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Top 10 Rap Songs of the Week

A weekly countdown of the best hip-hop songs.

10. Lupe Fiasco - "What You Want"
© Atlantic Records
If "What You Want"(the unmastered version) and "I'm Beamin'" are any indication, prepare yourself for an assault of strange experimentation. Lupe is trying his hands on new sounds and we can only hope for the better.

9. Snoop Dogg - "I Wanna Rock (West Coast Remix)"

"I Wanna Rock" was already a banger but Snoop found a way to further enhance it. The Dogg Father rounded up some of the west's finest MCs (Ras Kass, Crooked I, Daz) for a gangstafied remix.

8. Nas - "Strong Will Continue"

One of two leaks from Distant Relatives, "Strong Will Continue" finds Nasty Nas peeling back the curtain on his personal struggles: "How in the hell am I supposed to stay comfy when I pay alimony/child support monthly?"

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The 10 Best Rap Albums of 2009

While 2009 has produced more duds than gems, the year boasts an array of great albums that managed to sustain our faith in hip-hop. Grab a cold drink, pull up a chair, and join us as we take stock of 2009's best hip-hop albums.

10. K'naan - 'Troubadour'
© A&M
For a guy who only learned the English Language a decade ago, Somali-Canadian MC K'naan is an outstanding lyricist. K'naan Left an indelible mark on the global hip-hop community with 2005's Dusty Foot Philosopher. He now returns with the musically rich Troubador, which features Damian "JR Gong" Marley, Chubb Rock, Mos Def, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Chali 2na and Adam Levine & James Valentine of Maroon 5. Troubadour finds K’naan assuming the role of a street griot and dishing out some of the most compelling narratives you’ll hear all year. In his own words, “My job is to write what I see/So a visual stenographer is what I be.”

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