Kanye West's 'Graduation' Aimed for Stadium Status and Solidified His LegendKanye West's 'Graduation' Aimed for Stadium Status and Solidified His LegendOn his third album, Ye sought stadium status. He got it--and a lot more. Todd "Stereo" WilliamsTodd "Stereo" Williams
'The Blueprint' Revisited: Jay Z's Ascendance Set a New Standard for 2000s Hip-Hop'The Blueprint' Revisited: Jay Z's Ascendance Set a New Standard for 2000s Hip-HopIt's hard to deny the impact of 'The Blueprint' on Jay Z's legacy and on popular music.Todd "Stereo" WilliamsTodd "Stereo" Williams
Master P's 'Ghetto D' Proved the South's Indie Blueprint Could Lead to Platinum PlaquesMaster P's 'Ghetto D' Proved the South's Indie Blueprint Could Lead to Platinum PlaquesTwo decades later, Percy Miller's sixth album helped push the south to closer to world domination. Todd "Stereo" WilliamsTodd "Stereo" Williams
Michael Jackson's 'Bad' 30 Years Later: The Birth of Arena Pop and Multimedia MegastardomMichael Jackson's 'Bad' 30 Years Later: The Birth of Arena Pop and Multimedia MegastardomIn 1987, the King of Pop was charged with following the biggest album of all time. Todd "Stereo" WilliamsTodd "Stereo" Williams
10 Things We Learned from Kanye West's 'Late Registration' Album10 Things We Learned from Kanye West's 'Late Registration' AlbumKanye West's 2005 album 'Late Registration' celebrates its 12th anniversary today (Aug. 30). Chris GibbonsChris Gibbons
'Watch the Throne' Is a Collaborative Album That Redirected Mainstream Hip-Hop'Watch the Throne' Is a Collaborative Album That Redirected Mainstream Hip-HopWe looked back at what set the stage for 'Watch the Throne' and what followed in it's wake. PreezyPreezy
Is Scarface's 'The Fix' Southern Hip-Hop's Last Pre-Trap Classic?Is Scarface's 'The Fix' Southern Hip-Hop's Last Pre-Trap Classic?Scarface's change of scenery, label and collaborators meant that his first album for Def Jam was going to be something of a departure from his previous efforts.Todd "Stereo" WilliamsTodd "Stereo" Williams
Mary J. Blige's 'What's the 411?' Reshaped the Landscape of 1990s R&BMary J. Blige's 'What's the 411?' Reshaped the Landscape of 1990s R&BOn July 28, 1992, a soulful singer from Yonkers changed R&B forever. Todd "Stereo" WilliamsTodd "Stereo" Williams
Company Flow's 'Funcrusher Plus' Epitomized Hip-Hop's Independent SpiritCompany Flow's 'Funcrusher Plus' Epitomized Hip-Hop's Independent SpiritCompany Flow shunned the mainstream while embracing hip-hop's against-the-grain ethos. PreezyPreezy
'Below The Heavens' Turned Blu & Exile Into Indie Rap Heroes'Below The Heavens' Turned Blu & Exile Into Indie Rap HeroesBlu & Exile's masterpiece is one of the definitive albums to impact the independent rap scene of the last decade.PreezyPreezy