Entertainment Music 10 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2006 Share PINTEREST Email Print Music Rap & Hip Hop Top Picks Basics Rock Music Pop Music Alternative Music Classical Music Country Music Folk Music Rhythm & Blues World Music Punk Music Heavy Metal Jazz Latin Music Oldies Learn More By Henry Adaso Henry Adaso has written about hip-hop since 2005 and founded the award-winning blog The Rap Up. He has written for "Vibe," MTV, Rap Rehab, and more. our editorial process Henry Adaso Updated April 01, 2019 01 of 10 AZ - The Format (Quiet Money) Quiet Money Nothing on The Format betrays the fact that Anthony "AZ" Cruz has been around long enough to be considered a graybeard rapper; his hunger is maiden. AZ, the other senior citizen of rap from BK, showcases a multi-faceted approach to wordsmithing throughout The Format. 02 of 10 The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon (Epitaph) Epitaph We're reminded of The Coup's staunch refusal to settle for the status quo throughout Pick a Bigger Weapon. Bigger Weapon is loaded with enough politically-fused cannonballs to inject an eargasm in even the harshest Coup critic. 03 of 10 Jay-Z - Kingdom Come (Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam) Roc-a-Fella Just when you thought there was nothing left for him to prove, the self-proclaimed God MC came calling with his 11th studio album. 680,000 people responded the first week. Mixed entirely by Dr. Dre, Kingdom Come finds Hov musing over money, maturation, and MySpace. 04 of 10 Rhymefest - Blue Collar (J ) J Perhaps Rhymefest's biggest challenge in 2006 was being recognized for anything other than "the guy who co-wrote and won a Grammy for "Jesus Walks" with Kanye West." Eschewing thug fantasy and opting for a killer combination of wit and grit, 'Fest eventually stepped out of Ye's shadow and proved himself as one of the Midwest's future greats with Blue Collar. 05 of 10 T.I. - King (Atlantic) Atlantic If you have the audacity to name your album KING, then you better drag along some balls to back up your claim. Thankfully, T.I. delivers the goods, giving each track a regal touch and handing us two of the year's best tracks: the Neptunes-blessed "Good Life" and the DJ Toomp-laced "What You Know." 06 of 10 The Game - Doctor's Advocate (Geffen) Geffen Left to work on his second album without any help from erstwhile mentors Dr. Dre and 50 Cent (with Dre taking his cash cow's side in the beef), The Game invokes the biggest production that money can buy. Doctor's Advocate depicts Game as a rising star who's caught between opposing cannons and an inflated sense of loyalty. 07 of 10 Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury (ZLG) ZLG Pusha T, Malice and honorary Clipse member Pharrell serve up a percolating, lilting plate of fantasy, brutal reality, and remorse. Hell Hath No Fury is brisk but bold and affords little margin for error with 12 songs that document the Clipse being remorseful, wistful, and "trill." 08 of 10 Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor (Atlantic) Atlantic Whether he's spitting over a rock-influenced sonic or dishing social insight on a soul palette, MC Kool Nerd always has his Steve Urkel-esque eyeglasses tightly-fixated on the big picture. Meet Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor, the year's best debut by one of rap's future greats. Individual Lists: Ketchums (Speech Is My Hammer) Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor Ghostface Killah - Fishscale Snoop Dogg - Tha Blue Carpet Treatment Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury The Roots - Game Theory The Game - Doctor's Advocate Busta Rhymes - The Big Bang Ludacris - Release Therapy Obie Trice - Release Therapy Jay-Z - Kingdom Come Rodney Dugue (Fly, Black Scholar) Ghostface - Fishscale Lupe Fiasco - Food and Liquor Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury T.I. - KING The Game - Doctor's Advocate Rhymefest - Blue Collar Lil Wayne - Tha Carter II The Roots - Game Theory Jay-Z - Kingdom Come Hi-Tek - Hi-Teknology 2: The Chip Eskay (Nahright.com) Ghostface Killah - Fishscale Lupe Fiasco - Food And Liquor Boot Camp - The Last Stand Jay-Z - Kingdom Come AZ - The Format Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter II Ghostface Killah & Trife da God - Put It on the Line Young Dro - Best Thang Smokin' Obie Trice - Second Round's on Me Renato Pagnani: (Until The Train Stops) Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury Sway - This Is My Demo Ghostface - Fishscale Louis Logic & J.J. Brown - Misery Loves Comedy T.I. - King The Roots - Game Theory Spank Rock - YoYoYoYoYo Lupe Fiasco - Food and Liquor Subtle - For Hero: For Fool J Dilla - Donuts 09 of 10 The Roots - Game Theory (Def Jam) Def Jam Themes about confusion, loss (spawned by Katrina and Jay Dee's demise), corporate woes, double standards and war are recurrent on Game Theory. It's their best longplayer since Things Fall Apart. Individual Lists: Big R (Sumish.com): The Roots -Game Theory Ghostface - Fishscale Kenn Starr - Starr Status Trek Life - Price I've Paid Jay-Z - Kingdom Come Lupe Fiasco - Food and Liquor Cunninlynguists - A Piece of Strange J Dilla - Donuts Panacea - Ink is My Drink Aloe Blacc - Shine Through Rafi Kam (OhWord.com) The Roots - Game Theory Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury Ghostface Killah - Fishscale K-Def - Willie Boo Boo: The Fool AZ - The Format E-40 - My Ghetto Report Card The Game - Doctor's Advocate Jay-Z - Kingdom Come Dilla - Donuts Juggaknots - Use Your Confusion Rizoh (The Rap Up) The Roots - Game Theory Ghostface Killah - Fishscale Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon K-Os - Atlantis: Hymns for Disco Cunnynlinguists - A Piece of Strange Sway - This Is My Demo Rhymefest - Blue Collar Louis Logic & JJ Brown - Misery Loves Comedy The Game - Doctor's Advocate Ian (Notes from a Different Kitchen) The Game - Doctor's Advocate Tha Dogg Pound - Cali Iz Active Ghostface & Mick Boogie - The Broiled Salmon DJ Green Lantern - Alive on Arrival Rhymefest - Blue Collar Birdman & Lil Wayne - Like Father, Like Son Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury T.I. - King Matthew Africa & DJ Eleven - Dirty Raps: The Best of Too $hort Jibbs - Jibbs featuring Jibbs 10 of 10 Ghostface Killah - Fishscale (Def Jam) Def Jam Ghostface Killah, the only rapper that can turn swine references into a hood anthem, puts the Wu on his back and returns hip-hop to its essence with Fishscale. And you wonder why everyone loves Tony Starks? Individual Lists: Joey (Straight Bangin') Ghostface Killah - Fishscale The Roots - Game Theory Murs & 9th Wonder - Murray's Revenge Bronze Nazareth - The Great Migration Little Brother - Separate But Equal De La Soul - Impossible Mission Dudley Perkins - Expressions (2012 A.U.) Jay Dee - Donuts AZ - The Format Rhymefest - Blue Collar Byron Crawford (ByronCrawford.com) Jedi Mind Tricks - Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell Diddy - Press Play 7L & Esoteric - A New Dope The Game - Doctor's Advocate Ghostface Killah - Fishscale Mr. Lif - Mo' Mega Juggaknots - Use Your Confusion Louis Logic & JJ Brown - Misery Loves Comedy Rhymefest - Blue Collar J Dilla - Donuts Del F. Cowie (Vibes and Stuff) Ghostface Killah - Fishscale The Roots - Game Theory Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor J Dilla - Donuts/The Shining Cadence Weapon - Breaking Kayfabe K-OS - Atlantis: Hymns For Disco The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon More Or Les - The Truth About Rap Rhymefest - Blue Collar Murs & 9th Wonder - Murray's Revenge Noz (Cocaine, Blunts & Tapes) Trae - Restless TI - King Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury Lil Wayne & DJ Drama - Dedication 2 Dogg Pound - Cali Iz Active Ghostface - Fishscale The Coup - Pick a Bigger Weapon Project Pat - Crook By The Book Mitchy Slick - Urban Survival Syndrome