The crown jewel. This is the album that solidified Mos Def as a superstar. It is a sprawling, ambitious masterpiece that touches on everything from rock and jazz to soul and hardcore hip-hop. From the anthem "Ms. Fat Booty" to the sociopolitical "Mathematics," it remains one of the greatest debut solo albums in the genre's history. 3. The New Danger (2004)

A genre-blending project that reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200.

Whether you are revisiting these files or discovering them for the first time, this discography represents the high-water mark of lyrical rap.