These 2000s Hip-Hop Albums Reached Round 2 Of Finding The GOAT Album
Beginning in September 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. This evening (January 24), AFH completed the first round from the 2000s, and you determined the winners that advance.
Notably, as forecast late last week, the battle of Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy vs. The Roots’ Phrenology yielded one of the narrowest margins possible. Separated by 0.1%, it was a difference of three votes in favor of Kanye’s fifth album, that knocked The Roots crew’s fifth LP out.
Also noteworthy in the 2000s Round 1 results is that both T.I. albums in the bracket are now bumped out. Two LPs advance for Jay Z, Kendrick Lamar, Common, and Kanye West. J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive prevented K-Dot from having three albums advance, when his third LP beat Section.80 by a single percent.
In terms of perceived upsets, Killer Mike’s most recent effort, R.A.P. Music toppled a platinum-plus Lil Wayne album Tha Carter II by nearly 25% of the votes. Additionally, Scarface’s lone Def Jam LP The Fix knocked out Game’s best-selling, critically-acclaimed debut, The Documentary.
As a reminder, albums not included in the bracket will be eligible for wild-card (2 will go to final 32), including an option for write-in candidates.
With at least two battles coming down to the wire (and less than 2% margins of victory), here are the 20 2000s albums headed to Round 2, which begins tomorrow (January 25):
The College Dropout by Kanye West winner, against The Pink Friday by Nicki Minaj (96% to 4%)
Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ by 50 Cent winner, against Teflon Don by Rick Ross (92% to 8%)
To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar winner, against Below The Heavens by Blu & Exile (61% to 39%)
Stankonia by Outkast winner, against Train Of Thought by Reflection Eternal (53% to 47%)
Stillmatic by Nas winner, against The Best Part by J-Live (62% to 38%)
Be by Common winner, against Nothing Was The Same by Drake (82% to 18%)
The Blueprint by Jay Z winner, against Country Grammar by Nelly (83% to 17%)
Madvillainy by Madvillain winner, against The Cold Vein by Cannibal Ox (77% to 23%)
R.A.P. Music by Killer Mike winner, against Tha Carter II by Lil Wayne (62% to 38%)
good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar winner, against The Heist by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (88% to 12%)
Fantastic, Vol. 2 by Slum Village winner, against The Listening by Little Brother (57% to 43%)
Graduation by Kanye West winner, against Disposable Arts by Masta Ace (54% to 46%)
The Black Album by Jay Z winner, against King by T.I. (75% to 25%)
The Fix by Scarface winner, against The Documentary by Game (55% to 45%)
Lord Willin’ by Clipse winner, against Paper Trail by T.I. (65% to 35%)
Like Water For Chocolate by Common winner, against Food & Liquor by Lupe Fiasco (54% to 46%)
2014 Forest Hills Drive by J. Cole winner, against Section.80 by Kendrick Lamar (51% to 49%)
Supreme Clientele by Ghostface Killah winner, against Life Is Good by Nas (67% to 33%)
Stay tuned for Round 2, beginning tomorrow (January 25).
Related: Here Are The Top 10 Rap Albums of the ’90s That You Determined, Here Are Your Top 10 Rap Albums of the ’80s.