10 Hip-Hop Albums Turning 10 Years Old in 2015

7.Fort Minor – The Rising Tied

Linkin Park has built a strong discography in rock/metal over the past fifteen years, and The Rising Tied remains the only project frontman Mike Shinoda released that was completely hip-hop.  While it would be nice to see another Fort Minor album, Mike can be completely satisfied with his work on The Rising Tied, as he made a solid hip-hop album (both rapping and producing) and was able to get more personal than his work with Linkin Park.  He also got to work with an allstar cast, with Jay-Z acting as executive producer and legends like Black Thought and Common providing guest verses.  You also get to hear Celph Titled and Skylar Grey (back when her name was Holly Brook) before they made their best work.

 

6. The Game – The Documentary

The Game’s debut album is among the best to come out of the G-Unit camp.  This would be the beginning of the end of G-Unit, as the group fell apart shortly after this album, and Game remains a solo artist to this day.  While he has done well on his own, The Documentary is arguably his best album, with an allstar lineup of producers and collaborations we haven’t seen since (and may never see again).  Ten years later, The Documentary is a staple in west-coast gangsta-rap.

 

5. Kanye West – Late Registration

Depending on who you ask, Late Registration is considered to be one of Kanye West’s best albums, if not the best.  If there’s any album on this list that should be considered a classic, it’s this one.  Kanye has remained one of the biggest names in hip-hop over the years, and that allows albums like Late Registration still get plenty of spins even today.  He has the relatability and timeless message in his music, and yet it’s amazing to see how much his style has changed since then.  When looking at Kanye’s catalogue, the use of a full orchestra in the production makes Late Registration stand out.