My 25 Favorite Artists of the 2000s - #5

#5 - Kanye West

While not being quite my favorite member of the hip-hop community this decade, it's hard to argue that one person had a bigger influence on the genre as a whole than Kanye West had. Beginning early in the decade with his production work on the landmark Jay-Z album The Blueprint, Kanye set himself as someone to watch out for in the world of hip-hop producers. When his first solo album College Dropout was released, however, the world at large was put on notice that this was a man that had his sights set squarely on the complete domination of the music industry. While certainly not being the most technically skilled rapper alive, Kanye's abilities have opened the doors for the underground backpack hip-hoppers to garner some acclaim for themselves as well. While his personal antics at times may overshadow the more positive things about the man (especially lately), Kanye is still one of the most important musicians of our generation and respect must always be given to this man and everything he'll ever do.

My Favorite Albums:

1. Late Registration (2005)

2. Graduation (2007)

3. College Dropout (2004)

4. 808's & Heartbreak (2008)