Stankonia
Big Boi and Andre 3000 make a monumental mothership connection on their utterly stupefying fourth album. At a time when the hip-hop "album" seems to be sadly declining in significance, Atlanta's finest deliver a classic package of space-case imagery, curbside poetry, and delicious experimental funk. While the boys still celebrate their big pimpin' lifestyles, "Gasoline Dreams" and the breathtaking "Humble Mumble" overflow with striking images of dashed American dreams and urban frustration. Stankonia's most beautiful moments come in the name of love, whether it's a celebration of the current ("Stanklove") or a lamentation of the past ("Ms. Jackson"). The love movement is manifested on the album's revolutionary production, combining the oozing, organic licks ofP-Funk, the fearless, sexual audacity ofPrince, some down-home Southern crunk, and even a little drum & bass ("B.O.B."). WhileStankoniacertainly isn't an "easy" album, its ambition and vision easily rank it among hip-hop's greatest in some time.--Hua Hsu