Album of the Year 2006

Another year comes and goes in hip-hop. This year saw a slew of mainstream releases, alot of watered down rap hits, and the soon comebacks of Jay-Z and Nas. XXL magazine has recently awarded The Clipse' sophomore album "Hell Hath No Fury" as a clasic. While there are many great albums left to come this year, here are my choices for the top nods this year. Album of the Year: "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor" Despite being leaked early on to people and being out many many months prior to its real release, the album has to be the favorite. It transcends hip-hop and skateboarding culture, has Lupe daydreaming about being inside a giant robot, and has strong production throughout with lyrics that compliment it well. Close Second: "Game Theory" - The Roots Keep it short and simple. Don't fill an album with meaningless skits and other nonesense. Make creative music with great themes and soundtracks. That's what the Roots have done on this album. While its not Phrenology in my opinion, its still one of their best works to date. Underground Considerations: "Eastern Philosophy" - Apathy "Servants in Heaven, Kingdoms in Hell" - Jedi Mind Tricks 2 solid albums from start to finish. Apathy covers everything from drug dependency, to how a dollar bill passes from politicians to drug dealers to everyday folks. He delivers on point rhymes with some great beats and sampled hooks (such as Jay-Z, Mobb Deep and BIG). Jedi Mind Tricks offer a chilling horrorcore style album with headnod beats and a sharp rhyme skill layed on top of them. Haunting orchestra symphonies and sped up vocal singing lays the backdrop for their tracks about death, war and suicide. It makes you feel as if you have been warped back in time to a medieval rap concert yet still ahead of the time. Great stuff all around.