rock
None Shall Pass
A dense, verbose underground peak. Bold and beloved. A high point.
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26Lupe Fiasco's Food & LiquorLupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
A sharp, conscious debut of literate craft. Smooth and acclaimed. A breakthrough.
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27Lupe Fiasco's The CoolLupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
A conceptual, literate peak of conscious rap. Bold and acclaimed. A creative high.
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28Hell Hath No FuryClipse
Hell Hath No Fury
A stark, brilliant coke-rap peak over the Neptunes' minimal beats. Sharp and acclaimed. A cult classic.
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29Lord Willin'Clipse
Lord Willin'
A sharp coke-rap debut over the Neptunes' beats. Tough and beloved. A genre highlight.
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30A Grand Don't Come for FreeThe Streets
A Grand Don't Come for Free
A witty, kitchen-sink concept album of UK garage-rap storytelling. Clever and beloved. A British classic.
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31Born Like ThisMF DOOM
Born Like This
A dense, dark late peak of intricate wordplay. Bold and beloved. A cult favourite.