2000-2005 was better
West Coast was still putting out quality. Dr Dre was discovering the future. The West Coast legends were still putting out great albums and weren't too old yet. Nate Dogg was on everything. It was more or less post-gfunk and post-gangster at the time, but they were still putting out quality. And Game put out a classic.
Houston was at the height of the screw scene, and the emergence of a new generation from there. SUC, Swisha House. Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Mike Jones, UGK got huge, free pimp c, codeine went national. Cham was the future. Lil Flip wasn't a joke yet
Boosie and Webbie had their own following
New Orleans had pretty much arrived, No Limit and Cash Money were putting out albums non-stop. Lil Wayne found his new sound and reinvented himself. I think we got 2 Carters and a Dedication in before the end of 2005? Those three alone top any other three he's done in the last 5 years.
Memphis had their own sound. Project Pat had just made his name. Three 6 was on the national scene finally. So were ball and g.
Atlanta was still their own sound, and the arrival of Atlanta Crunk. The emergence of trap. The birth of snap. Ludacris was the man. Lil Jon. TI had so much hype.
Miami was still their own scene. Trick Daddy was in full swing. Trina too
New York - DMX, Jay-Z, Wu-Tang were on top of the game. 50 Cent and G-Unit were on the come up. Jay-Z and Nas started a beef that was WAY better than whatever is going on today. Fabulous had just come on the scene. The Roc! Dipset!
Eminem was at his best and he brought along a lot of Detroit rappers and DJs.
Chicago wasn't doing their best impression of Waka Flocka and Gucci Mane yet. Kanye was making timeless tracks already and hadn't even put out his debut. Then we got another classic by him before the end of 05.
The Clipse had just come out. Neptunes were legendary status already.
Bone Thugs didn't suck yet.
Nelly and the St Lunatics
The birth of Gamgsta Grillz, which influenced the mixtape scene that we see today, but did it better.
Eli Porter.
Come on, is this even a contest?
That's all off the top of the head too. If we just started listing albums, we could go blow for blow between the two eras and not even get to the 2000's bench.
All of these artists today are just doing their best impression of movements from this time. And everyone is trapping now. It was ok to be different back then.
There have been good mixtapes and really good efforts by today's artists, but they are barely matching the five best labels of the early 2000's
