By Soren Baker

Yes, the traditional music industry as we know it may be a ship that continues to sink, but rap artists everywhere continue to find new ways to move product and generate captivating styles, sounds and attitudes. These ten rap albums from 2010 not only pushed the genre forward in new and interesting directions, but their creators were all prime examples of how it’s still possible to thrive in the music biz while so many others are falling by the wayside.

1. Nicki Minaj — Pink Friday

Female rappers have long endured second-class citizen status in the rap world, but few rappers made as much noise as Nicki Minaj in 2010. The New Yorker’s Pink Friday album showcased her dazzling lyrics and her ability to excel when paired with such musical heavyweights as Eminem, Drake and will.i.am. True, she’d done it before on her numerous cameos, but holding her own throughout an entire album solidified her status as one of the genre’s most noteworthy artists.

2. Eminem — Recovery

More than a decade after his major label debut, this Detroit rapper remains one of music’s most potent and polarizing artists. He’s also the most popular — Recovery was the best-selling album of any genre in 2010. “Not Afraid” and “Love The Way You Lie” anchored the collection, and the clips for the tunes garnered more than 400 million hits collectively, proving that fans continue craving Slim Shady’s rallying cries and his examinations of abusive relationships.

3. Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Few albums this year generated as much attention as the Chicagoan’s fifth release. The hype was augmented by the bizarre Runaway film, the album’s “banned” artwork, and West’s rants on The Today Show and elsewhere. But the interest in West’s music would fade if the music itself wasn’t compelling on its own merit. Fortunately for the rapper-producer, he makes some of the genre’s most compelling material, including the bombastic “Power” and the sinister “Monster,” two My Beautiful… standouts.

4. Reflection Eternal — Revolutions Per Minute

 
There’s at least one good reason politically-minded rap has faded from the spotlight: much of the newer material in that vein simply isn’t that good. Fortunately, Reflection Eternal (rapper Talib Kweli and producer-DJ-occasional rapper Hi-Tek) remain among the best in their respective fields. The duo’s second album was one of the year’s best rap releases, thanks to Kweli’s winning mix of braggadocio (“Just Begun”) and social commentary (“Strangers,” “Ballad Of The Black Gold”), and Hi-Tek’s soulful production.

5. Ludacris — Battle of the Sexes 

This devilishly clever Atlanta mogul knows that sex sells, so he decided to ratchet up the conceptual nature of his eighth album to include a bigger female presence, both thematically and via guest appearances. “How Low” continued his tradition of addictive, danceable tunes, while “My Chick Bad” aided Nicki Minaj’s ascent. Ludacris also proved that, yet again, fans really do support lyrical acumen — it just has to be delivered in the right package.

6. Pimp C — The Naked Soul of Sweet Jones

This late producer-rapper was one-half of UGK, and this posthumous album stands as a testament to his production savvy and his status in the music industry. E-40 and UGK partner Bun B are among the esteemed guests who contribute to the high-powered collection, which features the type of alternating menace and soul that made Pimp C’s production work with UGK and others so captivating.  

7. T.I. — No Mercy 

In the midst of his latest round of legal system challenges, this Atlanta rapper delivered an album that certainly matched his mood. Draped in a dark, heavy atmosphere, Tip’s seventh release features heavily reflective material that laments his struggles, features him wondering out loud if stardom has been worth it, and standing defiant (if not demoralized) in the face of setbacks. By channeling his pain into quality music, T.I. created an impressive, soul-bearing album that reflected his torment.

8. Black Milk — Album of the Year

This Detroit rapper-producer has been bubbling on the underground scene for several years thanks to his boom bap-styled work with the Slum Village crew and his own material — but Album of the Year may finally be the release that propels him to the proverbial next level. The recipient of hoards of critical acclaim, Black’s album overflowed with impeccable, stripped-down, drum-driven beats and braggadocio-themed lyrics that were lively and passionate. As Wiz Khalifa and Freddie Gibbs also proved in 2010, who needs a major label when people like Black Milk are making major music independently?

9. The Roots — How I Got Over

True, Stetsasonic was the first “hip-hop band,” but the fact that the Roots continue making quality music as a rap band, more than 15 years after they first rose to prominence, is a remarkable achievement. On songs 143-156 of its canon (Roots fans know what we’re talking about), the Philadelphia collective continued the subdued sonic path that has become its staple. This uniformly strong album is highlighted by “The Day,” a somber all-star posse cut with Blu, Phonte and Patty Crash, features the artists creatively looking at the ways they view their own lives.

10. Die Antwoord — $0$

Whether viewed as disturbing or compelling, this South African group garnered plenty of attention in 2010. The white rave-rap team of Ninja, Yo-Landi Vi$$er and DJ Hi-Tek (not the same one from Reflection Eternal) come from another continent (as well as the home of Apartheid), so some of their music may be lost in translation to American sensibilities. Nonetheless, the group’s music and startling videos provide insight to how people beyond America interpret United States rap and present their own version of it.