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These seem like some of the better mainstream rap albums to come out lately. Which do you prefer? Which is the best? How would you rank them? Judge by content, lyrics, production, flow, etc. Please don't come in here saying they all sucked.

Contestants
*Paper Trail (2008) - T.I.
*Relapse (2009) - Eminem
*The Blueprint 3 (2009) - Jay-Z

Paper Trail was overrated. Some nice beats here and there, that's all.

Relapse was surprisingly great, and was very dark in nature.

As for Blueprint 3, not a classic, but just a great album from start to finish.

BP3 gets my vote.

I haven't finished TB3 yet but I'd say I've heard more than half of it and so far Relapse shits on TB3 lyrically. Paper Trail is better lyrically than what I've heard of TB3. TB3 does seem to have good production though. I do enjoy the beats. Jay is on auto-pilot lyrically whereas Em and T.I. felt they had something to prove.

None, all shit.

Jay-Z seems to have retained the ability to make better music than Eminem since he sold out, though.

-AC

Blueprint 3. Relapse was absolute shit and Paper Trails is very mediocre.

Three albums I wouldn't bother listening to again, saying that, if I had to listen to one of the three again it would be Blueprint 3 just because I like some of the music in the single Jay-Z has out at the moment, Run This Town.

Run This Town was good, but I mean tracks like 'Forever Young', 'Already Home', 'Empire State of Mind', 'Reminder', and 'Venus vs Mars' are great.

Tracks like 'Hate' and 'Real As It Gets' ruin the album.

Empire State of Mind is a nice song, but again it demonstrates Jay-Z's bad grammar.

"Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.".

Should be "Where dreams are made.", or at least followed up to tell us what they're made up OF.

-AC

When did Hip Hop have grammar that was properly demonstrated, and I'm just talking about the mainstream.

The real atrocity is Kanye's verse on 'Hate'.

We killin the game its not fai(y)r
you mother ****ers stay right the(y)re
'cause we too high up in the a(y)ir
we blastin off just like a la(y)ser
nigga pewoon, pewoon, pewoon,
give me rap, give me room, room, room
DB-9 like vroomm,vroomm, vroom
y'all hov what we doin, doin, doin

Jay'z wasn't doing much either.

How was Relapse shit? The production was great for the most part IMO. Marshall was spittin that shit on that album. Lyrically, it may be his best album IMO.

I didn't really like any of these 3, I hated Em's vocal style on relapse.
But the Dr. Dre beats really are ace.

So if there's an instrumental version of Relapse, that's the winner.

When I first heard it I was like "meh" too. Why couldn't he use the "Underground" voice the whole album? But I think the "accent" fits on "Stay Wide Awake". You'd be hardpressed to find a mainstream album lately that can match it.

That's hardly a challenge is it?

Being the best mainstream hip hop album lately.

Originally posted by Darth Martin
How was Relapse shit? The production was great for the most part IMO. Marshall was spittin that shit on that album. Lyrically, it may be his best album IMO.

He opens a song with "I'm so f*cking depressed.", and is being serious.

You want to put that album, lyrically, against The Slim Shady LP? Give me a break.

-AC

Many people conside "Must Be The Ganga" one of the lesser songs on the album.

How many people you know can name every serial killer who ever existed in a row,
Put em in chronological order beginning with Jack the Ripper,
Name the time and place from the body the bag the zipper,
Location of the woods where the body was dragged and then dumped,
The trunk that they were stuffed in, the model the make the plate
And which motel which lake they found her in,
And how they attacked the victim,
Say which murder weapon was used to do what and which one,
Which night it was done, what kid would write there was none,
So sloppy like this it's fun, the ****in ecstasy goes

Compare that to every single song of the Slim Shady LP and it's complete shit. Actually, compare that to almost any underground album from 2000-2009 and it will still be shit.

Originally posted by Alpha Centauri
Empire State of Mind is a nice song, but again it demonstrates Jay-Z's bad grammar.

"Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.".

Should be "Where dreams are made.", or at least followed up to tell us what they're made up OF.

-AC yea, because if there's one thing that all great rap artists are known for it's their flawless grammar

Originally posted by red g jacks
yea, because if there's one thing that all great rap artists are known for it's their flawless grammar

I never said flawless, just not ****ing shit.

Jay-Z can also be found rhyming "All black everything" with "All black everything", or "Dillingers" with "Really real enough".

-AC

i don't think he was actually attempting a rhyme there. his use of repetition was to reinforce the color black as a symbol of unity. another brilliant move by that nigga jigga.

Onto some better hip hop of this year. The new K-os is good, same with the Brother Ali. Ghostface was kinda disappointing but still a good listen. Kinda grew on me.

Felt 3 is a must listen. I'm not an Aesop Rock fan, but the man knows how to produce.