new order

New Order
"Technique"

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This is New Order's 5th album, and was released in 1989. This is another one of those instances where I like the WHOLE album... every song is just good. I think I like this one so much because it seems like every track is way upbeat and way dancey, not necessarily true of their other albums. Bottom line is, listen to this.

ice cube

Ice Cube
"AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted"

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This is Ice Cube's first solo album, and was released in 1990. I think it's pretty obvious that Ice Cube was the best member of N.W.A. This album is straight up early 90's West coast hip hop... which means it's all about gang banging, girls with big booties, and how hard life is in the projects. West coast hip hop is always a good refreshment from East coast because it seems more up beat, even though the subject matter is not.

raekwon

Raekwon
"Only Built 4 Cuban Linx"

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This is Raekwon's first solo album, released in 1995. Almost every track on this album has a verse (or 2, or 3) by one of his former fellow Wu Tang members.... Nas is also on one of the songs! YES! This is one of my favorite solo albums from an ex-C(K)lan member. For an added bonus I am going to include the link to one of the best images that I have ever seen... WTF

broken social scene

Broken Social Scene
"Fell Good Lost"

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This is Broken Social Scene's first album, released in 2001. This album is pretty different from their more recent albums... there is only one song with vocals. I also can't really compare this one with Broken Social Scene or You Forgot it in People, because they are so vastly different. I saw these dudes with Do Make Say Think in 2006 and they were super good live, although they didn't play any songs off this album. Anyway, if you don't normally like the group for whatever reason, you may actually end up enjoying this album.

depeche mode

Depeche Mode
"Speak & Spell"

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Let me just start out by saying this... if you don't like Depeche Mode, you're stupid. Speak & Spell is the group's first album, released in 1981. I honestly don't know if there's a song on this album that I don't like, which is extremely rare for me. Also, how come everybody's mom loves Depeche Mode?

fugees

Fugees
"Blunted on Reality"

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This is the first of two albums put out by the Fugees. This album has a way different feel than The Score (2nd album). All 3 members do a lot more rapping on this album, as opposed to the kind of "sing-rapping" they do on The Score. You can definitely tell this is their first album just by the sound of their voices... so young and cute sounding, especially Lauryn Hill. So, if you like to hear Lauryn Hill go crazy rapping and less annoying shit from Wyclef (note: this does NOT mean there isn't some), this is the album for you.

dead prez

Dead Prez
"Turn Off the Radio Mixtape Vol.1"

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Dead Prez
"Turn Off the Radio Mixtape Vol. 2: Get Free or Die Tryin"

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Dead Prez
"Turn Off the Radio Mixtape Vol 3: Pulse For the People"

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Here are three mixtapes put out by Dead Prez in 2002, 2003, and 2009, respectively. Dead Prez (and all of their guests) do not skip a beat with their "fuck the white man and the government" message in all three of these tapes, which I'm definitely not complaining about. I saw part of their documentary "Dead Prez: It's Bigger Than Hip Hop" back in 2006, where they revealed that they give 100% of their profits back to their community. WHAT. THE. FUCK.

efterklang

Efterklang
"Parades"

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These guys are from Denmark, and sound just like a true Scandinavian electronic group should. This is their latest album (2007), and a lot less electronic sounding than their previous ones, in my opinion. You should definitely check out their other albums too, because they are all almost equally as good. I actually got to see them last April at Hailey's in Denton, and they were one of the best bands I've ever seen live. There couldn't have been more than 40 people at the show, and I think there was an equal number of people on stage in the band.

cut copy

Cut Copy
"In Ghost Colours"

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Let me just say that if I would have been cool enough in high school to know about Cut Copy, I would have been obsessed with them. This album is super dancey and sounds like something a 15 year old girl living in Paris would listen to. Bottom line is... I don't know why I like this so much, but I can't help myself.

de la soul

De La Soul
"3 Feet High and Rising"

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download: bonus disc!

This is De La Soul's first album (released in 1989), and their most popular. De La Soul were one of the first hip hop groups to use skits on their albums... so you will see a skit for almost every song (which I cannot stand). They worked a lot with Q-Tip and A Tribe Called Quest.. so you'll hear a few things from them on the album as well. The most popular single "Me Myself and I" is pretty upbeat and catchy, not much like the rest of the album. Overall, this is a really great album, minus the annoying ass skits.

dirty projectors

The Dirty Projectors
"Bitte Orca"

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Now for something different, The Dirty Projectors. honestly, i had never listened to this group before hearing this album (which is their most recent, i believe), but i really really like it. I've always had a thing for dude/girl vocals together though. Also, the girl on the left is really creeping me out right now.

mos def

Mos Def
"Black on Both Sides"

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This was released in 1999 and is Mos Def's first solo album. Up until 1999 Mos Def worked with Talib Kweli in the group Black Star. There are a few goofy tracks, but overall the album is exactly what you would expect from him.

p.s. If you know me you know how much i hate kids, but, i would GLADLY be this man's baby mama any day.

yelle

Yelle
"Pop-Up"

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I found this album on my 16 year old sister's itunes over a year ago, and immediately stole it from her. Most of the tracks are extremely catchy and dancey, but not all of them (bummer). I have no idea what she is saying the entire time, but i can't stop listening to this album.

dirty

Ol' Dirty Bastard
"Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version"

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ODB is by far my favorite member of wu tang. Look, i know he doesn't have the most witty or interesting lyrics, but he makes me laugh. hopefully some of you will remember a little show on MTV called "diary." He did an episode where he cheated the welfare system, and it is also when i officially fell in love with him. This album has so many good tracks, and will hopefully make you love him as much as i do.

del

Del Tha Funkee Homosapien
"Eleventh Hour"

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This album was released last year (2008), and may be one of my favorite Del albums. A lot of you have probably heard the track "workin' it," but i would like to suggest the tracks "foot down" and "situations," both are super good. I had the pleasure of seeing him back in April, and he was real good and looked like a bug with a dew rag.

p.s. This album cover is obnoxious as shit.

ugk

UGK
"Dirty Money"

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UGK (Underground Kingz) is the epitome of dirty southern rap, and this is my favorite album by them. All of their lyrics are about pimpin' hoes and eating shrimp. I think the fact that they were both real life pimps makes me like them even more. although UGK's lyrics are pretty goofy and raunchy, they stood for something much more serious in the rap/hip hop scene. UGK were all about bringing the scene together to fight the white man and to end meaningless "beef" amongst hip hop artists. But, as many of you know Pimp C was shot and killed a couple of years ago, removing UGK as a staple in the southern hip hop scene.

phoenix

Phoenix
"Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix"

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This is Phoenix's latest album. I honestly think this is their fruitiest album yet.