Looking back at all the fantastic hip-hop that has come out in this past decade, I was struck by how many of my favorite albums were released in 2000. Many of these albums I would personally consider classic, or near classic. Just a quick reminder:

Common - Like Water For Chocolate
Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030
Blackalicious - Nia
Quasimoto - The Unseen
Slum Village - Fantastic, Vol. 2
Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek - Reflection Eternal
Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele
Outkast - Stankonia
Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
Dilated Peoples - The Platform
Binary Star - Masters Of…

This is a working (subject to change) list of 50 Classic Hip-Hop Tracks. Only one song per artist is allowed. Let me know what you think! (Songs are not in order by the way)

1. Outkast - So Fresh, So Clean
2. N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
3. Pharoahe Monch - Simon Says
4. Common - The Light
5. Fugees - Ready Or Not
6. Jay-Z - Dead Presidents II
7. Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy
8. Gang Starr - Mass Appeal
9. Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Pt. 2
10. The Roots - You Got Me
11. 2Pac - Dear…

1.How did you get into 29? (Gang Starr)
Right when i was getting into rap at a young age, I was looking for local acts (I'm from Boston, MA) and I came across Guru, and from there discovered Gang Starr. At the time I had no idea they were legends!

2. What's the first song you ever heard by 22? (AZ)
I think Sugar Hill, but I originally heard AZ on Nas - Life's A Bitch. His verse is CLASSIC.

3. What's your favorite lyric by 33? (John Legend)
I guess Ordinary People has some pretty cool lyrics. That song…

Write down your top 10 artists, then add:
- the first song you ever heard
- your favorite song of that artist
- your favorite album of that artist

1. Common
First: The Corner
Fave Song: The Light
Fave Album: Resurrection

2. Kanye West
First: All Falls Down
Fave Song: Two Words
Fave Album: The College Dropout

3. The Roots
First: The Seed 2.0
Fave Song: You Got Me (What They Do is a VERY VERY close second.)
Fave Album: Things Fall Apart

4. The Fugees
First: Killing Me Softly
Fave Song: Ready Or Not
Fave Album: The Score

5.…

I haven't heard everything out there and I am by no means a musical expert. This is not a list of the best albums that I've heard, it's a list of my favorite albums - those that I cannot live without, and those that just amaze me from beginning to end.

Numbers 1-5 (in no particular order)
- Outkast - Aquemini
- Mos Def - Black on Both Sides
- Black Star - Black Star
- The Fugees - The Score
- Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Numbers 6-10 (in no particular order)
- Kanye West -…