This comes as no surprise that I’m a HARD CORE Hip Hop head who has listened to his fair share of the best raps albums out there.  My D-Block mixtapes, Dipset, Cam'ron albums Pappose, Maino and so on, are just one part of how I keep it tight. From mainstream chart toppers to local and underground athems which may sometimes go unnoticed or even the badly produced mixtapes from random up and comers. So if you were able to listen to countless mixtapes from even the  most unpopular independent artists in the world and you’ve played the rest of the best rap albums that ever came out in the last ten years, you should have earned a knotch or two for going through that much material and as an emcee you should be able to make comments publicly about those materials. 
 

The following emcees are my top most consistent of this decade. Even as Hip Hop went through it's ups and downs these emcees represented to the fullest. By consistency I mean at least (a) +3 solid rap albums released within the last ten years (b) lyrical wit, flow and (c) originality. Swagger and album sales count as well but that does not affect my overall decision here. Awards won, number one hits, radio anthems set aside there were some good albums that came out over the  last ten years that never saw the light of day.  I call them ‘undiscovered classics or anthems’. Those records count in my book along with all the mega hits that came out.

               
WATCH 'NUMBER 1' BY KARDINAL OFFICIAL FEAT KERI HILSON

KARDINAL OFFICIAL – A unique and talented Canadian emcee who crossed into US mainstream markets. Canadian emcees are seasoned vets who may not have been to the 'HAJ' of Hip Hop yet but you should never underrate their talent. When Nas released his 'Hip Hop is Dead' album Canadian emcees use to say 'Hip Hop is not dead, it lives in the north'. If Kardinal and his Black Jays crew haven't proven this then take Drake for example.  

Up in the T.DOT you will find many who claim to be sicker than Drake or Kardinal but when you talk consistency they won't measure up. This emcee is the real definition of consistency. Between 1997 and 2005 Kardinal Official released at least three well circulate,  profitable albums and one EP in Canada which sponged him into his well deserved spot with Akon and his Konvict emblem. He released his most successful album entitled ‘Not4Sale’ in 2008. That album has received favourable reviews from music critics and crossed Kardi over into the United States and the rest of the world. 
                         
           WATCH 'LOSE CONTROL' BY MISSY ELLIOT

MISSY ELLIOTT – She has released six commercially successful albums since 1997 to now. 1997 she dropped ‘Supa Dupa Fly’ and it went platinum. That album was definitely a classic. 1999 she dropped ‘Da Real World’ and it went platinum with no problem. Her 2001 ‘Miss E… So Addictive’ album rang with so many anthems, for example, ‘One Minute Man’ was not only megahit, the phrase became a dating slogan for girls and boys across the world. Not to mention the hit song, ‘Get Ur Freak On’ which was another Missy anthem that year.

The following year Missy returned with her biggest and best selling album ever (according to her stats on the charts and sales of course). ‘Under Construction’ debuted at #3 on the billboards 200 and sold over two million copies to earn Missy a double platinum right after gaining platinum the year before. 2003 saw Missy with yet another platinum album entitled ‘This Is Not A Test’. Two years later Missy brought another plaque home with another album entitled ‘The Cookbook’ and after killing the radios worldwide along with music video plays, taking home several prestigious music awards and basically living on the charts for eight years straight, she stepped away from the stage to work behind the scenes. Her next album is scheduled to hit shelves in 2010.
                                          
CHECK OUT 'PROVIDENCE' BY FREDDY WILL FEAT. CARVIN WINANS

FREDDY WILL - I nominate myself in this list because this is my list LOL! No, since I started recording in 2006, I’ve managed to release one critically acclaimed mixtape entitled ‘STAY TRUE’ and two ‘undiscovered anthem’ albums through Ghetto Breed Entertainment (my independent label).

My First album release was ‘WHILE I’M STILL YOUNG – THE TALKING DRUMS’, independently released in the fall of 2008 containing several singles. That album went on to sell over 7000 physical copies on the streets independently, gained #1 status on several College radios in Europe and Canada and featured a host of prominent Canadian and USA male and female R&B singers .

 
The second release, ‘WHILE I’M STILL YOUNG – THE TALKING DRUMS 1.2v’ was also independently released less than a year later, during the summer of 2009. It spun eight new songs including ‘Providence’ – feat. Carvin Winans, ‘While I’m Still Young II’ and ‘Franklin’ plus remixes to ‘City Boy’, ‘Strangers’ and ‘Animal’, the top sellers off the debut album. Radio play for this album has been increasing in New York, New Jersey, Stouffile, Ontario, South and East Africa, Holland etc. It was released worldwide along with my first published book entitled ‘MY BOOK OF CHRYMES’ in a book/CD package. This album is recieving airplay in over ten countries and it has brought me a meager surge in media exposure.

In October 2010 my third release (yet untitled) will be launched worldwide through GBEnt/GBDist. This will be my first full album in Creole and the first to be solely marketed, promoted and distributed via my Ghetto Breed Entertainment and Ghetto Breed Distribution imprint. The only two English songs will be my bonus tracks. The album is produced my Eddie Bullen of Thunder Dome Sounds in Ontario, Canada and performed with very few guest artists. Here I sang off my own hooks and shuffled African melodies between the Hip Hop, R&B and pop genres to come up with a unique Sierra Leone brand of Hip Hop. For more info check me out at www.freddywill.com

                            
                      WATCH 'DADDY GET THAT CASH' BY STYLES - P

STYLES P - 'Money Power and Respect' has to count. Collaborations with Biggie, DMX, Diddy, Ma$e and the Ruff Ryders all comes to play when you count the bars this LOX/D Block emcee has been putting out. Yeah, his solo album sales have been low but we all know it’s not because be can’t rap. What ever happened to the Bad Boy thing? Anyway, Styles P’s debut album had to have been a street classic. ‘Gangsta and a Gentleman’ had such an impact in the Hip Hop circuit he took a gold plaque home regardless of censorship barriers that hinders gangsta rappers from getting their fair share of media exposure.

You’ll probably be asking why Styles is on this list if his second album entitled ‘Time Is Money’ came out four years later after several push label backs. Not to mention that it’s been three years since his third 2007 album entitled ‘Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman)’. However, all of his solo albums debuted on the billboard charts and earned him even more street cred. Their lyrical contents were also true to his brand. The kicker in Styles P’s discography is not his album sales but that since 2005 to now he has recorded and released over thirteen mixtapes. Each mixtape is well circulated on the streets and plays the soundtrack to many lives in the hood. His most recent mixtape is entitled 'The Green Ghost Project' and it's set for a late 2009 release.
         
                      WATCH 'BABY BY ME' BY 50 CENT FEAT. NE-YO

50 CENT – For someone who got signed in 2002 one will assume that Fif is not in that ten year bracket. But Fif had been acknowledged years before he was signed. His mixtapes were golden on the streets through out 1999, 2000 and on to when he got signed. 50 Cent is the most consistent battle emcee of this decade as he has never relented in challanging the toughest of opponents. He released four mega selling, commercially successful albums among a slew of mixtapes containing original material and launched a massive internet community called ‘thisisfifty’ where he promotes Hip Hop.

50 Cents is a screenwriter, a co author and a videogame developer. But that's only if you're not counting that he's the Vitamin Water business genious or if you didn't want to equate his G Unit clothing factor into the equation. His actual studio albums have reached record successes mirroring or surpassing many emcees who have released several more albums with more time and from sparking controversies, to recording record breaking hits 50 Cent has been everywhere you turn all through the last decade. His latest album 'Before I Selfdestruct' is an obvious classic but ironacally he has been one to sell more than what it sold so far.

                    
                       WATCH 'COBRA CLUTCH' BY GHOSTFACE KILLA

GHOSTFACE – One of my favourite emcees ever. When he dropped ‘Ironman’ in 1996 who would have thought that over ten years later this Wu Tang strong man would have seen a decade through a solo career in the limelight? Let’s talk Wu Tang for a sec. From a fans point of view this was the illest rap group ever.  One that you knew just not to fuck with. Yeah Ghost earned his reputation fair and square off of the 36 Chambers album. But there was also Capadana, GZA, RZA, Methodman, Raekwon, ODB, Inspecta Deck and Masta Killa. Gostface was just one guy out of a bunch of talented guys who were all starting out their careers at the top of their game. But he released another album and hit. Then he dropped another one, and another one and then a hit and another one and on and on. Next thing you know Ghostface Killa has been banging in your eardrums for ten years plus. And every album has been a treasure.

 
'MILLION DOLLAR GIRL' BY TRINA FT. DIDDY/KERI HILSON                      

TRINA - Who would guessthat the first lady of Slip –N- Slide records once had a thing for real estate? In the year 2000 she was introduced to the limelight with her debut album entitled ‘Da Baddest Bitch’. That record reached #33 on the billboards 200 chart and earned her a gold plaque. Her second album ‘Diamond Princess’ was released two years later and it did even better on the billboard 200 chart when it peaked at # 14 with singles like ‘No Panties – feat Tweet' and B R Right – feat. Ludacris.

During the cause of the decade in 2005 Trina released a third album she called ‘Glamorest Life’ and it spun two hit singles, one featuring L’il Wayne and the other featuring Kelly Rolland. This time her album debuted at # 11 on the billboard 100 chart. Three years later she released ‘Still Da Baddest’ and it debuted at #1 on the billboards 100 chart with singles like ‘I Got A Thang For You – feat. Keyshia Cole. Between 2007 and 2009 Trina released ten mixtapes and her next album entitled ‘Amazin’ is already scheduled to drop in 2010. Needless to ask why this Miami emcee/hotty made my list.

            
       WATCH 'ROAD TO ZION' BY DAMIAN MARLEY FEAT. NAS

NAS – Nasty Nas being on this list shows a steep level of consistency on his part. I’m talking about a legend who shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence with many of the great stars on this list. But he is consistent in his own way. When Jay Z was making his debut into mainstream circits, Nas was already a veteran in the game. This was in the late 90’s when Heavy D and the Boys were staging a come back, when Eric Sermon, Redman, Wu Tang Clan, Tupac Shakur, Suge Knight, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Junior MAFIA, Biggie, the Fugees etc… even Das FX were hanging in tight while Busta Rhymes rose to prominence.

This was when Nas held his ground among all the new artists that came out and he has done that over and over and again. The only other emcee who did this was L.L.Cool J but Nas has basically dropped a classic during each era of Hip Hop thus far. He released enough classics over the years to be immortal in raps hall of fame and he's sold records out through the roof. Nas did not branch into fashion and label owning on a highly successful level but as an artist he consistently delivered that streetsmart rap album that had everyone buzzing. And as if this stat is not amazing enough Nas has teamed up with Damian Marley to record a reggae/hiphip album entitled 'Distant Relatives' which will land in stores in 2010.

                        
          WATCH 'YOUNG FOREVER' BY JAY Z FEAT. MR. HUDSON

JAY Z – It’s difficult to perceive why Jiggaman should even be mentioned on this list as well. Due to his status and his enormous record breaking record it would be a disaster to compare Jay Z with any emcee. When you look at the scorecards you’ll see that when Jay came along in 1996, there were dope emcees in the game who had already made a mark. Jay Z never weavered. Hip Hop was in a touchy position in 1996 but the last person to underrate, history will later prove, was Shawn Carter from Marcy. This clean cut and deeply street credible emcee is a master of the art of invention.

Jay Z rose to fame quickly since 1996 and has reigned for over ten years and counting. If anyone made Hip Hop work for them, that person would have to be Jay Z. You will have to mix Russell Simmons with Suge Knight and add in a lot of Jay Z if you plan to measure up. Ten top ten albums in a row to where even Elvis Presley is listed for his runners up? Jiggaman’s formula worked so well. He continues to spank his competition in every category musically and in whatever money can buy. In my book, that counts for consistency.
 

                                  
                                   'ME AGAINST THE WORLD' BY TUPAC

TUPAC SHAKUR – Truly the most hard working emcee. During 1995 -1996, Tupac recorded over ten albums and about two movies within that short period of time. Every year or two during 2000 -2010, there’s been a new Tupac album in stores and on the charts with a spanking hot single on the radio and that's talking record releases after his passing. Not to mention that nearly half of his albums released during this decade were double CD albums. His lyrics are closely relevant to todays lifestyle to a point where one would think he recorded the song last night. But Tupac has been reported dead for over thirteen years now. For someone to produces so many hits 'from the grave', one would wonder why he is not number one on this list. 
                                 
    WATCH 'PROM QUEEN' BY L'IL WAYNE

L’IL WAYNE – Between 1999 and 2009 this guy probably released the most material for one person in all of Hip Hop. L'il Wayne can basically match Tupac in the amout of collaborations and album releases he's launched but Tupac is still ahead because a lot of his albums were classics and the were double CD albums. Nevertheless, Mr. Carter aka Young money has been a face of the south in Hip Hop for ten years straight. Nuff respect to T.I and Young Jeesey, of course Outkast will get a bow along with Scarface, Trick Daddy and UGK. But still it comes to be agreed that L’il Wayne dropped approximately seventeen releases if not more in the last decade.

Those CDs include seven commericially successful studio albums and at least ten well circulated mixtapes. Wayne blew up to mega stardom and recorded at least one arguable classic album in his career. L’il Wayne was even featured on almost every big hit in the decade including working with Eminem towards the end. Many local artists ALSO owe Wayne some gratitude for his appearance on their songs. This impact is emence so much so, power players like Jay Z and 50 Cents finally saluted Wayne for the work he puts in. This once underrated emcee from the south is now a force to recon with.
                                           
          WATCH 'BEAUTIFUL' BY EMINEM

EMINEM - The big show down right now for Hip Hop would have to be a Jay Z/Eminem battle. Will it be fair? I don’t know. Jay Z has a right to be washed up at this point in his career but he is not. Jay Z spanked the game so hard over the years that even now that he has retired and returned for a post retirement era of his career, no emcee in his or her right mind would dare step up to him lyrically. Well 50 Cent and the Game tried recently plus Jay Z has always been attacked on wax by fellow emcees dating back to when Tupac couldn't stand him to his beef with Nas and so on.

But then there is Eminem, the fearless emcee with controversies, with his wit of wits in a game where his greatest strength (wordplay) is a far fetch for many accomplished emcees. Even as Em was well recieved into Hip Hop, being a 'whiteboy' and all, it is clear that there is a cap on how many stars he can earn Hip Hop wise as per what he should have earned if he was black. All of Eminem albums are classics but no one seems to want to stamp them eventhough he outsold every artist from all genres in music in the last ten years. What would be worst? Battling Eminem or battling Jay Z? Eminem brought D12 to the limelight and they left a mark in the game. When he signed 50 Cent and his GUnit imprint the rest was history. Eminem has made Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope Records the most consistent music powers house of this decade. And now he's branching out and working with more producers.
                                   
'GANGSTA LUV' BY SNOOP DOGG FEAT. THE DREAM

SNOOP DOGG – The originator. The inventor, Snoop Dogg is always in my top whatever emcee list. It seems like every year Snoop comes out with another dope album and if you think Snoop is small time you must be from another planet. Snoop is selling more records than Michael Jackson could sell lately. Guys like 50 Cent, Eminem, Nelly, Ludacris, Kanye West, L'il Wayne and Jay Z had crowded the news with their stats but what, Snoop is right up there with them.

He's not selling a million CDS in his first week of release but his consistent platinum certified albums cannot be ignored. On every single album he sells between 150, 000 to 500, 000 copies in the first week of release. Then the albums goes on to a subtle but strong double or triple platinum certification. Snoop's style of entertainment has always been unique. Not much changed since this guy stormed the world with Doggystyle in 1993 and returned with Malice N Wonderland in 2009. When you look at it, we as a whole can never get enough Snoop Dogg.