 | Fantastic, Vol. 2 by Slum Village
Buy used from: $9.87 J Dilla is the primary influence of the modern Detroit scene. This is his group's first official album. Full of soulful production and strong rhyming.
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 | Trinity (Past, Present and Future) by Slum Village
Buy new: $11.94 / Used from: $3.03 Excellent album. Features the group's best known single "Tainted"
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 | Detroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit) by Slum Village
Buy new: $11.94 / Used from: $2.42 Another great release from this group. J Dilla is absent, but we are treated to the production of BR Gunna (Young RJ & Black Milk). Strong top to bottom.
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 | The Preface by eLZhi
Buy new: $17.98 / Used from: $7.75 |
 | Donuts by J Dilla
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $7.98 J Dilla released several albums before his death, but this one is probably most representative of his style. It's also the best listen. It's a shame we had to lose such a great talent at such a young age.
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 | Popular Demand by Black Milk
Buy new: $14.98 / Used from: $5.35 Up-and-coming producer's debut solo album. Black Milk's productions are excellent, and he makes for a very good MC. Guest spots are reserved for his Detroit brethren, and are all on point. A killer album.
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 | Caltroit by Black Milk
Buy new: $16.98 / Used from: $6.97 What happens when one of Detroit's finest young producers and California's dopest up-and-coming MCs collaborate (and bring along many of the midwest & west coast's finest for the ride)?? 18 tracks of great music, that's what. Highly recommended.
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 | Tronic by Black Milk
Buy new: $15.98 / Used from: $8.07 |
 | Masters of the Universe by Binary Star
Buy used from: $11.95 Reissue of Detroit crew's local debut. MCs One.Be.Lo and Senim Silla, as well as producer Decompoze are all topnotch. Classic. A must-have.
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 | Project F.E.T.U.S. by One Be Lo
Buy used from: $11.99 Solo debut of One.Be.Lo. Very good all-around.
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 | S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. by One Be Lo
Buy new: $13.98 / Used from: $4.02 Excellent 2nd album from One.Be.Lo. A bonafide classic. This is one of the best hip hop albums released in recent years. Everyone should have this album.
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 | The R.E.B.I.R.T.H. by One Be Lo
Buy new: $16.99 / Used from: $3.87 Very good album. Not quite up to the very high standards One.Be.Lo has set for himself, but still something more people need to be hearing.
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 | The Name The Motto The Outcome by Senim Silla of Binary Star
Terrific album from lesser known (but similarly skilled) MC of Binary Star. One of the best releases of 2007.
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 | Decomposition by Decompoze
Buy used from: $12.15 Excellent debut from main producer of Binary Star. Features cameos from One.Be.Lo, Elzhi, Juice, Magestik Legend, and Buff 1. Decompoze performs surprisingly well on the mic as well.
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 | The Undeniable by Phat Kat
Buy used from: $4.66 Solid debut from Phat Kat. His second album is a vast improvement upon this.
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 | Carte Blanche by Phat Kat
Buy new: $15.98 / Used from: $4.82 2nd album from MC that grew up with J Dilla and has helped the Detroit scene get to where it is today. Phat Kat gets productions and guest spots almost exclusively from fellow Detroiters. "Cold Steel" is an absolute banger, produced by the late J Dilla. Very good album.
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 | Ode To the Ghetto by Guilty Simpson
Buy new: $14.98 / Used from: $2.82 Guilty Simpson has been in the game for years, and finally got his chance to shine in 2008 thanks to Stones Throw. The album is not a complete success, but Guilty's booming voice works nicely over some of the year's finest beats.
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 | Cheers by Obie Trice
Buy new: $13.98 / Used from: $0.96 A lot of Eminem fans write Obie off because he is not quite Eminem. Underground fans sleep on him because he's associated with Eminem. Both camps are missing out, as he crafted one of the best albums of 2003 with Cheers. The album gets a little long-winded, but production is always on-point, and Obie plays the "average man" to a T. Great album all around.
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 | Second Round's on Me by Obie Trice
Buy new: $13.98 / Used from: $0.01 Solid, if unspectacular, 2nd album from Obie Trice. Obie is on the same level as the first, but the production comes up a little short this time. Above-average still.
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 | Rock City by Royce da 5'9"
Buy new: $17.98 / Used from: $5.90 |
 | Searching for Jerry Garcia by Proof
Buy used from: $4.50 D12 is a group more known for shock than skill (Eminem aside), so it was extremely surprising to see Proof drop such a strong album in 2005. This album has an eclectic array of influences, and is remarkably void of filler. It is a shame the world lost such a talent in Proof (RIP). For those who don't already know, Proof was the inspiration for Mekhi Phifer's character in 8 Mile.
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 | Soundvision: In Stereo by Lawless Element
Buy new: $16.98 / Used from: $0.75 Enjoyable, if derivative, album from producer/MC Magnif & MC Griot. You can hear clear J Dilla influences here, but fortunately they do a pretty good imitation. Hopefully next album will feature a sound more their own. Still worth checking.
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 | Develop by Finale & Spier 1200
Jazzy, soulful production and battle rhymes. One of 2007's most slept-on albums. Highly recommended.
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 | Shapeshifters by Invincible
Buy new: $18.98 / Used from: $46.44 |
 | The Fevers by Ta'Raach & the Lovelution
Buy used from: $3.81 Solid album from J Dilla protegee formerly known as Lacks. Has a neo-soul edge. If you can handle his fairly pedestrian rhymes, Ta'raach serves up 16 soulful, rewarding productions. A little too unfocused to really be an amazing listen, but still pleasant when playing in the background.
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 | Triple P by Platinum Pied Pipers
Buy new: $14.99 / Used from: $7.67 |
 | The War by Waajeed of Platinum Pied Pipers
Buy new: $38.99 / Used from: $14.17 |
 | What's on My Mind? by The Dayton Family
Buy new: $12.98 / Used from: $6.00 Actually from Flint, not Detroit, but well worth any hip hop fan's time, namely fans of gangsta rap. Harsh, honest look at life in Flint.
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 | MC Breed & DFC by MC Breed & DFC
Buy new: $13.98 / Used from: $42.34 Along with Dayton Family, MC Breed and crew put Flint, MI hip hop on the map. Contains the killer single "Ain't No Future in Yo' Frontin'".
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 | Funkafied by MC Breed
Buy new: $14.98 / Used from: $0.22 |
 | Things in tha Hood by DFC
Buy used from: $1.98 After MC Breed split town for Cali, his group mates recorded an album of their own. This one's heavy on the g-funk and light on variety, but it succeeds at its few ambitions. Great music for the ride (even these days).
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 | Ahead Of The Basics by Nametag
Buy used from: $65.70 Nice album from young Detroit MC. He's worked with Black Milk and Phat Kat and held his own. Member of Slang Kommittee with Brainstormz, Onpoint, and Broadcast.
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 | Up Pops the Sac by Starving Artists Crew
Buy new: $15.98 / Used from: $1.32 This album is a B-Boy soundtrack, if ever there was one. The production takes after that of People Under the Stairs and the rhymes are spit with incredible energy. The chemistry between MCs is unreal. This term is vastly overused, but these guys are pure hip hop.
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 | Jungle Gym Jungle by Athletic Mic League (AML)
Buy used from: $4.96 Solid album from Ann Arbor crew. Full of mic trade-offs and vibes in the grand tradition of hip hop (with an experimental edge).
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 | Pure by Buff1
Buy used from: $39.99 Nice debut from Athletic Mic League's lead MC. A sign of good things to come.
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 | There's Only One by Buff 1
Buy new: $14.99 / Used from: $4.10 |
 | Eye Level by Now On
Buy used from: $0.28 |
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