Unlike most MCs, Nas can put an entire genre on edge with one word, or lack thereof. His untitled album, formerly dubbed "N*gger," could have been just another big idea wrapped in unfocused songs and chalked up as a publicity stunt. Instead, the veteran MC seized the opportunity, lyrically and musically, to concretely convey his idea of the black man's experience in America. From "Project Roach," where Nas says that the NAACP's burial of "n*gger" was pointless, to "Untitled," which discusses Louis Farrakhan's role in America, the Queens MC impresses his listener while provoking social and political thought. DJ Toomp, Stargate, Salaam Remi, Polow Da Don and newcomer Jay Electronica contribute lush tracks with strings and airy melodies, giving Nas the freedom to dissect the North American black experience with more intelligence than hip-hop has displayed on a mainstream scale in years. —Hillary Crosley