20. D-12- D-12 World
After dropping their decent, yet shock value worthy, debut, Devil'z Night in '01, Eminem and his crew D-12 returned three years later with D12 World, which was a little more focused and relied a little less on shock value. That's not to say it wasn't there, but the center piece was more so on being a cohesive unit and not as much comical, espcially on cuts like "How Come" and the somber dedication to former Bugs, "Good Die Young". The tragic irony of this was member Proof was murdered two years later. A more serious D12 made for the listener to start taking them more seriously as well.
19. Black Milk- No Poison, No Paradise
Since the heartbreaking passing of Dilla, the closest one who could ever come close to furthering the trail Mr. Yancey established has been Black Milk. A very decent rhymer in his own right, the story was even more so his incredible production skills. Every album he had done had been critically acclaimed and made him more and more of a known fixture. With his fifth album, No Poison, No Paradise, he went the conceptual route the story of Sonny and how he faces everyday life growing up as an adolescent, in spite of challenges and obstacles that stand to get in his way of succeeding. Top notched production and a cohesive, put together story has Black Milk continuing to come of age and this was one of his strongest projects.
18. Big Sean- Dark Sky Paradise
GOOD Music's own Big Sean has had to get out of his own way to see the fruits of labor. Although a promising act, lyrically, he wasn't up to par as much as many felt he could be with his first couple of albums, Finally Famous and Hall Of Fame. That changed with his third album, Dark Sky Paradise, as we saw more focus and a better pen game than before. He also expanded his sound and hitting on personal areas such as the saddening passing of a loved one on "One Man Could Change The World". This was the Big Sean we had been waiting on, and we finally started to see him break out of his shell.
17. J Dilla- Welcome 2 Detroit
The first inclination of how fantastic he could be on his own without his Slum Village brethren was on his '01 solo debut, Welcome 2 Detroit. Under his (then) name of Jay Dee, this album was a great highlight of the different types of sounds Dilla can construct and how good he can sound over them. Covering everything from standard boom bap to Brazilian music and African rhythms, Dilla presented a promising and ambitious album that would only serve as an inkling to the greatness we would progressively see.
16. Obie Trice- Cheers
From seemingly out of nowhere came this rhyme animal known as Obie Trice, who had been signed to Shady/Aftermath, and we saw and heard why. After spitting on an interlude on D12's Devil'z Night album, the buzz grew quite highly. He dropped the cut, "Got Some Teeth", and the album Cheers was here. With knocking production from Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Timbaland, this album made Obie a star, selling double platinum units.
15. Black Milk- Popular Demand
A heavy and deep void was evident when J Dilla passed. Since then, people had been looking to see who his next in line would be. Enter Curtis Cross, otherwise known as Black Milk. The drummer-turned-producer/emcee first showed his talents on his debut, Sound Of The City Vol. 1, but it was his second album, Popular Demand, that people really started to take notice. Garnering a bunch of support from Detroit artists such as Phat Kat, Slum Village, and Guilty Simpson on the album, this thumps from top to bottom. This became the start of a critically successful career for Mr. Milk.
14. Eminem- The Eminem Show
How in God's name could Marshall follow his unbelievable Marshall Mathers LP? One of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful hip-hop albums of all-time? His answer came in the form of his third effort, The Eminem Show. While not quite as nihilistic or even quite as misogynistic as his prior effort, he still presents his brutal honesty and even gets even more personal than before. Some view this as his best work, with cuts like "White America", "Cleaning Out My Closet", and "Square Dance" are clearly some of Em's finest cuts ever. Selling eight million units, it was one of the best and highest selling albums of the decade and was an excellent follow-up to MMLP.
13. Elzhi- The Preface
One of the D's most fantastic emcees that doesn't get as much credit as he deserves is Elzhi. Previously known for his work as part of Slum Village after Dilla left the group, he had also been known for mixtapes that had caught some buzz. However, it was his album, The Preface, when people really saw just how lyrically gifted this cat was. Backed by some of the most incredible Black Milk production heard to this very day, standouts are all over the place, if not one after another. Elzhi was officially on the radar, and even though he has delivered other efforts in Elmatic and the most recent Lead Poison, this serves as his absolute best gem.
12. Royce Da 5'9"- Tabernacle: Trust The Shooter EP
Perhaps there's no more complete of an emcee to come out of the D than Royce Da 5'9". Technically sharp and systematically a beast, the man known as Ryan Montgomery is among the most respected and feared lyricists to exist in all of ip-hop. In 2016, he dlievered his sixth album, Layers to pretty decent acclaim. Before he officially dropped it, he delivered a thunderous EP entitled Tabernacle: Trust The Shooter in preparation. In many aspects, this EP easily outshined Layers. Although it did contain a few of Layers cuts such as the impactful "Tabernacle" and "Wait", but others such as the blazing "Black History" as well as the blistering "Dead President Heads" and the slick "Which Is Cool" made this project one of the ones to be rotated over and over within his discography.
11. Eminem- The Slim Shady LP
In '98, we heard there was a Caucasian emcee that Dr. Dre had gotten his hands on that was a complete rhyme terrorist. Previously seen nationwide in the Unsigned Hype section of The Source, there was some small buzz about this up-and-coming emcee, but then we heard "Just Don't Give A Fuck". It was a wrap from there. A few months later in '99, he dropped The Slim Shady LP, which was considered among the most controversial albums released in recent memory due to avid charges of homophobia, misogyny, and encouragement of drug use. In any case, this album ultimately sold upwards of six million units and officially made Eminem a global phenomenon.
10. Slum Village- Yes!
This is the Slum Village album we had been waiting for years for. Not since, Fantastic Vol. 2 has there been a Slum Village this cohesive, smooth flowing, and yes Dilla influenced. In fact, Dilla's posthumous hands were all over this album, and it was phenomenal. While it would've been damn near perfection if Dilla and Baatin were still alive to assist T3 on this album instead of Dilla's little brother Illa J, in all due respect of course because he does an admirable job holding it down with T3. In any case, this album satisfied every true SV fan to the utmost and made Dilla proud.
9. Obie Trice- Second Round's On Me
The former Shady artist had earned a well-deserved name in the mainstream with his double platinum debut Cheers. He had shown that he deserved to be in the house that Em and Dre built. However, the pressure was on to deliver the goods yet another time, and in '06, he delivered Second Round's On Me to even more acclaim. While Dre, Em, and Timbaland basically dominated his debut, this album was more about him and it hit hard. The album was done by Em and then-hot producer J.R. Rotem supplying him some very impressive production to spit over. Obie wasn't playing any games with cuts like the Emile-crafted scorcher "Wanna Know" and "Cry Now". Although the album didn't hit platinum, it did mark a gold album for him and proved he had the skills to hang and bang in the Shady empire.
8. Black Milk- If There's A Hell Below
If there's one thing Black Milk has done over the years and that's show growth, both lyrically and musically. Each album shows more and more upward momentum since his already impressive Popular Demand. His albums of Tronic, Album Of The Year and No Poison, No Paradise were all damn impressive outings that showed that he could be Dilla's heir apparent. However, he hit his apex with If There's A Hell Below. Darker in texture and production, this album continues where he left off with No Poison, No Paradise and turns it a little more bleak in nature. This album flows along almost perfectly due to the interludes and its consistency in impeccable. This album showed just how incredible Milk continues to be and let's really hope he didn't hang up the mic for good.
7. J Dilla- The Shining
We've been blessed with quite a number of posthumous DIlla projects since his passing. Arguably the most heralded studio album he has delivered has been The Shining. This was a virtual all-star assemblage of talent that have all collaborated with Dilla in some sort of fashion during his highly influential career. Names such as Black Thought, Guilty Simpson, Common, Busta Rhymes, and Pharoahe Monch deliver their own brand of goods over some of the most delectable production one could ask for from DIlla. We even managed to get a solo cut from him on the breezy "Won't Do". With only eleven tracks, there was no room for extra fat, and there wasn't any, as this was an amazing example of how Dilla was truly among the best to ever do it behind the boards, and he had help from some highly talented friends to further push that sentiment.
6. Danny Brown- Atrocity Exhibition
The one word that comes to mind when mentioning Danny Brown is...well...quirky. His eccentric sense of being a hip-hop rock star has garnered him a cult like following over the years. Starting his very impressive debut, XXX, Mr. Brown has been a notable fixture in the underground and has progressively been building a steady fan base. However, it was 2016 when he dropped arguably the album of his career with Atrocity Exhibition. Although this album shows and highlights his obsession with drugs and his downward spiral into the abyss, he brilliantly does so with a sense of a method to his madness. Eccentric mixed with ambitious, Brown has reached a new level of acclaim and his star power is growing more and more, especially with this unforgettable album.
5. Royce Da 5'9"- Death Is Certain
Royce Da 5'9" is among the true lyrical heavyweights of the game. This was apparent since the late nineties with Eminem as Bad Meets Evil. As Em blew up in historic fashion, Royce started to get his own name out there as well, as he dropped his long overdue debut, Rock City, to acclaim and notability. There were lots of hits on the album and it showed Royce had the potential to be a star. However, dealing with drugs, alcohol, and depression (not to mention beefs with D12 and eventually his own homie Em), led him to drop his sophomore effort, Death Is Certain. A noticeably bleaker and angrier project than Rock City, Royce gets a lot off his chest about revenge, depression, and just his trouble mind and soul out on wax. Although very dark, it also served as his magnum opus in terms of consistency and continuity. This was our true first look into the mind of Ryan Montgomery, and it was beyond fantastic.
4. Slum Village- Fantastic Vol. 1
Our first taste of SV was with Fantastic Vol. 1, a collection of demos, unmastered tracks, freestyles, and a few finished cuts. This was SV in raw form, as we got a glimpse of the chemistry between T3, Dilla (then Jay Dee), and Baatin. Musically, this was rich with instrumentation thanks to Dilla, and we saw how they were almost seen as the next Tribe Called Quest to a degree. One of the most highly sought after albums in all of Detroit during the mid to late nineties, most of the cuts would get reworked and mastered to appear on Fantastic Vol. 2, but this was where it all started, and to be honest, srtill sounds every bit as fresh.
3. J Dilla- Donuts
When Dilla died, it was said that he left behind a ton of instrumentals and unreleased recordings, as he was working nonstop until he dies, even in his hospital bed and at home trying to recover. He was a producer's producer. An undeterred workaholic. The album was the last true album he made while he was alive, as he succumbed to his sickness three days later. Considered one of the most influential instrumental albums of all-time, this was the best example of Dilla's impeccable talent on the boards, and why he was so beloved. While he was already one of the most touted producers in hip-hop, as evidenced with his work on albums from Tribe and Keith Murray, this made him one of the very best ever, like legendary status. Since this album, there have been other albums amazingly showing his truly God-given musical talents such as Jay Stay Paid, Dillatroit, and Rebirth Of Detroit, but Donuts laid the blueprint for the rest of his legacy.
2. Slum Village- Fantastic Vol. 2
This was seen as the "official" debut of Slum Village, as their Vol. 1 was their rough cut, or rough draft If that was the case, Vol. 2 was their final product, as it took the exemplary cuts from Vol. 1 and got fine tuned, mastered, and mixed properly. Therefore, this became a classic from Detroit. This album was a breath of fresh air as this came out during the height of the "shiny suit" era, as well as the decline of the mafioso era in hip-hop. This was a taste of what neo soul in hip-hop sounded like, as Dilla and the boys delivered fresh and authentic hip-hop for the masses, even though it was mostly an underground treasure. Highly influential in the sub-terrain, this became one of the most sought after albums to ever emerge from the city, and SV's most prized effort is something we can still learn from today. This has grown into one of hip-hop's most true classics, and should be remembered as an album that helped to change the sound of hip-hop during its time.
1. Eminem- The Marshall Mathers LP
We had already been rocked by the talents and vision of Dr. Dre's newest protege Eminem. His debut, The Slim Shady LP, had sold upwards of six million units and earned him several different awards. His toilet humor and his uncanny ability to be the asshole class clown of hip-hop won a ton of people over while not ignoring the fact that this dude could rip a mic in two lyrically. However, he pushed his level of shock value to new heights and got a ton more personal on his sophomore effort, The Marshall Mathers LP. He increased everything except his level of actually giving a damn what any of his critics think of him. His utterly violent fantasies on the psychotic cut "Kim", the self-affirming "The Way I Am", and especially the ingenious ode to fan stalking "Stan" made this album a masterwork that is a combination of misery and sobering realities. Say what you will about how sexist, misogynistic, drug celebrating, homophobic and violent this album is, whatever your opinion, this album rattled your insides and got a rouse out of you, whether you wanted it to happen or not. Did I mention the album sold upwards of thirty million units worldwide, with twelve million sold domestically, thus making it one of the biggest selling hip-hop albums of all-time? Call him King Mathers!
Honorable Mentions
Black Milk- Tronic
Black Milk- Album Of The Year
Slum Village- Detroit Deli
Slum Village- Villa Manifesto
Elzhi- Lead Poison
Elzhi- Elmatic
Guilty Simpson- Ode To The Ghetto
Apollo Brown- Grandeur
Guilty Simpson & Madlib- OJ Simpson
J Dilla- Ruff Draft
J Dilla- Dillatronic
J DIlla- Jay Stay Paid
Eminem- Recovery
Eminem- The Marshall Mathers LP 2
D12- Devil'z Night
Proof- Searching For Jerry Garcia
Danny Brown- XXX
Danny Brown & Black Milk- Black & Brown EP
Danny Brown- Old
Phat Kat- Carte Blanche
Royce Da 5'9"- Rock City
Royce Da 5'9"- Success Is Certain
Royce Da 5'9"- Street Hop
Royce Da 5'9"- Layers
Bad Meets Evil- Hell: The Sequel
It's clear Detroit has a rich history of music, but one can now add hip-hop to its historic musical legacy. In the midst of poverty, unemployment, and the water crisis in nearby Flint, the D can still stand on the fact that they're one of the most in control cities in all of hip-hop, and that alone is worth something to brag about. Until next time folks!
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