As we reach the end of 2009 it is clear that we have just finished arguably the greatest year in hip hop this decade, if not in the entire history of hip hop. While it’s difficult to compare this year to those of past decades due to the immense expansion of hip hop, specifically in the mainstream, the sheer volume of quality releases is still worth noting. This year is highlighted by big name artists dropping some of their best releases, past artists proving that they still have heat, and new talents giving hope to the next generation of rap. Whether it was Jay-Z’s “Blueprint 3”, Raekwon’s “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. II”, or Wale’s “Attention Deficit”, just about every fan of hip hop had something to be happy about this year. In recent years it’s been sometimes difficult to even construct a top 10 list, this year went above and beyond that and because of that it’s only fitting that the top 10 getting expanded to a top 15. These 15 albums are certainly not the only quality releases of this year but after much consideration it’s clear that these 15 stood out as going way beyond expectations, for a variety of reasons. This list is in no particular order as it was difficult enough to keep it to 15, ranking these would only cause more debate. With that said debate is always welcome and encouraged as at the end of the day, we are a culture of opinion, and have been that way ever since battles began to take place on street corners in New York. I present to you the greatest rap albums of 2009.
