List Madness: Top Ten Rappers That Have One (Or One More) Great Album Left In the Tank

In my opinion, talent is much easier to detect in rappers than in, say, rock bands or pop singers, because a large amount of their "talent" comes from constant variables: their delivery, their writing, their overall persona. For the most part, none of these things change too much over a career; what seems to change are the subjects they focus on and the production/beats behind them. That's why, even while releasing a slew of shitty albums, a talented MC always has the opportunity to bounce back with a change in direction. Witness Jay-Z's lackluster "Kingdom Come" and critical hit "American Gangster": the man and his flow are basically the same, but on his latest CD, the actual songs are much tighter, and Jay stopped analyzing his old age and directed the spotlight once again on his intriguing youth as a hustler.

Here are ten rappers that I believe have one truly great album buried deep within them. Their talent on the mic has hinted at greatness, but they haven't been able to capture it on a fully realized release just yet (or, if they have, haven't shown they can do it recently). Go get 'em, fellas:

10. The Roots
The inspiration for this entry was the lame process of hearing some of The Roots' just-released Rising Down. Like their last two releases, it's so bogged down in maintaining a social conscience that it refuses to hint at some exciting new dynamic. The band's sound barely even matters anymore, since Black Thought's rhyming is as boring as a high school lecture on the importance of community service. Look, I'm not saying The Roots don't have a worthy cause, but I'd love to hear it channeled into something less anger-driven and more personally affecting. Black Thought is a thoughtful, sophisticated rapper; is it too much to ask for something as beautifully constructed as "Illadelph Halflife"? I don't think so.

9. Talib Kweli
Talib seems to be unable to create an interesting place for himself in the world of hip-hop: not as hard as most rappers, but not as willing to sell out as other PG-13 rappers like Common or Mos Def. Last year's Eardrum wasn't too bad when it finally saw the light of day, but it wasn't the masterpiece that he's hinted at since Quality. It's probably asking a lot, but I'd love to see Talib make a really fucking dark album, with someone like El-P providing a handful of nasty sci-fi beats. He doesn't have to get all gangsta on us, but Talib definitely needs some sort of edge to his delivery.

8. Scarface
Okay, yeah, it's not like Scarface has been too far off his game here. He released MADE this year to some well-deserved acclaim, coming off of an "I-ain't-rappin-no-more" stint. But still, Scarface hasn't made an out-and-out masterpiece in a long time. It's hard to judge whether or not he's still got one left in him, though: at 37 years old, Scarface is at the optimal age to walk away from serious recording and become a symbolic elder statesman. What else is there to prove, really? Well, I think he's got a puncher's chance to make another classic. After "T.I. vs. T.I.P.", the South could use someone like Scarface.

7. Twista
Twista: a man destined for guest-verse purgatory? Tough to say. He keeps knocking cameos out of the park, usually because he's light years ahead of the other rapper on the track stylistically. But then he'll release something like The Day After, and suddenly you think, "Hmm, maybe a full-length Twista album wasn't that good of an idea..." It's usually because he just raps about doin' girls and doin' drugs, and since Twista raps at warp-speed, his references to doin' these things mow you down until you're numb. I mean, I would never suggest that Twista's delivery is intrinsically tied to his failure as a solo artist, but... yeah, I have to suggest it. Maybe he should try calming down a bit, not worry about showing off his word-per-minute ratio, and start writing rhymes that are more thought-provoking and not designed exclusively for the club.

6. Eminem
Oh boy, where to start with this one? When Marshall Mathers comes back (and he will come back), it'll be interesting to see what sort of reception he receives, now that he purged himself of his genius on The Marshall Mathers LP and chose to carefully destroy the album image he created on his two follow-ups. What will he say, now that he's irrelevant in a world where pop culture has moved onto the next generation? My guess (and hope): he'll release a deeply bitter, reflective album, one in which none of the singles particularly connect well and the critics hail as his Blood On the Tracks. Eminem's got too much talent and too many demons to not release another staggering album. Let's hope he gets around to it soon.

5. Busta Rhymes
I refuse to believe that The Big Bang is the harbinger of Mr. Flip Mode Squad's career. Why do so many people forget that Busta Rhymes was, for a very long time, really fucking WEIRD? Because, after years of hanging out with Diddy, making songs like "I Love My Bitch", and pissing us off by cutting his dreadlocks, it's easy to overlook such explosive past offerings as "Woo-Ha!", "Dangerous", and "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See". The thing about Busta is that, as his production and hooks became more mainstream, his appeal as rap's wildly brilliant court jester sorta tapered off. Can Busta Rhymes be rescued from his "Ludacris, but a worse actor" fate? Of course he can. In some shape or form, the man will make another great collection of songs -- the moment he stops calling will.i.am and getting haircuts. (Busta, I'm sorry about the actor comment. You were pretty good as the brother in "Finding Forrester".)

4. De La Soul
I don't really wanna talk about why De La Soul is probably gonna make another amazing record. It'll just happen. It doesn't matter that they're old, that The Grind Date was good but not great, or that they don't seem to have any interest in recording another classic. It'll just happen. They're just that good. They will always be that good, and it will come as no surprise when they make another mind-blower. Enough said.

3. Method Man
See, this one's probably the trickiest to call, because Method Man might just be the single best rapper on this list, but he's by far the most inconsistent. Like Twista, he excels at killing the posse cut and squelches on the solo efforts he regularly produces. Unlike Twista, he already has a classic album (Tical) under his belt, not to mention his work as Wu-Tang's most recognizable member. But every time you think Johnny Blaze is ready to come back and smash the world, he puts out more unexceptional material. Dude's hard to pigeonhole. Still, as long as Method Man is still rhyming and the song "Bring The Pain" exists, you just have to believe that he'll eventually get it together and release his own Fishscale.

2. Cam'ron
No, Purple Haze was not an anomaly. Yes, Killa Season was a well-deserved victory lap. And yes, Killa Cam will release something that measures up to (or comes close to) the magenta masterpiece that I consider hands-down a top-ten rap album of the decade. It's very difficult for me to think otherwise, with Purple Haze's crackling wit, hilarious disses, and bizarre sexual come-ons still fresh in the mind. Cam'ron's rhyming style is wholly singular, and while his opinions about basically anything important are undoubtedly deplorable, he remains a genius in the studio. The Diplomats may be readjusting themselves, but Killa's personality is too irrepressible to stay in the shadows for long. My guess is, by next year, men, women, and children of all colors and creeds will be happily shouting "Dipset, bitch!" once more.

1. Cannibal Ox
If they ever get around to making it, Cannibal Ox's follow-up to The Cold Vein will cause many people to lose their respective shit. But there's that damn clause: if they ever get around to making it. Vast Aire and Vordul Mega have been quiet ever since reports of them working on a new record never lead to anything substantial. But let's be serious here: the guys will get around to it, and when they do, underground hip-hop will have a new bible to thump. This is because The Cold Vein is sorta perfect: fantastically engaging, with heart-pounding beats and enough personal insight on songs like "The F-Word" to make the listener feel like they've known the two MCs for years. If El-P can hibernate for a few years and come back with I'll Sleep When You're Dead, it's hard not to expect these two knuckleheads to do the same. And even if the follow-up is a crushing disappointment, Cannibal Ox are too talented to not give us another adrenaline shot someday. If anyone's got one great album left in the tank, it's these guys.