What's up folks?! Our next major city of talent is the known as the "windy city". It's where Michael Jordan took the Bulls to a number of championships throughout the nineties and is one of the major sporting cities in the nation. Musically, it's been the home to everyone from Sam Cooke to R. Kelly, and continues to be one of the most talented cities you'll find. Before it became "Chi-raq", it was just the "Chi", and was very much respected as one of the most influential hip-hop cities to come from the Midwest, if not THE most influential besides Detroit. Without further a due, let's get into the best projects to come from Chicago.
20. Twista- Adrenaline Rush
Many consider him the godfather of Midwestern hip-hop. This Guinness Book of World Records inductee is widely considered a legend in the game just based off of influence alone. With a career resurgence thanks to his show-stealing verse on Do Or Die's now classic single "Po' Pimp", the artist formerly known as Tung Twista delivered his major label album in years, Adrenaline Rush. With the cuts "Emotions" and "Make It Wet", it was obvious he was on a mission to take his career to a level it hadn't been to before, and with a gold album, it was definitely in sight.
19. Chance The Rapper- Acid Rap
While there was a small buzz about a young up-and-comer named Chancellor Bennett with his initial mixtape, 10 Day. However, his stock rose quite significantly with his follow-up mixtape, Acid Rap. Equally, if not more, impressive as 10 Day, this mixtape is even more charming yet reflective and more poignant. His penchant for the sing-songy flow is more raw and effortless than it is forced like we hear so much nowadays, and every cut on the album serves a purpose and makes a point. Although his greatest achievement was still to come, this was a compelling furthering of a very promising act.
18. Kid Cudi- Man On The Moon 2: Legend Of Mr. Rager
In an attempt to follow-up the acclaim and success of his excellent debut, Man On The Moon, Kanye protege Kid Cudi delivered the sequel, Man On The Man II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager. It's not often sequels do great jobs continuing the momentum of the original, but in this case, it delightfully does just that. A bit darker than his prior work, the album has plenty of elements of rock and underlying punk elements. He musically pushes the boundaries more so than on album number one, but he also goes a lot deeper in terms of subject matter as well. Schizophrenia and paranoia run deep within this album, but it also proves Cudi has been known to walk that thin line between brilliance and insanity, and this is not the last time this area will get noticed on this list.
17. Twista- The Day After
Highly regarded as a legend and an O.G., Twista has had a fairly consistent career. While Adrenaline Rush was the official reintroduction to his career and Kamakazi gave him more household notoriety, it was The Day After that stands as his most acclaimed and most cohesive piece of work. With guests such as Mariah Carey, Snoop, Juvenile, and Lil' Kim assisting him on fairly hot cuts, this album reminded everybody that Twista wasn't playing games with anyone and could easily stand up with anyone that called themselves "hot" at this time, and likely still could today.
16. Common- One Day It'll All Make Sense
After delivering a decent debut with Can I Borrow A Dollar? and a classic sophomore album with Resurrection, he wanted to get more personal and more in-depth with his third album, One Day It'll All Make Sense. Seen as his most underrated piece of work, Common hits home with subjects such as spirituality, growth, and fatherhood, especially on the highly touching duet with Lauryn Hill "Retrospect For Life". He still keeps his battling hat on with cuts like "Real Nigga Quotes" and "Hungry", thus showing although he was growing as a man and human being, he still knew how to make a microphone smoke from the hot bars.
15. Da Brat- Funkdafied
In a time where female emcees were highly checked for, but would often times hit a ceiling, Shauntae Harris, otherwise known as Da Brat, shattered the glass in that proverbial ceiling with her debut EP, Funkdafied. The one-time Jermaine Dupri protege had a very Snoop Dogg-like appeal to her and was adored by the ladies as well as highly respected by the men very much like someone such as Roxanne Shante or MC Lyte. Her laid-back funked out debut made history as she became the first female to see a platinum plaque, a feat that wouldn't be seen again for another few years, but Brat proved it was indeed possible.
14. Kid Cudi- Man On The Moon: The End Of Day
After an impressive guest spot on Kanye's 808s & Heartbreaks, Kid Cudi ventured out on his own to release his debut album, Man On The Moon: The End Of Day. Quite the ambitious album, this album took us into his dreams that are filled with murkiness and occasional death. Every song has its own meaning and message within it, as he comes off as an every man with on and off pains and internal struggles that have him wanting to find a sense of nirvana but always coming up short. His best album to date, Cudi showed he had the writing and mic talent to be a solidified force in the game.
13. Common- Finding Forever
It was just short of an impossible task to outdo or match the shear amazement that was his 2005 offering BE. It was just an uphill battle, but in 2007, he came very close with Finding Forever. Every bit as intelligent and passionate as we had come to expect from the Chi-town legend, the album was a slight bit more slow-paced and laid-back then BE was, but still with Kanye, Dilla, and will.i.am at the helm delivering fantastic cuts for him, (not to mention three Grammy nominations with the album), Finding Forever became an instant and was a very formidable follow-up.
12. Lupe Fiasco- Tetsuo & Youth
After a couple of years of sub-par material from this very gifted emcee, Lupe Fiasco finally presented us with an album that was worthy of the acclaim he had achieved early in his career with Tetsuo & Youth. Highly engaging and clearly more focused than in efforts in past after The Cool, Fiasco brought an energy and a confidence that reminded himself of how good he really was, and reminded us of how incredible he can really be. Dense, yet layered in the same breath, Fiasco had jewels a plenty, but "Mural" may stand as his all-time best lyrical work.
11. Chance The Rapper- Coloring Book
This was the album where we fully experienced the blossoming potential of Chance The Rapper, as delivered a significant album in growth, both spiritually and mentally in the highly delightful Coloring Book. Much like Common when he made One Day It'll All Make Sense, a lot of his influence in this album came with becoming a father, but he obviously expressed a need for light in the darkness, stressing positivity and spiritual nourishment. A must have for anyone needing some bit of God, this could be very much considered a Christian album, as God is a constant point of reference in this album, but even the most diehard Atheist could enjoy this excellent pick-me-up of a mixtape. Did we mention this mixtape was the first in history to be nominated for a Grammy? Much less winning??
10. Common- Black America Again
In these highly charged times of protest and cultural scrutiny, Common delivered a modern-day classic with Black America Again, which is a powerful look at not just our role in society and our voice, but the uplifting of the Black woman and the salute to our culture's history. This has widely been regarded as his best effort since his BE days, and very rightfully so, as he collaborates with widely regarded Detroit drummer/producer Kareim Riggins and Grammy nominated-jazz pianist/producer Robert Glaspar for this breathtaking album. Gems are practically from top to bottom. While he so beautifully eulogizes his father on "Little Chicago Boy", he also examines our current cultural climate on the exceptional title track and rips the mic into shreds on "Pyramids", thus showing he truly is a legit great and deserves to be mentioned as one of the best to ever do it.
9. Kanye West- Graduation
Hoping to cap off a stellar triple threat "college" themed series, Mr. "Kanye-To-The" delivered Graduation, which has been held in rightfully the same acclaimed light as his prior two prized efforts. Musically moving more towards using electronic and EDM as part of his sounds for the album, as well as occasional synths, this album showed him being more personal and introspective than any of his previous efforts. Winning and being nominated for multiple Grammys, West's star power was reaching epic levels, and ultimately selling nearly platinum in its first full week of release. It peaked at nearly six million units, but the writing on the wall was clear with this album, West was becoming untouchable.
8. Lupe Fiasco- Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
After capturing our attention wholeheartedly with his exceptional debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor, Lupe Fiasco attempted the same magic with Lupe Fiasco's The Cool, and highly succeeded in doing so. A slightly darker album due to personal loss and incarceration, Fiasco goes back into storytelling mode for the majority of the album much like with his debut. He also experiments with more sounds than one his prior work such as jazz, techno, and some bits of rock with various cuts on the album. Overall cuts like "Paris/Tokyo" and the compelling "Hip-Hop Saved My Life" are such notable listens that these and the other cuts were enough to earn him a Grammy nod.
7. Kanye West- Late Registration
After changing the entire game with his classic debut, The College Dropout, Kanye West had officially put hip-hop on its ear, but he was not even close to being content with where he was at with his building star power and his soaring critical status. He presented the second part of his "college" themed series, Late Registration. Not nearly as much soul-infused samples as the debut, instead West goes for more live instrumentation and highly lush and layered production, thus creating a dramatic feel the likes of which we could get again until My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Starting off with the dope "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" then going back to the boom-bap with "Gold Digger" and the slinky pacing of "Drive Slow", this album had you covered all the way through in some form or another. It was confirmed: Kanye West wasn't going anywhere.
6. Common- Resurrection
Showing that he had the ability to catch wreck on the mic with his not-too-bad debut Can I Borrow A Dollar?, he wanted to show more of a personal and artistic growth within his work. He, then, dropped the title track to what would be the name of his album, Resurrection. However, it was his ode to a woman as an allegory for hip-hop, "I Used To Love H.E.R." in which he would get the acclaim he had long been searching for. A seminal point in his career, this cut was the premise of what would be the rest of this simply fantastic album, with other cuts like "Watermelon" and "Thisisme" showing how much he had grown and matured as a lyricist and artist. The album was later deemed as an underground classic, and has subsequently aged gracefully like fine wine.
5. Lupe Fiasco- Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor
Garnering a fairly heavy buzz on Kanye West's "Touch The Sky" from his Late Registration album, then upstart Lupe Fiasco presented to us Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor, which was fueled by the infectious "Kick, Push" and the breezy "Daydreamin'" as lead singles. The album was released to enormous critical acclaim, and right fully so, as the album was highlighted by various songs set to storytelling aspects that not only exhibited his ability to tell Sick Rick-esque stories but show just how gifted and clever of a lyricist he is. Dealing with subject matter such as Islamophobia, individuality, and racism, the album is a highly compelling body of work that earned him a few Grammy nominations and an award for "Daydreamin'". To this day considered his magnum opus, this remains his standard of excellence that made him a certified voice in hip-hop.
4. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
After the wrenching and heartbreaking passing of his beloved mother Dr. Donda West, Kanye slipped into hiding to get away from the mainstream and the public so that he could mourn and fully focus on his music with no distractions. When he reemerged, he returned with one of the most intricate and storied albums within his discography in My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Highly layered and fully textured, West presented an career benchmark without seemingly missing a beat. He practically took all the elements that made his first three albums such genre-shifting releases and put them into one awe-inspiring release. He's still dealing with the loves of fame and fortune, yet also the struggles of the same things, and his ambiguity serves as such intriguing music. While the numerous guests he featured almost serve as a distraction to the overall presentation of this epic work (Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Bon Iver, Rick Ross, and Dwele among several others), the album nevertheless showed the levels that Kanye can hit and this was no5thing short of brilliant.
3. Common- Like Water For Chocolate
After the acclaim of One Day It'll All Make Sense, he left the Chi and moved to NYC to collaborate with the likes of Dilla, Quest-Love and various other musicians and producers to construct what would be a legit classic within his discography, Like Water For Chocolate. Filled with live instrumentation, yet incredibly soulful melodies, Common presented us with sheer hip-hop craftsmanship musically and definitely lyrically. Much like his work with Robert Glaspar and Kareim Riggins defined his sound with Black America Again, the collective of The Soulquarians (Dilla, Quest-Love, James Poyser, and D'Angelo) helped make this album a career breakthrough. Balancing his innate ability to battle with his need to teach on socially conscious issues, Common fully became an emcee's emcee on this one and is among the best experiences within hip-hop throughout the entire early millennium. Let's not forget to mention, this album officially broke him into being a major star thanks to the monster smash "The Light".
2. Kanye West- The College Dropout
Known throughout the Chi as a decent rapper but even more so a very promising producer, a young named Kanye West became a star once he dropped his magnum opus, The College Dropout. Dropping the haunting ode to his near fatal car crash, "Through The Wire", then delivering the simply astounding ode to the Most High, "Jesus Walks", this album marked the beginning of a shift in hip-hop, where poignant honesty and relatability were key, as this was an underdog's album. Before he became MR. Kardashian, Kanye was a true backpacker that was just an enormous hip-hop fan. Throughout the album, you could tell his influences while blazing his own trail in the gam,e with some of the most incredible production to exist that decade. The beginning of a polarizing career, this album was the beginning of his greatness musically as well. This was, and is, a flawless piece of work.
1. Common- BE
Every great artist has that one album that takes him from greatness to a legend. In Nas' case, it took his debut landmark release, Illmatic. With Outkast, it was Aquemini, which was album number three. With Common, it was album number six with BE. This was the most perfect of an album ever heard in the game since Illmatic or The Low End Theory. The formula was simple: astounding production with equally lyrics. He took it back to the basics with Kanye at the boards providing him the music of Common's career. After a critically panned attempt at expanding his sound with Electric Circus, he broyhght it back fully hip-hop and a masterwork was born. From "The Corners" to "Faithful" to the highly seductive "Go" and the dynamite intro, this album was eleven tracks of perfection and remains the single greatest achievement of his over twenty-five year career and one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all-time.
Honorable Mentions
Common- Nobody Smiling
Common- The Dreamer, The Believer
Kanye West- The Life Of Pablo
Kanye West- 80s & Heartbreaks
Do Or Die- Picture This
Twista- Kamakazi
Twista & The Speedknot Mobstas- Mobstability
Infamous Syndicate- Changin' The Game
No I.D.- Accept Your Own & Be Yourself (The Black Album)
Rhymefest- Blue Collar
Throughout the years, the Chi has gone in the direction of what's been known as "Drill rap", which consists of kids like G Herbo, Lil' Bibby, Chief Keef, and GBE. Nowhere near the acclaimed status of artists before them, the city has the potential to get its notoriety back, but for now we can look back at what was and revel in the fact that the Chi has etched its place in history, delivering some of hip-hop's most glorious moments. Until next time!
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