The 15 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of the Past 15 Years: #15: The Diplomats "Diplomatic Immunity"

Over the next two weeks or so, I will be presenting my top 15 hip-hop albums of the past 15 years, 1994-2009.  I was inspired to do this for a couple reasons.  One, namely, it gives me a chance to reminisce on days gone by, one music was sold based off of talent and artistic merit, not off of a cool dance step or beat.  When lyrics reigned supreme, and content was king.  The days when people bought albums, not ringtones.  Let's take a trip back in time...some of you may be experiencing this for the first time, others, it'll be a trip down memory lane.  LET'S GO!

#15:  The Diplomats: "Diplomatic Immunity"  (2003) (Roc-a-Fella Records) 

After Cam'ron finally got the exposure and fame he rightfully deserved with 2002's massive hit "Come Home With Me", it was only right he put his boys on.  And he ever.  After dominating the mixtape scene for close to two years, the Diplomats released this album, which was the pinnacle of the group's success.  This album succeeded in firmly cementing Juelz Santana as a household name (even though he gained most his notoriety off of "Hey Ma" and "Oh Boy") and also pushed Jim Jones to the forefront.  A double-disc album, which is difficult to pull off in any genre, with no filler, all killer.  The second disc was a greatest hits of sorts, collecting the Diplomats best mixtape cuts.  The production, consisting mainly of sped up samples from famous soul and rock albums, took the standard set by Jay-Z's "The Blueprint" and turned it into a sound all their own.  It was The Heatmakerz who supplied the bulk of the beats for "Diplomatic Immunity", and due to this album, they developed a signature sound for the Diplomats and all of Harlem as a whole.  "Diplomatic Immunity" went platinum despite limited radio or MTV airplay, showing the power the Diplomat movement held at the time.  They influenced everything from fashion to slang, and as I said, this album was the apex of it all.  Though time has caused the members to go their seperate ways to varying degrees of succees, from 2002 to 2006, it was the Diplomats who reigned supreme, second only probably to G-Unit in the mainstream, but the kings of the streets.

KEY TRACKS: "Ground Zero", "Hey Ma (Remix)", "Built this City", "DJ Enuff Freestyle", "Beautiful Noise", "Purple Haze", "Bout it Bout it III", "I'm Ready", "What's Really Good?"