Round 2 Of The Greatest Rap Albums Of The 2000s Is Coming But 1 Race Is Too Close To Call
In late 2015, Ambrosia For Heads returned to “Finding The GOAT,” our annual voting series that polls readers and fans to determine the Greatest Of All-Time. Following 2014-2015’s quest to use votes to determine the GOAT MC, we are asking readers to determine the greatest of all-time Hip-Hop album.
“Finding The GOAT Album” considers 120 albums from three individual eras (40 in each), with options for wild card and write-in candidates. The initial 120 albums were selected after extensive research and consultation with a panel of experts that included journalists, DJs, producers and other respected industry veterans. Yesterday’s battle between Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP and Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is the last of those preliminary 120 albums. As that winner is decided, Sunday (January 24) at 5pm EST will conclude the first round of the 2000s battle.
In round 2 of the 2000s, you, the reader, will determine the 10 best albums between 2000 and 2015, based on your votes. Those albums will advance to the next round of 32 (joining the voter-determined 10 Best Albums of the 1980s, the 10 Best Albums of the 1990s, and two wild card inclusions). Those wild cards will strictly be albums not included in the original list of 120. For those anyone who believes that albums were wrongly omitted or overlooked, this will be the chance to vote to have those LPs included (and rally others to do the same).
There are a host of races within striking distance (all the battles are below). The closest, however, is between Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and The Roots’ Phrenology. This is a key match-up between album #5 from two of Hip-Hop’s most versatile acts. Both of these works were pivot points in the sound of each respective veteran act. Each found radio success, critical acclaim, and spoke about highly personal business along the way. With less than a 1% margin at present, expect multiple lead changes before this one is decided on January 24.
Here are the other 2000-2015 battles, all still active:
Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP vs. Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Kanye West’s The College Dropout vs. Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday
50 Cent’s Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ vs. Rick Ross’ Teflon Don
Blu & Exile’s Below The Heavens vs. Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly
Reflection Eternal’s Train Of Thought vs. Outkast’s Stankonia
Nas’ Stillmatic vs. J-Live’s The Best Part
Common’s Be vs. Drake’s Nothing Was The Same
Jay Z’s The Blueprint vs. Nelly’s Country Grammar
Madvillain’s Madvillainy vs. Cannibal Ox’s The Cold Vein
Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter II vs. Killer Mike’s R.A.P. Music
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ The Heist vs. Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d. city
Little Brother’s The Listening vs. Slum Village’s Fantastic, Vol. 2
Kanye West’s Graduation vs. Masta Ace’s Disposable Arts
Jay Z’s The Black Album vs. T.I.’s King
The Game’s The Documentary vs. Scarface’s The Fix
Clipse’s Lord Willin’ vs. T.I.’s Paper Trail
Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor vs. Common’s Like Water For Chocolate
J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive vs. Kendrick Lamar’s Section.80