Top 20 Hip-Hop Albums of All Time: No. 15

'Things Fall Apart,' by The Roots

In an environment consumed with the excessive promotion of hardcore/gangster rap, an alternative to that norm emerged in the Roots. In 1999, the band took advantage of the growing neo-soul movement, adding unpredictable beats and Black Thought's powerful lyrics to create 'Things Fall Apart.' The title, taken from Chinua Achebe's novel of the same name, is a nod to the outfit's constant importation of culture and global discussion in their music.