Illmatic is the crown jewel of the mid-90s classics that still define the genre. Unlike Biggies Ready to Die or Jay-Zs Reasonable Doubt, Illmatic was the game-changer that forever transformed the landscape of East Coast hip-hop.
Black on Both Sides was the debut album of Mos Def,. The album features an emphasis on live instrumentation and socially conscious lyrics and has features from Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes and Talib Kweli.